Russian forces receive Krasnopol-M2 delivery
Russia’s state-owned defence company, Rostec, has reported Krasnopol-M2 deliveries. The laser-guided artillery round is a core component of Russia’s counter-battery efforts in Ukraine.
By Sam Cranny-Evans, editor of Calibre Defence, published on April 3, 2026.
Rostec has announced the delivery of additional Krasnopol-M2 laser guided artillery rounds to the Russian armed forces. In an April 2 announcement the company states, “The production of precision-guided munitions is a priority for the State Corporation’s enterprises.”
Krasnopol-M2 is a 152 mm munition that can be fired from Russia’s towed and self-propelled howitzers. The M2 is an improved version over the variant that Russia entered the war with. It was in development in 2021 and provides a range of 26 km over the 20 km of the original round, which dates back to the Soviet era.
The modernised round also addresses some of the weaknesses of the original, which primarily relate to the weather. Krasnopol uses a laser for guidance, which could be disrupted by low-lying cloud or rain. As you can probably imagine, this became a significant challenge for Russian forces in eastern Europe. As a result, the Krasnopol-M2 is supposedly less vulnerable to weather conditions, providing a solution that can be used more often.
Other improvements are thought to include increased accuracy and revised flight control. This is interesting because the original Krasnopol was already reasonably accurate, and capable of striking within metres of its target.
However, the war in Ukraine typically involves what are very small targets to an artillery shell. A howitzer that is 20 km away, for example, is a complicated target to hit. Nevertheless, Krasnopol-M2 has become a real problem for Ukraine’s armed forces. It is often used in combination with loitering munitions to suppress and destroy guns, but its lethality can be much greater.
Calibre comment: Counter-battery warfare in Ukraine
Ukraine quickly dispersed its guns after the invasion, often resorting to a “wandering gun” concept instead of batteries. This created several problems for Russia’s counter-battery efforts, which relied upon massed fires and radar for reconnaissance. However, the pressures created by Ukraine’s artillery tactics encouraged the Russian forces to adopt more drones in their counter-battery fight. Drones are now the leading edge of target detection and can also be used to illuminate targets for Krasnopol-M2. Targets will often be engaged with a wave of effectors, starting with loitering munitions and drones that are followed by Krasnopol.
Amongst the many changes to Russia’s forces since 2022, the way it engages targets is one that is overlooked. Under its pre-2022 doctrine, Russian artillery would effectively iron an area out. A pre-set number of shells would be fired possibly with some adjustment from a drone or forward observer. Now, however, they appear to have developed much better battle damage assessment protocols. This means Ukrainian howitzers may be engaged until they are destroyed, whereas before they might only have needed to wait out a barrage.
This is not the first delivery of Krasnopol-M2. If you would like to read about previous examples or the related issue of laser detection, check out the links below:
The lead image shows a Krasnopol-M2 projectile on display at an exhibition. Credit: Rostec.
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