MOSCOW -- The Russian Airborne Forces are receiving a new battalion set of armored vehicles.
In a statement on January 16, 2020, the Russian Defense Ministry said, "Under the state armament program, the Pskov Guards Airborne Force formation will get a battalion set of next-generation BMD-4M combat hardware in January 2020 that includes over 35 BMD-4M and BTR-MDM ‘Rakushka’ vehicles." The vehicles are to be transferred in a ceremony on January 17.
Ahead of the delivery, personnel from the Pskov regiment underwent training at a center in Omsk over a period of two months to familiarize themselves with the operation of the new vehicles.
The Defense Ministry noted that this upcoming batch "is the seventh battalion set" that has been delivered to the Airborne Force. Across the period 2018 to 2020, the service has been expected to receive 132 BMD-4Ms and 58 BTR-MDMs, state-owned media outlet TASS Russian News Agency reported.
The BMD-4M is a tracked amphibious infantry fighting vehicle that comes equipped with a 100mm gun -- which can also be used to fire anti-tank missiles -- as well as a 30mm machine gun and 7.62mm machine gun. It can reach a speed of 70 kilometers per hour. The BTR-MDM, meanwhile, is armed with a pair of machine guns.
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