Russia Deploys Shturm Heavy Robotic System During Military Exercises

Russia demonstrated the Shturm heavy assault robotic system, based on the T-72B3M tank, during the Center-2026 strategic command-and-staff exercises.

Uralvagonzavod published footage from the exercises.

The demonstration took place on October 2 at the Chebarkulsky training range in the Chelyabinsk region. According to the manufacturer, the military used unmanned vehicles equipped with tank turrets and BMPT modules to provide fire support for assault units.

According to tank history researcher Andriy Tarasenko, Shturm is a long-standing project based on the development of a remotely controlled mine-clearing vehicle. He criticizes applying this approach to a combat vehicle because it depends on a direct line of sight between the vehicle and the control station.

“As far as I know, the vehicle loses the connection behind folds in the terrain; it requires a direct line of sight. It only makes sense if Starlink or whatever it is called — ‘Rassvet’ — is used,” Tarasenko said.

According to Defence Blog, which cited Russian sources, the Shturm robotic vehicle repeatedly lost its radio link with the control vehicle during the exercises.

The publication claims that, for the demonstration in front of Vladimir Putin, remote control of the vehicle was not used due to concerns about a technical failure, and a driver was placed inside the vehicle.

Despite this, the Shturm robotic vehicle became stuck in a muddy ditch beside an unpaved road during the demonstration. In addition, the vehicle lacked additional anti-drone protection, and its turret roof and engine-transmission compartment were not reinforced.

Shturm Robotic Assault System

Uralvagonzavod CEO Alexander Potapov said in 2018 on the sidelines of the ADEX exhibition that the corporation was developing a robotic system based on the T-72B3 at the request of Russia’s Defense Ministry.

Among the main requirements for the T-72-based robotic system was an extremely high level of all-around protection capable of keeping the vehicle operational after hits from 10-15 hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers and detonation on an anti-tank mine.

Based on footage from the exercises, a standard T-72B3 tank was used to build the Shturm robotic tank, with remote-control mechanisms added but no changes to the internal compartment. This allows a standard tank crew to operate the vehicle.

Four types of combat vehicles with different weapons were planned:

• A combat vehicle weighing up to 50 tons with a 125mm D-414 gun with a barrel shortened to 4,000mm and an autoloader holding 22 rounds. A 152mm version of the gun was also planned;
• A combat vehicle equipped with launchers for RPO-2 Shmel rocket-propelled flamethrowers and an auxiliary 7.62mm PKTM machine gun;
• A combat vehicle with a module equipped with two 30mm 2A42 automatic cannons with up to 1,000 rounds of ammunition, a 7.62mm PKTM machine gun and an RPO-2 Shmel;
• A combat vehicle equipped with unguided 220mm MO.1.01.04M thermobaric rockets similar to those used by the TOS-1A heavy flamethrower system.

The Shturm robotic tanks are controlled from a remote-control station, also built on a T-72B3 chassis and equipped with all-around protection against shaped-charge anti-tank weapons. During development, it was planned that each control station would be capable of controlling a platoon of combat vehicles within a 3-kilometer radius.