2014 Russia-Ukraine War

M120 Rak in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War

Ukraine operates Polish M120 Rak 120 mm self-propelled mortars in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, with public sources documenting a 2023 Polish supply package, 44th Mechanized Brigade fielding, and later Ukrainian Ministry of Defence confirmation.

Weapon profileM120 Rak
SideUkraineRoleFire SupportTraining & Foreign Aid
M120 Rak, 120 mm turreted self-propelled mortar system, Artillery - 2014 Russia-Ukraine War
Image source: Polish Army SMK 120 RAK at Radom-2023

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
Ukraine ordered three Rak fire modules from Poland in April 2023, totaling 24 120 mm self-propelled mortars with protection vehicles.

Sources: OSW Polish-Ukrainian Military Partnership

The 44th Separate Mechanized Brigade publicly showed a Rak self-propelled mortar in Ukrainian service in December 2023.

Sources: Defense Express First Rak Video

Ukrainian crews described Rak battlefield use for infantry-support fire against Russian forces.

Sources: Defense Express Rak Battlefield Interviews

Ukraine's Ministry of Defence later stated that the Defence Forces of Ukraine operate the Rak self-propelled mortar system.

Sources: Ukraine MOD Rosomak APC Overview

ArmyInform imagery identifies a Rak self-propelled mortar with Ukraine's 44th Mechanized Brigade and carries a reusable CC BY 4.0 license via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources: Wikimedia UA 44th Brigade Rak Mortar

Timeline

M120 Rak In 2014 Russia-Ukraine War

  1. Ukraine orders Rak fire modules from Poland

    OSW reported that Ukraine ordered three Rak fire modules from Poland, totaling 24 120 mm self-propelled mortars with protection vehicles.

    Sources: OSW Polish-Ukrainian Military Partnership

  2. 44th Brigade video shows Rak in Ukrainian service

    Defense Express identified video released by Ukraine's 44th Separate Mechanized Brigade as the first public video of the Polish Rak self-propelled mortar in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

    Sources: Defense Express First Rak Video

  3. Ukrainian crews describe battlefield use

    Defense Express, citing ArmyInform interviews, reported that Ukrainian crews had operated Polish Rak mortars for at least a year and a half and described their use for infantry-support fire against Russian forces.

    Sources: Defense Express Rak Battlefield Interviews

  4. Ukraine MOD confirms Rak operation

    Ukraine's Ministry of Defence stated that the Defence Forces of Ukraine operate both Hitfist-30P Rosomak combat vehicles and the Rak self-propelled mortar system.

    Sources: Ukraine MOD Rosomak APC Overview

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

The M120 Rak is documented in Ukrainian service during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War through Polish-Ukrainian transfer reporting, brigade-level imagery and video, and later official Ukrainian Ministry of Defence reporting.

OSW reported that agreements signed during President Volodymyr Zelensky's April 2023 Warsaw visit included three Rak fire modules for Ukraine, totaling 24 120 mm self-propelled mortars with protection vehicles. Defense Express then identified December 2023 video from Ukraine's 44th Separate Mechanized Brigade as the first public video of the Polish 120 mm Rak in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Sources: OSW Polish-Ukrainian Military Partnership, Defense Express First Rak Video

Timeline

The public sequence begins with the April 2023 Polish-Ukrainian procurement announcement, followed by December 2023 brigade imagery and video showing Rak vehicles in Ukrainian hands. In September 2024, Defense Express, citing ArmyInform interviews with Ukrainian crews, described Rak mortars as already in service for at least a year and a half and tied them to soldiers of the 44th Separate Mechanized Brigade.

On 14 May 2026, Ukraine's Ministry of Defence stated that the Defence Forces of Ukraine operate the Rak self-propelled mortar system alongside Rosomak combat variants. That official account confirms the system's continuing Ukrainian service but does not give a vehicle count or assign all Rak vehicles to a single unit.

Sources: OSW Polish-Ukrainian Military Partnership, Defense Express First Rak Video, Defense Express Rak Battlefield Interviews, Ukraine MOD Rosomak APC Overview

Battlefield role

In the Ukraine record, Rak appears as a mobile 120 mm mortar fire-support system supplied by Poland and operated by Ukrainian forces. Defense Express reported that 44th Brigade personnel described its task as supporting infantry and destroying fortified positions, while later ArmyInform-based reporting emphasized Ukrainian crew use against Russian infantry targets spotted by reconnaissance drones.

The sources support a fire-support and foreign-aid fielding role, not a complete order of battle. They document transfer plans, public brigade appearances, crew comments, and Ukrainian MOD confirmation of operation, but they do not establish a full delivery total in service, a complete list of Ukrainian units, or a verified incident-by-incident firing log.

Sources: Defense Express First Rak Video, Defense Express Rak Battlefield Interviews, Ukraine MOD Rosomak APC Overview

Images

Conflict Context

Rak self-propelled mortar in service with Ukraine's 44th Mechanized Brigade
ArmyInform image of a Rak self-propelled mortar with Ukraine's 44th Mechanized Brigade, republished on Wikimedia Commons under CC BY 4.0.

Sources: Wikimedia UA 44th Brigade Rak Mortar

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Sources