Destroyed Russian BTR-70 armored personnel carrier with additional armor, Russia, May 10, 2025. Source: ukr.warspotting.net

The BTR family of vehicles are certainly an oddity. Adopted in 1959, the BTR-60 was the true start of the BTR line of amphibious APCs. Seating 14-16 cozy dismounts and 2 crew, the BTR-60 was made to replace the older BTR-152 and BTR-40 vehicles in Soviet service, which were found disappointing largely because of their lack of a roof. With the accompanying decision to restructure many units to the Motor Rifle Division layout, a new, armored APC was needed. Development would lead to two vehicles, the BTR-60, a lighter, cheaper, APC concept designed primarily for offloading infantry in Motor Rifle Divisions, and the more expensive BMP-1, which, while called an APC, was really more of an IFV concept for use in Tank Divisions. The BTR-70 would be an incremental improvement on the 60, while the BTR-80 would be considered a larger modernization effort. The BTR-90 would come into existence in the early 90's, but has mostly only been present on paper.