Russia Deploys 70-Year-Old Howitzers Amid Equipment Shortages

Russia has deployed hundreds of 1950s-era M-46 howitzers to the Ukrainian front line. Analysts have observed the reactivation of these old field guns, which first came into service during the Stalin era, from Russian storage yards.

Milbloggers and open-source intelligence analysts, such as WarNoir and High_Marsed, have documented the use of M-46 howitzers in Ukraine. Images posted on social media platforms show Russian artillery units loading and firing these field guns with high-explosive fragmentation ammunition produced in North Korea. Some of this ammunition bears the inscription “for Sevastopol,” referring to a June 23 incident where fragments killed six and injured over 150 people near the Crimean port city.

By February 2024, approximately 65 of Russia’s estimated 665 M-46 howitzers had been removed from storage. By the summer, this number had significantly increased, with estimates suggesting that about half of the stored 130mm howitzers had been reactivated. The M-46, a towed field gun weighing 8.5 tons and requiring an eight-person crew, fires 130mm shells up to 17 miles. Despite its power, the weapon is heavy, difficult to transport, and labor-intensive, leading to its replacement by more efficient 152mm howitzers in the 1970s.

Interesting 😮

Ru MoD released footage of a 130mm M-46 in #Ukraine

1. It’s described by the MoD as a “Gaubich” or howitzer so pls spare me the “it’s a field gun” whining

2. The propellant shells look brand new

Source: Ru MoD/Telegram pic.twitter.com/zcEC5D4f7g

— Arms Show Tracker (@21aar_show) June 2, 2024

The revival of these antiquated guns highlights the extent of Russia’s equipment shortages. The Kremlin has resorted to Cold War-era stockpiles as newer artillery pieces and ammunition stocks have been heavily depleted. The collaboration with North Korea for artillery shells marks a significant shift in Russia’s supply chain, with Pyongyang providing much-needed ammunition to sustain Russian artillery operations.

#UkraineRussiaWar #Kharkiv #ATACMS #Robotyne #F16 #Bakhmut #Sevastopol

North Korean 130-mm OF-462M shells for the M-46 howitzer from Russian artillerymen pic.twitter.com/a373eHYS7R

— Koba (@Roberto05246129) June 25, 2024

Footage from the Russian Ministry of Defense and various sources indicates that M-46 howitzers, with their distinctive design and large muzzle brake, are now active on the battlefield. The reliance on 70-year-old howitzers also points to logistical challenges, as transporting and supporting these heavy guns along the 700-mile front line in Ukraine is problematic given Russia’s losses in military vehicles.