Ukrainian forces score major victory destroying 13,000 Russian artillery systems
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence reported that since the beginning of the war, the defending army has managed to destroy approximately 13,000 enemy artillery systems. What type of weapons are the Russians losing most frequently?
"13,000 russian artillery systems have been destroyed since the beginning of the russian full-scale invasion. +1,018 since the beginning of May. That's what we call an effective counter-battery warfare" - wrote Ukraine's Ministry of Defense.
Russians are losing their artillery
Although the war in Ukraine is often discussed in terms of Western equipment supplied to the defending army or the growing importance of drones, artillery is still commonly referred to as the "god of war". Both sides use various types of systems in the ongoing conflict. For the Russians, these are most often equipment produced during the Soviet Union era. Nevertheless, most of them are dangerous and provide significant firepower.
They most frequently lose 2S1 Gvozdika, 2S3 Akatsiya, and 2S5 Giatsint systems from publicly available information and systematically appearing reports on Russian losses. The first uses 122-mm rounds, with a maximum range of about 14 kilometres. The following two are based on 152-mm cannons and can hit targets at approximately 18 and 27 kilometres, respectively.
The heavy artillery used by the Russians primarily includes the 2S7 Pion, which has almost disappeared from the front in recent weeks. This results from successful Ukrainian actions to eliminate such equipment and the Russians' problems with supplying replacement units.
Unreliable Russian artillery
The 2S7 Pion is an artillery system constructed in the early 1970s. It is notable for its range, which reaches approximately 40 kilometres, which allows it to be compared to NATO equipment. In the case of rocket-boosted rounds, the range increases to up to 50 kilometres. Additionally, the 2S7 Pion distinguishes itself with 203-mm rounds, providing enormous firepower.
In contrast to the 2S7 Pion, it is easier for the Russians to send more 2S1 Gvozdika, 2S3 Akatsiya, and 2S5 Giatsint systems to the front. Although their reserves are significantly depleted, they are still sufficient for the coming months.
Among the newer types of these weapons, the Russians have high hopes, especially for the Koalitsiya-SV artillery, which they believe "will revolutionise the battle". They said the same, however, about the T-90 and T-14 Armata tanks. The former was disappointed in Ukraine, and the latter was not sent to the front at all out of fear of their loss.
