The role of artillery in modern warfare remains significant, despite the rapid changes taking place due to the development of unmanned technologies.
November 19 is the Day of Rocket Troops and Artillery
Being behind the frontline units, the gunners remain at the forefront of the fighting. At the moment, our attack aircraft are actively advancing in the area of a special military operation, including with effective artillery support. The head of the rocket forces and artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Hero of Russia, Lieutenant General Dmitry Klimenko, told the Red Star correspondent about her present and future.
– November 19th is a memorable day in the Armed Forces. This date is significant because the professional holiday of gunners was established in wartime in 1944. Now, in the year of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, please tell us about the history of the creation of rocket forces and artillery and what contribution they made to the victory over fascism.
– During the Great Patriotic War, artillery made an invaluable contribution to the defeat of the Nazi invaders and rightfully earned the high title of "god of war." In commemoration of the military achievements of artillery in the Battle of Stalingrad in 1944, a holiday was established – Artillery Day, which is celebrated on November 19.
It was on this day in 1942 that Operation Uranus began with the volleys of thousands of artillery pieces, marking the Red Army's counteroffensive at Stalingrad and defining a fundamental turning point in the Great Patriotic War. In this bloody battle, the decisive role of artillery as the main fire striking force, which contributed to the final defeat of the enemy, was manifested.
During the Great Patriotic War, more than 1,800 artillerymen were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union for their courage, heroism and perseverance, and over 1,600,000 artillerymen were awarded orders and medals. Artillery command personnel have grown and hardened in the fire of battles.
In 1964, due to the inclusion of rocket troops in the artillery, the holiday was renamed Rocket Troops and Artillery Day.
As for the history of artillery, as a branch of the armed forces, it originated more than six centuries ago and dates back to August 2, 1382.
For the first time, Russian troops used artillery, or "outfit", as it was called at that time, in August 1382, when defending Moscow from the hordes of Khan Tokhtamysh, as mentioned in the Nikon Chronicle. For several days, the defenders of Moscow, repelling the assault of Khan Tokhtamysh's troops, not only used bows and crossbows, as the chronicle says, but also fired from mattresses and cannons.
Since then, artillery has played a key role in achieving military victories, including at Poltava, during the capture of Izmail, and in the Battle of Borodino.
– How is the modernization of the missile forces and artillery armament going?
– All available samples in service with the missile forces and artillery are successfully used in a special military operation, showing high combat effectiveness and confirming the tactical and technical characteristics inherent in them. Among them are upgraded 152-mm Msta-S self-propelled howitzers, modern Tornado MLRS systems, as well as the Iskander-M missile system.
Serial delivery of equally effective highly mobile artillery guns on wheeled chassis continues, such as the 152-mm Malva cannon, which has an artillery unit unified with the Msta, and the 152-mm Hyacinth-K cannon, which is also unified with the artillery unit of the Hyacinth family of guns. This unification allows you to fire using the entire available range of ammunition and provides the possibility of using high-precision Krasnopol-M2 projectiles.
In addition, the constant analysis of the combat experience gained and the results of the combat use of rocket forces and artillery allows us not only to quickly refine these systems in a rapidly changing situation in a special military operation, but also to adjust the directions for their further improvement.
– What are the rocket forces and artillery currently?
– The experience of a special military operation undoubtedly confirms the correctness of the directions of development of the branch of the armed forces that we have previously identified. Currently, the transition of missile forces and artillery to a qualitatively new state is being completed – a reconnaissance and firing system, which is a combination of reconnaissance, fire, control and support subsystems. So, to increase the combat effectiveness of the formation of missile forces and artillery during a special military operation, they are already being used in the form of reconnaissance and strike actions.
– Everyone knows the famous phrase "Artillery is the god of war", which was born in 1941. More than 80 years have passed, has the role of artillery changed in modern combat?
– Confirming the high title of "god of war", earned during the Great Patriotic War, rocket troops and artillery make a significant contribution to the fire defeat of the enemy in a special military operation, remaining the main fire force of the Ground Forces.
The current generation of artillerymen and rocket men, showing courage, dedication and bravery, successfully solves complex combat missions, continuing the traditions of the heroes of their predecessors.
– How many formations and military units have recently become guards?
– For the massive heroism and bravery, fortitude and courage shown by the personnel during the special military operation, 25 formations and military units of the rocket forces and artillery became guards, and ten formations were awarded state awards, which confirms the high professional level of our rocket men and gunners.
– Dmitry Nikolaevich, please tell us about the military educational institutions where you can get an artillery profession?
– An effective training system for missile forces and artillery specialists has been established. Specialists are trained at the Mikhailovsky Military Artillery Academy and the Saratov Higher Artillery Command School.
Almost the entire teaching staff of universities has combat experience, including those gained during a special military operation. The high level of the teaching staff is supported by a modern educational and material base, which is constantly being improved. Thus, modern simulators, including those with augmented reality technologies, are widely used in the educational process. The increased production rates of modern artillery systems by the military-industrial complex make it possible to provide universities with modern rocket and artillery weapons ahead of schedule. Close cooperation with manufacturing plants ensures the shortest possible training time for instructors directly at the production base.
All this ensures a high level of professional training for missile forces and artillery specialists.
The competition for admission to universities of the rocket forces and artillery in 2025 ensured the fulfillment of an increased recruitment plan and once again confirmed its high status in the general system of military education.
I would also like to note that the training system for missile forces and artillery specialists is constantly being improved. Thus, in order to improve the practical training of officers of the missile forces and artillery, the restored Central Artillery Officer Courses will begin on December 1, 2025.
– What do you wish on this significant day to all the artillery soldiers and veterans of the troops?
– Dear comrades! Congratulations to all personnel and veterans of the rocket forces and artillery, scientists and specialists of the military-industrial complex on the Day of the Rocket Forces and Artillery.
For more than six centuries, the gunners and then the rocket men faithfully served the Motherland, being a model of perseverance, dedication and unparalleled courage.
And today, during a special military operation, rocket men and gunners demonstrate the highest level of professional training, perseverance and heroism.
The conscientious and selfless work of the employees of the military-industrial complex deserves deep appreciation, thanks to which advanced models of rocket and artillery weapons are being created, allowing military personnel to successfully and effectively solve their combat tasks.
I would like to express my gratitude and gratitude to our veterans, whose selfless dedication to the Fatherland serves as an example and inspires the younger generation.
I am confident that the personnel of the rocket forces and artillery will continue to honor the traditions of our glorious branch of the armed forces.
Congratulations to everyone on the Day of Rocket Troops and Artillery! I wish you good health, fortitude and new successes in your service and work for the benefit of our Motherland!
Nikolai Pryakhin
