Profile
- Type
- 203 mm tracked self-propelled gun
- Conflict side
- Russia
- Origin
- Soviet Union / Russia
- Service note
- Introduced in the mid-1980s; modernized Russian systems returned to service and combat use in the 2020s
Artillery
2S7M Malka
The 2S7M Malka is the modernized variant of the Soviet 2S7 Pion, a tracked 203 mm self-propelled gun built for high-power artillery missions against deep or hardened targets. The Malka upgrade increased carried ammunition and rate of fire, added newer communications and control equipment, and has been documented in Russian long-range fire and counterbattery roles during the Russia-Ukraine War.
- Conflict side
- Russia
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
Service History
- In service
- Entered service in 1986 as the 2S7M Malka variant; modernized Russian vehicles delivered after overhaul from 2020 onward
- Used by
- Russian Ground Forces
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- Kirov Plant and Barrikady design teams
- Designed
- 2S7M Malka modernization developed in the mid-1980s
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
- Produced
- 1985-1990 for 2S7M production; Russian overhaul and modernization restarted in the 2020s
- Variants
- 2S7 Pion, 2S7M Malka
Specifications
- Caliber
- 203 mm 2A44 gun
- Maximum range
- About 37.4 km with standard ammunition and up to about 47.5-50 km with assisted projectiles, depending on ammunition
- Rate of fire
- Up to 2.5 rounds per minute
- Crew
- 6 on the vehicle, with additional ammunition and crew support carried separately
- Combat weight
- About 46-46.5 tonnes
- Ammunition carried
- 8 rounds on the 2S7M vehicle
- Mobility
- Tracked chassis with V-84-series diesel engine; about 50 km/h road speed and roughly 650 km road range
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: Russia
Russian forces have fielded the 2S7/2S7M heavy artillery family in Ukraine for long-range fire support and counterbattery missions, with U.S. Army OE reporting Russian plans for heavy artillery brigades equipped with 2S7 Pion or 2S7M Malka guns.
Related Weapon Systems
2S4 Tyulpan240 mm self-propelled heavy mortarThe 2S4 Tyulpan is a Soviet 240 mm self-propelled heavy mortar built around a large breech-loaded 2B8 mortar on a tracked chassis. Its unusually heavy bombs and low rate of fire make it a siege and bunker-attack weapon rather than a conventional rapid-fire howitzer, and Russian forces have used or lost examples in Ukraine where its size and firing signature make it a high-value counter-battery target.
2S1 Gvozdika122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe 2S1 Gvozdika is a Soviet 122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer built around the 2A31 gun on an amphibious armored chassis derived from the MT-LB family. In the Russia-Ukraine War it remains a common short-to-medium-range artillery system for both Russian and Ukrainian forces, combining mobility, indirect fire, and widespread 122 mm ammunition compatibility.
2S19 Msta-S152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe 2S19 Msta-S is a Soviet-designed, Russian-produced 152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer built to replace earlier 2S3 and 2S5 artillery systems with longer-range fire, automated laying variants, and armored cross-country mobility. In the Russia-Ukraine War it appears as a Russian tube-artillery system and as captured equipment operated by Ukrainian units, making it part of the conflict's counter-battery and trophy-equipment record.
2S3 Akatsiya152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe 2S3 Akatsiya is a Soviet 152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer built around the 2A33 gun and a turreted armored chassis. Designed for divisional fire support and accepted into service in 1971, it remains relevant in the Russia-Ukraine War because Russian forces still use legacy Akatsiya batteries for indirect fires despite newer self-propelled artillery types.
2S35 Koalitsiya-SV152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV is a Russian 152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer developed as a highly automated successor to the 2S19 Msta-S, pairing a 2A88 gun, uncrewed turret, automated loading, digital fire-control features, and a T-90-derived chassis for long-range tube-artillery missions. Its appearance in the Russia-Ukraine War has been reported in limited numbers, with open-source conflict reporting emphasizing counter-battery use and uncertainty around official confirmation.
2S5 Giatsint-S152 mm tracked self-propelled gunThe 2S5 Giatsint-S is a Soviet 152 mm tracked self-propelled gun built for long-range corps- and army-level fire support. Its open rear-mounted 2A37 gun gives it greater reach than many older Soviet 152 mm systems, while its tracked chassis keeps it mobile enough for displacement after firing. In the Russia-Ukraine War it appears in Russian artillery units and, in at least one documented case, as a captured system restored for Ukrainian use.Sources
Rostec Delivered the First Modernized 2S7M Malka Self-Propelled Gun to the Russian Armed ForcesPublisher: Rostec | Note: Supports Uraltransmash modernization, Russian delivery context, updated running gear, electronics, communications, fire-control work, and 2A44 testing. | Accessed: 2026-06-202S7 PionPublisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports 2S7M Malka variant background, production context, armament, rate of fire, crew, ammunition load, engine, weight, speed, and range data. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Russian 2S7M Malka Self-Propelled 203mm Howitzer Able to Hit Enemy in BunkerPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports general 2S7M Malka specifications and modernization context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Russia Fielding 2S7 Pion Heavy Artillery in Ukraine ConflictPublisher: T2COM G2 Operational Environment Enterprise | Note: Directly supports Russia-Ukraine War use context for the 2S7/2S7M heavy artillery family, including Russian plans for brigades equipped with 2S7 Pion or 2S7M Malka and counterbattery employment in Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Russians Show Off Artillery's Firepower Over Ukraine in VideoPublisher: Newsweek | Note: Supports direct Russia-Ukraine War context for Russian 2S7M Malka crews and provides additional range and rate-of-fire context attributed to Russian MoD footage. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:2S7 Pion at ARMY-2018.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a 2S7M Malka photograph from Army-2018, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 by the uploader. | Accessed: 2026-06-20