Ukraine just cleared new Gyurza-2 for front. It weighs 18 tonnes and survives mine blast

Ukraine has codified an upgraded version of the Gyurza-2 armored vehicle. The Defense Ministry has announced that the vehicle was modernized based on combat experience and feedback from front-line troops operating it.

The Gyurza-2's total mass now exceeds 18 tonnes, with payload capacity raised to 2.5 tonnes, ground clearance to 380 millimeters, and operational range reaching 1,200 kilometers, the Defense Ministry said.

Maximum speed remains 110 kilometers per hour. Engineers strengthened the independent suspension, replaced components, and installed improved tires; the armored hull is now lined with circular anti-fragment material to reduce the risk of shrapnel to crew and troops.

Modernization addresses front-line combat feedback

The original Gyurza-2, manufactured by UkrArmoTech and presented at the IDEX 2025 defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi, was rated at STANAG 4569 Level 2 protection on a 14-tonne unladen chassis, documented Defense Express.

The 2025 version progressed from prototype to codification in six months at a rare pace for a newly developed armored vehicle.

The Defense Ministry said the upgraded vehicle can be configured with or without a combat turret. Standard equipment now includes ventilation, air conditioning, and heating systems, a night vision complex, and a 360-degree video surveillance system with four cameras.

AI software adds optional threat detection

The upgraded Gyurza-2 can additionally be equipped with software solutions using artificial intelligence for environmental monitoring and threat detection. The ministry did not name the AI vendor or specify whether the system has been fielded with deployed units.

Codification fits accelerated 2026 procurement wave

Ukraine accepted 1,000 weapons and military equipment samples in the first six months of 2026, which is a 50% increase over the same period in 2025, with nearly 90% of those samples produced domestically. 

In June 2026, Ukraine also codified the MAC OWL "Sova" MRAP, built on the South African Mbombe 4 chassis and adapted by Ukrainian engineers with ten electronic warfare modules and STANAG 4569 Level 4a/4b mine protection.