Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, Poland has been at the forefront of providing security assistance to its embattled eastern neighbour, according to officials.
The Krab self-propelled howitzers have been one of the key components of Polish military aid to Ukraine, news outlets reported.
Borys Sachalko, a reporter with the CurrentTimeTV outlet, recently joined a Ukrainian crew in a Krab vehicle to learn about their battlefield experiences, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.
The four-man team, which previously operated a Soviet-era Msta-S howitzer, heaped praise on the Polish equipment, likening it to "a Porsche car."
‘It’s all electronic’
One of the soldiers said: “We used to drive a Msta-S. This [Krab] system is much easier to master. It’s all electronic.”
He added: “You press the button and it takes aim. You put in the numbers, press the button, and that’s it.”
‘A Porsche compared to a Lada’
Another crew member said: “If you compare the Krab and the Msta-S, this vehicle is faster.”
“It can go at 60 to 70 kilometres per hour,” he added. “It’s manoeuvrable and responds well when you’re driving.”
The soldier explained: “In the Msta-S, you turn by pulling levers. Here, you have a steering wheel. It’s better.”
He went on to say of the Krab: “You can hide in a second or you can move in a second. If the Msta-S was a Lada, this is a Porsche.”
The Ukrainian crew also described the Krab as “a very good system” and “very comfortable for the crew.”
They noted it has a cooking and boiling unit, heating for the winter and air-conditioning for the summer.
‘Firing rate and precision’
Meanwhile, the Krab’s “double armour can withstand a direct hit and it can fire six rounds per minute,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.
The Ukrainian soldiers also praised the Polish howitzer’s much better firing accuracy and longer range: 40 kilometres compared to the Msta-S’s 24 kilometres, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
The Krab’s “main advantage is its firing rate and precision,” CurrentTimeTV's Sachalko reported.
Thursday is day 190 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: rferl.org