Profile
- Origin
- Russia
- Built by
- KBP Instrument Design Bureau
- Type
- 120 mm laser-guided artillery projectile
- Service note
- Introduced in 2002
- Designer
- KBP Instrument Design Bureau
Kitolov-2 is a Russian 120 mm semi-active laser-guided projectile from KBP's precision artillery ammunition family. It is documented for Nona-family 120 mm gun-mortars, including the 2S9 Nona and 2S23 Nona-SVK, and uses a laser-homing guidance chain similar to larger Russian guided artillery projectiles. The related Kitolov-2M is a 122 mm family member for D-30 and 2S1-class artillery rather than the same 120 mm round.
The Kitolov family split is primarily by caliber: Kitolov-2 is the 120 mm Nona-family projectile, while Kitolov-2M is the related 122 mm projectile for 122 mm artillery.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
![]() | 122 mm guided artillery projectile | Kitolov-2M is the 122 mm family member associated with D-30 and 2S1-class artillery rather than the 120 mm Nona-family Kitolov-2 round. Sources: Topwar Kitolov-2 and Kitolov-2M, Rostec High-Precision Weapons Contracts 2024 |
Kitolov-2 is documented for Nona-family 120 mm gun-mortars rather than ordinary 122 mm howitzers, which are associated with the separate Kitolov-2M projectile.
| Firing weapon | Weapon type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
![]() | 120 mm tracked self-propelled gun-mortar | Topwar identifies the 120 mm Kitolov-2 as a guided projectile for the 2S9 Nona family. Sources: Topwar Kitolov-2 and Kitolov-2M |
![]() | 120 mm wheeled self-propelled gun-mortar | Army Guide explicitly lists correcting projectile ZVOF112 Kitolov-2 among the rounds the 2S23 Nona-SVK can fire. Sources: Army Guide 2S23 Kitolov-2 |
Kitolov-2 sits between the firing weapon and a laser-designation chain. The projectile is the 120 mm member of the family used with Nona-type gun-mortars; Kitolov-2M is the separate 122 mm family member.
| Topic | Sourced detail | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Projectile family | Topwar separates the 120 mm Kitolov-2 from the 122 mm Kitolov-2M. | The split prevents 2M-specific production or battlefield claims from being treated as direct evidence for the 120 mm round. |
| Firing platforms | Army Guide lists ZVOF112 Kitolov-2 for the 2S23 Nona-SVK, and Topwar ties Kitolov-2 to Nona-family 120 mm systems. | The round is best presented through its 2S9 and 2S23 relationships unless exact combat-use sourcing is available. |
| Guidance context | TASS described Kitolov-family projectiles as laser-homed weapons used with target illumination, including drone-assisted designation in Ukraine reporting. | The source is useful for family-level context, but it does not by itself justify a conflictUsage row for this exact 120 mm projectile. |
Open Russian reporting describes the 120 mm Kitolov-2 guided projectile as entering service in 2002.
Sources: Topwar Kitolov-2 and Kitolov-2M
TASS reported Russian use of Kitolov laser-guided artillery shells in Ukraine, but the report did not distinguish the 120 mm Kitolov-2 from related Kitolov-family projectiles.
Sources: TASS Gran and Kitolov in Ukraine
Rostec said Kalashnikov completed 2024 contracts for several high-precision weapons, including Kitolov-2M artillery projectiles, giving current production context for the adjacent 122 mm family member.
Sources: Rostec High-Precision Weapons Contracts 2024







