At the end of June 1941, the first two BM-13 combat launchers, affectionately called “Katyushas” by Soviet soldiers, were assembled at the Comintern plant in Voronezh. There are several versions of the origin of this name. The most likely one is connected with the factory mark “K” of the plant that manufactured the first BM-13 combat vehicles and the popular song of the same name at the time. “Katyusha” became the first mobile multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) created in Russia. In early July 1941, the first Separate Experimental Battery of Field Rocket Artillery of the Red Army, armed with seven of these launchers and led by Captain Ivan Flerov, […]

This short video recaps last week’s events on the Ukrainian battlefield, with key developments illustrated on the map. #Yury_Podolyaka