A Ukrainian ATGM destroys a Russian armored vehicle near Klischiivka. The source claims that the vehicle is a BBM “Kozak” armored personnel carrier, a wheeled, mine-resistant vehicle. My initial assessment was the vehicle depicted looked more like a BMP with a cope cage, but I am several years out of practice at identifying armor through thermals. The hit is likely catastrophic. Mine resistant vehicles are good for deflecting the blast from a mine or an IED, but their high profile makes them tempting targets for anti-armor weapons. Systems like the TOW or the Stugna-P are designed to penetrate enemy armor with a shaped-charge that drills a hole through the armor and injects spawl, a deadly stew of explosive energy, molten metal, and metal fragments, into the vehicle. The spawl ignites fuel and ammunition and can turn a tank or an armored vehicle into a miniature volcano, incinerating the occupants. In certain cases, the weapon can cause instantaneous overpressure inside the vehicle, resulting in the occupants becoming very squishy and being sucked out of the aforementioned hole. Even if the crew of this vehicle survived the strike, they did not have a very good day.

About the Author

Cam

Cam served as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps, deploying to the Horn of Africa and participating in combat operations in Iraq. He currently works in the maritime industry and in the defense sector as an instructor of combined arms planning and operations. An avid sailor, Cam founded and directs Triumph Sailing, a nonprofit that supports veterans and first responders through adventure and fellowship on the water. Triumph Sailing just completed its big yearly event, an offshore race in the Gulf of Mexico with an all veteran crew. You can support the mission and next year's sailing season at Tri-Sail.Org.