Moscow Rolls Out "New" But Outdated BTR-22 Just Miles From NATO Territory

A Russian BTR-22 armored personnel carrier, also known as the upgraded BTR-82A, has been identified in Grodno, Belarus, close to the Polish border. The vehicle was seen during the ongoing Russian-Belarusian military exercises Zapad-2025.

According to Defense Express on September 14, the BTR-22 was localized by the Telegram channel Military Journal on Kirova Street in Grodno, not far from the Hozha training ground.

The outlet noted that Moscow may have intentionally circulated the photo online as part of a broader demonstration of force aimed at NATO’s eastern flank.

The BTR-22 was first presented in 2023 at the Army-2023 forum. While officially labeled as the “upgraded” BTR-82A, it is often referred to as the BTR-22. Defense Express reported that even Russian sources acknowledged the platform lags behind modern standards by roughly two decades.

The vehicle weighs 20 tons and is equipped with a 330-horsepower engine. It was initially shown with a BPPL combat module, though developers also highlighted the option to mount the remotely controlled Ballista module armed with a 30-mm 2A42 cannon, a PKTM machine gun, and Konkurs-M anti-tank guided missiles. The BTR-22 is also capable of crossing water obstacles.

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War in Ukraine

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The sighting near Poland comes as Russia simultaneously deploys other assets to the region, including Iskander missile systems in Kaliningrad and Geran-series drones that recently entered Polish airspace.

Earlier, Russia deployed Iskander-M missile systems to the Kaliningrad region during Zapad-2025 exercises, with OSINT researchers geolocating the launchers near the Polish border. The missiles place Warsaw, Riga, Vilnius, and parts of Germany and Sweden within range, highlighting NATO’s longstanding concerns over Kaliningrad-based strike capabilities.

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