The Russian BTR-82A armored personnel carrier has been redeployed by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) to the Aleppo Governorate in preparation for the large-scale offensive that is expected to begin in the coming weeks.

According to the Syrian Arab Army’s “Tiger Forces”, the sophisticated Russian BTR-82A was transported from the Latakia Governorate to the provincial capital of Aleppo; it is part of the first wave of weapons and armory to be sent to this front.

Military-today.com went into great detail about the BTR-82A:

“The BTR-82 armored personnel carrier is a latest version of the BTR-80 family. It is an improved version of the BTR-80A/S, which entered service back in 1994.

It was developed largely as a complement (and a stop-gap) for a BTR-90, whose development has been long, troubled and expensive.

The BTR-82 is similar to the BTR-80A/S but has some minor improvements.

It was publicly revealed in 2009. It successfully passed trials in 2010 and its production commenced the same year.

It entered service with the Russian Army in 2011. Since 2010 Russian Army stopped purchasing the older BTR-80 APCs.

Currently the BTR-82 is being obtained as a temporarily measure, until a new-generation Bumerang armored personnel carrier is available.”

The Syrian Arab Army is preparing for a major offensive inside of Aleppo City that will seek to recapture the remaining districts and neighborhoods under rebel control.

Joining the Syrian Arab Army in this massive military operation will be Hezbollah, Harakat Al-Nujaba (Iraqi paramilitary), the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), National Defense Forces (NDF), and Liwaa Al-Quds (pro-government Palestinian paramilitary).