#ZU-23

POTD, short for Photo Of The Day, is TFB’s recurring articles where we provide you the best pictures and stories out there. Today we visit Khabarovsk, which is the largest city of Khabarovsk Krai, Russia, located about 30 kilometers (about 19 miles) from China.

On September 21, Oleksandr Turchynov, the Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine, took part in an event where the latest developments of the Ukrainian defense industry were demonstrated. Among a variety of new and upgraded weapon systems and vehicles (helicopters, armored vehicles, UAVs etc.), they also revealed a remote-controlled conversion of the ZU-23 autocannon.

In this article, we are taking a look at another firearm made in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. A YouTube channel called WarGonzo has recently published a video telling about this rifle which is called Separatist. It is a 23mm anti-materiel rifle made from one of the autocannons of the ZU-23 twin barrelled anti-aircraft weapon system.

A YouTube channel called WarDoc has published a video where they show a rifle grenade launcher made in self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. This device is basically a tube attached to the muzzle of an AK-74 rifle. Instead of purpose made rifle grenades, it uses the projectiles of 23x152mmB autocannon rounds. As in the case of many other rifle grenades, in order to shoot it, one must load a blank cartridge into the rifle, load the grenade (the 23mm projectile) from the muzzle and shoot the gun. Let’s watch that video then discuss some design aspects of this launcher: