The so-called famouse "Ukrainian Tractor Troops" took a new trophy - "Hosta" 2S34 120mm self-propelled howitzer. There are no more than fifty of them in the Russian army, and their supply began only in 2008.
This is the second case of Ukrainian defenders capturing such a trophy, the first was in mid-March.
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Note that "Hosta" is a deeply modernized russian self-propelled artillery system 2C1 "Gvozdika" with components of "Vena" 2S31 and "Nona-SVK" 2S23 self-propelled gun-mortar systems.
A number of improvements and modifications were made in order to transform the 2S1 Gvasdika into 2S34 Hosta. It uses the same chassis, but has a new turret with new weapons. It uses some systems of the 2S31 Vena self-propelled mortar. The 2S34 Hosta is proposed as a cheaper, but less capable alternative to the 2S31 Vena.
The main feature of 2S34 Hosta self-propelled artillery system is its 120-mm rifled semi-automatic mortar gun 2A80-1. The original 122 mm howitzer of the 2S1 Gvosdika was replaced with a new 2A80-1 120 mm rifled gun/mortar. It has a semi-automatic loading system. This weapon evolved from that, used on the 2S31 Vena self-propelled mortar. It is a more potent weapon that can be used as mortar or howitzer, delivering direct or indirect fire. Maximum range of fire is 7.2 km with mortar mines and 13 km with gun shells. Various munitions can be used, including HEAT, HE-FRAG, smoke. It is also compatible with all munitions, developed for the Soviet/Russian 120 mm combined gun/mortar systems. It can also fire any 120 mm mortar rounds. For precision attacks against armored targets the 2S34 can use Kitolov-2M precision guided munitions.
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