During Russian tactical nuclear weapons exercises, the rare and scandalous armored car “Vystrel” K-43269 was used to accompany convoys with nuclear weapons . nuclear ammunition, and the “Iskander” OTRK unit.
Experts Defense Express commented on the situation.
We are talking about the K-43269 “Vystrel” car from KamAZ, which is quite rare for the Russian Federation, which is going at the head of the column. This armored car has been painstakingly drawn since 1997, it weighs about 11 tons and is one of the first Russian armored vehicles of this type.
But there is a nuance, the video captures the “Vystrel” version of K-43269 with the combat module MB2- 03, which is to be armed with a 30 mm automatic cannon 2А72, a machine gun and an automatic grenade launcher. At the same time, a car with a removed automatic cannon is driving on the video.
“The reasons for such a decision, especially in the conditions of alleged exercises with nuclear weapons, can be quite interesting, although unknown. And in general, when it comes to “Vystrel”, it is about a machine that, even in the Russian Federation, no one has ever been interested in. In particular, this armored car was even offered to private customers in the 90s, in particular, as a car for collectors,” experts say.
According to Defense Express, it was also tried to be “crammed” for export to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in the mid-2000s, which ended in a scandal due to systematic breaks in the gimbals, problems with the springs and cracks in the armor plates. And due to the refusal to order the second batch, it was bought by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, and since 2009 the machine has been put into service. Also, an armored car with the BPM-97 index was ordered by the border service (part of the FSB).
Armored car “Vystrel” K-43269 in front of the “nuclear” convoy/Photo: Defense express
As of 2013, it was reported that this “Vystrel” is in service with the anti-sabotage units of the strategic missile forces. Logically, they should accompany the carriers of nuclear weapons. But as of 2013, a total of about 160 of these armored vehicles were produced, and despite the declaration of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, there were only about 10 in the armed forces.
Since then, almost nothing has been heard about “Vystrel”, except for 2014, when these specific machines were not seen in the already captured Luhansk, and also until October 2022, one of these machines became a trophy of Ukrainian fighters. At the same time, a photo appeared showing the overturning of the new K-43269 “Vystrel” with the BM-30D “Spitsa” combat module. And just such a machine was spotted at the head of another convoy during “nuclear exercises”.
This module from JSC TsNII Burevestnyk, although it has similar armament to the MB2-03, is already unmanned and equipped with television and thermal imaging channels , as well as a laser rangefinder.
“And in this situation, it is interesting that this rather specific and remarkable machine is used in the Russian Federation to accompany convoys with nuclear weapons. And this is a rather interesting marker and sign. At the same time during the times of the USSR, the main requirement for them was maximum secrecy and camouflage due to the use of machines that did not differ in any way from ordinary ones. And on the march, such a column did not stand out in any way from the “regular” rembaza”, – explained experts Defense Express.