The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its operational report as of 18:00 pm on May 3, 2022, stated that to support their troops in the Izium direction, the Russians redeployed a unit of "Tornado" multiple rocket launchers and a battery of 240 mm 2S4 Tyulpan self-propelled heavy mortars.
This is only the second mention in open sources during the war that the enemy is using the Tyulpan self-propelled heavy mortars in the course of hostilities against units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Prior to that, there were mentions that Azovstal plant in Mariupol was sheled by russia’s Tyulpan self-propelled heavy mortars.
Read more: Russian Ammunition Depot Explodes After Ukraine’s Mortar Men Shell It
It is known from open sources that there are 40 units of 2S4 Tyulpan self-propelled heavy mortars in the armed forces of the russian federation, another 250 such a units are in storage.
The 2S4 Tyulpan self-propelled heavy mortar has a range of 9,650 meters using standard high-explosive rounds, but a range of 20,000 meters using extended range munition. In addition to the high explosive rounds, it can also fire armor-piercing, laser-guided and cluster munitions, as well as chemical, neutron and tactical nuclear rounds.
The 2S4 Tyulpan designs is based on the GM-123 chassis carrying an externally mounted M-240 240 mm breech-loading mortar on the rear of the hull. The 2S4 uses an autoloader of sort. It has two automated drum-type magazines, capable of holding up to 40 standard high-explosive rounds or 20 long range rocket-assisted rounds.
The Russians' transfer of 2S4 Tyulpan self-propelled heavy mortar to the Izium area can be interpreted as follows: the enemy is experiencing new failures on the fronts and trying to "compensate" for its losses by shelling Ukrainian cities, towns and villages.
Find more on the current details of Ukraine-russia war as well as russia’s combat losses in a publications by Defense Express:
Day 70th of War Between Ukraine and Russian Federation (Live Updates)
Ukraine’s General Staff Operational Report: russia is still trying to maintain the land corridor with the temporarily occupied Ukrainian Crimea
The 69th Day of the War: Russian Casualties in Ukraine
Read more: C-in-C of Ukraine’s Armed Forces: Defenders of Ukraine Down Almost 20 Enemy Drones Worth $2M Over Past Two Days
