To modernize its ageing fleet of heavy freight diesel locomotives, the RŽD ordered the 2ТЭ25К and 3ТЭ25К starting in 2005. Most of the production was the two-section variant 2ТЭ25К with a total length of 40 metres and a service weight of 288 or 294 tonnes. Only a smaller number was built of the three-section 3ТЭ25К. They got the nickname “Peresvet”.

They are using the proven Kolomna D49 engine. In the first 15 locomotives, this was a twelve-cylinder with 3,400 hp. After the production had been stopped, it was continued with the 2ТЭ25К^М powered by the 16-cylinder variant of the same engine with 3,600 hp. 

In 2020, a 2ТЭ25К^2М was built with GEVO-12 engines imported from General Electric in the USA which deliver 4,215 hp after the 3ТЭ25К^2М was already being produced. Production with these engines stopped again in 2022 due to the sanctions. Another prototype built in 2019 was the 2TE25K^3M with a more modern Kolomna engine that was accompanied by a single 3TE25K^3M. Now, the 2ТЭ28 and 3ТЭ28 are to be their successors.