2B9 Vasilyok Russian 82 mm mortar with 2F54 towing vehicle
Eastern Express 35136

The 2B9 "Vasilyok" (Cornflower) is an automatic 82 mm mortar developed in the Soviet Union in the late 1960s and subsequently fielded in the Soviet Army. Unlike conventional mortars, the 2B9 can fire in automatic mode using four-round clips, and rounds can be loaded from either the muzzle or the breech. Because of its wheeled carriage, the 2B9 resembles a light artillery piece more than a conventional mortar. The 2B9 was used in Afghanistan by Soviet units and is still found in Russian airmobile infantry units. In the fighting in Afghanistan, Soviet units found the 2B9 a versatile and useful weapon. The 2B9 can fire an antitank projectile weighing 3.1 kg with a 75 g warhead that can penetrate 100 mm of armor. [Wikipedia]