Russia's dwindling 2S7 Pion artillery: A challenge in the Ukraine conflict

For several weeks, Russian forces involved in the conflict in Ukraine have not been deploying the 2S7 Pion artillery systems. Ukrainian military expert Oleksandr Kovalenko believes that the invaders are facing significant difficulties in sourcing these weapons from their stocks, highlighting some of their key features.

Reports on the Russian 2S7 Pion artillery systems have vanished from the media despite numerous accounts of their use towards the end of 2023. Likewise, there has been a lack of videos and photos depicting the impact of Ukrainian assaults on the Russian 2S7 Pion.

Oleksandr Kovalenko suggests that the Russians struggle to dispatch more of these artillery systems to the frontline. According to Oryx analysts, aiming to track equipment losses Russia has suffered in the conflict with Ukraine, 22 Russian 2S7 Pion have been destroyed or damaged. Unconfirmed reports, however, estimate that up to 65 units may have been compromised.

Notably, Russia has no more than around 100 units of 2S7 Pion available in its warehouses that are fit for repair. As Oleksandr Kovalenko points out, refurbishing them is both time-consuming and expensive. Moscow's preference for the 2S7 Pion, with its considerable range and striking force (due to its 8-inch calibre projectiles), might lead it to seek assistance from its closest allies.

"I do not rule out that Russia will attempt to acquire similar 8-inch calibre artillery systems from allied nations, including Iran and North Korea. The rate at which 2S7 Pions are being restored from post-Soviet reserves does not keep up with their rate of destruction in Ukraine. It's also important to remember that production of these units has ceased" – the expert concludes.

The 2S7 Pion artillery systems originated in the USSR era and were designed in the early 1970s. These weapons, comparable in range to NATO artillery received by Ukraine from Western allies, can hit targets approximately 40 kilometres away and, with rocket-assisted projectiles, up to nearly 50 kilometres.

Russians employ projectiles weighing over 100 kilograms in these systems, which result in considerable damage. However, this leads to one of the main drawbacks of the 2S7 Pion - its low rate of fire. The 2S7 Pion can fire fragmentation, chemical, and potentially nuclear projectiles.

The entire setup weighs about 46 tonnes and extends just over 13 metres in length. In 1983, the Russians introduced an updated version - Małka. These systems have also been used in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.