Russia uses rare D-74 guns given to Vietnam and China by USSR - Media
Illustrative photo: Russia uses rare D-74 guns that the USSR gave to Vietnam and China (Getty Images)
The Russian army is likely shelling Ukrainian positions in Donetsk with the 122mm D-74 gun, which was developed in the Soviet Union in the late 1940s, according to Business Insider.
As the media outlet reports, what is interesting about this weapon is not its year of manufacture but the fact that it comes from Soviet stockpiles. The D-74 was not supposed to be in the arsenal of Russia, as the Soviet Union began exporting these guns to friendly countries like Vietnam and China after their production. It was previously thought that the USSR had given away all its stockpiled weapons at that time.
Therefore, the use of D-74 by Russian forces on the front lines in Ukraine may indicate possible imports of these systems or at least ammunition for them from North Korea. The agency suggests that Russia may be attempting to demonstrate the availability of huge resources.
Additionally, the use of Soviet-era equipment may indicate that, despite a quicker-than-expected restructuring of the armed forces, new production in Russia is still lagging behind battlefield losses.
Modernization of Russian weapons
At the end of last year, Ukraine's military intelligence reported that Russia is modernizing Kh-22 missiles, converting them into Kh-32s. Russia has also begun modifying RBK-500 cluster bombs.
Among the new developments, it is worth noting the modernization of FAB-3000 bombs, into which Russia has likely integrated a new module. Before modernizing these bombs, Russia used them for bombings in Mariupol and during the war in Afghanistan.
