Russia announced Tuesday that the world’s heaviest and most powerful self-propelled mortars have been inducted into the artillery units of the Eastern Military District in Primorsky Territory. Col. Alexander Gordeev said the 240mm 2S4 Tyulpan mortar “has no equals” in the world, reports Sputnik News. Primorsky Territory, which also borders China, is located on the coast of Sea of Japan.
Russia stepping up military presence in the Arctic and Pacific
In August, Russia and China held joint naval exercises in the Sea of Japan. The two countries have stepped up military presence in the Pacific as tensions in the South China Sea continue to escalate. The 2S4 Tyulpan mortars are designed to destroy command posts, artillery and missile batteries, buildings, solid field fortifications, and other targets that are beyond the reach of conventional artillery.
What’s more, Russia’s TASS news agency reported Monday that the Eastern Military District has also formed a squadron of the Orlan-10 and Forpost drones in the Arctic region. The squadron is based near Chukotka Autonomous District Anadyr. The unmanned aerial vehicles will be tasked with the visual monitoring of the combat readiness of the units deployed in the Arctic region. It will also monitor the condition of military infrastructure facilities.
Soviet-era airbases being restored
Military officials told TASS news agency that the unit will soon receive new airborne devices that could perform tasks up to a distance of 1,500 kilometers. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union had strong airfield infrastructure in the Arctic zone. The Russian defense ministry is now restoring the Soviet-era airbases in the region. The Russian forces are undergoing a $325 billion military modernization plan to replace the Soviet-era military weaponry with the latest state-of-the-art equipment.
Recently, Russia showed off its new “war room” that drew the attention of the Western world. The National Control Defense Center has been built to help coordinate military action around the world, including strategic nuclear deployments and ballistic missile launches. The three-story war room will be the country’s main communications center in the event of war.
