Russia to carry out wide-ranging artillery exercises in its Western districts

Drones and Zoopark radars will be used, the district’s spokesman, Colonel Oleg Kochetkov told the media.

“Training in the field is in progress at test sites in the western military district of the north western and central federal districts and also in the Kaliningrad Region. About 1,000 artillery pieces and multiple rocket launchers as well as about 5,000 officers and men are participating,” Kochetkov said.

First, drones identify the positions of a hypothetical enemy’s artillery and transmit the data to the command centre. Enemy artillery batteries are then destroyed with salvos fired with self-propelled artillery pieces Gvozdika and Msta-S. The units then perform evasive action and move to reserve positions.

“Also involved in the training sessions are counter-battery radars Zoopark, capable of tracing the shells’ path to determine the exact place from where they were fired. Used in conjunction, the drones and radars provide high accuracy coordinates of artillery positions, the error margin not exceeding one meter, and to control their destruction,” Kochetkov said.