Russia is losing multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) in the war in Ukraine and improvising replacements (illustrative photo). Photo: Open sources
Russia has lost a large number of MLRS in Ukraine, triggering a crisis for this class of weapons in its armed forces. Moscow is trying to address it by refitting existing equipment and purchasing MLRS from North Korea, military observer Alexander Kovalenko said.
According to him, the Russian MLRS shortfall first emerged in 2022 and worsened in 2023 with the start of the Avdiivka offensive, when Russian forces began losing a record amount of equipment.
“Because of catastrophic losses in this category in the war in Ukraine and the inability of domestic production to compensate for them, Russia’s armed forces first tried to get out of the situation by creating ‘homunculi’ from unused naval rocket launchers like the RBU-1200, RBU-1200, as well as on MT-LB, BMP-1, T-72, T-80, Ural-4320 chassis and even on ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun mounts. Now they are addressing the problem with supplies of North Korean light 107 mm Type 75 MLRS and 240 mm M1991 MLRS,” Kovalenko said.
The analyst added that what matters is that Moscow still hasn’t solved the problem in the fourth year of the war, and that Russian forces have crossed a point of no return in terms of losses of this equipment. The report cites the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as saying Russia has lost more than 1,400 MLRS in Ukraine.
“In effect, Russia has lost not only the MLRS capability it had in service but also the Soviet legacy stored for decades. From the wild ‘homunculi’ based on the RBU-1200 and RBU-6000, it has moved into full dependence on North Korea in this category. Demilitarization and denazification are going strictly according to plan,” Kovalenko concluded.
Earlier reports said the number of Russian vehicles at the front has fallen sharply, and spotting a “purebred” MLRS has become rare. As a result, Russian forces have begun mass-producing improvised rocket systems.
It has also been reported that Russia cannot replenish the equipment it is losing in Ukraine fast enough. Occupation forces are unable to fully restore older stocks because all combat-ready self-propelled guns and other types of artillery have been sent for repair.
