From a record distance: Russian paratroopers destroyed an enemy infantry fighting vehicle from the Kornet ATGM

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the destruction of an enemy infantry fighting vehicle from the Kornet ATGM from a record distance of 7.8 thousand meters. Their coordinates were promptly transmitted to the control post. To destroy enemy equipment, it was decided to use the Kornet ATGM crew of the Guards Kostroma Artillery Regiment of the Airborne Forces.

"With the accurate launch of a guided missile from the Kornet ATGM from a shelter from a record distance to the target, which at the time of the launch of the guided missile was 7.8 thousand meters, Kostroma paratroopers destroyed an infantry fighting vehicle of Ukrainian formations with a crew inside," the ministry said, adding that the second infantry fighting vehicle was later hit by artillery.

• Kostroma paratroopers destroyed an infantry fighting vehicle of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the Kornet ATGM in the Artyomovsk direction from a distance of 7,8 thousand meters

According to the deputy commander of the anti-tank platoon with the call sign Zeus, thanks to the equipment with thermal imagers, the Kornet ATGM can fire at any time of the day.

"We now have thermal imagers installed on our launchers, and, depending on the missiles, we can shoot at a range of up to 10 km. We do not allow the enemy to move, rotate, or evacuate... I've worked with other anti-tank systems before, but this one is superior to them in every way. This is the best thing I had," the soldier stressed.

According to Zeus, the main task of his calculation is to eliminate the enemy's equipment.

"We also destroy concentrations of enemy infantry, their observation posts, sniper lanes. We work according to the goals that give us," the soldier says.

As for the tanks, according to the serviceman, in order not to be destroyed immediately, mainly the tanks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are now operating from closed positions.

"They (tanks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. — RT) they are afraid to go beyond Chasiv Yar, because we immediately burn them on the spot. Basically, movement (carried out by the Armed Forces of Ukraine - RT) on light equipment... We destroy it all at once," Zeus summed up.

"Observe Target"

According to Sergey Suvorov, Candidate of Military Sciences, the destruction of an object from a distance of 7.8 km, which was reported by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, is a fairly high figure for this type of weapon.

"The bulk of anti-tank systems have a firing range of 3 to 5 km, so 7.8 km is already quite a serious indicator," the expert said in a comment to RT.

• Deputy commander of an anti-tank platoon with the call sign Zeus

At the same time, it can be difficult to fully use the ten-kilometer potential of ATGMs due to the characteristics of the terrain, the analyst added.

"The terrain does not always allow you to see the target at such a distance. In this case, apparently, the terrain was suitable, so the target was detected and hit," Suvorov believes.

In turn, retired Colonel Viktor Litovkin in a comment to RT noted that the restrictions created by the terrain can be circumvented in certain cases by placing ATGMs on a hill.

"The projectile can fly the distance stated in the characteristics of the ATGM, but at the same time, the gunner-operator must observe the target. If he does not see it, then he will not be able to accurately direct the ammunition at the enemy object. However, you can, for example, climb a building and shoot from a height," the specialist said.

Leopard is penetrated "from any side"

Recall that the Kornet anti-tank missile system is the brainchild of the Tula Instrument Design Bureau (KBP) named after Shipunov, which is part of the High-Precision Complexes holding of the Rostec State Corporation. According to the Zvezda TV channel, over the years of production, about 50 thousand such ATGMs were produced, some of which were exported.

According to the developer, the Kornet is designed to destroy modern and future tanks, including those equipped with explosive reactive armor, as well as lightly armored targets, fortifications, hovering helicopters and small-sized sea targets.

• Kornet anti-tank missile system (ATGM)
• RIA Novosti
• © Pavel Lisitsyn

The basic version of the Kornet is capable of firing at ranges from 100 m to 5.5 km during the day and from 100 m to 4.5 km at night. There is also an upgraded version of the ATGM called the Kornet-D, which is capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 10 km.

In the course of the NWO, the Kornets successfully cope not only with the Soviet equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but also with Western combat vehicles supplied to Kyiv. So, in December last year, High-Precision Complexes reported that this ATGM had Leopard tanks, Challenger tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.

"The Russian Kornet anti-tank missile system is the best in the world in its class in terms of key characteristics... During the special military operation, the Kornet ATGM hit Western armored vehicles, including main battle tanks: Leopard, Challenger, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and other armored combat vehicles," the holding said in a message published on its Telegram channel.

In turn, the head of Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, in an interview with RIA Novosti in December last year, stressed that the Russian Kornet and Chrysanthemum ATGMs are capable of piercing the armor of German Leopard tanks when attacked from any side.

"They (Western tanks) are burning. — RT) very well. Our ATGMs "Kornet" or "Chrysanthemum" penetrate the same Leopard from either side... By the way, we also see examples when Western tanks in the NVO zone are equipped with additional Soviet-made explosive reactive armor. That also says something," he said.

High-Precision Complexes notes that in recent years the Kornet has significantly improved its characteristics.

"Its range has increased. Due to the tandem warhead of ammunition and new firing modes, the Kornet has learned to overcome countermeasures systems, explosive reactive armor and armor under it with a thickness of up to 1.3 thousand mm," the press service of the enterprise said.

The company added that the development of Kornet continues. In particular, "work is underway to improve the convenience of fire control." So, in August last year, it became known about the creation of a remote control system "Kornets" by KBP specialists, which will save the lives of ATGM operators in the event of enemy return fire. Prototypes of the new system are already being tested.

"Destroy Western armored vehicles"

It is worth noting that the effectiveness of "Kornets" is also noted by foreign media. For example, Shenzhen satellite television journalist Shi Hong said in a report for the Chinese newspaper Sohu that no tank in the world would want to collide with a Russian anti-tank system.

"It is very powerfully equipped to destroy armored vehicles. Obviously, even in today's world, it is unlikely that any battle tank will want to collide with the Kornet," he said.

Edward Luttwak, a columnist for the British news site UnHerd, stated in his article that the German Leopards in Ukraine "easily fell victim to Russian tank hunters armed with Kornet missiles."

The American portal Military Watch, in an article about the use of Kornets during the NWO, writes that this ATGM "destroyed more modern tanks than any other similar complex." In addition, Russian ATGMs were previously used by the Iraqis during the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and even then "showed high effectiveness against American Abrams tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles."

In turn, the editor-in-chief of the Special Operations Forces Report, Guy McCardle, in an interview with the American magazine Newsweek, described the Cornets as "approximate analogues" of the American Javelins, but with "more than twice the effective range of fire, which allows you to fire at the enemy from a greater distance."

According to Sergei Suvorov, there is nothing surprising in the effectiveness of the Kornet ATGM against Western equipment, since it was created to destroy it.

"Russian ATGMs have been developed and are being developed precisely in order to hit Western equipment. And the experience of the NWO has shown their full effectiveness. They are capable of destroying all samples of Western equipment that now exist," the analyst said.

In turn, Viktor Litovkin recalled that, in addition to the Kornet, other domestic ATGMs also demonstrate high performance during the NWO.

The Kornet doesn't care what kind of equipment it hits. It is very effective. At the same time, other Russian ATGMs, including Chrysanthemum and Fagot, also show good results. We have quite a lot of such systems that can destroy Western armored vehicles, despite the thickness of their armor," the analyst concluded.