The Ukrainian military still seeks a weak spot in the extensive Russian defensive line.
Ukrainian forces are attacking in several directions to stretch Russian reserves and find the best spot to commit their mechanized forces to achieve an operational breakthrough.
Meanwhile, artillery on both sides is fighting a deadly duel for supremacy.
An Artillery Duel in Ukraine
Currently, there is a giant artillery duel between the two sides. The Ukrainians and Russians are trying to suppress the other side’s long-range systems with counterbattery fire.
Artillery remains the king of the battle more than 200 years after French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte identified it as such. Indeed, artillery fire is the leading cause of death and injury in the war so far. Both sides are using drones of all sizes to track and pinpoint enemy units and fortifications and then call in artillery. Drones are the new fire observers of the 21st century.
The Ukrainian military is using its Western weapon systems to suppress the Russian artillery that supports Moscow’s extensive fortifications. Over the past four days, the Ukrainians claim to have destroyed more than 80 Russian artillery pieces.
The Ukrainian forces have a plethora of weapon systems to use, including the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), Pz2000 155mm self-propelled howitzer, M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), Archer 155mm self-propelled howitzer, M-777 155mm howitzers (with the option of the M982 Excalibur precision-guided munition), CAESAR 155mm self-propelled howitzer, and M-109 Paladin 155mm self-propelled howitzer.
The Russian military is also using artillery to slow down the Ukrainian forces. In combination with the extensive minefields, Russian artillery is extremely effective in stopping Ukrainian attacks.
But one of the main considerations is how long the two sides can sustain their artillery duel before they run out of ammunition.
On Monday, the Ukrainians took out an expansive Russian ammunition depot the size of four football fields in Kherson. In the following days, Russian frontline units will likely feel the sting of the attack.
On the Ukrainian side, the United States and NATO have been providing a steady supply of artillery ammunition to Ukraine. As of June, the U.S. alone has provided over 2,6 million artillery rounds of all diameters to Ukraine, including more than 7,000 M982 Excalibur precision-guided munitions. But the daily requirements of the fighting (thousands of rounds) require frequent resupply.
Russian Casualties
On day 483 of the war, the Russian forces continue to take significant casualties on the ground.
Overall, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense claimed that as of Wednesday, Ukrainian forces have killed and wounded approximately 222,000 Russian troops.
Destroyed equipment includes: 314 fighter, attack, bomber, and transport jets, 306 attack and transport helicopters, 4,006 tanks, 3,920 artillery pieces, 7,771 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 615 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), 18 boats and cutters, 6,667 vehicles and fuel tanks, 375 anti-aircraft batteries, 3,428 tactical unmanned aerial systems, 539 special equipment platforms, such as bridging vehicles, and four mobile Iskander ballistic missile systems, and 1,214 cruise missiles shot down by the Ukrainian air defenses.
A 19FortyFive Defense and National Security Columnist, Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
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