How Russian gunners from the Kalmius brigade destroy the enemy in the Donetsk direction
Artillery remains the main means of fire destruction in heavy positional battles in the Donetsk direction. To combat long-range enemy systems, attacks on headquarters and targets of special importance, a unique 203-millimeter Malka gun is used. Izvestia correspondents visited the Kalmius artillery brigade and looked at the combat work of its calculations.
"We are dismantling both the notorious M777 and Panzergaubitz
We arrive at the positions of the Kalmius brigade in bad weather — sharp gusty winds and low clouds. Therefore, aerial reconnaissance does not work, and along with it, large-caliber artillery is silent. The dug-in "Malka" is warmed up without removing the disguise. In the cold and humid Donetsk winter, this is a vital necessity.
— Before participating in the SVO in the artillery, I had no training, — says artillery officer Dan. - Our artillery brigade "Kalmius" taught me everything completely. We even exceeded the preparation time a little, we had two weeks before the first shooting, and we managed it in a week. We did not let the brigade down, and the brigade did not let us down.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
Dan was in the militia in 2014-2015, and as soon as the special military operation began, he volunteered. He started out on self-propelled 120 mm howitzers "Gvozdika", and after receiving new equipment he got on the "Malki".
Dan went through the Mariupol campaign in the 9th regiment of the then People's Militia of the DPR, and after its completion he joined the artillery brigade.
"They gave us the coolest guns in the world," the officer says. — This is the largest self-propelled artillery installation in the world!
It destroys targets at a distance of up to 35 km. It provides effective counter-battery warfare and hits valuable targets on the tip of aerial reconnaissance. NATO equipment is seriously getting hurt by our gunners.
— We are dismantling both the notorious M777 and Panzergaubitz, there are video confirmations, — says Dan.
But the "Malki" themselves become an important target for the enemy.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
— There are a lot of drones flying now, both ours and the opposing team, — jokes Dan. — Therefore, we constantly have one or two people standing at the air surveillance post, regardless of whether there is a job or not. We have a drone strike and a machine gun to protect against drones.
A special protective awning is thrown over the car, because it heats up both when shooting and in motion, which means it is visible on the thermal imagers of drones.
— You can shoot at least 30 shots with an awning, you can fry fried eggs on the barrel, but you won't see the car in the thermal imager, — says Dan about the unexpected additional advantages of a regular awning for equipment.
The fighters say that the tarpaulin is old, heavy and massive, but it ensures the safety of the car — this is the main thing.
The "Malki" themselves came to the brigade new, and, according to Dan, since that moment, barrel replacements have already taken place. Self-propelled guns are taken care of, and they do not let the guys down.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
From Siberia to South America
Ivan, with the call sign Russian, originally from Siberia, joined the Kalmius brigade before the start of mobilization in the Russian Federation to become a volunteer.
— I am a patriot of my country, and this is not my first military campaign: I was in the North Caucasus in the infantry," he says. — And here I accidentally got into an artillery unit. I think there should be justice, and of course we can't do anything one by one. But when we are all together, there will be a result.
Ivan is 39 years old. He is going to serve until the end of his military service, and then return home to a peaceful life and family.
Of course, at first, the family hardly made the decision to voluntarily go to the SVO zone, but today they support the Russian and wait for him to return with victory.
— The most difficult thing in the work of a gunner is when it's hard for the calculation, but you can't help in any way, you can't leave your workplace. It's hard to look at the others from your place and wait," the Russian says about his current "job."
Like most of the servicemen from Donbass and those mobilized, he uses the word "work" instead of "service".
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
Former civilians from the militia and those mobilized brought words such as "work", "household", "office" and others to the army, as if symbolically linking their service with their usual life and the opportunity to return to it later.
Sarkis is among the fighters working at the self—propelled gun, and the Armenian flag on his jacket attracts attention. The colleagues nearby are smiling — we are not the first to be attracted by this patch, which covers the entire life path of a fighter.
— In 2003, my parents moved from Armenia to Donetsk, bought a house, arranged it, I studied and grew up here. And I joined the service as a volunteer during my military service," Sarkis explains.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Image source: iz.ru
He has a diploma from the mining faculty of Donetsk University, and after the conflict ends, he wants to return to civilian life. No one knows if the mines will be restored, many of them have been flooded over the past 10 years, so he is still thinking about working in his specialty, we must wait.
We recall with the veterans of the volunteer militia from different countries who fought in Donbass at different times. The geography is very diverse: from the former Soviet republics to South America. Many have already died, both before and during the war. The conversation is interrupted by pauses with the addition of the word "deceased" or a question: "Didn't you know about him?" But it's time to leave Malka, even in this weather it's better not to create unnecessary movement around the disguised equipment.
Dmitry Astrakhan
