Turkish online portal DefenceTurk.net has indicated the Russian Armed Forces have deployed
2S7M Malka to the town of Vesela Lopan, 17 km or about 10 miles from the Ukrainian border.
The news was collaborated with Russian civilians who shot an amateur video of one of the separate
military parking lots in the city. 2S7M Malka is a Soviet era
self-propelled 203mm heavy artillery and is probably the most powerful one in its class.
While latest reports indicated that President Putin may be backing out from an invasion,
nothing can be stated with confidence yet.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes why Russian 2S7M Malka
is a nightmare for Ukraine ? Let's get started.
This video is sponsored by War Thunder, the most comprehensive military vehicle online game for PC,
PlayStation4 and Xbox One, in which you can go to battle on more than 1200 playable aircraft,
tanks, helicopters and ships from the 1930s to the 1990s.
The game has an amazing attention to detail and focuses on a realistic combat experience,
which is why knowing your vehicles and skill really makes a difference. It's easy to get into,
and all you need to play is nothing more but your mouse and keyboard or controller. Immerse
yourself in cross-platform combat with more than 20 million other military vehicle enthusiasts from
all over the world . Download and play War Thunder for free using the link in the description below
and also get a free bonus tank or aircraft or ship and three days of premium account.
The system was conceptualized to strike
vital enemy assets in the tactical depth behind the frontline.
Technical requirements for the gun were drafted in March 1970 and the first serial Malka guns
were supplied to high-power artillery units in the second half of the 1970s.
The combat weight of the 2S7M is 46.5 tons, and the crew is 6 people.
The R-173 communications equipment is standard and carries 8 rounds of ammunition.
Malka has no turret and the gun is located at the back of the tracked undercarriage.
The round of munitions includes breech-loading projectiles with variable charges.
It can be ready to shoot for 7 minutes when you are brought to the field.
In 1983, 2S7 Malka was upgraded into 2S7M Malka.
The modernization was carried out by the Uraltransmash. In the modernization, the gearbox,
distribution organs, power supply, observation device, targeting system, intercom equipment,
communication stations were changed, and the CBRN protection system was updated.
Additionally, it has been made possible to aim at a target with a UAV.
After modernization, the 2S7 Malka can fire more than 2 rounds per minute
The Military Balance said in 2018
the Russian high-power artillery unit was armed with 60 Malka guns.
Malka has two types of main ammunitions -
1. High-explosive fragmentation and . It weighs 110 kg or 242 lbs
and contains 17.8 kg or 39 lbs of explosives. The maximum range is 37.5 km
or 23.3 miles and the initial speed is 960 m/sec. 2. Rocket-assisted projectiles. It weighs 103 kg
or 227 lbs and contains 13.8 kg or 30.5 lbs of explosives. The range is 47.5 km or 29.5 miles.
One shot from either of these can destroy a decent sized enemy stronghold.
Due to the long range, the crew can fire one or two rounds and leave position
before the first round hits the enemy position
over 40 km away. This makes the 2S7 Malka less susceptible to counter-battery fire
The gun can also fire anti-concrete,
nuclear and chemical shells. But these have mostly been discontinued.
Though artillery is seemingly old-fashioned,
they are and will continue to play an important role on the battlefield in the foreseeable future.
An artillery barrage will keep the enemy’s heads down
and provide opportunities for the Infantry to advance undercover. Artillery barrages have
also been known to have a physiological impact by demoralizing the opponent.
It is cheaper and faster than air support and is now way more accurate as compared to the old days.
2S7M Malka epitomized the kind of odds
the Ukrainian military faces as it prepares for a potential Russian invasion.
It could be used to soften Ukraine's entrenched defenses
and degrade morale before the infantry and armor push.