Ukrainians Use 1970s Mortars In Donbas Battle

Ukrainian troops use whatever comes to hand in their battles against invading Russian forces. RFE/RL correspondent Maryan Kushnir visited a unit near Soledar, in eastern Ukraine, armed with French mortars dating from 1973.
Originally published at - www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russi...
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[@va64lentino]

Mortier 120 mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1, heavy French mortar with rifled barrel, the best mortar in the West, ready to fire in a flash, surgical precision, with ranges between 8 and 13 km. Also recently purchased by the US military, after having tested his skills in Afghanistan. So this old man knows how to do his job very well, I almost have pity for the Russians.

[@AmericanTraitors-GOP]

I hope this mortar leaves lots of orphans in shit hole russia. And I hope the little trash starve to death.

[@dogsnads5634]

The US Marines don't use it any more. They got rid of it 5+ years ago. It lasted all of 8 years in USMC service... The only 120mm in US service is with the US Army and is of Israeli design.

[@dogsnads5634]

@Луми Чирк It was withdrawn from service in 2017...

[@orlandor7825]

If it was russia you would say it was outdated and trash!

[@vatsongues]

You Europeans apparently forgot what fascism is. The monuments to Russian soldiers were demolished, the concentration camps you turned into museums were closed... This is your fault in the deaths of Russian children from the Alley of Angels in Donbass... We will reach the ocean and not flinch....

[@atomic4650]

These mortars are highly effective and were up until recently used by France and the United states.

[@elmerjfapp5730]

im pretty sure most of the world has been using mortars since the 15th century, china still uses soviet design LPO flame throwers from the 60s

[@atomic4650]

@@elmerjfapp5730 I'm talking about these French ones.

[@jodyfulford8215]

@@atomic4650 You seem to know a little about this mortar so answer if you can. I'm a former artilleryman so I'm curious. I noticed that the projectiles have lands and grooves. Do these mesh with corresponding rifling in the tubes?

[@jodyfulford8215]

@@atomic4650 Also, do you know the nomenclature?

[@pliashmuldba]

@@jodyfulford8215 I would assume so ( person never allowed to serve in any form of armed force in his country ) But otherwise the rifling on the tube would be useless and it would be a severe pressure loss when firering, resulting in much lower range. So when they drop in a new round i assume it spin as it fall down the barrel to the fire position at the bottom. Not aware if these shoot longer or more precise than traditional smooth bore mortars There can not be that much twist in these, probably not even a full circle on the pipe length. BUT having a old FX airguns rifle with just rifling in the last 1.5 inch of the barrel, the original ST barrels ( Smooth Twist rifling pressed into the barrel from the outside ) That is still very presise, and the old air rifle are still hanging with newer fully rifled airguns of mine. And im not talking BB gun accurate, i shoot with little effort ping pong balls at 100 M distance with a .177 caliber air rifle shooting 13 grain slugs.

[@rockfella1377]

Loved the 120mm HB Raye. 4 of these firing at the same time, 4 shots a mortar saturate an area as large as a footballfield, with shrapnel. Everything that walks, crawls or tries to run is dead.

[@veritaspk]

Old but gold :)

[@evangelicalsnever-lie9792]

As long mortar rounds land snd detonate near Orc War Criminals, it doesn't matter when at was manufactured.

[@ardri31]

Orcs have a justice system? lol

[@puma2334]

The t-72 tank and the ak-74(standard issue rifle of the UAF) are also both from the 70s

[@barrywakeford1385]

Why should the DIRT UKES shoot at thier own?

[@puma2334]

@@barrywakeford1385 “DIRT UKES” wtf is that language

[@Putinhuylo3]

@@puma2334 It is translated from some orcish slurs, probably. Don’t worry about these idiot trolls.

[@danweber8382]

💙💛🙏Glory to the Heros🙏💙💛

[@John-un3lj]

Well, to be fair, it's just a tube. The basic mortar hasn't changed in any army since it was first fielded some 100 years ago. Still works.

[@paulhellawell5920]

Its much older than that.

[@John-un3lj]

@@paulhellawell5920 The Stokes mortar (modern mortar) ain't older than WW1. Pre-Civil-War-era cast iron heaps don't really apply here.

[@garvinhooper]

these have rifled barrels so they are more accurate

[@MelioraCogito]

The first mortar-like weapon, the _wan'gu_ was developed more than 600 years ago by Korean, _Choi Hae-san_ (1380-1443) around 1407 who is credited with its invention. It's introduction in the west, barely 50-years later, occurred during the 1453 _Siege of Constantinople._ The earliest of these weapons were _"no more than iron bowls reminiscent of kitchen and apothecary mortars whence they drew their name."_ (source: Wikipedia)

[@donaldatherton319]

The biggest difference is rifled vs smooth bore. I don’t know advantages / disadvantages. I only used smooth bore.

[@denkravtsov6009]

French weapons performed very well on the battlefield. The Caesars do an invaluable job.

[@Ridethebomb777]

They did .... most of them have been turned into scrap metal now. Are there any left ?

[@remistiegler5302]

@@Ridethebomb777 in your dreams blyat guy ! Ukraine will end with 50 of those beauties

[@Ridethebomb777]

@@remistiegler5302 Ukraines swan song about to begin ... if it can get enough troops in one place ! LOL.

[@remistiegler5302]

@@Ridethebomb777 bla bla bla, meanwhile, russian winter offensive failed, they weren't able to take full control of Bakhmut even with their formidable concentration of forces. Their war on Ukraine energy failed too. If the Ukrainian summer counteroffensives success, the swan song will be heard from the invader side

[@Ridethebomb777]

@@remistiegler5302 you obviously dont read often otherwise you would have learnt that the russian offensive never started due to a mild winter and no real ground freeze. And you havent read any of the leaked US doc either ..... they dont even think the Ukraine's will make it thru to autumn. They did confirm the kill ratio as 7 Ukr's to every 1 Russian killed. Good luck with that Dimwit.

[@passenger3]

That bit of French kit is so good 👍

[@nian60]

If it still works, use it. I don't know the shelf life of mortars. But whatever their age it's better to use them up, if they can still improve orcs. 💛💙

[@Lyzokiel]

Wait is this a reupload?... This somehow feels familiar.

[@frakismaximus3052]

Deja vu

[@frakismaximus3052]

The Mandela effect

[@Xerdoz]

A mortar is basically just a tube. Some just have tighter tolerances and better aiming systems but a tube is a tube.

[@ysesq]

rifled in this case

[@heinedenmark]

Mortars are super simple. It's the fire control systems that have changed over the years. We(Denmark) use MORFIRE. It is based on GPS and tells you exactly how to aim the mortar, in no time.

[@thisisthewayyoda]

At least they don’t have shovels

[@crissdiamond1907]

Its not about the weapon, its about what it delivers that counts.

[@bganonimouse2754]

Its not about what it delivers, its about the men that aim and then fire the delivery!

[@crissdiamond1907]

@@bganonimouse2754 if they can’t aim and shoot…they should ”probably” do something else😉

[@stevenphillips3466]

It delivers ...Justice

[@bganonimouse2754]

@@crissdiamond1907 This is a country at war with limited training facilities, multiple artillery and other weaponry and many men who can fire straight have been killed. There is nobody else to do the firing. You might have been making a kind of joke, but in this context it came out sounding a bit wrong.

[@crissdiamond1907]

@@bganonimouse2754 after 1 year of full war and 8years of static war in Donbas I think most of the mortar teams know how to use it well and with the delivery comes aiming/shooting and payload… No it wasn’t meaning to fun towards them the answer was just for you…

[@marlenfras5490]

Well done, Ukrainian soldiers. Good reporting. Go Ukraine.

[@GnosticAtheist]

These systems are efficient. There is only so much innovation that can be done depending on the precise use of the tool in question. A hammer is essentially still a hammer.

[@vgaportauthority9932]

The M2 Browning 50cal guns still used today are based on designs that are closing in on a century old. Some things were almost perfected long ago.

[@user-wz3cg1gg5z]

​@@vgaportauthority9932 ку ку - из КИН ДЗА ДЗА - Франция бастует Молдавия - ура проснулись

[@mikaeljonsson4686]

@@vgaportauthority9932 They´re even using Maxim machine guns from WW1.... If it works, it works...

[@GnosticAtheist]

@@vgaportauthority9932 True. Updating equipment that works is the result of to much money.

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

@@GnosticAtheist Um, you plan to store then in nitrogen? If not, weapons rust. Non-metal parts rot. Powder becomes useless. So, no, you DO need to update at regular intervals.

[@rayarthur586]

Good shooting. 👍And don't let anyone tell you an old tool is no longer any good. It just probably doesn't shine like new. Like me I'm 71 but I still work SLAVA UKRAINE 👍💪🥇

[@righteousbyfaithinChrist]

Soledar/Bakmut battle is legendary...as all are in Ukraine. Mayran, so happy to see you all are ok. Thank God. Our hearts keep praying for the preserving of lives of all warriors fighting for the right to be free. Please God.

[@cythera431]

Nice-looking mortar. Another French winner like the CAESAR 155mm.

[@ppetr.8170]

My taxes pay for this shit???? Fantastic and well-spent. Keep this fine reporting up, increase military support as much as possible, and I'll do my part working here to keep the money coming in. We have it so good in USA and this provides amazing perspective reminders that we cannot take it for granted. in the land of first world problems. God bless America and Ukraine, the entire freedom loving world that is holding back the tide of cruel kleptocracy and despotic rule. We make plenty of mistakes, but we are humans and need forgiveness like anyone because our heart is mostly in the right place. As powerful as America is we still have a good thing going. So lucky to be born here in the big picture.

[@user-wz3cg1gg5z]

Чем гордиться ? Почитай список геноцида Америки начиная с индейцев ..

[@nian60]

Unless you worked and paid taxes 50 years ago, no. As with much of the stuff we send it was paid for decades ago. The current cost we would have is decommissioning the old stuff. Which probably costs more than sending it to Ukraine.

[@ardri31]

Your taxes are being spent to ensure ukrainin nazis can continue shelling children, hope you feel good about yourself

[@FanEAW]

a mortar is a mortar, its a indirect fire support tool regardless of its age. as long as its not damaged or weakened by rust or something.

[@kiereluurs1243]

As long there is the munition.

[@FanEAW]

@@kiereluurs1243 oh yeah for sure lmao, not gonna take that to the front and try to bonk a russian on the head with it xD

[@ericchen4367]

It’s very useful,!

[@richardschleenvoigt4374]

That is a clickbait title to this video. Most countries have mortars from the 70s in active duty

[@stevenphillips3466]

Its Great that we are finally using up all these weapons we have laying around for 50 years

[@Mishn0]

A 1970s mortar that is basically the same as a 1940s mortar and still gets the job done. Big difference from putting 1960s tanks against 21st century ATGMs like Russia is doing.

[@honeybadgerclaw4642]

Look like these units regular firing at preset target coordinate. Good tactics. Just sent out drones to to survey the marked area, and fire few rounds when enemies appear.

[@stedro]

let em ring boys!

[@wojtek1582]

Not a problem at all. Mortars are such simple weapon that you can easily use mortars from WWII and have the similar results as with modern.

[@barrywakeford1385]

Good thing Ukrainians are a SIMPLE people.

[@kimwit1307]

I would not be surprised if the russians use even older weapons. In fact, I have seen pics of russian soldiers equipped with rifles that were designed over a century ago...

[@U.H8]

💛👍🏻💙Agree!

[@sonichedgehog8723]

Not wasting I like it. Old new still puts rusians in the ground and gets a fake car seat to their mom.

[@ardri31]

You need professional help

[@karensheehan2878]

Whatever works. Slava Ukraine. 🇺🇦

[@robertschweppenhauser9891]

As long as the mortars go off .

[@yvonnewey]

Slava Ukraini🇺🇦💪🇺🇦

[@CalimehChelonia]

Resist And Bite! 💛💙💪

[@lanceschaerer6875]

See what I noticed with this video is the confidence they have using this mortar and most importantly the ammunition. In most mortar videos with older soviet ammunition you see everyone run for cover after dropping the round down the tube and even using a rope to fire it from a distance. The old ammunition has a serious tendency to cook off when fired. These gents have no fear of that and it's deadly to see the confidence they have. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 🇺🇦

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

True

[@murthy2680]

Hats off ukraine soldier heroes

[@hrvatskisnajperist4999]

There isn't much that you can do to make the mortar better only to lower its weight ,make it bigger or use new ammunition. It's just a tube with a fiering pin at the bottom. I know there is more to it but that's what every mortar is base on.

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

A lot of people are confused. The mortar DESIGN has been in use since the 70s. We don't know when these were made. Nor do we know when the propellant and explosive were mixed. Powders go bad after a certain amount of time. If these were donated AFTER use in another army, I'd expect them to be around 20-30 years old, at a guess. Rounds would be more recent, or at least refurbished recently.

[@ericconnor8419]

They seem to be suffering from a shortage of helmets and eye protection.

[@Phoenix-vg8li]

An old mortar shell explodes, just as good as a new mortar shell.

[@thegoyanator3256]

What happened to the himars?

[@cjmatulka8321]

Marvelous! It's easy to tell that from the clanking of metal,,, this is some high quality equipment. Thank you France for the engineering. Give em hell boys. PS:. My only suggestion is to have mobile mounted units for the girls!!! In quickly and out faster.

[@alkers372]

mortal technology hasn't been improved a great deal over the last 80 years (when it was already very capable). It essentially is a tube that lobs unguided shells on enemy positions.

[@ulvimuradov873]

Slava Ukraine !

[@paintballusa1658]

Hopefully the mortars are still effective 👍🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

[@gamingwithbipul0073]

And then they say that Russia is running out of artillery 😂😂. This is a joke 🤣🤣

[@mickybroke1124]

Old and ragged, BUT STILL LETHAL! Slava Ukraini!!

[@imaginemetoo]

SLAVA UKRAINI HEROES DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM 🇺🇦 Success and VICTORY To Our Ukranian cousins 🇺🇦✌️

[@user-wz3cg1gg5z]

Пётр Иванович Ивашутин ☝️..Кирилл ВЫШИНСКИЙ- 👌 читай 📚 если умный поймёшь

[@ardri31]

They shelled a working school in donesk 2 days ago, yea real heroic 🙄

[@ramadankadriu5336]

@@ardri31 Do not LIE Ivane

[@imaginemetoo]

@@ardri31 Ivan 🤡🚽

[@ardri31]

@@ramadankadriu5336 nope, 100% fact, do some research

[@seanyd5698]

And 1970s tanks, and 1970s rifles, and artillery and.....

[@tonylyons7711]

As long as they do the job Ukraine. That's all that matters..slava Ukraine..🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦❤

[@357reasons7]

'' OMG UKROPS ARE USING OUTDATED MORTARS!!! Z Z Z, KYIV IN 4 SECONDS!!! " Soviet( probably used by dinosaurs as well ) firearms, tanks, helicopters, and other stuff that belongs in the museum:

[@johnd2058]

Vivé Lafayette!

[@david_100]

Gloria all' UCRAINA 🇺🇦 Sempre!!!!! 🌎🤝🇺🇦

[@375GTB]

Stokes 80/81mm mortars date back to The Boer War.... TE Lawrence made good use of them in The Palestine, WWI.... Every army on earth has some. J.C.

[@tracyrick5521]

Glory to Ukraine! Glory to France!

[@barrywakeford1385]

These Mortars are French? Let me guess, never been fired and only dropped once.

[@remistiegler5302]

@@barrywakeford1385 meanwhile, US and UK gave a 20 B$ land lease of US made weapons to the Talibans. This is what I call "never used or dropped once by the US-backed local "soldiers"

[@barrywakeford1385]

@@remistiegler5302 EXACTLY, Same CRAP different Pile.

[@remistiegler5302]

@@barrywakeford1385 dunno how it works in your country, but a system chosen by 35 countries is called a commercial success. And no lame jokes made by that fu***r Bush admin propadanga will change that fact

[@donpablo7645]

So who is out of ammo now ? :D

[@ThorSuzuki1]

They and Russia also use 70's tanks, artillery, trucks and fighter jets etc.

[@joykim222]

So? Did u Win?

[@logiczchance101]

not going to matter, sadly but surely

[@undesfrancs]

content que du matériel Français serve la bonne cause !!!

[@Putinhuylo3]

70’s, 30’s whatever. If it lands on an orc he will have a really bad day.

[@markthervguy]

and the Russian invaders are using rifles from WWI !

[@TheVoiceOfReason93]

Whatever works works so long as they can defeat Russia with them.

[@genobayojr896]

VIVA UKRAINE 🇺🇦

[@miguelguardeno41]

👍👏👏🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦💪💪💪

[@Ac22768]

Many weapons used around the world, including the US are from the 1970s. I don’t see why this is a headline.

[@xtreme7584]

As a payback they should atleast annexed russian territory.

[@dgatsby6495]

It's still kills so what's wrong with that 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🚀🔥😵

[@ardri31]

ahh good oul english warmongering

[@amc3463]

I hope Ukraine goes all the way to Moscow

[@asanitationstompout8473]

Shit's impossible, but agreed. It'd be beyond justified

[@jimmyc974]

Can't get to their own border ,explain your non logical dream!

[@hxdtrwsuytfgbfr4428]

It seems the front is moving the wrong way for this. It's heading towards Kiyv.

[@milchopoposki1453]

HI. HI HI ..HITLER HE BEEN TO MOSKOW ..HI HI HI SATANIST AZOV FAFSIST

[@user-bp8zx4ve7p]

Good old days with Sahaidachnyi...

[@mishaillich9728]

It is better that you have to not have ammunition!

[@MrKim-kv2vv]

Stay strong, stay safe, stay free! 🙋🏼

[@waynesilva9157]

They also use teenagers and old men for Canon Fodor.

[@seratonin7004]

This war has made me wish that I was still active in my career and could donate significantly more, plus use those networks to harness further support. I'm sure so many others feel frustrated that they can't do more too.

[@user-wz3cg1gg5z]

Кому что а вшивому баня

[@seratonin7004]

@@user-wz3cg1gg5z I can't read or translate this, sorry.

[@massengineer7582]

@@seratonin7004 that is the 2nd post I've seen from that "person" that is random nonsense. A new kind of bot, maybe?

[@seratonin7004]

@@massengineer7582 ahhh very possibly! Thanks

[@ardri31]

Start sending them suicide vests, theyll use those next

[@dmitriypermyakov5402]

Это ихние проблемы.

[@lorenze22]

Mortar is good but it didn't do the Ukraines any good, Russia took Soledar with shovels according to the BBC, human waves with shovels seem very effective>

[@pimmanders2261]

This is the second time you guys uploaded this video.....what the heck is your agenda?

[@user-sd1ur4bn2r]

Все инастранное только люде полурусские (( О чем думают(( Моисеи разные Хороше поработали

[@RacerX1971]

They may be outgunned or outgmanned but they have the highest morale and, importantly, they are being supported by NATO and most of the world

[@Robin6512]

They will still the shit out of the enemy and that’s what counts

[@stillehavet4453]

Russia use tanks from 1960

[@menya00045]

when ukraine uses old weapons from the second world war it's all of a sudden super good things in the comments.. but when Russia uses them it's all of a sudden the other way around.

[@cheebacheeobusiness3893]

70's is a great decade 😀 💙💛 Slava Ukraini! 💙💛

[@billywilly5396]

Radio soros, how you doing in ruzzia?

[@GM_ST]

🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

[@thefastandthedead1769]

Slava Ukraini! Keep chipping away!

[@user-wz3cg1gg5z]

Из Донецка пришлю чипсы 🍟 чтобы ты подавился

[@Ed_Stuckey]

0:49 _double the power_ So it will kiII twice as many orcs? 💙💛

[@gustaflekander718]

but i thought ukraine was winning and only using modern western equipment?!

[@nian60]

Most things that can be used are being used. High volume is needed.

[@Nathan-Roman]

No, they're just winning

[@ardri31]

@@Nathan-Roman Winning what? Who gets the killed the most?

[@Nathan-Roman]

@Ard rí you look at war goals to determine who is winning a war, not deaths. The soviets lost more soldiers than the Germans in world war 2 and yet they won that war by achieving their war goals Russia has not achieved their war goals and are extremely unlikely to ever achieve them. Ukraine liberated occupied cities, and has the initiative in the war. Ukraine is objectively winning this war currently

[@singlewhitefemale1707]

God bless the brave men and women of Ukraine. I can't imagine what they are going through. I pray Ukraine is successful in pushing Russia back to her August 24 ,1991 borders. It's only fair.

[@ardri31]

Impossible, nato keep expanding, whats good for the goose is good for the gander

[@Youtubeisafascistcompany]

Oh well not America’s problem

[@delta250a]

It would be if Ukraine loses. Thankfully that traitorous orange blob got kicked out.

[@rockfella1377]

Why do you care? You're not even from the US. Just another GRU troll.

[@VILLAINAIRE]

Russians use weaponry from last century: "they don't even have weapons", "they're so outdated", "with weapons like these you're better off with shovels", etc. Ukrainians use weaponry from last century: "DiD yOu AcTuAlLy kNoW tHoSe aRe VeRy EfFeCtiVe", "iT's nOt AbOuT tHe gUn, It'S aBoUt ThE sPiRit" clowns

[@kiereluurs1243]

English please.

[@VILLAINAIRE]

@@kiereluurs1243 keep begging, worm

[@ChenBeixuancultivatingnshieeet]

give them weapons! let them defend the country and the family!

[@sigmaputin6888]

Scraping the barrel 🤣🤣🤣🇷🇺💪🏻

[@bazzakeegan2243]

Making good fertilizer! 👍🇺🇦

[@GeneralsAlert]

So is Russia

[@frakismaximus3052]

They are scraping neo-soviets from the bottoms of their boots

[@jimmyc974]

​@@GeneralsAlert More so in fact!

[@philster6383]

You are something people scrap off the bottom of their shoes

[@SCOOBYDOO45]

A gun is a gun..fire at will!!🍻

[@quietriot7210]

SLAVA RUSIA

[@jakklump]

Dear Japan, would you mind lending some of the 450 F1 mortars that you have to Ukraine? Thank you very much.

[@peterbaldwin1499]

They still kill ork's

[@quietriot7210]

Urraaa. Urraaas

[@johns9928]

Who the hell is charge at RFE??? "Ukranians are out gunned" but the weapons donated by foriegn governments are far better...

[@AmericanTraitors-GOP]

As long as it kills subhuman russians it'll do.