Bringing out the big guns! - 'Howitzer ML-20', legendary weapon behind Red Army's victory over the Nazis *ARCHIVE*

"The Howitzer ML-20 - a mainstay of the Red Army, this heavy artillery weapon was at the heart of the Soviet victory over the Nazis. Archive footage from 1945 shows soldiers loading and firing the 152 mm gun. The video also captures thick smoke billowing over Berlin's residential areas and Soviet tanks passing by heavily damaged buildings at the end of World War II. The crew are also seen bidding farewell to one particular weapon - kissing the barrel - and that gun was later displayed at the Leningrad (Saint Petersburg) Artillery Historical Museum of the Red Army. The ML-20 was one of the most significant artillery pieces used by the Soviet Union during World War II. Uniquely placed between traditional short-range howitzers and more specialised long-range guns, it was a highly versatile weapon for the Red Army. Russia and many other countries mark the 81st Victory Day, commemorating victory over Nazi Germany, on May 9."

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