The expert explained the purpose of the Pion super-howitzers deployed to Slavyansk
Capable of crushing two or three lines of defense and forcing the Armed Forces to surrender
A video appeared on Ukrainian social networks showing a batch of large-caliber self-propelled howitzers 2S7 “Pion” moving in the zone of a special military operation on railway platforms “. These heavy guns were used in the spring to shell militants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hiding in the Azovstal catacombs in Mariupol. What tasks they can solve at the new stage of the special operation, military expert Mikhail Khodarenok told. entities/2022/07/27/21/articles/detailPicture/7f/43/eb/bc/4bab67345548719ec1fda36665beb71c.jpg” height=”412″ width=”550″ />
Photo: RF Ministry of Defense
203-mm howitzer 2S7 “Pion” weighing 45 tons was developed during the Soviet era, in the 70s of the last century. They were intended to strike with heavy-duty ammunition at a distance of up to 30-50 kilometers, depending on the projectile used. Firing with high-explosive fragmentation shells can be carried out at a distance of up to 30 kilometers.
According to unofficial data, several hundred more of these guns may remain at the storage bases. Moreover, about 40-60 howitzers have already been removed from conservation.
As Mikhail Khodarenok wrote in his Telegram channel, the reasons for the appearance of heavy guns near the line of contact can be explained.
“Part of this equipment will probably go to the front,” he said. “Where something is broken or you need to increase firepower.”
He did not rule out that the “Peonies” are going to the zone of a special military operation “together with the replenishment that will replace the guys who fought as part of the planned rotation” .
“In theory, this amount of equipment could be brought down on Slavyansk and Kramatorsk in order to crush two or three lines of defense and force the Armed Forces to surrender,” said the former senior officer of the General Staff. – Of course, the Ukrainian military may surrender earlier, but it is better to prepare for the fact that all sorts of stupid things will be done in the style of Debaltseve or Ilovaysk. , which ended in the encirclement of the advancing troops and their destruction.
“The appearance of a seven-piece Peony battery in itself is not something unique,” the expert notes. – This amount is not enough to decide the outcome of the special operation. But, probably, somewhere these 7 pieces are needed now or will be needed in the near future.