MOSCOW, February 15 – RIA Novosti, Andrey Kots. Opposing sides in the NMD zone often use much more than the most modern weapons on the battlefield. It is not surprising, because both Russia and Ukraine inherited a serious military legacy from the USSR. Most Soviet weapons are already outdated, but they are still valued, for example, in Western countries. About time-tested samples – in the material of RIA Novosti.

The RPG-7 handheld anti-tank grenade launcher is rightfully considered one of the oldest oldtimers in the Russian army. It was adopted in 1961. It is still the best-known handheld anti-tank grenade launcher in the world. In total, more than nine million units of yu were produced, their modifications and copies are in service in about a hundred states.

The main advantages of the “seven”, which determined its popularity, are simplicity, reliability, failure-free operation and almost unlimited modernization potential. You can increase efficiency by gradually replacing old-style grenades (shots) with new ones, without changing the design itself. Today, the Russian army is armed with modern RPG-7V2 with a wide range of ammunition to destroy all types of ground targets.

The RPG made its battlefield debut in Vietnam in 1968. North Vietnamese grenade launchers successfully set fire to American tanks during the Tet Offensive. Since then, perhaps, there has not been a single unarmed military conflict. Suffice it to say that more than half of American losses in Iraq fell on RPG-7s – the armor of Humvee army SUVs could not withstand a blow.

The first multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) BM-21 “Grad” entered Soviet units in 1963. In total, more than nine thousand shock complexes of this type were built, they are still in service with the Russian army and about fifty foreign states.

One “Grad” is capable of launching 40 rockets in 20 seconds and hitting targets in an area of ​​​​15-20 hectares at a distance of 25-30 kilometers.

The main types of ammunition are high explosive fragmentation, marble and incendiary.

These MLRS are direct descendants of the Katyusha guard mortars of the Great Patriotic War. They inherited the enormous firepower, simplicity and reliability of the design.

For the first time, the USSR leadership tested the Graduates in combat in March 1969 during the Soviet-Chinese border conflict on Damansky Island. Then the commander of the troops of the Far Eastern Military District, Colonel General Oleg Losik, ordered an artillery attack with the forces of 12 installations.

And ten minutes later, the Soviet infantry launched a counterattack, occupied the island, drove by fire and steel, with almost no resistance. As a result of the artillery attack, China lost more than 800 people killed and no longer claimed Damansky.

The Soviet long-range bomber Tu-95 is the backbone of Russia’s strategic aviation. It was put into service in 1956.

This plane is a symbol of the Cold War. It was developed solely for the purpose of dropping a nuclear bomb on a potential enemy’s territory. Now about 60 Tu-95s in MS and MSM modifications remain in service.

Russian bombers made their debut in Syria, where they attacked terrorist targets with Kh-555 and Kh-101 cruise missiles from a distance of more than a thousand kilometers. Today they are used to destroy Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, outposts, ammunition depots, fuel storage areas, equipment or personnel stacks.

Tu-95 shoots from Russian airspace without entering enemy air defense coverage.

It is important to note that the largest American B-52 bomber missile carrier is only a year “younger” than the Tu-95. But the Americans will not give up their most trusted “strategists” either. This indicates that although the aircraft were created in the middle of the last century, they have not yet developed all their capabilities and remain a real combat vehicle.

In addition to modern main battle tanks such as the T-72B3M, T-80BVM and T-90M, the Russian side occasionally uses frankly outdated vehicles in the NVO area. In particular, we are talking about the T-62M medium tanks, several hundred of which were removed from warehouse bases, repaired, modernized and sent to the front last year. There were no problems for them with 115-millimeter shells – there is a lot of this ammunition in warehouses from the Soviet era.

The T-62, which entered service in 1961, has participated in many wars and conflicts and is currently operated by two dozen countries. Its advantages include good armament, driving performance, reliability and a low silhouette, which makes the car difficult to spot on rough terrain.

Today’s disadvantages include armor, which all modern MBTs pierce with a normal sub-caliber projectile in any projection.

Although the T-62s are very old and not suitable for duels with modern vehicles, they can also be used for other tasks: working from an ambush, attacks on infantry and light armored vehicles, and the destruction of field fortifications.

At least such a tank is better than no armor at all. This is also understood by the Americans, who did not begin to cut their old M60 machines (about the same age as the T-62) for scrap, leaving them at storage bases. Just in case.

The main weapon of a sniper in the Russian army is still the Dragunov sniper rifle (SVD). It was opened in 1963 and is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The weapon turned out to be reliable, accurate and simple enough that an 18-year-old soldier could perfectly master it in two years of service.

At the same time, it is difficult to really call SVD a “surgical instrument.” The maximum effective firing range is 1.2 kilometers, but several units can successfully hit a target at this distance. As the experience of armed conflicts and police operations in the second half of the 20th century shows, the SVD maintains its effectiveness up to 800 meters.

The SVD is a good rifle at its range. The reliability of its design and ease of development explain the popularity of this weapon in the world. SVD is operated in more than 20 states, some of which are manufactured under license.