Ukraine faces growing threat as Russian ammunition penetrates standard body armour
A high-ranking source in Ukraine’s armed forces has told Danish broadcaster DR that Russian troops are increasingly using a new type of ammunition capable of piercing the body armour worn by Ukrainian soldiers—including the same standard-issue vests used by Danish and NATO forces.
In response, a Danish defence firm has developed reinforced armour plates to counter the threat, with 5,000 units now packed and ready for shipment to the front lines.
The Ukrainian military first approached Scandic Defence—which had previously supplied standard armour plates—after realising Russian forces were deploying the armour-piercing rounds. Over six to seven months, the company worked closely with Ukrainian officials to design a new plate resistant to the ammunition.
“We were in constant dialogue with the Ukrainian military, receiving daily intelligence,” said Martin Thisted Larsen, a partner at Scandic Defence. “They shared all available data, which helped us understand exactly what we were dealing with.”
While Larsen declined to specify exact figures, he confirmed the company has supplied around 50,000 plates—enough to equip 25,000 soldiers, as each vest requires two. “It’s better than nothing, of course, but the need is far, far greater,” he added.
The ammunition: A return to World War I tactics
The new Russian projectile is explicitly designed to “penetrate elements of personal body armour,” according to a 2023 patent filed with Russia’s Federal Institute of Industrial Property. Its core is made of tungsten (wolfram) instead of lead, allowing it to punch through armour rather than deforming on impact.
Peter Hald, a security specialist at Aarhus University and a reserve officer in the Danish Engineering Corps, explained that tungsten-cored rounds were first used in World War I to pierce tank armour. The practice declined as tanks improved, but the rise of modern body armour has revived the tactic.
“When everyone wears armoured vests, you need armour-piercing rounds if you want to shoot through them,” Hald said. While not a “game-changer” in the war, he stressed that frontline troops—both in Ukraine and NATO—should be equipped with the upgraded plates.
Demand surges as Russian use intensifies
Ukrainian forces initially estimated that 10–20% of Russian ammunition used the new rounds, according to Scandic Defence. Recent reports suggest that figure has quadrupled, with up to 70% of shots now potentially armour-piercing.
Michael Mathiesen, chair of the Rebuild Ukraine organisation—which funded the latest shipment of 5,000 plates—confirmed the escalating demand. “The need for these plates is massive and growing almost monthly,” he said. “We receive urgent requests from Ukrainian brigades saying, ‘Send more plates as fast as possible—we’re running out.’”
For Ukrainian soldiers, the psychological impact is severe. “If you know the enemy’s bullets can go straight through your vest, it changes everything,” Mathiesen added.