Last autumn, Russia’s military received the first 2S43 Malva wheeled howitzers. Now a reconnaissance drone has discovered this new artillery system near the border with Ukraine, in Belgorod. The weapon is a real innovation for Moscow’s armed forces.
This article first appeared on ntv.de
According to media reports, the Russian armed forces’ latest self-propelled howitzer has been spotted in combat for the first time. As the pro-Ukrainian portal reports, a reconnaissance drone discovered the new 2S43 Malva wheeled artillery system in the Russian border region of Belgorod, which is currently serving as a staging area for attacks on the Kharkiv region. A video is now circulating showing the operation of a 2S43 Malva at close range. It is not known whether this is the same model. The video is said to have been taken at the front near Kharkiv.
The self-propelled howitzer 2S43 Malva is produced by the defense company Uraltransmash, which is part of the state-owned Rostec concern. Development began in the 2010s. According to the newspaper “”, the Russian army received the first batch of the self-propelled howitzer in October 2023, after three years of test operation ended in July. It is unclear how many units have been produced and delivered so far.
The 2S43 Malva consists of a 152-millimeter howitzer mounted on a truck. Its gun barrel is also used in the tracked self-propelled howitzer Msta-S. The maximum firing range is stated as 29 kilometers, which makes it inferior to other wheeled howitzers. The maximum firing range of the Ukrainian 2S22 Bohdana is 50 kilometers. The French Caesar can even reach up to 70 kilometers with precision-guided ammunition.
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Artillery system a real innovation for Russia
For Russia’s military, which traditionally relies on tracked self-propelled guns, the 2S43 Malva is a real innovation. The US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) quoted a Russian war propagandist as early as May 2023 who urged the introduction of the wheeled howitzer “since the Russian military does not have any wheeled self-propelled artillery.” In contrast to tracked self-propelled guns, wheeled vehicles are generally cheaper to produce and maintain. They also have greater speed and range – two important factors in modern artillery duels.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
