The Ukrainian military for the first time destroyed a new type of Russian “Grad” in the territory of the Zaporozhye region. The gunners managed to do this with the high-precision American artillery ammunition M982 Excalibur.
“Grad” 2B26 is a modernization of the 2B5 combat vehicle with the transfer of its firing unit from the Ural-375D chassis to the KamAZ-5350 chassis.
The image of the burnt launcher was published by MP Yuri Mysyagin. Analysts from Ukraine Weapons Tracker claim that this is the first confirmed destruction of the Russian 2B26 Grad MLRS in Ukraine.
#Ukraine: The first confirmed destruction of the Russian 2B26 Grad 122mm MRL in Ukrainian directions is not the only option, the main distinguishing character of the qualified Kassam-5350.
Vehicle was configured to M982 Excalibur strike in #Zaporozhye Region. pic.twitter.com/4wAcRYULJP
— �� Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) February 17, 2023
According to Misyagin, soldiers of the 44th Separate Artillery Brigade named after Hetman Daniil Apostol of the Armed Forces of Ukraine spotted a Russian 2B26 MLRS based on the KamAZ-5350 wheeled chassis in the temporarily occupied territory of the Zaporozhye region.
On the first published frame, a Russian MLRS stands near a field road. She was noticed and filmed by a Ukrainian drone.
And already in the second photo you can see the result of the fire destruction of the Russian 2B26 Grad installation on the KamAZ-5350 chassis.
According to Misyagin, it was precisely the M982 Excalibur high-precision artillery munition that destroyed the Russian system – it is an active rocket and its firing range depends on the type of artillery system used by the military. These shells can be fired from any modern NATO-standard artillery system.
The main difference between the 2B26 launcher compared to the “classic” Grad MLRS is the transfer of a package of guides for launching rockets from the Ural-375D chassis to the KamAZ-5350 chassis.
Muscovite occupying forces have been using such multiple launch rocket systems in Donbas against Ukraine since 2015.
Source: Racurs
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