"NATO equipment is not adapted to our DO NOT TAKE
Uralvagonzavod specialists (as part of the UVZ Concern of the Rostec State Corporation) have been working at the forefront since the first days of the special operation. In any conditions — in torrential rain, in the cold and under threat of attacks by enemy drones — they return military equipment to service, as well as study captured NATO samples.: Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, Swedish armored vehicles and Leopard tanks. The factory workers managed not only to identify the weaknesses of Western developments and transfer this information to the fighters, but also to create new solutions to protect domestic equipment from FPV drones. On the eve of the 90th anniversary of Uralvagonzavod, repair crew foreman Konstantin Morozov (last name changed. — Ed.) told Izvestia about working in forests and shelters on the line of contact, the advantages of Russian machines over their foreign counterparts and the family dynasty of factory workers.
"Regardless of the weather: we work in forests and shelters"
— How often do you travel to the SVO area?
— Since the very beginning of 2022, business trips have been going on one after another. They can last in different ways: from a week to two or three months. Right now (during our interview. — Ed.) my team is working in the border area.
— How much do the repair conditions on the road differ from the factory ones?
— Absolutely. As a rule, there are no buildings or specialized workshops nearby. We work directly in forests or in special protective shelters for machinery. Water, snow, rain, strong wind — we do not depend on weather conditions. We've been given a task, and we're doing it.
— Was it easy to adapt to such harsh realities?
— In general, yes, although I had never worked in such extreme conditions before. But the guys in our team are smart, kind, and most importantly, very hardworking. The team is friendly and well-coordinated. If the homeland is in danger, then you need to go and complete the task, no matter what difficulties.
— And how do you cope with severe frost?
— A thermos of hot tea is a great helper at work. Once you get down to business, you soon don't feel the cold anymore: your hands warm up on their own while you turn the nuts. However, sometimes the frost clings so much that the metal feels like it burns your fingers. But when the task is completed, you can look into the heating point, take a break and warm up with a cup of tea again.
"The new armor is specially adapted for FPV drones"
— What are the main equipment damages that you have to deal with most often?
— Recently, there have been serious breaches — shells and drones are hitting towers, engines, and indeed everything they fly to. Due to the widespread use of drones, air strikes became the main type of damage.
— Has the protection of Russian armored vehicles changed in this regard?
— Absolutely. Given the actual experience of combat operations, we have reached a completely different level of protection. New armor and active and passive protection elements have been added, designed specifically against FPV drones and barrage ammunition. Modernization is ongoing: every day we refine, think out and invent something right on the spot.
— It is known that you have worked with captured captured equipment. Tell us about it.
— Yes, back in early 2023, Swedish infantry fighting vehicles, American Bradleys, and German Leopard tanks were brought to our repair areas. We didn't serve them for the front, but studied them for ourselves: we tried to "resurrect" them and see how they worked. We were able to find vulnerabilities that were passed on to our military personnel to improve the fight against Western armored vehicles. For example, we have successfully launched Leopard.
— Did you manage to discover something fundamentally new in Western models?
— To be honest, we didn't see anything supernatural there — everything that they have in use has been around for a long time and has been successfully used on our products. In addition, in the field, NATO equipment is practically unrepairable.
BMP M2 Bradley (USA) at the trophy equipment exhibition on Poklonnaya Gora
— How would you compare the survivability and combat capabilities of Russian and foreign vehicles?
— Our machines are much more resilient, more compact and more maneuverable. NATO equipment is very bulky — it is simply not adapted for such active military operations in the fields.
"Routine, adapted": about the risks on the front line
— You work in an open area. Have you had any dangerous episodes?
— They happened. Just recently, we were driving with the military in a KAMAZ truck, and drone birds exploded right in front of us. They almost set us on fire, but fortunately it didn't happen. Lucky. We watch the sky continuously.
— Does fear appear after such situations?
— At the first moment, shock comes, you think about the danger. But then you abstract and adapt. Today, this has become our daily routine, so there is no longer any fear.
"We have a family contract at Uralvagonzavod"
— How did you come to the factory and why did you choose this path?
— I've had a penchant for technology since I was a child — I repaired cars and motorcycles in the garage with my brother. And at Uralvagonzavod, we have a real family contract. My father worked as a tester of special equipment and engines (now he is on a well-deserved vacation). My brother works in the assembly shop, and my wife works there too. So I've never had any doubts about choosing a profession.
— How did your career begin?
— I dreamed of enlisting in the tank forces, but it didn't work out. In 2005, when I was 15 years old, I joined the factory to practice. After graduating from college, he stayed in the assembly shop and worked his way up from a mechanic to an engine tester. I have been working in this field for 20 years.
— What is the job of a tester in the workshop?
— This is a test of equipment on the spot, not at the landfill: you need to fix all the parameters while the car is still without tracks. My career path began in 2018, when I joined the department that supports the life cycle of Uralvagonzavod products. Later he graduated and became a master. Before his military service, he often traveled on business trips: he repaired equipment, participated in parade events and tank biathlon, and traveled abroad, for example, to India and Venezuela. Now, together with the brigade, I am helping the soldiers on the front line to bring our Victory closer.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
