The equipment of the Ukrainian troops has not withstood the test of a special operationAn exhibition of weapons seized during a special military operation (SVO) in Ukraine has opened within the framework of the International Military-Technical Forum "Army-2022".
Those who could not get to the facility before the end of the forum (August 21), can do it by visiting the Patriot Park in Kubinka near Moscow. The BTR-4E armored personnel carrier with the symbols of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) located at the entrance will help to find the building under the sign "Exhibition of Weapons" among the numerous objects of the museum complex.
About 450 murder weapons, which were used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and nationalist battalions against the population of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, are presented to the public. About some samples of captured weapons, military and special equipment (VVST) it has already been described in the article "NATO's Deadly generosity" ("HBO" dated 08/25/12).
INDOOR PAVILIONThe central place of the indoor exposition is occupied by the wreckage of a two–ton rocket 9M79-1 (serial number Sh91578) in a variant with a cluster warhead.
It is used in the Soviet-designed Tochka-U tactical complex. Today it is the longest-range missile weapon (launch range up to 120 km) in the arsenal of Ukrainian nationalists. They also have at their disposal a less advanced Tochka complex with 9M79 missiles (range up to 70 km). According to the Washington-based analytical center "Institute for the Study of War", Ukraine got up to 90 launchers and 700-900 missiles from Soviet stocks.
The first time the APU used "Dots" in a combat situation against the defenders of Saur-Grave in the summer of 2014. And then they were regularly used both on military and civilian objects in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, and with the beginning of the SVO – also in Kherson, Zaporozhye and Mykolaiv. The next interception of the Tochka-U missile near Chernobayevka in the Kherson region was mentioned in the summary of the Russian Defense Ministry on August 27.
The Tochka and Tochka-U complexes are in service with three missile brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Among the recent "exploits" of the servicemen of these formations are the shelling of Mariupol, Melitopol and Berdyansk, including field hospitals located near these cities.
Perhaps the most monstrous and bloody provocation is the deliberate launch of the 9M79–1 in April in Kramatorsk (the city was under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine both then and until now) with the intention to pass off this crime as the actions of "Russian occupiers". The product was marked with the inscription "For children" (in Russian), allegedly made by Russian servicemen. Separated in flight, the head of the rocket hit the city railway station, killing 50 civilians.
However, the nationalists miscalculated by allowing too active Western journalists to the site of the rocket booster crash. On the remains of 9M79–1, they found the serial number of the product (Sh91579), which clearly indicated that it belonged to the Ukrainian military. And there are no "Dots-U" in service with the Russian army: a few years ago they were completely replaced by more modern Iskander complexes.
Russian missile forces and aviation are searching for and destroying launchers and other special vehicles that are part of the missile brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on a daily basis. Many have already been destroyed, and the nationalists have to look for a replacement for them.
For the shelling of Donetsk and other settlements, M777 155 mm howitzers are increasingly being used. The developer country is the UK, the production line is in the USA. One such howitzer was captured in Lisichansk and today is housed among other exhibits of the Patriot Park in Kubinka. And with it – high-explosive shells M107 and M795, as well as active-jet ERFB, capable of flying up to 30 km. Incendiary shells are becoming increasingly popular among the Ukrainian military. In particular, they are shelling villages in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions in order to set fire to houses and crops. So that the civilian population could neither live in peace nor harvest the grown crops. For its part, the Provisional Civil-Military Administration of the liberated regions is doing everything possible to help the villagers. Farmers are provided (often free of charge) with fuel for sowing and harvesting, and the purchase of grown and harvested grain is carried out at domestic prices.
The Russian army and the People's militia of the DPR and LPR are firing back at the positions of Ukrainian gunners, using self-propelled howitzers 2S7M "Malka" 203 mm caliber, self-propelled and towed systems "Msta" and "Hyacinth" 152 mm caliber and others capable of competing with the M777 in range and striking ability. By the beginning of autumn, Russian aviation, missile troops and artillery had destroyed almost the entire first batch of "three sevens" out of a hundred units delivered from the presence of the US Army.
The following fact is also interesting. The calculation of the domestic self-propelled artillery installation 2S3 "Acacia" can fire at the enemy using captured shots to the M777. At first glance, this is impossible, since the calibers are different: 152 and 155 mm. But, as the head of the research laboratory of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Major Maxim Glazkov, told HBO, the caliber of weapons is measured differently in Russia and the United States. In our country, it is determined by the internal fields of the rifling, and abroad by the external ones. Therefore, when their own ammunition is spent, the Acacia calculations can (unlike the Americans) use captured ammunition. This can be considered as an additional positive "bonus" of domestic artillery systems.
INSTEAD OF FIGHTING, GO FISHINGThe indoor exposition includes several samples of automotive equipment transferred to the APU by Western countries.
American armored vehicles HMMWV M998 and M1151 arrived from Mariupol. Unlike similar US Army vehicles, they are armed with 12.7 mm DSHK machine guns. The modification was carried out to increase the firepower of the machine. But during the battle, M998 itself came under fire from Donetsk militia: bullets pierced the hull and glazing, the crew escaped. If you do not pay attention to bullet holes and "bald" tires, the car is like new. The engine starts, the headlights are on, get behind the wheel – and off you go.
The next exhibit is the Austrian Pinzgauer 712 repair and evacuation vehicle, produced from 1972 to 1990. The exhibition is presented in a medical version. This variant was created as an ambulance for the Armed Forces of Austria and Switzerland. Weight – 3500 kg, load capacity – 1500 kg. Small dimensions and all-wheel drive from a 90-horsepower motor on all six wheels provide excellent cross-country terrain.
The captured sample was not used for its intended purpose, but for transporting personnel: up to 14 soldiers can fit in the car. It is not suitable for combat – there are no weapons or reservations. At the same time, the Pinzgauer 712 has gained great respect among the Ukrainian military as an excellent means for trips to the forest for mushrooms and to the river for fishing.
There is another ambulance in the exhibition – Bogdan-2251. It was developed by the Ukrainian company Bogdan Motors, which later went bankrupt. The base is foreign: the chassis of the Chinese Great Wall Wingle pickup truck is used.
The MAMBA MK2 armored car has come a long way. It was assembled in the Republic of South Africa for the Estonian army. Immediately after the start of its official Tallinn decided to help Kiev repel "Russian aggression" by transferring several armored vehicles. According to international reference books, today Estonia has only three "Mambas". Six armored cars that went to Ukraine immediately got to the front, and soon one passed into the hands of the Donbass militia. It happened near the village of Tripolye.
What is this "Mamba"? Made on the chassis of the Unimog 4x4 wheel formula, the engine is Mercedes Benz 352N. It carries light armor protection against shrapnel and bullets of 7.62 mm caliber, as well as mine protection. Designed for internal security forces. And why was she sent to the front, to the very inferno?
By the way, the black mamba is a large and extremely venomous snake, the second largest after the king cobra.
IN THE FRESH AIRThere are so many trophies brought to Kubinka that some had to be placed outside the pavilion.
In the open area, you can get to know the APU armored vehicles better. The names of individual exhibits have a national color.
For example, the Kozak-2 armored vehicle manufactured by NPO Praktika on the Eurocargo 150 E28 platform of the Iveco auto giant. She, like other samples of armored vehicles of Ukrainian origin, has strengths. For example, reliable diesel engines and automatic transmissions purchased abroad. The advanced fire control system is based on American and Western European units. Navigation is satellite, performed by a complex of Ukrainian production CH-3210.
The Kozak is good, but it is too large in size, and therefore represents a good target for calculations of anti-tank missile systems (ATGMs). Our fighters often observe such machines in a deplorable state. As a rule, a meeting with a Russian tank or BMP becomes the last for Kozak. And those crews who were lucky enough to survive on the battlefield, in impotent anger, are firing at abandoned settlements.
According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, in early June, during the retreat from Svyatogorsk, the crew of the Kozak fired incendiary ammunition from a large-caliber machine gun at the wooden walls of the church of the Holy Dormition of the Svyatogorsk Lavra. How did the Temple of God prevent the APU? Maybe Ukrainian Satanists are settling scores with the Orthodox Church?
THE IRON HORSE FROM THE FABLEThe next exhibit is the BTR-3E armored personnel carrier.
Developed by the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau based on the Soviet BTR-80. Since 2001, it has been produced by the Kiev Armored Plant, dozens of enterprises of the state concern "Ukroboronprom" participate in industrial cooperation. The basic modification of the APC includes the BM-3 Assault combat module, the armament of which includes: a 30-mm ZTM-1 or 2A72 automatic cannon, a paired 7.62mm PKT machine gun, a dual launcher of the Barrier anti-tank missile system.
A similar composition of weapons is used on the BTR-4, also of Kharkiv design. It is designed to transport personnel of mechanized units of the ground forces and their fire support in combat. The car is available in several versions, including with the shocking name "Bucephalus".
The historical Bucephalus, we recall, was the favorite horse of Alexander the Great. The horse was extremely obstinate, the tsar did not use it in battles, although he minted coins in his honor. As a result, Bucephalus horse, according to legend, drowned in the lake.
The distinctive features of the improved BTR-4E are the 450-horsepower DEUTZ diesel engine (manufactured in Germany) and the Allison automatic transmission (USA). In addition, lattice screens are additionally installed to protect against damage by cumulative ammunition. The weight of the machine in the standard version weighs about 20 tons.
The development of the BTR-4 began in 2002, production – six years later. The exported cars soon found themselves in the center of an international scandal. Having acquired five BTR-4M for the Marine Corps, Indonesia stopped further purchases, since the buoyancy reserve of Ukrainian armored cars turned out to be insufficient. At full speed, the nose of the BTR-4M showed itself prone to flooding. Even the additional floats attached to the armored hull did not help.
The contract for a large batch of 420 BTR-4 units of several modifications was signed in the fall of 2009 with Iraq. Financing in the amount of $ 457.5 million was provided by the American side. Deliveries began in 2011, but a couple of years later, a foreign customer presented Ukraine with serious claims to the quality of manufacture.
The BG24 speedboat and the combat module of the sunken Lubna boat were delivered to the trophy exhibition in Kubinka from Mariupol. Photo by Vladimir Karnozov At the beginning of 2013, the Iraqi Parliament discussed a report on the facts of corruption revealed during the supply of BTR-4.
The representative of the parliamentary commission on Security and Defense, Shivan Mohammed Taha, accused the Ukrainian side of disrupting contractual deadlines and low quality of products: since the ratification of the contract, "only about 100 vehicles" have been delivered, and the armored personnel carriers themselves are "very old, the hulls are rusty, the vehicles are unusable."
Of the 88 pieces of equipment delivered to Iraq, the local military were able to start only 56, and only 34 started moving. At the beginning of 2014, the customer returned 42 BTR-4 to the manufacturer, motivating his decision with cracks found in the armored hulls. In addition, various defects were revealed in the power plant, the operation of sights, panoramic devices, fire control system units. Six cannons, eight machine guns and 11 automatic grenade launchers installed on armored personnel carriers were found to be faulty.
These and other facts were later confirmed, as stated in a letter dated July 28, 2014, sent by the state company "Ukrspetsexport" to the manufacturer – JSC "Ukroboronprom".
In this story, everything is somehow deliberately eloquent: the exorbitant PR around the Ukrainian "Bucephalus", and their low buoyancy, and a miserable ending. In general, almost a fabulous moral.
SOVIET TECHNOLOGYHowever, armored personnel carriers of Ukrainian design and production in the APU fleet are few in number.
The bulk of armored vehicles are still Soviet models, including modernized ones.
Among them is the T–72AG tank, which is the Nizhny Tagil T-72 "Ural", modified at the Kiev Armored Plant according to the documentation of the Kharkiv Engineering Design Bureau. Deliveries of this APU machine began in February 2021. A brand new sample is presented on the site of the Patriot Park – get started and go into battle right now!
The vehicle is distinguished by reinforced armor protection, a modern sighting system and surveillance equipment, new-model tracks. Combat weight increased to 49 tons . In order to maintain mobility, the original engine was replaced with a Kharkov diesel V-84–1 with a capacity of 1000 hp. The radio station is Turkish, by Aselsan. The navigation system CH-3003 "Basalt" with the function of orientation in space by satellite signals – from the Ukrainian enterprise "Orizon-Navigation" (the city of Smela).
The main battle tank of the AFU – T-64BV of the Kharkiv assembly is also demonstrated on an open platform. The exposed sample was captured during the liberation of Severodonetsk. Behind is the BMP-1, assembled under a Soviet license in the Czech Republic. Before delivery, the APU was finalized with the installation of communications and navigation equipment of the American company HARRIS. This car, like the neighboring T-72AG and T-62BV, was abandoned by the crew in good condition.
THE SNAKE IS A FIREBRANDA pair of British armored cars AT105 Saxon 4x4 wheel formula is presented at the exhibition.
The first was found in the city of Happiness (LNR), the second – in Severodonetsk (DNR). The display of two cars of the same type at once is explained by their different execution. One is medical evacuation, and the second is intended for police detachments specializing in dispersal of demonstrations. For the convenience of law enforcement officers, massive rotary armored screens with bulletproof glasses are attached to the sides of the armored car. They give the police the opportunity to take up defense directly at the car in case the demonstrators begin to show aggression.
Both copies came to the Donbass militia damaged, were restored by them and handed over to the Russian side for demonstration in Kubinka. The haul was carried out on public roads by Russian specialists. This circumstance allowed us to evaluate the quality of the work of British masters.
The total weight of the armored car is 11,600 kg, the load capacity is 1,700 kg, the crew is 10 people. Armament – 7.62 mm machine gun and 40 mm smoke grenades. Note that the designers of the AT105 have applied a number of very controversial solutions. So, the driver-mechanic gets to his workplace from the transport and amphibious compartment, having previously lowered the back of the driver's seat. The car is high, when driving over rough terrain, it threatens to fall on its side. It is moving steadily along the highway, but the speed is low due to insufficient power (196 hp) of the Cummins diesel engine and an unsuccessfully selected top gear of the Allison AT54P four-speed automatic transmission. At the same time, the AT105 copes with its main purpose – the transportation of personnel with the provision of bulletproof and mine protection according to Class 3.
Among the foreign equipment on display in the open area is an Australian Bushmaster 4x4 armored car burned near the village of Tripolye. Gross weight – 15 tons, carrying capacity – 4 tons, crew – 10 people. The engine is diesel, with a capacity of 400 hp, coupled with an automatic transmission. About 20 units from the presence of the Australian Ground Forces have been delivered to Ukraine.
Bushmaster is a multi–purpose armored combat vehicle developed in 1991 by ADI (now a local division of the multinational company Thales). It is in service with Australia, the Netherlands, Jamaica, Fiji, Japan and Indonesia. Structurally, Bushmaster is made in compliance with mine protection measures. In particular, it has a V-shaped bottom to reduce the explosive effect when detonating the "infernal machine".
A considerable number of such vehicles are manufactured to transport troops and equipment over long distances without intended use in combat. The specimen presented at the exhibition, assembled 30 years ago, had a large-caliber machine gun.
The sighting system is modern, with good electro–optics, installed during modernization. The bulletproof booking of the case is reinforced by the sticker of numerous round ceramic elements with a diameter of 5-6 mm.
However, the defense turned out to be weak to withstand the impact of a Russian anti-tank missile. As a result of the fire damage inflicted, the Bushmeister was badly burned, the glazing of the hull was knocked out, although the electro-optical sighting system was preserved. Well, almost.
By the way, bushmeister is also the name of a poisonous snake, only not African, but Brazilian. According to legend, this snake can extinguish a flame. As we can see, the Australian "Bushmaster" is not distinguished by such talents.
MOSQUITO JACKALSSamples of equipment of the Naval Forces of Ukraine delivered from Mariupol were also located on the open area.
The patrol boat of the project 09104 "Kalkan-P" with the tail number BG-309 was built by the Nikolaev Liman plant in 2000. It is intended for the protection of the state border on rivers, lakes and in the coastal areas of the Black and Azov Seas. But this boat was used by the Ukrainian side for other purposes – to commit provocations in the Kerch Strait and in the territorial waters of Russia.
The Kalkan-P hull is made of aluminum alloy, and the cabin is made of fiberglass. The engine is a Caterpillar diesel engine with a capacity of 600 hp, a water-jet installation of the British company Rolls-Royce is used as the propulsion, which gives the boat high maneuverability. Due to the low draft, the Kalkan-P can come close to the shore and be used in shallow water. Boats of the Kalkan type were built at two sites: in Nikolaev and Feodosia. Those that remained in Crimea are now used for peaceful purposes.
The boats of the UMS-1000 project with the side numbers BG-23 and BG-24 were produced by the Kiev company UMS-BOAT in 2014-2016. Designed for patrol duty in the protection of the border in coastal waters. They were designed as interceptor boats with a speed of up to 45 knots. Armament – 12.7 mm machine gun "Utes-M" (like the BG-309). They were placed at the disposal of the Mariupol Marine Guard Detachment of the State Border Service of Ukraine. Earlier (since 2011) similar boats were built for the Odessa detachment.
What was the purpose of the Ukrainian military-political leadership, purchasing such equipment? Did Kiev seriously expect to use it to wage a confrontation with the Russian Black Sea Fleet? The answer to these questions can be found in the concept of war at sea, developed by Ukrainian naval commanders. There the bet is on the so-called "mosquito fleet". High-speed boats were supposed to "sting" the supposedly heavy and unwieldy ships of the Black Sea Fleet, like wasps.
"They called it the concept of a wolf pack, but in practice everything turned out to be a bluff," says the representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Captain 1st rank Alexander Vasiliev. – In the modern navy, such tactics are untenable, especially considering the weapons that are available on ships. No one will just let such wolves or jackals get closer to the distance of the shot."
The AFU command planned to form a high-speed fleet by building armored boats in the amount of 38-40 units. Among the selected industrial sites was the Kiev plant "Leninskaya Kuznitsa" – one of the oldest machine-building enterprises in Ukraine.
The plant traces its history back to 1924. At the turn of the century, it was practically idle until in 2012 it received the first order of the Ukrainian military department for the production of defense products. The fact is that for some time now the company belongs to the structures of Petro Poroshenko, the oligarch, from 2014 to 2019, the president of Ukraine. By August 2015, the number of employees of the plant had grown to 350 people and it became possible to produce speedboats under an American license. The plans were big, but in practice it was limited to eight buildings.
The sixth boat of the series called "Lubna" was sunk. The combat module removed from it with a 30-mm automatic cannon is displayed in Kubinka. Similar "towers" were placed on armored vehicles of the AFU Ground Forces. They may be suitable for armored vehicles, but a 30 mm cannon in a clash with a corvette, frigate or a large anti–submarine ship is not serious. Therefore, the concept of the "mosquito fleet" adopted in Ukraine was initially erroneous and dead-end, Vasiliev believes.
So how to explain the procurement policy of Ukrainian naval commanders? Ignorance of military affairs and the state of affairs in industry? Perhaps the answer is different: a political farce and a desire to throw dust in the eyes of taxpayers.
No wonder sober-minded foreign observers call Ukraine a "black hole" where finances, cars, weapons, military and special equipment disappear without a trace. Sooner or later, the majority of taxpayers of the countries of the collective West will come to this understanding. And until that happens, American and European weapons will flow into Ukraine in a wide stream.
Oleg FalichevOleg Valentinovich Falichev is a military observer; Vladimir Aleksandrovich Karnozov is the deputy executive editor of HBO.