List of equipment of the Soviet Ground Forces

Helmets

Name	Type	Photo	Notes
SSh-40	Helmet		Still used during the Soviet-Afghan war.[1]
SSh-60	Helmet		Still used during the Soviet-Afghan war.[1]
SSh-68[2]	Helmet		Main service helmet.

Body armor

Name	Type	Photo	Notes
6B2 (Zh-RI)	Flak jacket		Issued in 1980, it provided inadequate protection in Afghanistan and subsequently phased out.[3]: 41
6B3	Flak jacket		Replaced the Zh-RI in 1983, it provided better protection, but it was heavier and uncomfortable to wear in the mountains of Afghanistan or in hot days.[3]: 41−42
YaB4	Flak jacket		Replaced the Zh-RI in 1984, it provided better protection, but it was heavier and uncomfortable to wear in the mountains of Afghanistan or in hot days.[3]: 41−42
6B4 (Zh-85)	Ballistic vest		Issued between 1985 and 1986, the Zh-85t and Zh-85k provided chest protection against bullets in the front and spinal protection against fragments in the back.[3]: 42
6B5 "Ulej" (Zh-86)	Ballistic vest		Issued in 1988, it replaced the Zh-85t and Zh-85k vests. The Zh-86 covers a larger body area, and its construction uses titanium alloy, ceramics, and special steel.[3]: 42

Pistols and revolvers

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
Makarov PM	Semi-automatic pistol	9×18mm Makarov		Main service pistol[4]: 57
PB Besshumnyy	Integrallly suppressed semi-automatic pistol			Silenced pistol issued to special forces[5]
Stechkin APS	Machine pistol			[4]: 774
PSM	Semi-automatic pistol	5.45×18mm		Standard sidearm of civil and military security forces[4]: 56
PSS silent pistol	Semi-automatic pistol	7.62×41mm SP-4		Used by Spetsnaz.[6]: 57
Tokarev TT-33[4]: 774	Semi-automatic pistol	7.62×25mm Tokarev		Limited use.[6]: 47
Nagant M1895	Revolver	7.62×38mmR		Limited use.[6]: 47

Semi-automatic and bolt-action rifles

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
Simonov SKS	Semi-automatic rifle	7.62×39mm		Ceremonial use[4]: 194

Assault rifles and other automatic rifles

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
AK-74	Assault rifle	5.45×39mm		Main service rifle[4]: 201
AKS-74	Assault rifle			AK-74 variant with a folding stock[4]: 200
AKS-74U	Assault Carbine			AKS-74 variant with a shortened barrel[4]: 108
AKM	Assault rifle	7.62×39mm		In service since 1959[4]: 198
AKMS[4]: 198	Assault rifle			AKM variant with a folding stock[4]: 196

Designated marksman and sniper rifles

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
SVD	Designated marksman rifle	7.62×54mmR		Main service designated marksman rifle[4]: 199
VSS Vintorez	Designated marksman rifle	9×39mm		Suppressed sniper rifle used by special forces like Spetsnaz[7]

Light and heavy machine guns

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
RPK-74	Light machine gun	5.45×39mm		Main service light machine gun[4]: 774
RPK	Light machine gun	7.62×39mm		[4]: 318
PKM	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×54mmR		Main service general-purpose machine gun[4]: 319
NSV "Utyos"	Heavy machine gun	12.7×108mm		Main service heavy machine gun[4]: 323
DShKM	Heavy machine gun			Being replaced by the NSV machine gun.[4]: 323
KPV-14.5	Heavy machine gun	14.5×114mm		Base for anti-aircraft guns[4]: 323–324

Flares and Smokes

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
SPSh-44	Flare gun	26 mm
RSP-30	Warning Flare
RDG-2	Smoke grenade			[4]: 571

Launchers

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
GP-25 Kostyor	Grenade launcher	40 mm caseless grenade		[1][8]: 52
AGS-17 Plamya	Automatic grenade launcher	30x29 mm		[4]: 247–248

Rocket-propelled grenade launchers

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
RPG-29 Vampir	Reusable high-explosive anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade	105mm		[9]
RPG-27 Tavolga	Disposable high-explosive anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade	105mm		[10]
RPG-26 Aglen	Disposable high-explosive anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade	72.5mm		[11]: 34
RPG-22 Netto	Disposable high-explosive anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade	72.5mm		Seen in use during the Soviet-Afghan war.[4]: 404
RPG-18 Mukha	Disposable high-explosive anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade	64mm		[4]: 403–404
RPG-16	Rocket-propelled grenade	58.3mm		Used by paratroopers and Spetsnaz.[11]: 33–35
RPG-7	Rocket-propelled grenade	40mm		Reusable launcher with various types of anti-personnel and anti-tank munitions.[4]: 401–402

Recoilless Rifles

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
SPG-9 Kopyo	Recoilless rifle	73 mm		[4]: 405
B-10	Recoilless rifle	82 mm		Limited use by paratroopers.[4]: 405

Man-portable air-defense systems

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
9K32 Strela-2	Infrared homing	72 mm		NATO reporting name: SA-7 Grail. Being replaced by the Strela-3 and Igla systems[12]
9K34 Strela-3	Infrared homing			NATO reporting name: SA-14 Gremlin[12]
9K310 Igla-1	Infrared homing			NATO Reporting name: SA-16[12]
9K38 Igla	Infrared homing			NATO reporting name: SA-18. Replacing the Strela-2 and Strela-3 systems.[13]

Anti-tank guided missiles

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
9M17 Fleyta	MCLOS	148 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-2 Swatter[4]: 407
9M14 Malyutka	MCLOS	125 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-3 Sagger[4]: 407–408
9K111 Fagot	SACLOS	120 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-4 Spigot[4]: 408
9M113 Konkurs	SACLOS	135 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-5 Spandrel[12]
9K114 Shturm	SACLOS			NATO reporting name: AT-6 Spiral[12]
9K115 Metis	SACLOS	94 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-7 Saxhorn [12]
9K112 Kobra	SACLOS	125 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-8 Songster.[14]: II-22–II-23
9M117 Bastion	Laser beam-riding	100 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-10 Stabber.[14]: II-24–II-25
9M119 Svir/Refleks	Laser beam-riding	120 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-11 Sniper.[14]: II-26

Land mines

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
MON-50	Anti-personnel	700 g RDX		Widely used in the Soviet-Afghan war.[3]: 252
MON-90	Anti-personnel	6.2 kg RDX
MON-100[15]	Anti-personnel	2 kg TNT		[16]: 83
MON-200[15]	Anti-personnel	12 kg TNT		[16]: 83
OZM-72[15]	Anti-personnel	660 g TNT		Widely used in the Soviet-Afghan war.[3]: 252
PFM-1	Anti-personnel	37 g		[15]
PMD-6 mine	Anti-personnel	200 g		PMD-7, and PMD-7ts variants also used.[15]
POMZ-2M[15]	Anti-personnel	75 g TNT		[16]: 69–70
PMN mine[15]	Anti-personnel	240 g TNT		Widely used in the Soviet-Afghan war.[3]: 252

Anti-tank mines

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
TMD-44	Anti-tank mine	9.7 kg Amatol		[16]: 37–38
TM-46[15]	Anti-tank mine	5.7 kg TNT		[16]: 15–16
TM-57[15]	Anti-tank mine	6.34 kg TNT		[16]: 15–16
TM-62	Anti-tank mine	7.5 kg TNT		[15]
TM-72	Anti-tank mine	2.5 kg HEAT
PDM-1	Amphibious anti-tank	10 kg TNT		[16]: 91–92
TM-83	Off-route mine	6.6 kg TNT

Flamethrower

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
LPO-50	Flamethrower	986 mm		[4]: 249–250
RPO Rys	Flamethrower	122 mm		[1]
RPO-A Shmel	Flamethrower	93 mm		[1]

Mortars

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
82-BM-37	Light	82mm		M-37M[4]: 474
2B14 Podnos	Light			Used by paratroopers.[8]: 50
120-PM-38	Heavy	120 mm		[13]
120-PM-43	Heavy			[4]: 476
2B11	Heavy			[14]: V-33
2S12 Sani	Heavy			1,387 units in 1991[13]
M-160	Heavy	160mm		[4]: 477
M-240	Heavy	240 mm		[13]

Hand grenades

Name	Type	Photo	Caliber	Notes
F1	Anti-personnel		55 mm	[4]: 567
RGD-5	Anti-personnel		58 mm	[4]: 567
RGN	Anti-personnel		60 mm	Offensive type hand grenade.[4]: 568
RGO	Anti-personnel			Defensive type hand grenade.[4]: 568
RKG-3	Anti-tank grenade		362 mm	[4]: 570
RPG-6	Anti-tank grenade		103 mm	Still used for training purposes.[4]: 569
RPG-43	Anti-tank grenade		95 mm	Still used for training purposes.[4]: 569
VOG-25	Launcher grenade		40 mm	Used on the GP-25.[17]

Tanks

The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated that the Soviet Union had around 16,000 tanks of unknown types in storage east of the Urals in 1991.^[13]

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
T-80	Main battle tank	5,400[13]		T-80U/T-80BV
T-72	Main battle tank	9,000[13]		T-72B
T-64	Main battle tank	4,900[13]		T-64BV
T-62	Main battle tank	8,500[13]		T-62MV-1
T-55	Main battle tank	10,600[13]		T-55AMV-1
T-10	Heavy tank	~350[12]		T-10M
PT-76	Light tank	1,000[13]		PT-76B

Infantry fighting vehicles

The Soviet Union had about 28,000 Infantry fighting vehicles in 1991^[13]

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
BMP-1[13]	Infantry fighting vehicle	N/A		Between 1972 and 1988 Czechoslovakia delivered 5,100 BVP-1s to the Soviet Union[18]
BMP-2	Infantry fighting vehicle	N/A		[13]
BMP-3	Infantry fighting vehicle	~700[13]
BMD-1	Infantry fighting vehicle	~3,000[13]		Used by airborne troops.
BMD-2	Infantry fighting vehicle			Used by airborne troops.
BMD-3	Infantry fighting vehicle			Only used by airborne troops.

Self-propelled guns

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
ASU-57[12]	Assault gun			Only used by airborne troops.
ASU-85[12]	Assault gun			Only used by airborne troops.
2S1 Gvozdika	Self-propelled artillery	2,331[13]
2S3 Akatsiya	Self-propelled artillery	2,044[13]
2S4 Tyulpan	Self-propelled mortar	54[13]
2S5 Giatsint-S	Self-propelled artillery	494[13]
2S7 Pion	Self-propelled artillery	304[13]
2S9 Nona	Self-propelled artillery	442[13]		Only used by airborne troops.
2S19 Msta	Self-propelled howitzer	13[13]
152 mm SpGH DANA[13]	Self-propelled artillery			150 delivered by Czechoslovakia between 1986 and 1990.[18]

Towed mortars and anti-tank guns

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Caliber	Notes
2B9 Vasilek	Gun howitzer			82 mm	Used by motor rifle and airborne units.[4]: 475
D-44	Anti-tank gun			85 mm	[4]: 404
BS-3	Anti-tank gun			100 mm	[13]
T-12	Anti-tank gun				[12]
2B16 Nona-K	Gun howitzer	37[13]		120 mm
2A45 Sprut-A	Anti-tank gun			125 mm	[19]

Towed Artillery

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Caliber	Notes
2A18 D-30	Field Gun	2,044[13]		122 mm
D-74	Field Gun				[12]
KS-30	Field Gun	12[13]		130 mm
D-20	Field Gun	767[13]		152 mm
2A36 Giatsint-B	Field Gun	574[13]
2A65 Msta-B	Field Gun	400[13]
S-23	Field Gun	~180[12]		180 mm

Anti-aircraft tanks and missile systems

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
ZSU-57-2	Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun	750[20]: 84–85		In reserve.[20]: 84–85
ZSU-23-4 Shilka	Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun	N/A		[12]
2K11 Krug	Transportable SAM system	1,350[13]		NATO reporting name: SA-4 Ganef. Being replaced by the Buk and S-300 systems[12]
2K12 Kub	Transportable SAM system	850[13]		NATO reporting name: SA-6 Gainful[12]
2K22 Tunguska	Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun	130[13]		NATO reporting name: SA-19 Grison[13]
9K31 Strela-1	Transportable SAM system	430[13]		NATO reporting name: SA-9 Gaskin. Being replaced by the Strela-10 system[12]
9K33 Osa	Transportable SAM system	950[13]		NATO reporting name: SA-8 Gecko[12]
9K35 Strela-10	Transportable SAM system	860[13]		NATO reporting name: SA-13 Gopher[12]
9K37 Buk	Transportable SAM system	300[13]		NATO reporting name: SA-11 Gadfly[12]
9K330 Tor	Transportable SAM system	20[13]		NATO reporting name: SA-15 Gauntlet. Replacing the Kub and Osa systems[13]
S-300	Transportable SAM system	70+[13]		NATO Reporting name: SA-12A Gladiator[12]

Anti-aircraft guns

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Caliber	Notes
AZP S-60	Autocannon			57 mm	[12]
ZU-23-2	Autocannon			23x152 mmB	[12]
ZPU-2	Anti-aircraft gun			14.5x114 mm	In reserve.[20]: 210–212
KS-30[12]	Anti-aircraft gun			130x845 mmR	In reserve.[20]: 202
KS-19	Anti-aircraft gun			100x695 mm	[12]

Rocket artillery

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
BM-14	Multiple rocket launcher			[12]
BM-21 Grad	Multiple rocket launcher	1,550[13]
BM-24	Multiple rocket launcher			[12]
BM-27 Uragan	Multiple rocket launcher	554[13]
9K58 BM-30 Smerch	Multiple rocket launcher	158[13]
TOS-1	Multiple rocket launcher			First used in 1987 during the Soviet-Afghan war.[21]

Tactical ballistic missiles

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
9K52 Luna-M	Tactical ballistic missile	500[13]
9K79 OTR-21 Tochka	Tactical ballistic missile	300[13]
RT-17 Scud	Tactical ballistic missile	550[13]		Scud-B and Scud-C variants

Armored personnel carriers

By 1991 the Soviet army had over 50,000 armored personnel carriers in service.^[13]

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
BTR-80	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A		[12]
BTR-70	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A		[12]
BTR-60	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A		BTR-60P[12]
BTR-50	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A		BTR-50P[12]
BTR-152[13]	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A		Some vehicles were kept by 1980s as ambulances, command, radio, and engineering vehicles.[14]: III-5
BTR-D	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A		Used by airborne units.[14]: IV-10−IV-11
MT-LB	Tracked Armoured personnel carrier	4,500[13]
PTS-2	Amphibious armoured personnel carrier
PTS-M	Amphibious armoured personnel carrier

Reconnaissance vehicles

Soviet army had about 8,000 reconnaissance vehicles in service in 1991.^[13]

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
BRDM-2	Amphibious armoured scout car	3,500[13]
BRM-1K	Reconnaissance tank			[14]: III-40
IRM Zhuk	Engineer reconnaissance tank			[14]: III-42

Engineering vehicles

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
BAT-2	Military engineering vehicle	N/A		[3]: 248
BTM-3	Trencher	N/A		[3]: 250
IMR-2	Military engineering vehicle	N/A		[3]: 248
MDK-3	Trencher	N/A		[3]: 250
MTU-20	Bridgelayer	N/A		[3]: 248
TMK-2	Trencher	N/A		[3]: 250
TMM	Bridgelayer	N/A		[3]: 248
PMP Floating Bridge	Pontoon bridge	N/A		[3]: 247

Unarmored trucks and utility vehicles

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
UAZ-469	Light utility vehicle	N/A		[22]
Lada Niva Legende	Light utility vehicle	N/A
GAZ-69	Light utility vehicle	N/A
UAZ-452	Light truck	N/A		Used mostly as ambulances or special operation vehicles.[23]: 115
GAZ-53	Medium truck	N/A		Used by engineering units in Afghanistan.[3]: 248
GAZ-66	Medium truck	N/A		The GAZ-66B variant was used by Airborne troops.[23]: 35–36
ZIL-131	Medium truck	N/A		Some had ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns mounted in Afghanistan.[22]