Ukrainian combat footage captured an attack on a rare Russian weapon

Ukrainian drone operators have gotten extremely good at destroying rare Russian weapons on the frontlines and one of the most recent examples of this was showcased by the troops from he 3rd Assault Brigade. 

According to a report from Militarnyi, drone operators of the Unmanned Systems Battalion located and then attacked a 2S23 Nona-SVK 120mm self-propelled artillery and mortar system.

By Vitaly V. Kuzmin, CC BY-SA 4.0

On August 8th, the Unmanned System Balltation posted a video of the attack on its X account and also provided context about the operation, noting the system was camouflaged and found in the Kharkiv region. 

Photo Credit: X @BBS3AB

Combat footage posted by the Unmanned System Battalion showed several scenes of a first-person view drone approaching the artillery system and diving into it to destroy it. 

Photo Credit: X @BBS3AB

It is unclear from the video footage how many drones were used in the attack or if the Russian artillery system was actually destroyed, but it does show the artillery system both smoking and on fire. 

Photo Credit: X @BBS3AB

Moscow’s Nona-SVK self-propelled artillery and mortar system is a rather rare weapon according to Technology.Org, which noted only two other Nona-SVK systems had been destroyed in Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022.

Photo Credit: X @BBS3AB

Militarnyi reported Russia is only thought to have 36 of the 2S23 Nona-SVKs models in their arsenal with 24 of them being operated by the army and 12 by the navy. But what makes this weapon system so interesting?

Photo Credit: X @BBS3AB

The 2S23 Nona-SVK is a self-prolled artillery and mortar system based on the BTR-80 chassis and has a variety of main armaments it can use for a variety of different tasks. 

“The main armament of the 2S23 is the 2A60 120mm rifled gun-howitzer-mortar” and it is “equipped with a PKT 7.62mm machine gun” mounted to its turret, Militarnyi reported. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Mil.ru, CC BY 4.0

Russia designed the 2S23 Nona-SVK as a suppression weapon that can target soldiers as well as enemy artillery, mortar batteries, armored vehicles, and command centers. 

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, CC BY-SA 2.0

“It is capable of conducting targeted fire without prior preparation from closed positions and direct fire,” Militarnyi wrote. However, it was not effective against drone attacks. 

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Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By Smell U Later, Own Work, CC BY-SA 3.0