Official footage from the tactical nuclear exercises in russia has featured a rare vehicle a few times. It is shown escorting trucks allegedly carrying nuclear warheads and an Iskander short-range ballistic missile system unit.
The unique combat vehicle in question is none other than the 11-ton K-43269 Vystrel from the KamAZ heavy transport vehicles plant. In the screenshot below, you can see it heading the column. The development of this armored personnel carrier with controversial quality started in 1997, and it became, in fact, one of the first vehicles of its class in russia.
Read more: What russia (Never) Showed During the Recent Drills with Tactical Nukes
Although the unit in the video appears to be equipped with the MB2-03 weapon station, its standard armaments are the 2A72 30mm autocannon, a supporting machine gun, and an automatic grenade launcher. Instead, it seems the cannon was removed from the one depicted in the clip. The reasons for such downgrade are unknown.
Paradoxically, the rarity of this vehicle that makes it interesting to pinpoint now is the direct consequence of the fact no one was interested in having those a while ago. This combat unit fell flat with the domestic military, so the russian manufacturer tried to sell its development to private customers and even offered it to cash-in-transit companies.
The russians also pushed this product on the export market, persuading Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in the mid-2000s, resulting in a scandal due to systematic breakdowns of cardan joints, problems with leaf springs, and cracks in the armor plates. When the second batch produced was rejected by the customer, the Ministry of Defense of russia bought them all out and commissioned the vehicle into service in 2009. Under an alternate name BPM-97 it was also accepted by the Border Guard Service of russia (part of the FSB state security agency).
In 2013, reports said Vystrel was in service with counter-sabotage units of the Strategic Rocket Forces of russia. 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 loud statements by the russian Defense Ministry, there were only about 10 units in the entire armed forces.
Since then, almost nothing has been heard about Vystrel, except for 2014, when these unique vehicles were spotted in Luhansk, a Ukrainian city already captured by russians by that time. Then also in October 2022, one of these vehicles became a combat trophy of Ukrainian troops. Around the same time, a photo appeared showing the redeployment of the new K-43269 Vystrel with the BM-30D Spitsa weapon station. The russian media claimed in June 2023 that the russian invasion forces were about to start receiving the vehicle in this configuration soon. But so far, the only place we can find these vehicles is somewhere near Kapustin Yar where russians carry out their "nuclear" exercises with no actual nuclear warheads featured as far as known.
Despite its looks and armament being similar to MB2-03, the new BM-30D Spitsa weapon station from JSC Сentral research institute Burevestnik is remotely controlled and equipped with television and thermal imaging channels, and a laser rangefinder.
That said, it rather indicative to see a vehicle that stands out so much being used by russians to accompany convoys with nuclear weapons: in the USSR, in contrary, the main requirement for a convoy transporting nuclear weapons was being inconspicuous, the columns traveled in maximum secrecy and camouflaged as ordinary trucks, with no distinguishable difference on the outside. While on the move, no one could tell a nuclear convoy apart from a plain-looking mobile repair and maintenance unit.
Read more: Rare russian Vystrel Vehicle Was Caught Destroyed On Camera For the First Time (Video)
