A Russian fighting vehicle equipped with unusual anti-drone modifications has appeared in eastern Ukraine, The Telegraph reports. The vehicle, identified as a rusted BMP-1, features spiked bristles and long wavy “hair-like” steel additions, as shown on Russian state TV.
The modified vehicle was spotted near Chasiv Yar, close to Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, where Russian forces have made gradual advances since 2024. Military experts have weighed in on the unusual modifications. Oleksandr Danylyuk, a military and defense analyst at RUSI, told The Telegraph these specific defenses haven’t been observed in the war before.
Valerii Riabykh, Ukrainian weapons expert and Defense Express editor, explained that the hair and bristles are designed to “prematurely initiate the fuses on FPV warheads to prevent hard damages for whoever and whatever is covered under the improved protection.”
The modifications include metal sheets in a design reminiscent of First World War “cope cages,” with curly steel sheaves covering the vehicle’s exposed back and thick broom-like bristles protruding from holes in its sides.
Forbes: Civilian vehicles replace armored carriers in Russian assaults
The adaptations appear to be part of a broader effort to protect armored vehicles from increasingly sophisticated drones, including new fiber optic-controlled FPVs that resist electronic jamming. Military officials reported that 75% of Ukrainian and Russian drones were previously neutralized by electrical impulses disrupting radio frequencies.
During the all-out war’s first year, concerns arose about tanks and combat vehicles becoming obsolete after cheap remote-controlled quadcopters successfully targeted their vulnerable top sections. However, additional armor protection, despite its unconventional appearance, has proved crucial for battlefield survival, particularly when combined with explosive armor and advanced electronic warfare systems.
Related:
- Forbes: Ukraine deploys FPV drones as stealth roadside bombs to strike Russian convoys
- Forbes: Ukraine’s new long-range drones capable of round-trip bombing missions
- Ukrainian gunners praise CAESAR howitzers’ precision and mobility
- Frontline report: Russian commanders handcuff soldiers to prevent desertion near Pokrovsk
- Ukrainian long-range drones now reusable and carry 250 kg bombs
- Forbes: Civilian vehicles replace armored carriers in Russian assaults
- Forbes: Ukrainian drones strike moving Russian tank at night