2A65 Msta-B

The 2A65 Msta-B is a Soviet 152 mm towed howitzer built around the same artillery family as the 2S19 Msta-S. Its split-trail carriage, gun shield, and 24.7 km standard-shell range made it a long-serving post-Soviet heavy artillery piece, and Ukrainian units have continued to fire Msta-B guns during the Russia-Ukraine War despite the broader shift toward NATO-standard artillery.

Russia-Ukraine WarUkraine

Conflict side: Ukraine
Built by: Motovilikha Plant
Built in: Soviet UnionRussia

2A65 Msta-B, 152 mm towed howitzer, Artillery

Profile

Type: 152 mm towed howitzer
Conflict side: Ukraine
Origin: Soviet Union
Service note: Cold War design; in service from 1987 to the Russia-Ukraine War

artillery towedtube artillerysoviet

Service History

In service: Entered service in 1987
Used by: Ukrainian Armed Forces
Wars: Russia-Ukraine War

Production History

Designer: OKB-221 / Titan Central Design Bureau
Designed: 1976-1986
Built by: Motovilikha Plant
Built in: Soviet UnionRussia
Produced: 1987-present
Variants: 2A65 Msta-B, M-390 export variant, MZ-146-1 export variant

Specifications

Caliber: 152 mm
Crew: 8
Combat weight: About 6,800-7,000 kg
Maximum range: 24.7 km with standard ammunition; about 28.5-29 km with base-bleed ammunition
Rate of fire: Up to 7-8 rounds per minute
Carriage: Two-wheel split-trail towed carriage with gun shield

Conflict Usage

Russia-Ukraine War: Side: Ukraine
Ukrainian forces have used the Soviet-designed 152 mm 2A65 Msta-B as a towed artillery system against Russian troops, including documented firing near Zaporizhzhia in January 2023 and near Bakhmut in February 2023.

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Sources

152mm 2A65 Msta-BPublisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports background, development, producer, users, and technical specifications for the 2A65 Msta-B. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 2A65 MSTA-B 152mm Towed HowitzerPublisher: Military Factory | Note: Supports service-entry, design-period, manufacturer, operator, and general specification context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 Ukrainian servicemen fire with a 2A65 Msta-B howitzer towards Russian troops in a frontline in Zaporizhzhia regionPublisher: Reuters Connect | Note: Supports Russia-Ukraine War frontline use by Ukrainian forces, documenting servicemen firing a 2A65 Msta-B toward Russian troops in Zaporizhzhia region on January 5, 2023. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 Battles Rage in Eastern Ukraine Amid Rumors of Military Leadership ChangesPublisher: Voice of America | Note: Supports Russia-Ukraine War frontline use by Ukrainian forces, identifying members of Ukraine's 3rd Separate Assault Brigade firing a 152 mm 2A65 Msta-B near Bakhmut in February 2023. | Accessed: 2026-06-20 File:2A65 Msta-B.JPGPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Primary image provenance; Commons lists the 2A65 Msta-B museum photograph as released into the public domain by its author. | Accessed: 2026-06-20