Ukraine is preparing for a large-scale counteroffensive. Apparently part of the preparation is increased fire on Russian artillery.
Kiev – A major Ukrainian attack on the Russian invaders has been in the air for weeks in the Ukraine war – the Ukrainian army recently reported some successes in Bakhmut. And above all the artillery seems to be preparing intensively for the counter-offensive. According to a report by Kyiv Post gunners along the line of contact increased their attacks on Russian artillery. The armed forces have eliminated almost two thirds more Russian howitzers and mortars in the last two weeks than at the same time a month ago.
In the two-week period from April 28 to May 11, the Ukrainian military destroyed or otherwise disabled 166 barreled “artillery” systems, according to official data from the Ukrainian Army General Staff. In a parallel two-week period, exactly a month earlier, from March 29 to April 11, the Ukrainian military claimed 108 systems had been destroyed. Ukraine has seen a similar increase in Russian missile artillery systems destroyed, from nine systems destroyed a month ago to 16 systems over the past two weeks.
Australian General: Artillery strikes in preparation for full-scale attack make sense
An independent survey of Russian casualties notes a similar trend. It was prepared by Iceland-based analyst Ragnar Gudmundsson using open-source data. According to this, Russian artillery losses increased by 21 percent in the last seven days compared to the previous seven days.
According to both sources, Ukraine had more opportunities for artillery strikes. An example of this came on May 5, when Ukraine’s 35th Marine Brigade issued an official statement that its gunners sometimes conduct four fire sorties in a day. The powered mortar system fires 163 shots in a single bombardment.
That these attacks are a preparation for the counter-offensive is also the opinion of a military expert: retired Australian General Mick Ryan said in an interview in April that the maximum destruction of Russian artillery and Russian artillery ammunition stores is a logical goal of the Ukrainian high command before a major counter-offensive will be launched.
Ukraine seems to have problems with artillery ammunition
Since the end of April 2022, Ukraine has been receiving NATO-standard 155mm artillery systems, enabling Ukrainian gunners to hit targets beyond the range of Russian return fire. The Poland-provided Krab self-propelled howitzer is so accurate that it can hit a tank-sized target with five shots from a distance of more than 30 kilometers without the use of a guided grenade. This is what a Krab commander told a Ukrainian army reporter in an April 27 report.
Ukrainian military Telegram channels loudly complained Kyiv Post in April often about a local lack of artillery ammunition, especially around the embattled town of Bachmut. As a result, the Ukrainian army suffered heavy casualties from repelling Russian attacks without adequate artillery support.
Meanwhile, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin raises serious allegations. The focus of his attack is once again Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. And: A military economist predicts the end of the Ukraine war for autumn 2023, including a defeat for Russia.
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