Latest Russian BTR-22 Spotted Near Belarus-Poland Border

A new Russian BTR-22 armored personnel carrier with fresh tactical markings has been spotted in Grodno, near the Belarusian-Polish border.

Photos of the vehicle were shared online, including on X by defense analyst NOELREPORTS.

The APC was identified by its distinctive rear section and troop compartment doors. A tactical marking of three vertical lines was visible on the rear.

The BTR-22 was first presented at the Army-2023 exhibition, after which little information about it was released.

The vehicle has not yet been registered with regular Russian army units, and there are no reports of experimental trials.

Russia is likely to have received a trial batch and deployed it with units taking part in the Zapad-2025 exercises.

It was reported that the Russian 252nd Motorized Rifle Regiment (3rd Motorized Rifle Division, military unit 91711), the 488th Motorized Rifle Regiment (144th Motorized Rifle Division, military unit 12721, formerly 61423), the 15th Motorized Rifle Regiment (2nd Motorized Rifle Division, military unit 31134), and the 423rd Motorized Rifle Regiment (4th Tank Division, 1st Guards Tank Army, Western Military District, military unit 91701) have been transferred to Belarus.

The BTR-22 is likely in service with one of these formations.

BTR-22

The vehicle introduces a new layout for Russian armored personnel carriers, with the troop compartment in the rear and the engine in the front.

It is a deep modernization of the Soviet-era BTR-80, featuring a redesigned armored hull with rear access for troops.

According to the manufacturer, the upgraded hull provides protection against 12.7 mm heavy machine-gun fire, as well as mines and improvised explosive devices.

The vehicle’s weight has increased from 15.4 to 20 tons compared with the BTR-82, while engine power has risen modestly to 330 hp, up from the earlier 300 hp KAMAZ-740.14-300.

It retains a five-speed manual transmission.

At one exhibition stand, the vehicle was presented under the BTR-22 designation, which may indicate its official name.

The use of this designation in documentation may allow the manufacturer to bypass complete state testing by presenting it as a modernization of existing equipment.

Tensions Over Zapad-2025

Tensions surrounding the Russian-Belarusian Zapad-2025 exercises continue to rise. Belarus has broken earlier assurances and is still conducting maneuvers near neighboring borders.

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the drills focus on the strategic Suwałki Corridor, which links Belarus to Russia’s Kaliningrad enclave through Poland and Lithuania.

In response, Warsaw closed its border crossings and airspace along the frontier with Ukraine and Belarus and launched its own military exercises.

A recent drone strike on Polish territory has further strained the situation.