Conference devoted to the history of Russian artillery opens in Petersburg

A two-day scientific conference "Russian Artillery: History and the Present Day" has opened at the St. Petersburg Military-Technical Museum of Artillery Engineering and Communication Troops. The conference is timed for the 620th anniversary of Russian artillery and the 425th anniversary of the Russian Defence Ministry's Main Missile-Artillery Directorate.

The press-service of the museum reported on Thursday that taking part in the conference are more than 80 scientists from Moscow, St.Petersburg, Tula, Novosibirsk, and Irkutsk. Vladimir Zaritsky, chief of missile troops and artillery of the Russian armed forces is also taking part in the conference.

In their reports the scientists will tell about the reforms in artillery, about outstanding artillerymen, as well as the artillery education in Russia. Researchers of Russian museums, libraries and archives will devote their reports to unique displays and documents on the history of Russian artillery from their collections.

Russian artillery goes back to the latter half of the 14th century. According to chroniclers, the first artillery was used in Rus during the defence of Moscow against the troops of Khan Tokhtamysh in 1382.

The Artillery Office was set up in 1577, which in the Russia before tsar Peter was in charge of all issues of the manufacture and use in combat of artillery and which became the predecessor of the Main Missile-Artillery Directorate.