Russian forces record second loss of ill‑fated Plastun-SN vehicle
Among the ranks of the Russian Federation since October last year, there have been Plastun-SN off-road vehicles, which were included in service to compensate for the lack of armoured personnel carriers. Since then, only one destruction of such a vehicle has been confirmed. The Russians have now recorded the second loss of a Plastun since the beginning of the war.
In October 2023, the first 14 Plastun-SN units were introduced into the Russian army. Shortly thereafter, the military ranks were reinforced with additional units – totalling 50. The first effects of the presence of these specific off-road vehicles with weak armour were not long in coming. Already the next month, in November 2023, the first photo proving the destruction of new Russian equipment hit the web.
For a long time, no new reports related to the Plastun-SN existed. Until now. The Ukrainian agency Unian reports that in recent days, another Russian off-road vehicle was destroyed in the Luhansk region. This is also the second documented case.
Russians lose a rare vehicle. It's a "field death capsule"
Although the Plastun appeared on the front lines only last year, for some reason, they have not become a popular vehicle in the Russian army, noted military analyst Oleksandr Kovalenko. These vehicles do not have a hard roof; generally speaking, they are a field death capsule, added the expert.
The low popularity of the Plastun may thus result from its defensive capabilities – or rather, its lack thereof. However, it is worth noting that similar durability constructions, such as Chinese golf carts and motorcycles, have been regularly used in the ranks of the Russian Federation for some time.
Plastun-SNs were also supposed to partially compensate for Russian units' lack of armoured personnel carriers. They were primarily created as evacuation means, but they deviate from today's front-line standards due to the lack of a hard roof.
The power unit used in the Plastun-SN should also be emphasised. It is a 1.6-litre petrol engine from Lada. It generates a power of about 100 HP and accelerates the vehicle to a speed of 50 km/h. The structure's weight, which reaches nearly 4,000 kg, does not help ensure mobility. However, the Plastun is supposed to handle grades and slopes with an inclination of up to 30 degrees, and, depending on the variant, it can be equipped with an 82 mm mortar to combat enemy units.
