2S3 Akatsiya

Conflict Usage

Russia-Ukraine War

Side: RussiaRole: Tracked artillery fire supportstrike

Russian forces have fielded the 2S3 Akatsiya as tracked 152 mm self-propelled artillery in Ukraine; Ukrainian reporting in May 2026 documented an 81st Separate Airmobile Brigade strike on a Russian 2S3 moving toward firing positions near the Slovyansk axis.

Syrian Civil War

Side: Syrian government and alliesRole: Regime self-propelled artillery fire supportstrike

Syrian government forces fielded 152 mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers during the war; Oryx reported Republican Guard Akatsiyas deploying to the Syrian coast in June 2015 and documented six destroyed by Turkish Bayraktar TB2 strikes in Idlib in 2020.

Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

Side: Armenia / ArtsakhRole: Self-propelled artillery fire supportstrike

Armenian/Artsakh forces operated 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled artillery in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh fighting; Oryx documented five Armenian 152 mm 2S3 Akatsiya losses, including four destroyed by loitering munitions.

Related Weapon Systems

Artillery2S1 Gvozdika122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe 2S1 Gvozdika is a Soviet 122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer built around the 2A31 gun on an amphibious armored chassis derived from the MT-LB family. In the Russia-Ukraine War it remains a common short-to-medium-range artillery system for both Russian and Ukrainian forces, combining mobility, indirect fire, and widespread 122 mm ammunition compatibility.

Artillery152 mm SpGH DANA152 mm wheeled self-propelled gun-howitzerThe 152 mm SpGH DANA is a Czechoslovak wheeled self-propelled gun-howitzer built around a Tatra 8x8 chassis, a semi-automatic loading system, and a 152 mm gun compatible with Soviet-pattern ammunition. In Ukrainian service, Czech-supplied DANA and DANA M2 systems add mobile tube artillery that can shoot and displace faster than towed 152 mm guns while still using ammunition types already present in Ukraine's artillery inventory.

Artillery2S19 Msta-S152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe 2S19 Msta-S is a Soviet-designed, Russian-produced 152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer built to replace earlier 2S3 and 2S5 artillery systems with longer-range fire, automated laying variants, and armored cross-country mobility. In the Russia-Ukraine War it appears as a Russian tube-artillery system and as captured equipment operated by Ukrainian units, making it part of the conflict's counter-battery and trophy-equipment record.

Artillery2S35 Koalitsiya-SV152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV is a Russian 152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer developed as a highly automated successor to the 2S19 Msta-S, pairing a 2A88 gun, uncrewed turret, automated loading, digital fire-control features, and a T-90-derived chassis for long-range tube-artillery missions. Its appearance in the Russia-Ukraine War has been reported in limited numbers, with open-source conflict reporting emphasizing counter-battery use and uncertainty around official confirmation.

Artillery2S4 Tyulpan240 mm self-propelled heavy mortarThe 2S4 Tyulpan is a Soviet 240 mm self-propelled heavy mortar built around a large breech-loaded 2B8 mortar on a tracked chassis. Its unusually heavy bombs and low rate of fire make it a siege and bunker-attack weapon rather than a conventional rapid-fire howitzer, and Russian forces have used or lost examples in Ukraine where its size and firing signature make it a high-value counter-battery target.

Artillery2S5 Giatsint-S152 mm tracked self-propelled gunThe 2S5 Giatsint-S is a Soviet 152 mm tracked self-propelled gun built for long-range corps- and army-level fire support. Its open rear-mounted 2A37 gun gives it greater reach than many older Soviet 152 mm systems, while its tracked chassis keeps it mobile enough for displacement after firing. In the Russia-Ukraine War it appears in Russian artillery units and, in at least one documented case, as a captured system restored for Ukrainian use.

Sources