Exclusive: Russia combines 2S7M Malka most powerful 203mm howitzer and drones in Ukraine combat debut.

On April 24, 2025, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its armed forces have begun deploying the 2S7M Malka, the world’s most powerful self-propelled artillery system, in active combat missions supported by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This development marks a significant evolution in Russian battlefield tactics, as it combines traditional heavy artillery with modern drone-based reconnaissance to enhance the speed, precision, and survivability of long-range strikes. In this new operational framework, UAVs are used to identify and relay target coordinates in real time, enabling Malka units to rapidly position themselves, deliver devastating salvos, and then quickly retreat before enemy counter-attacks can be launched.
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Russian Army 2S7M Malka 203mm self-propelled howitzer seen deployed in Ukraine, now operating with UAV support for enhanced targeting in long-range artillery strikes. (Picture source: Russian Media)

The 2S7M Malka is a modernized version of the Soviet-era 2S7 Pion, first introduced in the 1980s, and remains unmatched in firepower within the realm of conventional artillery. Armed with a 203mm caliber gun, the Malka is capable of firing a range of munitions, including high-explosive fragmentation, concrete-piercing, chemical, and even tactical nuclear shells. Each shell weighs over 110 kilograms and can be launched up to 55 kilometers using rocket-assisted projectiles, covering a destructive radius of roughly 1,200 square meters. Designed to neutralize fortified positions, enemy infrastructure, and deep rear-area targets, the 2S7M boasts a firing rate of one round every two to three minutes and operates with a crew of six to seven personnel. Weighing over 46 tons, it combines brute force with updated navigation and communication systems, making it a formidable asset in modern high-intensity conflicts.

Russian artillery units now operate the 2S7M Malka in tandem with UAVs to enhance real-time battlefield intelligence and precision targeting. These drones scout enemy positions and relay accurate coordinates to the Malka crews, who then rapidly mobilize to their firing zones. Once on site, the artillery is quickly shifted from travel to combat configuration and commences its fire mission. The firepower of the 2S7M, coupled with precise drone-guided targeting, allows Russian forces to execute strikes with lethal effectiveness.

Following each barrage, crews immediately vacate the firing location to avoid enemy counter-battery fire, utilizing the "shoot-and-scoot" tactic. This maneuverability, now bolstered by UAV surveillance and targeting support, reduces exposure and enhances operational survivability.

The deployment of the 2S7M Malka in Ukraine underscores its role as a strategic weapon in Russia’s artillery-centric approach to the conflict. Since the full-scale invasion in 2022, Russian forces have relied heavily on massed artillery fire to break through fortified Ukrainian positions and to sustain pressure along extended front lines. The Malka, with its long range and extreme destructive potential, is being used to hit key military targets located deep within Ukrainian-controlled territory—beyond the reach of standard tube artillery. Targets include ammunition depots, command centers, troop concentrations, and logistics hubs, often situated far from the frontlines.

The use of UAVs in tandem with the Malka allows Russian units to achieve greater accuracy, reducing the number of shells needed per mission and increasing the system's tactical efficiency. This is especially critical in contested areas such as the Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, where artillery duels and counter-battery tactics play a central role in determining battlefield control. The presence of the Malka has also been reported in support of offensive operations aiming to disrupt Ukrainian defensive lines and supply routes, contributing to a strategy of attrition and psychological pressure.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the integration of drones with artillery units has become a defining feature of modern combat tactics. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have increasingly relied on UAVs for reconnaissance, target acquisition, and real-time battle damage assessment. This synergy has enabled more dynamic and responsive artillery operations, allowing units to adjust fire in real time based on drone footage and to strike targets with greater accuracy. Small reconnaissance drones now routinely accompany artillery batteries, providing overhead surveillance of the battlefield and enabling coordinated strikes that were previously unachievable using traditional methods. This development has fundamentally transformed the role of artillery, shifting it from an area-denial tool to a precision-strike weapon system, reshaping operational doctrines on both sides of the conflict.