Vintage Weapons In a Modern War: The TT-33 Pistol In Ukraine

The fighting in Ukraine has seen a wide range of small arms in use ranging from the cutting edge to the antique. We’ve seen a number of older weapons like Mosin-Nagant rifles, M1910 Maxim machine guns and DP light machine guns in service with both sides. [We’ll take a look at those in future videso] The TT-33 pistol, a pistol which first entered service 90 years ago, is another older weapon which is again seeing action. The examples seen in theatre are likely a mix of privately owned firearms and pistols drawn from Ukrainian stores.

Introduced in the mid-1930s to replace the 1895 Nagant revolver, over a million TTs have been produced. Designed by Fedor Tokarev the pistol became the Soviet Union’s primary side arm, seeing service during the Second World War alongside the Nagant.

The TT-33 is a semi-automatic pistol, chambered in 7.62×25mm. It feeds from an 8 round single stack magazine and uses John Browning’s short recoil tilting-barrel action. The TT is an extremely robust pistol and remained in service well into the 1950s with the Red Army and continues in service around the world even today.

*A photo of a TT-33 shared by the TDF’s 127th Kharkiv Brigade (via social media)*

Pistol use in general in the current conflict doesn’t appear to be prolific but a considerable number of combatants are frequently seen carrying side arms. Everything from Makarovs and Stetchkins to more modern Glocks and Ukrainian Fort handguns. Pistols are often carried by soldiers working in roles which frequently see them separated from their service rifle and by those who prefer to carry a secondary weapon.

While we’ve seen TT-33s in the hands of Russian and Ukrainian separatist troops in this video we’ll largely focus on Ukrainian use. At the fall of the Soviet Union a considerable amount of surplus small arms fell under Ukraine’s control, including substantial numbers of TT pistols. While not general issue it has been in service with the Ukrainian Army, National Guard and the Border Guard Service. This video definitely isn’t an exhaustive survey of TT use in Ukraine but lets take a look at some examples:

At the start of April 2022 the training department of the command headquarters of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces have published a number of high quality videos showing how to disassemble and clean the TT.

The Ukrainian YouTube channel, Boys from the Forest (ХЛОПЦІ З ЛІСУ) shared a video looking at the TT in May 2022. They concluded their video by shooting a block of explosive reactive armour with the pistol – to no effect. In June Alina Mykhailova, a medic with 1st separate mechanised battalion “Da Vinci Wolves” shared a photo of some firearms used by the unit, including amongst other things – a TT pistol.

*A photo of a TT-33 shared by an International Legion volunteer (via social media)*

In around August some members of a TDF unit posed with a Nestor Makhno banner and a DP light machine gun and a TT-33 pistol. A Russian news report from around Soledar, published on 5 August, featured an interview with a soldier carrying a TT in a front pouch of his load bearing equipment. On the 12 August a Ukrainian operator shared a couple of photos of his side arm, a 1945-dated, Izhevsk manufactured TT-33 with wooden grips. Date and location they were taken wasn’t shared.

In an interesting video posted around the 25 August, a TT-33 is used to test some captured Russian steel plate. Yurii Kochevenko, an officer of the 95th Air Assault Brigade, shoots a one of the plates point black with TT he carries in a webbing holster. The 7.62x25mm round doesn’t cleanly penetrate the plate but appears to impart enough force to crack the metal.

At the end of November the Military Institute at the National University in Kyiv shared photos of cadets taking part in a shooting championship using TT pistols.

On 30 December, the 247th Separate Battalion of the TDF’s 127th Kharkiv Brigade shared a photo of Vitaly, a member of the battalion, armed with an AK-74 and on his plate carrier he has a TT in a Cytac holster. These tactical holsters for the 90 year old pistol retail for around 780 Hryvnia. On the same day Ukrainian personnel shared an update video from their position in Bakhmut, one of them is carrying a TT on his plate carrier.

A TDF officer, call sign Witch, has been seen numerous times carrying a TT-33 as her sidearm. Videos posted to her TikTok on 24 December and 12 January show it in a holster on her plate carrier, with a coil lanyard fitted. A video shared by the TDF Public Relations Service on 19 February also gives us a good look at the TT carried by Witch.

*Ukrainian marksman position with a rotary grenade launcher, a UAR-10 and a TT pistol (via social media)*

On 26 February 2023, the TDF’s 127th Kharkiv Brigade shared a gallery of photographs featuring the TT on their instagram page. The caption notes that: “Despite the fact that this pistol was actively used even during the Second World War, it is simple in design, reliable in operation, small in size, comfortable to carry and always ready to defeat the Russian invaders.”

A Ukrainian special operations unit shared a photo of a member of the unit sat beside a Russian prisoner while holding two TT-33 pistols, one in its original finish and the other was a camouflage paint job. Most recently at the start of March a Ukrainian marksman active around Bakhmut shared a photo of his position with a rotary grenade launcher, a UAR-10 and a TT pistol.

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Bibliography:

The Procedure for Partial Disassembly and Assembly of a TT pistol, TDF, (source)

Rules for cleaning and lubricating weapons on the example of a TT pistol, TDF, (source)

Black Storm Defender – Standalone GP-25 Grenade Launcher Stock

In an earlier video we looked at the Black Storm series of bullpup conversion kits for AK pattern rifles. Black Storm have also developed an interesting standalone stock for the GP-25 under barrel grenade launcher called ‘Defender’. The impetus for this is s aid to be that the Black Storm rifle kits aren’t able to support the grenade launchers so a standalone stock into which they can be mounted was developed.

The GP-25 is a 40mm grenade launcher designed in the late 1970s by the small arms design bureau based at Tula. It is an under-barrel grenade launcher designed to slide onto standard issued AK-74 pattern rifles. Its ammunition uses a high–low pressure system and has a range of up to 400m.

The most interesting feature of the GP-25 stock is that it has a recoil mitigation system. This appears to be a strong spring in the telescoping stock tube which acts as a buffer. The stock kit is made up of a telescoping stock with butt pad, onto which the grenade launcher is mounted – just as you would onto a rifle, a forward vertical grip can be attached by a clamshell pair of metal stampings with allow the grip piece to be centered and held in place by two cross nuts. There is also a press-fit pistol grip extension for the GP-25’s short grip to help improve ergonomics.

Black Storm list the stock kit without launcher as weighing 200g while the Defender with GP-25 is listed as weighing 500g (1.1lbs). Black Storm sell the V2.0 of the stock for 5,950 UAH ($162).

*A GP-25 in a Black Storm Defender stock (via War_Noir)*

With some units also transitioning to NATO calibre rifles like the M4A1, MSBS GROT, FN FNC and F2000 amongst others, the ability to use the GP-25 as a stand alone weapon has proven valuable as the GP-25 can’t be mounted on Western rifles but with ammunition for the grenade launchers still plentiful they can continue to be used.

The earliest imagery I could find of the Defender in the field dates to 22 April, when Russian reporter War Gonzo posted a short video showing a Defender captured by Separatist DPR troops in Mariupol. The DPR soldier examining it notes that the weapon doesn’t seem to work and also compared it to the GP-25 fitted to his own AKS-74.

In May a good, clear photograph of a GP-25 in a Defender stock was shared, shown fitted with a sling. In mid-May Ukrainian operators shared a video of the Defender being fired at the range.

Also in May a short video of a Defender kit being fitted to a launcher was shared – this particular example apparently requiring some hand fitting to the sheet-metal pieces that attach the forward grip.

A number of other stand alone adapters for GP-25s have also been seen in the field, In late May 2022, this example of a simpler adapter was shared online featuring a rigid stock onto which the grande launcher can be fitted. Simple adapters like this may be craft made in the field or manufactured by commercial companies.

*A GP-25 in a Defender stock (via social media)*

In June a short video was shared of a Ukrainian soldier firing several high-angle rounds from a GP-25 mounted in a Defender stock, we can see that the sight has been set to its highest elevation.

Ukrainian operators shared another photograph of a GP-25 in a Defender stock in September. The North Side Group shared a photograph of a GP-25 in a Defender at what appears to be a range in mid-September.

Russian operator shared photo of two standalone stocks for the GP-25 – the first is the rigid stock type seen in the photo from May. I haven’t been able to ascertain who produces this stock yet. In these photos, however, it is clear that the butt is wider than the Ukrainian design. The second stock appears to be a Black Storm Defender.

On 30 November the Belarusian volunteer unit, the Kalinouski Regiment, shared a video demonstrating the Defender, showing how its loaded, fired and carried noting that it is “designed to destroy enemy manpower located in trenches, and open terrain.”

In early January, Assistance Group – a German group active in Ukraine, shared some photographs of load out for operating in urban and woodland environments and a GP-25 in a Defender feature in both photographs.

At the beginning of February 2023 a video was shared featuring an operator with Russia’s SOBR “Granit”, he fires a couple of rounds from a GP-25 in a stand along stock. It’s difficult to make out but it appears to be a Defender, though it is not fitted with a front grip.

The ‘Lubart’ Ukrainian special operations forces unit recently shared a number of montage video of operations around Bakhmut. In it one operator loads and fires a Defender several times. The Defender in the clip lacks the pistol grip extension that comes as part of the kit.

*A GP-25 Defender and a pair of customised AKs (via social media)*

On 2 March a member of the Forward Observations Group shared a photo of is various weapons including a Black Storm Defender.

Finally, most recently, a short video from a Russian anti-Putin group – the Russian Volunteer Corps, filmed during an apparent raid into Bryansk. The video featured one of the group’s leaders with a Defender slung at his side.

It’s unclear just how many of these Black Storm Defender stock kits are being used by Ukrainian personnel but they do continue to appear regularly in imagery from the field. While unsurprisingly they appear to be favoured by units armed with Western rifles they are also being used by combatants armed with weapons which could mount a GP-25, perhaps indicating a preference for using the launcher as a stand alone weapon.

Bibliography:

Black Storm Defender, Black Storm, (source)

Video demonstrating assembly of Defender, Black Storm, (source)

Thanks to the guys at Streaking Delilah, War_Noir and to Abraxas Spa for their help with imagery for this video.

Ukrainians Training with Bulgarian Arsenal AKs

At the end of January a series of photographs taken by Canadian Army photographers showed Ukrainian troops being trained at sites in the UK as part of Operation Unifier. Unifier is a training mission carried out by the Canadian Armed Forces with training currently taking place in the UK alongside the multi-national training mission Operation Interflex.

What is interesting about the new imagery is that the Ukrainian troops in training are all armed with Bulgarian-made Arsenal AK-pattern rifles. This is the firs time this particular AK has been seen in use. If you saw our earlier videos looking at the other types of AK-pattern rifles procured by the UK for their training of Ukrainian personnel you’ll have seen Zastava M70s, Chinese Type 56s and East German MPi KMS-72s are in use.

It’s unclear who procured the rifles but given the training is being undertaken in the UK, they were probably procured by the UK Ministry of Defence and like the other AK-pattern rifles being used for training they will probably remain in the UK to be used in the training of future Ukrainian personnel.

A soldier with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, instructs Ukrainian recruits during a weapons class as part of Operation UNIFIER in the United Kingdom, on January 26, 2023. (Corporal Eric Greico/Canadian Armed Forces)

The Arsenal AKs were seen for the first time in photographs taken on the 23 January, during a lesson on field craft. The Ukrainian troops can be seen taking notes with the rifles slung at their sides.

The rifles appeared in photographs again on 25 January, when Canadian medics were instructing Ukrainian recruits on the application of tourniquets. One of the rifles was seen slung over the shoulder of a Ukrainian soldier rendering aid.

Subsequently on 26 January, soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry were photographed instructing Ukrainian recruits during a weapons class. The class saw Ukrainian troops learning how to operate NLAWs, grounded on the floor next to them are their Arsenal AKs.

A series of images from a counter-explosive training session on searching and spotting mines and booby traps showed a platoon of Ukrainian trainees equipped with the Bulgarian AKs.

Ukrainian recruits under the supervision of Canadian soldiers from 1 Combat Engineer Regiment practice searching for and identifying booby traps, during Operation UNIFIER on 28 January 2023 in the United Kingdom. (Corporal Eric Greico/Canadian Armed Forces)

The rifles seen in all of the photographs appear to be basic model rifles, none of the weapons have railed handguards or Picatinny on the receiver cover for mounting optics. This suggests that they are either AR-M9Fs or AR-M14Fs (at least according to Arsenal’s website). The ‘F’ refers to the folding tube metal stock which helps identify the rifles as Arsenal-made AKs. The characteristic flash hider and furniture also identify them as Arsenal rifles. It is difficult to identify what calibre the rifles are chambered in as the Ukrainians are never seen with magazines loaded into their weapons (as they’re unnecessary for the training being carried out).

The AR-M9 and M14 are bother available chambered in 5.56x45mm and 7.62x39mm. Logical arguments could be made for either calibre: the UK MoD has confirmed that other AK-pattern rifles that have been procured are chambered in 7.62x39mm so this chambering would give them ammunition commonality with other AK-pattern rifles in use. Alternatively, the UK has ample stocks of 5.56x45mm and this would also more closely mimic the 5.45x39mm AK-74 rifles the Ukrainians are likely to be issued when they return home. Either way they are AK-pattern rifles which enable training on manual of arms, handling and firing with similar weapons the trainees will probably be equipped with.

The rifles have black polymer furniture and appear to be either new or in excellent condition with few visible scratches or scrapes to the finish or furniture. Notably each rifle has green tape around the base of the folding stock onto which a rack number has been written in black marker pen.

Addendum:

As is sometimes the case with writing these articles and videos while in the process of research and production new source material emerges. On 1 February, the UK MoD shared a series of new photographs from the training of Ukrainian troops. In these a number of the Arsenal AKs were seen fitted with blank firing adapters (BFAs). This is interesting for a number of reasons – previously we have seen Ukrainian trainees using British L85A2s with BFAs for the elements of their training which required blank fire. We have covered this in an earlier article/videos – it requires additional, and largely unnecessary training on the use of the British bullpup.

Australian soldiers demonstrate section level attacks and how to handle captured enemy personnel to Ukrainian recruits during the first rotation of Operation Kudu in the United Kingdom. (UK MoD/Crown Copyright)

BFAs for the 7.62x39mm AK pattern rifles procured earlier by the UK appear to have been deemed either unsafe for use in British training areas or BFAs and blank 7.62x39mm ammunition haven’t been readily available. The new photographs show that BFAs are in use with these Bulgarian AKs – likely because they were procured with the rifles direct from the manufacturer.

These UK MoD photographs also show the rifles with magazines – which indicate the rifles are chambered in 5.56x45mm. As I theorised earlier the UK has ample stocks of both blank and ball 5.56x45mm which would simplify the logistics of training the nearly 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers expected to be trained in the UK in 2023.

Australian Army soldiers from the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, receive weapon handling lessons from the British Army’s Small Arms School Corps as part of the “train the trainer” portion of Operation KUDU in the United Kingdom (Australian Department of Defence/Commonwealth copyright)

The Australian Army has also shared a large number of photographs from their involvement in the training of Ukrainian troops in the UK. The Australian military have dubbed their effort Operation Kudu. They describe Kudu as: “A contingent of up to 70 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel are deployed on Operation KUDU to assist with the UK-led and based training program.” The Australian photographs show the training and familiarisation of Ukrainian troops with the Arsenal AKs with both Australian and British instructors seen in the photographs.

An Australian Army soldier from the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, assists Ukrainian recruits with cleaning their rifles during Operation KUDU (Australian Department of Defence/Commonwealth copyright)

The photographs feature members of the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and senior instructors from the British Army’s Small Arms School Corps, instructing trainees in the classroom before undertaking some fire and movement drills with blanks.

Update 08/02/23:

The Canadian Ministry of National Defense has released a short video showing some of the training Canadian personnel in the UK are delivering to Ukrainian troops as part of Operation Unifier (the Canadian element of the international Operation Interflex.)

The video focuses on some of the field exercises and urban training being provided and heavily features Bulgarian Arsenal AR-M9F (5.56x45mm) AK-pattern rifles.

Canada's Ministry of National Defense has shared a short video showing Ukrainian troops training as part of Op Unifier (Canadian element of the UK-based international Op Interflex).

The video heavily features the Bulgarian AKs I wrote about this week: https://t.co/G9pxfswxDW pic.twitter.com/yYpdNzy66h
— Historical Firearms | Matthew Moss (@historicfirearm) February 8, 2023

Update – 14/02/23: A video shared by the Australian Department of Defence showed Australian troops training Ukrainians with Arsenal AKs during Operation Kudu.

Last week I looked at the use of Bulgarian Arsenal AKs to train Ukrainian troops in the UK. Australia is taking part in this trading (what they call OP Kudu)
Here's a video the Aus Defence has released:https://t.co/tw1HA7r6YI

H/t @2805662
— Historical Firearms | Matthew Moss (@historicfirearm) February 14, 2023

Update 15/02/23: The Danish Army has also shared several photographs of Danish troops training Ukrainians in the UK, Arsenal AKs can again be seen in the photographs (fitted with BFAs).

I Storbritannien har @forsvaretdk travlt med træning af de ukrainske soldater, og der arbejdes hårdt for at give hver soldat de bedste forudsætninger for at overleve på kamppladsen. #dkforsvar #værdatkæmpefor Læs mere i ugens Mission Update: https://t.co/vLeumSEFTq pic.twitter.com/4AJpccMvIY
— Forsvaret (@forsvaretdk) February 15, 2023

Bibliography:

Assault Rifles, Arsenal, (source)

Operation Unifier, Canadian Armed Forces, (source)

Operation Kudu, Australian Defence Force, (source)

M16A4s in Ukraine

On 12 January, a unit of the Ukrainian Army’s 47th Separate Mechanised Brigade (47 OMBr) was seen equipped with US M16A4s for the first time. The rifles were seen equipped with Trijicon ACOG optics and some, a considerable percentage, were seen with M203 40mm under-barrel grenade launchers, and of course rail covers.

Previously, we have seen a considerable number of M4A1 carbines, some equipped with M320 40mm grenade launchers. This, however, is the first time we’ve seen the M16A4. Other elements of the 47 OMBr have been seen equipped with FN FNCs in 5.56x45mm. The 47 OMBr appears to be a unit which has largely been allotted western small arms and equipment. The brigade was formed in November 2022 and, as with a number of other new Ukrainian brigades, has been built up from a battalion (which was raised in August 2022) to a regiment to a brigade level formation.

*A close up of an M16A4 with an ACOG and M203 UBGL and rail covers in Ukrainian service (47 OMBr)*

The M16A4 is a 5.56x45mm, select-fire rifle which uses a direct impingement gas system and a rotating bolt locking mechanism. The M16A4 was developed in the late 1990s and entered service in January 1999. It and has seen service with the US Army, USMC and US Navy. The US Army began to move away from the M16A4 in favour of the M4A1 in 2011 while the USMC favoured the rifle’s 20 inch (50.8cm) barrel length and began replacing its M16A2 with A4s in 2002, only in October 2015 did they begin to transition to the M4A1 Carbine and latterly the M27 for infantry Marines. Despite this the M16A4, however, remains in widespread service use.

The photographs and short video where the rifles were seen for the first time were posted to commemorate a visit from members of Plast, Ukraine’s scouts organisation, who brought a lamp of the Fire of Peace to be lit with members of the brigade.

Another photograph was shared on the brigade’s social media on 22 January, showing a close up of an M203-equipped M16A4, which was also mounted with an ACOG. How many of these rifles have been transferred is unknown, the most recent US Department of Defense fact sheet on aid to Ukraine, published on 25 January, lists 13,000 assorted small arms.

*An as-issued M16A4 service rifle with quad rail forend, railed receiver, ACOG and grip pod (US Army)*

The rifles appear to be straight from US Army or USMC inventory and look to be in good shape. The rifles have been predominantly made by Colt and FN. None of the imagery has been close enough yet to see which manufacturer the now-Ukrainian rifles were made by.

I expect we will be seeing a proliferation of the M16A4 rifles just as we have the M4A1 carbines since the early summer of 2022. The 47 OMBr probably won’t be the only unit to field them and we’ll probably be seeing many more of these in the future as the US military has considerable stocks of the rifles and production lines are still active. If and when we do, I’ll follow up with further videos/articles.

Update 20/03/23: Sergeant with Ukraine’s 47th Brigade seen armed with M16A4 equipped with M203 grenade launcher and an ACOG.

A Sergeant with the 47th Brigade armed with an M16A4, M203 grenade launcher and an ACOG. Next to him is a soldier a… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…—
Historical Firearms | Matthew Moss (@historicfirearm) March 22, 2023

Bibliography:

Marine’s Switch from the M16 to the M4, Marine Corps Times, (source)

Weapon Systems 2011, US Army, (source)

5.56 Chronology, D. Watters/LooseRounds, (source)

FN & Colt Will Compete for M16A4 Foreign Military Sales Contracts Worth $380 Million, TFB, (source)

Aid to Ukraine Factsheet, 25 Jan., US Department of Defense, (source)

47 Brigade, Markus Foundation, (source)

US & Canadian M67 Grenades In Ukraine

A range of Western, Eastern European and Russian hand grenades have been seen in use in Ukraine over the last eight months. One of these is the M67 Fragmentation Grenade which are believed to have been provided by the US and Canada.

The M67 evolved from the earlier M33, it began to be fielded in 1968. They are produced by Day & Zimmermann, who state they have produced over 43 million of the grenades. It is a spherical anti-personnel fragmentation grenade which has a Composition B filling. Composition B is made up for a RDX and TNT mix. The M67 explosive filling weighs in at 6.5oz (180g). It uses the M213 fuze which provides a 4 to 5 second delay after deployment.

There is a spring clip which interacts with the spoon and safety pin. On detonation the grenade’s steel outer body fragments to create an injury radius of around 15 metres (50 feet). The fragmentation is caused by scoring on the inside of of the grenade’s outer body.

*A captured M67 Grenade (via Social Media)*

The US government has confirmed that hand grenades have been provided to Ukraine but specific mentions of them in the regular fact sheets breaking down aid have not been common since the spring when it was said that ‘over 1 million grenade, mortar and artillery rounds’ had been provided. Canada has previously, on 3 March, confirmed the supply of 7500 hand grenades of an unspecified type.

Imagery of the grenades first began to be circulated online in May with the Azov-Dnipro 98th Territorial Defence Battalion sharing several videos featuring them. In their first video they showed a couple of transit chests, each containing 30 individually packed grenades. They then showed the individual packaging of the grenades. In another video posted a few days later the show an M67 alongside a French OF37.

On the 15 June, Russia’s Zvezda News shared a short interview with a soldier from the separatist Luhansk People’s Republic showing off captured weapons including an 66mm M72 LAW and an M67 grenade. Describing the grenade he said: “We are already walking around with American [grenades]. The grenade is convenient, it flies far.”

*M67 Grenade in its cardboard transit tube (via Social Media)*

A short video of one of the grenades was shared in late June and in late July the 98th Territorial Defence Battalion shared a clip showing soldiers training with live grenades. On the 18 August, Valgear shared a short video showing an M67 he believed has been provided by Canada. An M67 and its individual packaging was shown in another video posted by a Ukrainian soldier on 23 August.

In August several videos featuring M67s were also shared by Russian forces. The first video showing off a captured example of the M67 was posted on 3 August, featuring a DPR officer examining a grenade. On the 28 August another brief clip of a captured grenade was also shared.

In September the Russian YouTube channel ‘Big Calibre Trouble’ published a video testing the blast effect of several grenades including an M67. Similarly, Ukrainian YouTube Channel ‘Boys from the Forest’ also demonstrated the M67 and German DM51. Most recently several photos of M67s have been shared.

From the sources available it appears that Canadian-made grenades are marked with a ‘CA’ prefix. So far the grenades we’ve identified in the photos and footage from the field all of the grenades appear to have US markings. Exactly how many M67s have been provided to Ukraine, and by whom, remains unclear but the number seems likely to be in the tens of thousands.

Research Note: Two lots of M67 grenades have been visually confirmed from available imagery:

DAZ20F022-006 – 5 confirmed examples

DAZ21C022-014 – 3 confirmed examples

Update 30/01/23:

CivDiv's latest upload features International Legion volunteers clearing a house, armed with M4A1s and M67 grenades.

Source: https://t.co/tuAdc8PkdW

Here's my article/video on M67s in #Ukraine – https://t.co/yBdRCI1hAa #SmallArms #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/sSzU1J95b9
— Historical Firearms | Matthew Moss (@historicfirearm) January 30, 2023

Support Us: If you enjoyed this video and article please consider supporting our work here. We have some great perks available for Patreon Supporters – including early access to custom stickers and early access to videos! Thank you for your support!

Bibliography:

M67 Hand Grenade, Day & Zimmerman, (source)

M33, M59, M67 & M68, Lexpev.nl, (source)

C13 Fragmentation, Lexpev.nl, (source)

M67 Hand Grenade, CAT-UXO, (source)

Top Attack 155 BONUS In Ukraine

On Wednesday, 4 January, a Russian telegram channel shared several photos of what appear to be miniature satellites. These are in fact 155 BONUS submunitions, an advanced anti-armour, top attack artillery round. Each 155 BONUS round carries two submunitions capable of striking down on a target vehicle once over the target area.

As we’ve seen in other articles/videos including out look at Javelin, NLAW and Russia’s PTKM-1R mine that top-attack weapons can be extremely effective.

*Salvaged 155 BONUS submunition (via social media)*

Ukraine has received 155mm howitzer systems from Western countries (including DANA, CAESAR, PzH 2000, Zuzana 2 and AHS Krab), with conventional ammunition these are able to accurately engaging targets at considerable distances but the BONUS round allows a 155mm shell to deliver two submunitions capable of penetrating any tank’s top armour with impressive accuracy.

Development of BONUS or the BOfors NUtating Shell (nutating means rocking or swaying) began in the mid-1980s and was developed by Sweden’s Bofors and Nexter of France. Since Bofors’ heavy weapons division was bought out by BAE Systems in 2005, the system has been part of BAE’s portfolio.

BONUS has a base bleed unit which extends its range out to 35km (nearly 22 miles). Once fired the shell separates to deploy two independent sensor-fuzed submunitions. Once separated these submunitions deploy a pair of winglets and rapidly rotate in flight to enable their built-in sensors to detect targets within their search footprint.

*Labelled cutaway of a BONUS shell (US Army)*

The search footprint can span up to 32,000 square meters with a diameter of 200m in a helical pattern. The munition uses multi-band passive infrared (IR) and LADAR (laser imaging, detection, and ranging) to detect its targets. Once detected the submunition fires its explosively formed penetrator, which can travel at more than 2000m/s. BAE states the penetrator can penetrate between 100 and 140mm of rolled homogenous armour.

BONUS has been in service with the French Army since the early 2000s and has also been procured by Sweden, Finland and Norway. Most recently in 2018 the US Army selected the round for their Cannon Delivered Area Effects Munition (C-DAEM) programme and has been actively procuring it through several contracts since.

*Diagram illustrating BONUS’ basic principle (BAE Systems)*

A similar munition SMArt 155, developed by Rheinmetall and Diehl BGT Defence, which uses a parachute to slow the submunitions descent rather than winglets, is also believed to be in use in Ukraine. BONUS and SMArt do not fall into the category of weapons banned under the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions as they comprise of just two submunitions and both have onboard self-destruction mechanisms. The BONUS round seen in these photographs obviously did not engage a target and its self-destruction mechanism didn’t destroy the submunition before it landed.

The Russian telegram channel that shared the photographs of the munition state that it was found in the Donetsk region. The same post suggested some potential countermeasures, including covering heat signatures with polythene and obscuring the shapes of vehicles might help mitigate the risk posed by BONUS rounds.

From the photographs themselves we can see the submunition is marked No.3374, France, and ‘HMX’ – a type of high explosive. At the top it is marked ‘155 MM AC F1 BON’. The ‘LUL’ marking likely refers to Luchaire Defense. In the second photo we can see the damaged face of the submunition, its EFP plate, the metal winglets and the pop-out sensor assembly with what appear to be three lenses.

In terms of videos from in theatre that show the use of BONUS there are a number of fairly low-resolution drone videos showing suspected uses of the shells – some of these have also been suggested to be SMArt 155. A video from July perhaps shows BONUS in action, there is no visible parachute, as used by the SMArt 155, visible but there are what appear to be two descending submunitions – the first of which detonates above the target, firing an EFP down onto targets.

Support Us: If you enjoyed this video and article please consider supporting our work here. We have some great perks available for Patreon Supporters – including early access to custom stickers and early access to videos! Thank you for your support!

Bibliography:

155 BONUS, BAE Systems, (source)

155 BONUS, Tankist4, (source)

155 BONUS Mk 2, BAE Systems, (source)

155 Bonus EFP, Bofors, (source)

155mm SMArt, GD-OTS, (source)

Artillery Paratroopers Fire BONUS Mark II, US Army, (source)

Russia’s Silent Mortar in Ukraine

Recent video and photos from Ukraine show Russian troops getting to grips with the 2B25 82mm mortar. About 10 months ago, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, The Armourer’s Bench examined the 2B25 in an article/video and how it combines a spigot mortar with ammunition which uses a self-contained captive piston. For a full run down on operation and the mortar’s development history check out that article/video. In this article we will take a look at the mortar’s appearance in Ukraine.

The first mention of the 2B25 being in use with Russian forces in Ukraine dates to early July, when RIA News, a Russian state-owned domestic news agency, published an article with scant detail other than to suggest that “these mortars are used to carry out sudden fire raids, in particular in the fight against saboteurs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.” Despite this report we haven’t seen any imagery showing the weapon in theatre until recently.

In late October imagery showing the 2B25 began to be shared by a member of what appears to be a Russian special operations unit which has been in action in the Donetsk Oblast. One of the members of the unit runs a telegram channel. The soldier who runs the channel describes himself as a “regular soldier of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, for more than 10 years.”

On 27 October, a POV video was shared from behind a 2B25, with the caption (machine translated): “We got acquainted with a silent mortar, mastered it ourselves and showed the mobilized guys. A minimum of recoil, a minimum of powder gases and the sound of a round being fired.”

The 8 November saw the unit share a photo of the mortar being fired without its base plate, instead using a wooden box as an ad-hoc base. In the comments section of the image the soldier running the channel says the use of the wooden ammunition box was ‘by design’, perhaps indicating intentional experimentation with using the mortar without its base plate. In another comment he explained: “No…they checked… whether it was possible to shoot without sinking into the ground, as a result, the box fell apart.” In another response he notes that they were trying to avoid placing the base plate in the wet ground. When asked how loud the mortar is the Russian soldier describes it as: “It is silent, the exit of a mine is not louder than a clap of hands”

A photo posted on 26 November showed the Russian soldier with perhaps 10 of the 2B25’s 3VO35 mortar bomb laid out on the ground. On 30 November a clip showing the mortar be prepared alongside a commercial drone was posted, suggesting training to correct fall of shot with drones.

The longest video posted so far shows the mortar in action. Shared on 2 December the video shows the mortar dug into the ground with the operator firing three bombs in quick succession. Several seconds later we can hear them detonate down range. Again the video appears to show training and not operations. The machine translated caption describes a test with the 2B25 with the operators showing they could correct their fire with a drone, noting: “the accuracy and density of fire on the intended target increased significantly, the bombs hit the target one by one” Most recently, on the 3 December, a short clip with the caption “Another short video from our training” was shared showing the mortar being laid.

Supercut: Ukrainian Farmers Stealing Russian Tanks

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February large quantities of vehicles and equipment have been captured or destroyed on both sides. Fighting a war in the social media age means we have an unprecedented amount of first hand footage and of course from this memes are going to evolve. Almost as soon as the war began videos of Ukrainian farmers towing Russian vehicles began to be shared on telegram, tiktok and instagram. Often salvaging abandoned equipment the videos soon made unlikely heroes of Ukraine’s farmers. So much so they’ve been commemorated not just by Saint Javelin merchandise but also an official stamp from the Ukrainian post office.

I’ve collected quite a few videos of the farmers in action over the last few months and Rob Lee over on twitter has been keeping a running thread too. So here’s a supercut of videos showing Ukrainian farmers towing away everything from trucks to Grad launchers to T-80 tanks!

Bibliography:

Famous for towing captured Russian tanks, Ukrainian farmers step up for war effort, CBC News, (source)

Winning design in Ukraine’s second design contest features tractor and tank, Linn’s Stamp News, (source)

Ukraine Celebrates Its Tank-Towing Farmers, VOA, (source)