According to Defense Express analysts, the proof of this is the photos that appeared in the public domain.
These photos do not allow us to count the probable number of M-46 guns that the enemy deconserved. We can only record the fact that the russian troops have moved on to remove such a Soviet artillery system from storage and began actively use them.
Read more: Tanks, IFVs, APVs: What Weaponry Did Ukraine Receive From Allies in 2023? (Part 1)
M-46 towed field guns were produced from 1946 to 1950, they have a non-standard caliber of 130mm for the ground forces of the russian army. It is known that the russians had 350 guns of this type in storage.
Due to the non-standard caliber, the question naturally arises as to where the russian occupiers could get 130mm rounds for the M-46 guns. With equal probability, it can be assumed that the russians found shells for these guns in their own stocks, or that russia had to take 130mm ammunition from someone - it is possible that the russians asked for the shells in North Korea.
In favor of this can be evidenced by the fact that, according to The Military Balance 2023, the DPRK has at its disposal both M-46 towed guns as well as three types of self-propelled guns of 130 mm caliber: M-1975, M-1981 and M- 1991.
M-46 guns have the following characteristics: weight - about 7.7 tons, declared firing range - up to 27 km with a conventional high-explosive projectile and 37 km when using active-reactive projectiles.
According to analysts of Defense Express, there may be two possible reasons for the russians' decision to de-conserve M-46 guns: the high level of losses from the counter-battery fire of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as the rather big declared range of these guns.
As Defense Express reported, North Korea Supplies russia with Entire Nomenclature of Artillery Ammunition, Including rockets for the Grad MLRS. We also wrote, that Dissatisfied With Quality and Quantity of North Korean Artillery Shells, russians Complained
.
Read more: Artillery Systems, Missiles, Artillery Shells: What Weaponry Did Ukraine Receive From Allies in 2023? (Part 2)
