The Ministry of Defense authorized almost 20 samples of grenade launchers for operation

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nearly 20 models of grenade launchers have been codified and authorized for use in the Defense Forces.

The Ministry of Defense clarified that about a third of them are domestically produced.

Foreign models are represented by grenade launchers manufactured by defense companies from the United States, Germany, Turkey, Canada, and Sweden.

The combat capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been enhanced by under-barrel, hand-held, automatic and multi-grenade, semi-automatic grenade launchers of various calibers.

Most of these weapons are of 40 mm caliber.

However, there are also more powerful ones with a caliber of 84 mm, such as the universal Swedish Carl Gustaf grenade launcher.

In particular, the Carl Gustaf grenade launcher uses a wide range of ammunition, including: HEAT, high-explosive, thermobaric, smoke and illuminating.

It is a versatile and effective infantry weapon against armored vehicles and enemy group targets.

Carl Gustaf grenade launchers are normally operated by two soldiers: a shooter and a loader. The grenade launcher can be fired from a prone position, kneeling or standing upright.

Ukraine has also developed a tripod for firing the American Mk19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher from indirect fire positions.

It makes it possible to use an American grenade launcher similar to the Soviet AGS-17 when the operator and service personnel are not in direct line of sight of the target. This significantly increases the safety of the soldiers.

In January this year, the Come Back Alive Foundation and the OKKO filling station chain handed over 40 Ukrainian UAG-40.1 automatic grenade launchers to the soldiers of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces.