2024-04-05 19:15:02
Germany is sending a whole range of additional weapons to Ukraine. The “Matador” is also there. Its strength: flexibility.
“RGW 90 Matador” – the name of the weapon initially provides little information about what lies behind it. If you break down the abbreviation, it becomes clearer: the letters stand for “Man-portable Anti-Tank, Anti-Door”. In German: man-portable anti-tank, anti-door weapon.
The federal government has now delivered 2,056 additional “Matador” hand weapons to Ukraine around Easter. In total, Germany has provided Kiev with 10,000 copies of the weapon since the Russian invasion began in February 2022. This emerges from the list of military support services provided by the federal government. The “Merkur” first reported.
Can also be used in narrow spaces
But what can the unguided “Matador” grenade launcher do? According to the now defunct manufacturer “Dynamit Nobel Defense”, its strength lies primarily in its compactness and flexibility. The weapon is one meter long, weighs around eleven kilograms and has a range of more than 300 meters. It also fires without recoil and can therefore also be used in relatively narrow spaces – for example in urban warfare.
The “Matador” can also switch between minimum and maximum impact power depending on the situation. In combat, writes “Dynamit Nobel Defense,” this can be used to escalate if necessary.
“Matador” can hit small tanks and walls
So in what specific situations could the grenade launcher be used in Ukraine? As the “Merkur” writes, it is likely to fail against Russian battle tanks, but it could be dangerous to lighter infantry fighting vehicles. He can also break through walls, which can be an advantage in urban warfare.
Where could Ukraine use the “Matador”? Russia is currently increasingly bombing the northeastern metropolis of Kharkiv, which can be interpreted as preparation for an attack with ground troops, as the “Merkur” writes. If Russia actually wants to take Kharkiv, the compact but powerful “Matador” would probably be a useful weapon for the Ukrainian defense.