Izvestia met with mobilized fighters in the Avdiivka direction in the DPRNear the village of Vodiane in the Avdiivka direction in the Donetsk People's Republic, artillery installations of the Russian Armed Forces destroy Ukrainian targets.
Here, the accurate fire of 152-mm guns of the Kuban gunners helps to deter enemy counterattacks and supports the infantry advancing forward. Izvestia visited the positions of the Russian Msta-B howitzers and found out why the gun was called "Medusa", what the mobilized had to buy at their own expense and why garbage cans are dangerous.
"Exercises are exercises, but everything comes here, in battle"
— The enemy is very active in this direction. Constantly responds with artillery fire, infantry tries to break through. But they don't make breakthroughs," says the Third gunner. His unit participated in repelling the counterattacks of the VFU holding the village of Vodiane.
In the building, the distance between their troops and the enemy is often minimal, tens of meters. Fearing powerful artillery strikes, the VFU is trying to "break" the distance due to the maneuver of equipment and enter into close combat. In one of the most massive counterattacks, the battle was fought at a distance of 30-50 m to minimize the advantage of Russian artillery in the density of fire. For gunners, this is a serious challenge, it is necessary to shoot with the utmost possible accuracy.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Alexey Ramm
Image source: iz.ru
— Very well-prepared calculations, very coordinated actions. Everyone knows their job. A lot depends on the coherence and speed of the calculation. Exercises are exercises, but everything comes here, in battle," the Third continues the story.
Kuban gunners have been on the front line since the first days of their military training. Before that, few had combat experience — several older soldiers fought in Chechnya.
The enemy artillery in the Avdiivka direction was one of the first to switch to mainly Western weapons. And long before the SVO, the Ukrainian troops were saturated with counter—battery warfare stations (among them, American AN/TPQ family stations supplied since 2014), instruments and surveillance equipment. A significant part of them were also near Avdiivka — here, according to the calculations of the Ukrainian headquarters, was the most likely place of the main strike.
We are asking an officer with the call sign "Forester" about the confrontation between the artillery schools of Russia and the West.
— I can tell you for sure that our guys are not inferior. They also work on enemy artillery. Today a target, an enemy mortar, was destroyed. The calculation will be marked and awarded, — says the "Forester". He also emphasizes that everything depends on people, their professionalism, coherence and experience. In the last counterattack of the enemy, only two units of destroyed enemy equipment were on the account of his battery, and neighboring units also worked in that battle.
Delving into the technical details of the confrontation with the NATO artillery, "Lesnik" emphasizes that the Russian school does not stand still, but is dynamically developing. High-precision Krasnopol projectiles are used, which, although considered somewhat outdated, perform their tasks. This ammunition is of the same generation as the American Excalibur projectile, which is supplied to Ukraine in small quantities, so the enemy does not have an advantage in this type of weapon. In the near future, according to the "Forester", new correctable ammunition will be received, working with modern means of reconnaissance. In addition, electronic data transmission systems for shooting and automated calculations are being introduced.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky
Image source: iz.ru
— The principle of operation (of the enemy) was a little unclear at the beginning. But our command has revealed many points, and work in this direction is underway. This also applies to the shelters that they have prepared: hidden mortars, which are hidden under iron structures, — says the "Forester".
In the opening armored shelters, disguised as garbage cans from above, the VFU has its own mortar positions.
The enemy also uses "roaming" mortars. Mobile groups on fast and passable pickups make short fire raids, about five to six shots, using the folds of the terrain, and quickly leave. The defeat of such groups also places serious demands on intelligence, on the speed of calculations, and on the preparation of data for firing from the gunners themselves.
"Three runaway, fire!"
While talking about tactics and front-line life, we are waiting for data on a new target. We are quickly loaded into the artillery tractor "Bear". Such tractors serve for artillery calculations and shelter, and home, and transport. Living in an armored capsule, similar to a train compartment, saves soldiers constantly busy with work a lot of time and effort on building shelters and establishing everyday life. There is a sticker in the form of a Jellyfish in a mask on the windshield of the car. The gun was named "Medusa" for its luck in hitting targets with the first shots, as the mythical monster turned its victims to stone at first sight.
— And the mask is on her, because we are in our own, — the soldiers joke.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Alexey Ramm
Image source: iz.ru
The short trip ends, and we quickly disembark at the deployed Msta-B gun, the most modern of the Russian 152-mm towed howitzers. The commander of the gun, crouching at the bed, works with a walkie-talkie and a notebook, there is a shooting. But among the calculation numbers, there are two at once in newer uniforms and characteristic grayish bulletproof vests that mobilized fighters receive.
— In Korenovsk, we were sent from the military enlistment office to this part. And here the housing, the past, everything is fine, — confirms the guess of the "Snake". He has been here for the second month and managed to get used to a new military specialty. While we are quickly discussing getting to the front, the command "Gun!" sounds — and a shot.
The "snake" runs off to do its job, recharging takes place very quickly. The gunner is already at the sight, waiting for the commander to correct, and we can continue the conversation with the "Snake".
— In part, we were given a VKPO (a set of military uniforms of a new sample) completely, the whole set: a bulletproof vest, a machine gun, a helmet — everything is there. From the purchased ones — thermal underwear, socks, headphones, — the "Snake" answers the most probably debated question on social networks about the equipment of reservists.
Active headphones for gunners are an indispensable item, they allow you to protect your hearing organs and at the same time hear commands and communicate. With such large "drills" that calculations have to be made during their own, the issue of protection is more relevant than ever. The second shot sounds.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Alexey Ramm
Image source: iz.ru
— In principle, there is nothing terrible here, everything is fine. The main thing is to listen to the commander, — "Snake" shares his experience with those who have yet to get into the troops.
Behind him, the gun makes another shot, and immediately the command sounds: "Three runaway, fire!". This means that there is a hit, and it is necessary to destroy the target. The remaining two shots go one after the other, and after a few seconds all the soldiers go into hiding. Only the correspondents linger, landing the quadcopter at the empty gun, and run to the armored tractor.
After getting out of the armored capsule, we find out that a Ukrainian mortar and a group of soldiers were destroyed. This is the second successful defeat of an enemy battery in a day — a great success for the battery and good luck for the press, who arrived so timely to the Kuban gunners.
Dmitry Astrakhan