New Ukrainian Mortars 'Got Rusty' in Less Than a Month

© AFP 2023 / ANATOLII STEPANOVUkrainian servicemen aim a mortar from their position near the eastern Ukrainian village Pisky, Donetsk region. File photo
Ukrainian servicemen aim a mortar from their position near the eastern Ukrainian village Pisky, Donetsk region. File photo - Sputnik International
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A shipment of Ukrainian-made mortars, which were recently delivered to the country’s armed forces proved, to be virtually unfit for battlefield conditions.

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According to a letter of explanation written by a mortar battery commander cited by the Ukrainian Military Portal, six M-120-15 Molot (Hammer) that were supplied to his unit on June 21 exhibited a number of defects, like the repeated jamming of the weapons' elevation mechanisms, during recent tactical exercises.

Furthermore, it also became apparent that due to the quality of metal from which these weapons were made, the mortars, which are worth approximately $19,500 each, rust pretty quickly, and the paint starts coming off when they are exposed to direct sunlight.

It should be noted that this is hardly the first case where the Ukrainian military has been supplied with faulty equipment by local subcontractors.

For example, a Ukrainian army encampment at the Yavoriv training range was left devastated after heavy rain because the army tents there – produced by local manufacturers, of course – proved to be no match for rainwater.

Also, the development of a new Ukrainian tank, Azovets, touted as an innovative armored vehicle designed for urban warfare, was put on hold indefinitely after it became clear that the tank's onboard video camera system, which is also the only way for the crew to perceive their surroundings, was in fact composed of parts typically used in house intercom units and completely unsuited for battlefield conditions.

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