Ukraine's Metinvest launches production of protective shields for MT-LB armored vehicles
As part of its Steel Front military initiative spearheaded by Rinat Akhmetov, mining and metals group Metinvest has begun manufacturing protective shields for Soviet-era MT-LB multi-purpose tracked armored vehicles.
According to a company press release, these vehicles are widely used on the front lines and therefore require adaptation to modern threats – particularly attacks from FPV drones.
The MT-LB is a lightweight tracked armored vehicle commonly used for transporting personnel or as a weapons platform. However, its thin armor provides minimal protection against today's battlefield threats, making it a frequent target for kamikaze drones. To mitigate such losses, the Steel Front initiative has designed and started producing specialized steel grids that can be mounted on the vehicle's exterior.
Eleven such vehicles, now fitted with protective shields on special platforms by Metinvest engineers, have already returned to service with the 110th Territorial Defense Brigade, where they are used for evacuation missions.
"The advantages of tracked vehicles over wheeled ones are especially apparent in winter, snow, or muddy terrain where wheeled vehicles can't pass. Drone protection is now critically important – these drones are fast, agile, and deadly. That's why these FPV shields are absolutely essential," said brigade press officer Andriy Bystrik.
Metinvest engineers developed the shields in collaboration with the crews who operate these vehicles. The shields are designed to intercept blast waves before they reach the hull, thereby increasing the chances of crew survival and maintaining the vehicle's operational capability. The construction is highly adapted to front-line conditions: easy to install, non-obstructive to visibility, and allowing movement in difficult terrain.
"MT-LBs are not new machines, but they are back on the front line today. Our mission is to make them more resilient. The protective shields we've developed aren't a universal solution, but they offer a fighting chance – to survive a drone strike, to evacuate the crew, to deliver ammunition. In this war, every chance means a life," said Metinvest COO Oleksandr Myronenko, as quoted in the statement.
Steel Front is already manufacturing protective shields for Abrams, Bradley, Roshel, and Kozak vehicles – all of which perform daily combat missions. The MT-LB now joins that list.
