Artillery units comprising about 150 soldiers in the Russian Republic of Dagestan have begun military training using Msta-S howitzers, announced a spokesperson for the Southern Military District on Monday.
"Service personnel are practicing firing from positions on the move, from hidden positions, as a lone unit and as part of an artillery formation," stated the spokesperson.
"In the course of the firing practice, the challenges of cooperation with an attached mortar battery are also covered, equipped with modern ammunition of 120mm 2S12 'Sani' mortar, which is capable of hitting a target from seven kilometers away."
The Msta-S 2S19 is a 152 mm caliber self-propelled howitzer is capable of destroying nuclear missiles and ballistic missile defense systems. It has a maximum range of 24.7 km with a standard HE-FRAG projectile and 28.9 km with a rocket-assisted projectile, with a maximum rate of fire of 7-8 rounds per minute.
A demonstration of artillery at the Army-2015 International Military-Technical Forum.
© Sputnik / Alexander Vilf
/ The Russian army operates around 550 of the artillery systems, and the upgraded 2S19M2 entered into service in 2013. The Msta-S 2S19 is slated to be replaced by the next generation 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV, capable of firing up to 70 km; 12 of the howitzers were delivered to the armed forces in 2015.
