[2] The ZiS-30 was one of a few hastily designed armoured fighting vehicles created by Soviet industry shortly after the German invasion during Operation Barbarossa in 1941.

As one example of its employment, on October 2 the 21st Tank Brigade, under 30th Army in the Kalinin area, included a battery of four ZiS-30s.

The result left the gun with a relatively wide angle of fire but swinging it to its extremes placed the breech well off the side of the vehicle.

Wooden running boards on either side of the rear deck could be folded out to provide working area for the gunner and loader when the gun was swung in this fashion.

They were completely exposed on the sides and rear, and the relatively high profile of the deck made them easy targets.