Servicemen of the 56th Separate Motorized Infantry Mariupol Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shared their experience using the BTR-4 Bucephalus combat vehicle with journalists from Army TV.
"We support our fellow infantrymen who need cover. When we deploy, they immediately gain inspiration, feel that they are not abandoned, and their combat morale rises," one of the crew members explained.
Read more: The Ukrainian Military Showcases Rare BTR-4 Bucephalus (Video)
The advantages that define the BTR-4 Bucephalus are its powerful weaponry and a thermal imaging camera that ensures effective nighttime operations.
"The thermal imager works very well. You can see everything — which way to shoot and what needs to be done," crew commander Oleksii noted.
The BM-7 Parus turret is a highly versatile system, armed with a combat-proven 30mm cannon, a coaxial 7.62mm machine gun, and a grenade launcher. Anti-tank guided missiles can be mounted to further increase the vehicle's lethality against enemy armor.
According to the servicemen, during a week of intensive operations, the vehicle can fire around 3,000 rounds. The only drawback the crew points out is the limited ammunition capacity of 300 rounds.
"If it had 600 rounds, it would be absolutely perfect," one soldier remarked.
Every deployment to the position carries risks, and sometimes the equipment takes damage. The soldiers recall a recent mission where they returned with one punctured wheel and one more completely missing. However, the speed of the BTR-4 allows it to successfully evade enemy fire.
An important benefit of operating this vehicle is the well-established feedback exchange with its creators.
"We constantly communicate with the manufacturer regarding repair needs and parts replacement. Everything is well-coordinated. This vehicle comes with a two-year warranty," the soldiers emphasized.
Notably, the crew consists of fighters who returned from abroad at the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. One of them shared how he was discharged from the Armed Forces on February 5, 2022, and left for Poland, but returned to Ukraine on February 24. Another serviceman came back from the Czech Republic, where he had been working for three years.
The BTR-4 Bucephalus is not only an effective combat vehicle but also a symbol of the resilience and technological advancement of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in their fight against russian aggression.
Read more: Ukrainian Soldiers Show a Rare BREM-4 Vehicle on BTR-4 Chassis (Photo)
