New Russian 2S44 Giatsint-K self-propelled howitzer spotted at Moscow Parade Rehearsal following first deployment in Ukraine.

On April 30, 2025, during the rehearsal for the Victory Day Parade in Moscow, the newest Russian self-propelled howitzers, the 2S43 Malva and the 2S44 Giatsint-K, were presented publicly together for the first time, confirming that both platforms are now integrated into the Russian Armed Forces. Though visually similar, they are distinct in their gun systems: the 2S43 is equipped with the 152mm 2A64 howitzer, while the 2S44 is fitted with the 152mm 2A36 cannon. While it remains unclear how many such systems are currently deployed, Russian reports confirm that the 2S44 is already in use with the 238th Guards Brigade in Ukraine.
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The use of the 2A36 on the 2S44 Giatsint-K was likely decided based on the availability of existing stocks of stored barrels, as production of this gun ceased in 1993. (Picture source: RIA Novosti)

The 2S44 Giatsint-K is a new self-propelled gun system developed on the basis of the 2S43 Malva. It uses the same BAZ-6910-027 Voschina 8×8 wheeled chassis and features an open artillery mount, but differs fundamentally in its armament. The existence of the 2S44 Giatsint-K was confirmed in late 2024, following its appearance in a Russian Ministry of Defense video report from a training ground, where a wheeled self-propelled artillery system similar to the Malva was seen equipped with a different gun. At the time, no official designation or information was provided. On February 10, 2025, a televised report on the activities of the 238th Guards Artillery Brigade of the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army, which is operating in Ukraine, confirmed the system’s designation as the 2S44 Giatsint-K. This was followed by confirmation that the Giatsint-K had been supplied to newly formed artillery battalions in this formation.

On February 12, 2025, Bekhan Ozdoev, industrial director of the weapons cluster at the state corporation Rostec, stated in an interview with RIA Novosti that the Giatsint-K was created by modifying the Malva platform in response to combat experience. The system was therefore developed as a rapid modification of the 2S43, prompted by battlefield requirements, which could indicate that the 2S43 Malva may not have fully met the needs of the Russian Army. According to official statements, the Giatsint-K was designed by integrating the 152mm/50 2A36 Giatsint-B towed cannon onto the existing Malva chassis. The project, conducted under secrecy, was likely handled by the same design organization responsible for the Malva. All known evidence suggests that development began no later than mid-2024, with the first complete vehicles appearing at training grounds by the end of that year. Deliveries began soon afterward. The design relied heavily on available components, including stored 2A36 barrels no longer in serial production, which allowed for a short development cycle and immediate deployment. The goal, according to Russian sources, is to expand the number of wheeled artillery units quickly using available resources.

The key technical distinction between the 2S44 and 2S43 lies in their armament. The 2S43 Malva mounts the 152mm/47-caliber 2A64 howitzer, inherited from the 2S19 Msta-S. The 2A64 features a 16-liter chamber and achieves a maximum firing range of approximately 24–25 kilometers with standard shells. In contrast, the 2S44 Giatsint-K uses the 152mm/50-caliber 2A36 gun, originally developed for the Giatsint-B towed gun, which was produced until 1993. The 2A36 has a longer barrel, a 27-liter chamber, and uses a separate family of ammunition, incompatible with that of the 2A64. Its standard high-explosive projectiles have a range of 30.5 kilometers. With base-bleed projectiles like the ZOF30 Baklan, it can reach approximately 33.5 kilometers. It also supports guided munitions such as the ZOF95 Krasnopol-M2 with ranges up to 37–40 kilometers, and the ZOF95M Krasnopol-D capable of 45–47 kilometers. These improvements were intended to overcome the range limitations of the 2A64, which were identified as a disadvantage when countering 155mm/52-caliber artillery systems used by opposing forces.

Though visually similar, the 2S43 Malva is equipped with the 152mm 2A64 howitzer, while the 2S44 Giatsint-K is fitted with the 152mm 2A36 cannon. (Picture source: RIA Novosti)

As a result of these characteristics, the Malva's range was likely assessed as insufficient in engagements where Ukrainian forces employ Western 155mm/52-caliber self-propelled guns such as the CAESAR, FH77BW Archer, M109A7, and PzH 2000. These systems, designed under the NATO Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding (JBMoU), have 23–25 liter chambers and achieve 30–32 km with standard shells. Consequently, the 2S44 appears to have been developed as a direct response to these range limitations. According to Russian analysis, the 2A36 offers improved ballistic performance compared to the 2A64 and is incompatible with the Msta-series ammunition. The chamber and barrel design of the 2A36 reportedly permits longer ranges due to the increased propellant charge and shell design.

The use of the 2A36, a rifled cannon with a slotted muzzle brake, semi-automatic breech, and mounted on a hydropneumatic recoil mechanism, was likely decided based on the availability of existing stocks of stored barrels, as production of this gun ceased in 1993. Photographic evidence confirms that the barrels used in the 2S44 are taken from decommissioned towed 2A36 systems, allowing for faster fielding, though it raises questions about the long-term viability of large-scale serial production unless manufacturing is reestablished. At present, the systems deployed are likely part of a limited series, either a trial or pre-series batch, though full logistical movements, including rail echelons carrying both 2S43 and 2S44 systems to operational zones, indicate the beginning of formal unit-level deployment.

The BAZ-6910-027 Voschina, an 8×8 all-wheel-drive chassis developed by the Bryansk Automobile Plant (or BAZ), forms the basis for both the 2S43 and 2S44. The BAZ-6910-027 is 12.4 meters long, has a curb weight of 18 tonnes, and a payload capacity of 20 tonnes. Powered by a YaMZ-849 diesel engine rated at 500 horsepower, it can reach a top road speed of 80 km/h with a range of up to 1,000 kilometers. The chassis includes a cab-over layout with a forward-control cabin, a rear platform used to support the artillery mount, ammunition storage, and stabilizing jacks. Giatsint-K units previously shown in public and training environments have been equipped with camouflage screens and netting attached to external frames, forming a box-like shape intended to reduce visual and thermal signatures.

All known evidence suggests that the development of the 2S44 Giatsint-K began no later than mid-2024, with the first complete vehicles appearing at training grounds by the end of that year, and in Ukraine by early February 2025. (Picture source: Russian social media)

Training footage from the Mikhailovskaya Artillery Academy shows personnel practicing with both 2S43 and 2S44 systems. Both SPGs are reported to be equipped with automated fire control systems (ASUNO), including high-precision navigation, automated firing data calculation, and digital communications. Direct aiming is reportedly still performed manually using fire control system data. The Giatsint-K’s high level of automation allows it to occupy firing positions within two to three minutes before withdrawal, reducing exposure to counter-battery fire. Its cab is claimed to offer protection against submunitions from NATO 155mm shells.

The appearance of both 2S43 and 2S44 at the Victory Parade rehearsal, and their confirmed presence within active Russian artillery brigades, indicates that both systems are intended to serve in complementary roles. While the 2S43 retains compatibility with Msta-series logistics and fire missions, the 2S44 provides extended range and is better suited to engagements requiring standoff capabilities. Both are being used to strengthen counter-battery fire capacity, particularly in response to long-range systems such as CAESAR, Archer, FH77BW, and PzH 2000.

Although the Giatsint-K increases the reach of Russian wheeled artillery, it does not resolve the broader issue of divergence from modern NATO artillery standards. The 152mm systems, despite upgrades, are increasingly constrained by ammunition design and chamber volume. Longer-term artillery development may require adoption of 155mm systems based on the NATO Joint Ballistics Memorandum of Understanding, which specifies 23–25 liter chambers and standardizes performance across systems. Future Russian artillery modernization may include mounting the 152mm/52 2A88 guns, currently used on the 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV, on wheeled platforms like the Voschina. These would enable guided Krasnopol-M2 rounds to reach 50–53 kilometers and Krasnopol-D rounds up to 60–63 kilometers.