The BMPT "Terminator" (Боевая машина поддержки танков - Tank Support Fighting Vehicle) is an armored fighting vehicle (AFV), designed and manufactured by the Russian company Uralvagonzavod. This vehicle was designed for supporting tanks and other AFVs in urban areas. The BMPT is unofficially named the "Terminator" by the manufacturers. It is heavily armed and armored to survive in urban combat. The AFV is armed with four 9M120 Ataka missile launchers, two 30 mm 2A42 autocannons, two AG-17D grenade launchers, and one coaxial 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun.

The BMPT is built on the chassis of the widely used T-72 main battle tank. The BMPT was designed based on combat experience gained during the Soviet–Afghan War and the First Chechen War. Multiple prototypes of a tank support combat vehicle were created prior to the design of the current BMPT. The Object 199 "Ramka" was the prototype later to be designated the modern BMPT with the official producer being Uralvagonzavod. By late 2013, the only operator of the BMPT was Kazakhstan.

A small number were delivered to the Russian Ground Forces for evaluation beginning in 2005. The Russian Defence Ministry finally ordered the BMPT in August 2017. Deliveries of more than 10 vehicles were begun in early 2018. On 1 December 2021, the first BMPT company of nine combat vehicles was introduced into one of the tank regiments of the tank division of the Central Military District. The version, unofficially dubbed the "Terminator-3", incorporates the chassis, hulls, and components of the T-14 Armata tank.

Examples of an "upgraded" version of the BMPT-72 are participating in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, first observed during the battle of Sieverodonetsk in Ukraine.

Seconds of the Deadly Shot Fired by BMPT Terminator 2 on the Battlefield

There are several potential reasons why Russia might have deployed the BMPT-72 "Terminator 2" to Ukraine, despite having only a limited number:

Tactical reasons:

Urban warfare: The BMPT-72 was designed specifically for urban combat, where its heavy firepower and close-range weapons (autocannons, grenade launchers) could be effective against infantry and lightly armored vehicles in confined spaces. While the w4r initially focused on open terrain, fighting has shifted to urban areas like Sieverodonetsk and Lysychansk, making the BMPT-72 potentially relevant.

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