| Volga |
|---|
| Type | Armoured train |
|---|
| Place of origin | Russia |
|---|
| Service history |
|---|
| In service | 2022–Present |
|---|
| Used by | Russia * Russian Ground Forces |
|---|
| Wars | 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine |
|---|
| Production history |
|---|
| Designer | Western Military District |
|---|
| Manufacturer | Western Military District |
|---|
| No. built | 1 |
|---|
| Specifications |
|---|
| Length | 106 m (347.7 ft) |
|---|
| Diameter | 1,435mm gauge [1] |
|---|
|
| Armour | 20mm of steel Lines of sandbags[2] |
|---|
Main armament | 2x ZU-23-2 cannon |
|---|
Secondary armament | Few dozen Machine Gun slots |
|---|
| Engine | 2x ChME3-type locomotive |
|---|
The Russian armoured train Volga (call sign "Breakthrough") is an armoured train currently in use by Russia in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[3] Unlike its sister train Yenisei, which is built primarily for logistics and refugee ferrying, Volga is primarily used for engineering, reconnaissance, mine clearance, restoration of damaged railway tracks, and escorting cargo within the Ukrainian combat zones.[2]
Specifications and details
Volga is protected by an outer casing of 20mm worth of rolled steel, backed by wooden panels and reinforced by a line of sandbags.[2] It is primarily defended by two ZU-23-2 cannons situated at the front and the back of the train, respectively. For secondary weapons, Volga has two enclosed gun carriages where machine guns and other small arms could be mounted in its firing slits.[citation needed] It is primarily a mine clearing and logistical vehicle; as such, like Yenisei, Volga is situated in the backlines.
The train is currently made up of at least two ChME3-type locomotives plus six wagons. Outside of the two locomotives which are situated in the center of the train, Volga has two empty platform wagons for cargo, logistical and mine-clearing purposes situated at the front and end of the train. Two anti-air wagons mounting the ZU-23-2 are behind the respective platform wagons. Two enclosed gun/troop wagon hybrids carry the majority of the crew.[4] The majority of the crewmen sleep in the gun/troop wagon. The goods wagon is also where the train's kitchen staff is located to provide the crewmen food as well as a room containing a small sauna for their convenience.[5] In terms of length, each wagon is made from the standard United Wagon Company Sgmmns 40’ flat car, which is 40 feet long.[1] Combined, the Volga train is 106 meters long. A unique feature for the Volga is that its crew comes along with a UAV drone team to better scout for dangers ahead of the train.[citation needed]
Like Yenisei, this is not the first armoured train used in the Russo-Ukrainian War, as a few other armoured trains were recorded transporting logistical and military goods through Crimea in March 2022.[6][7]
See also
- Armoured trains
- Russian armoured train Yenisei
- Russian armoured train Amur
- Russian armoured train Baikal
- Krajina Express
- List of armoured trains
- 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
- List of Russo-Ukrainian War military equipment
- Russo-Ukrainian War
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Russian flat cars obtain ERA certification". https://www.railwaypro.com/wp/russian-flat-cars-obtain-era-certification/.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Russian armored trains make a comeback in Ukraine armed for 21st century warfare". https://www.armyrecognition.com/ukraine_-_russia_conflict_war_2022/russian_armored_trains_make_a_comeback_in_ukraine_armed_for_21st_century_warfare.html.
- ↑ "Russia has released video of an armoured train moving through Ukraine". https://news.sky.com/video/russia-has-released-video-of-an-armoured-train-moving-through-ukraine-12639121.
- ↑ "This is the Russian Volga Armored Train, Enemy Reconnaissance Train in the Forest.". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7vnGHVJwSE.
- ↑ "Ru pov: Another video of the armoured train of the Western Military District, named after the Russian river, the Volga, is serving in the SMO zone. It runs through the territories of Donbass.". https://old.reddit.com/r/UkraineRussiaReport/comments/15ilbmi/ru_pov_another_video_of_the_armoured_train_of_the/.
- ↑ "Russian 'Armored Train' Equipped With Automatic Cannons & Painted With 'Z' Mark Joins The Ukraine Invasion". https://eurasiantimes.com/russian-armored-train-automatic-cannons-ukraine-invasion/.
- ↑ Trevithick, Joseph. "A Russian Armored Train Has Joined The Invasion Of Ukraine" (in en). The Drive. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/44620/a-russian-armored-train-has-joined-the-invasion-of-ukraine.
Russian, Ukrainian, and former Soviet armoured fighting vehicles after World War II |
|---|
Tanks |
|---|
- T-10
- T-54/T-55
- T-55AGM
- PT-76
- T-62
- T-64
- T-72
- T-80
- T-84
- T-90
- T-14 Armata
- Tifon 2a
|
|
Armoured personnel carriers |
|---|
| Tracked |
- BTR-50
- MT-LB
- BTR-D
- GT-MU
- Kurganets-25
- PTS
|
|---|
| Wheeled |
- BTR-3
- BTR-4
- BTR-7
- BTR-40
- BTR-60
- BTR-70
- BTR-80
- BTR-90
- BPM-97
- BTR-94
- BTR-152
- SBA-60K2 Bulat
- BTR Bumerang
- BTR Krymsk
- BTR Otaman
|
|---|
|
|
Infantry fighting vehicles |
|---|
- BMP-1
- BMP-2
- BMP-3
- BMD-1
- BMD-2
- BMD-3
- BMD-4
- BTR-T
- ATOM
- BMPV-64 (ru:БМПВ-64/uk:БМПВ-64)
- BMPT
- Lazika
- T-15 Armata
- Kurganets-25
|
|
Self-propelled artillery |
|---|
| Guns |
- 1K17 Szhatie
- 2S1 Gvozdika
- 2S3 Akatsiya
- 2S4 Tyulpan
- 2S5 Giatsint
- 2S7 Pion
- 2S9 Nona
- 2S19 Msta
- 2S23 Nona-SVK
- 2S25 Sprut-SD
- 2S27 Msta-K
- 2S30 Iset
- 2S31 Vena
- 2S33 Msta-SM
- 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV
- 2S22 Bohdana
- ASU-57
- ASU-85
- A-222 Bereg
|
|---|
| MRLs |
- BM-14
- BMD-20
- BM-21 Grad
- BM-24
- BM-25
- BM-27 Uragan
- TOS-1
- BM-30 Smerch
- 9A52-4 Tornado
- Polonez
- RS-122
|
|---|
| Missiles |
- 2K1 Mars (FROG-2)
- 2K6 Luna (FROG-3/5)
- 9K52 Luna-M (FROG-7)
- 9K79 Tochka (SS-21 Scarab)
- R-400 Oka (SS-23 Spider)
- Iskander (SS-26 Stone)
- Scud missile system
- R-11 Zemlya (SS-1b Scud-A)
- R-17 Elbrus (SS-1c Scud-B)
- TR-1 Temp (SS-22 Scaleboard)
- 3K60 Bal (SSC-6 Sennight)
- RK-360MC Neptune
- K-300P Bastion-P
|
|---|
|
|
Armored cars and other |
|---|
- BRDM
- BRDM-2
- Dozor-B
- GAZ Tiger
- GAZ-46
- GAZ Vodnik
- I-52
- Kozak
- VEPR
- VPK-3927 Volk
- T-98 Kombat
- Typhoon
- APC Novator
|
|
Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapons |
|---|
| Guns |
- BTR-40A
- BTR-152A
- BTR-152D
- ZSU-57-2
- ZSU-23-4
- 2S6 Tunguska
- Pantsir-S1
|
|---|
| Missiles |
- 2K11 Krug (SA-4 Ganef)
- 2K12 Kub (SA-6 Gainful)
- 9K22 Tunguska (SA-19 Grison)
- 9K31 Strela-1 (SA-9 Gaskin)
- 9K33 Osa (SA-8 Gecko)
- 9K35 Strela-10 (SA-13 Gopher)
- 9K37 Buk (SA-11 Gadfly)
- 9K330 Tor (SA-15 Gauntlet)
- S-300 (SA-10 Grumble)
- S-400 (SA-21 Growler)
- Pantsir-S1 (SA-22 Greyhound)
- S-350E Vityaz 50R6
|
|---|
|
|
 | Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian armoured train Volga. Read more |