Rare Russian Sarmat-3 Destroyed in Kursk Region for the First Time

Russian forces have reportedly lost their LSTC-1944 Sarmat-3 armored vehicle in the village of Hlushkovo, located in the Kursk region.

According to Defense Express, Footage and images of the destroyed vehicle surfaced on Telegram channel, where a Russian deputy from the Kursk regional assembly, Oleksiy Zolotaryov, referred to it as a “Ukrainian armored vehicle.”

This incident follows the recent dissemination of images by a Russian propaganda channel that provided one of the rare confirmations of the Sarmat-3 being deployed by Russian forces in combat. This vehicle has been utilized by special operations units and airborne troops.

The Sarmat-3 is a modern iteration of a military vehicle family developed by the Design Bureau Tekhnika. The development of these vehicles began in the 2010s, with the Sarmat-3 project reportedly concluding in 2016-2017. However, despite initial positive evaluations from the Russian Ministry of Defense, the vehicle was sent back for modifications, including efforts to replace several imported components. The LSTC-1943 Sarmat-2 armored vehicle was later showcased at the 2018 Army Forum.

The 2019 prototype of the Sarmat-3 underwent testing, but the Russian Ministry of Defense indicated a need for further enhancements. This led to the development of the LSTC-1944 Sarmat-3. In 2022, a fully functional armored vehicle based on the Sarmat-3 was presented at the same forum, alongside a sanitary modification known as the Sarmat-3ME.

Specifications of the LSTC-1944 Sarmat-3 (based on open-source data):

• Total weight: 3.5 tons

• Length: 3.9 meters

• Width: 2 meters

• Engine power: 153 hp

• Maximum speed: 150 km/h

• Capacity: Can transport up to 8 personnel or 1500 kg of cargo

In its light armored variant, the Sarmat-3 can carry a load of up to 900 kg (with up to 100 kg in an unprotected compartment) or accommodate 4 soldiers, achieving speeds of up to 120 km/h and a range of 500 km. The vehicle can be armed with 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine guns, AGS-17 grenade launchers, or the Kornet anti-tank missile system.