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The Russian military continues to use 2K25 Krasnopol guided artillery rounds to hit Ukrainian military targets behind the frontline with high-precision.
On December 21, Russian sources shared a video documenting a recent Krasnopol strike on a Ukrainian multiple rocket launcher (MRL) of an unknown type.
The Krasnopol, which is guided by a semi-active laser, can be fired by most 152 mm or 155 mm artillery guns. The round has a range of 20 to 30 kilometer. It is armed with a high-explosive warhead that weights between 6.50 and 11 kilograms, depending on the version.
A land-based laser designator is usually used to illuminate targets for Krasnopol rounds. However, drones can be also used for that task. The strike on the Ukrainian MRL was reportedly coordinated with an Orlan-30 drone, a version of the Orlan-10 that is equipped with a laser designator.
After the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine, the United States and several other NATO states supplied Kiev forces with dozens of MRLs, including M142 HIMARS and M270 MLRS systems which can launch precision-guided missiles. Several of these MRLs have been already damaged or destroyed.
Using the Krasnopol and other similar precision-guided shells, like the Kitolov and the Gran, the Russian military can engage Kiev forces from a safe-distance with high-precision.
