Ukraine’s counteroffensive is unfolding in the country’s east and its south, with heavy fighting across the contact line.
Although main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and trench fighting are grabbing most of the attention, there is a fierce artillery fight on the sidelines.
This artillery duel can determine the fate of the Ukrainian operation.
The Artillery War in Ukraine
Ukraine claims to be destroying an average of more than 20 Russian artillery weapons and multiple launch rockets daily. Since the start of the counteroffensive in early June, the Ukrainians claim to have destroyed approximately 1,100 artillery pieces and 110 multiple-launch rocket systems.
Although Ukrainian claims should be examined critically, there is plenty of footage from the ground to buttress Kyiv’s numbers. There is some verification from the Russian side as well.
In recent days, the Russian Ministry of Defense reportedly dismissed Maj. Gen. Ivan Popov, the commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army fighting in Southern Ukraine.
Popov went public in Russia, accusing the top brass and adding that he was fired because he revealed the true state of the Russian forces in his sector. Interestingly, Popov revealed a lack of counter-battery radars to deal with Ukrainian artillery.
These radar systems allow a force to triangulate the direction of an artillery weapon with fairly good accuracy, facilitating counter-battery fire against the attacker.
“Russian ground forces’ survivability relies on effectively detecting Ukrainian artillery and striking against it, often with its force’s own artillery. A key component of this approach is counter-battery radars, which allow commanders to rapidly locate enemy gun lines,” British Military Intelligence assessed in its latest estimate of the war.
The Russian military has a particular shortage of the ZOOPARK-1M system, one of its most modern counter-battery radars. Ukrainian forces have been prioritizing these systems, using suicide drones and long-range fires to take them out.
But the Ukrainian military has another, distinct advantage over the Russians: longer range. Even with counter-battery radars, Russian forces cannot reach Ukrainian long-range systems such as the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, Archer 155mm self-propelled howitzer, and M-777 155mm howitzer, when these are firing the M982 long-range precision-guided round.
Russian Casualties
Russian forces have been losing more than just artillery. After 510 days of fighting, they continue to lose an average of about 400 men every day killed, wounded, or captured.
Overall, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense claimed that as of Monday, Ukrainian forces have killed and wounded approximately 238,300 Russian troops. They also claim they have destroyed 322 fighter, attack, bomber, and transport jets; 310 attack and transport helicopters; 4,115 tanks; 4,504 artillery pieces; 8.034 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles; 685 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems; 18 boats and cutters; 7,059 vehicles and fuel tanks; 428 anti-aircraft batteries; 3,828 tactical unmanned aerial systems; 677 special equipment platforms, such as bridging vehicles, and four mobile Iskander ballistic missile systems; and 1,273 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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