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Western artillery invading Ukraine will change the war with Russia, launching a bloody battle of minds backed by long-range weapons and forcing both sides to become more agile if they hope to avoid significant casualties as battles are rising east, US officials and forecast military analysts.
The expanded artillery battle follows Russia’s failed efforts to quickly seize Ukraine’s main settlements, including the capital Kyiv. This comes as the government of President Vladimir Zelensky and his Western benefactors prepare for what is expected to be a grinding campaign in the Donbass region. The conflict there is expected to show long-range cannons that are central to Russia’s arsenal, weapons that have already been used to wreak havoc in places like Mariupol, a southern port city shattered by ruthless bombing.
Speaking to his Canadian counterpart at the Pentagon on Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said long-range artillery would be “decisive” in the next phase of the war. The Biden administration, which, along with Canada, is training a small number of Ukrainian troops on how to operate the dozens of 155-millimeter howitzers the two countries have pledged to provide, is expected to approve the transfer of more artillery to Ukraine in the coming days, Austin said.
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin is pushing hard on Ukraine, but quietly
American and Canadian howitzers traveling to Ukraine are towed by trailers, while those promised by France – systems known as Caesar’s self-propelled howitzers – fire the same 155mm explosive shells, but from the back of a truck chassis.
The United States alone has already promised Zelensky nearly 190,000 artillery shots plus 90 howitzers to fire them. As of Thursday, more than half had arrived in Ukraine, said a senior U.S. defense official who, like some others, spoke on condition of anonymity under basic rules set by the administration.
A new $ 33 billion request to Congress for additional aid to Ukraine includes proposed funding for “heavier-range artillery of heavier caliber,” Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told Capitol Hill lawmakers, though she did not specify which specific systems. consider. Other allies, such as Britain and Sweden, could also send artillery, analysts said.
Ukraine uses Soviet-era weapons against Russia
To date, Russia and Ukraine have exchanged fire using some of the same systems, including the powerful 300-millimeter Tornado-launched missile system, which can fire at about 55 miles, and the old 122-millimeter howitzers, first introduced. in the 1960s. The introduction of various Western artillery weapons is expected to accelerate tactical change on both sides to use what is known as counter-battery fire, in which military forces search for their enemy’s artillery, locate it and attack, analysts said.
“You’re trying to find, fix and finish,” said George Flynn, a retired three-star Marine general and former artillery officer. “You want to find the enemy howitzers. You want to fix their position. And then you want to finish them. That is the essence of targeting. “
Once an artillery unit attacks an enemy, it must continue to move, Flynn said. “Once you get into a battle with double batteries, it’s shooting and going,” he added. You don’t stay around and you get targeted.
Russian and Ukrainian
artillery ranges
Examples of some of the artillery and hers
approximate maximum range
13.6 miles
D-30 towed
howitzer
18 miles
2S19 self-propelled
howitzer
43.5 miles
The tornado is multiple
rocket launcher
2.2 miles
TOS-1 set
rocket launcher
Examples of NATO artillery are
sending Ukraine and its approximates
maximum range
18.6 miles
M198 towed
howitzer
28.6 miles
Caesar is self-propelled
howitzer
24.9 miles
M777 towed
howitzer
The difference between drawn
and self-propelled howitzer
Russian D-30 and American M777
and M198 must be towed by truck.
The French Ceasar is a truck
with a howitzer on it.
Ukraine wants more self-propelled howitzers, such as the US M109 Paladin, which are less vulnerable to Russian counterbattery.
Sources: Federation of American Scientists;
oe.tradoc.army.mil; GlobalSecurity.org
and Reporting the publication
ARTHUR GALOCHA / WASHINGTON POST
Russian and Ukrainian artillery ranges
Examples of some of the artillery and its approximations
maximum range
13.6 miles
D-30 towed
howitzer
18 miles
2S19 self-propelled
howitzer
43.5 miles
The tornado is multiple
rocket launcher
2.2 miles
TOS-1 set
rocket launcher
Examples of artillery sent by NATO countries to Ukraine
and its approximate maximum range
18.6 miles
M198 towed
howitzer
28.6 miles
Caesar is self-propelled
howitzer
24.9 miles
M777 towed
howitzer
The difference between drawn
and self-propelled howitzer
Russian D-30 and American M777
and M198 must be towed by truck.
The French Ceasar is a truck
with a howitzer on it.
Ukraine wants more self-propelled howitzers, such as the US M109 Paladin, which are less vulnerable to Russian counterbattery.
Sources: Federation of American Scientists;
oe.tradoc.army.mil; GlobalSecurity.org and reporting on publications
ARTHUR GALOCHA / WASHINGTON POST
Russian and Ukrainian artillery ranges
Examples of some of the artillery
and its approximate maximum range
2.2 miles
TOS-1 set
rocket launcher
13.6 miles
D-30 towed
howitzer
18 miles
2S19 self-propelled
howitzer
43.5 miles
The tornado is multiple
rocket launcher
Examples of artillery sent by NATO countries to Ukraine
and its approximate maximum range
18.6 miles
M198 towed
howitzer
24.9 miles
M777 towed
howitzer
28.6 miles
Caesar is self-propelled
howitzer
The difference between drawn
and self-propelled howitzer
Russian D-30 and American M777 and M198
must be towed by truck.
The M777 can raise the cannon from 0 ° to 71.7 °
The French Ceasar is a truck
with a howitzer on it.
Ukraine wants more self-propelled
howitzers, such as the American M109 Paladin,
less vulnerable than the Russian counter-battery.
It can also raise the cannon from -4 ° to 72 °
Sources: Federation of American Scientists;
oe.tradoc.army.mil; GlobalSecurity.org and reporting on publications
ARTHUR GALOCHA / WASHINGTON POST
Ukraine’s ability to target Russian artillery is particularly important, analysts say, because of the Kremlin’s demonstrated readiness to circle after shelling cities, destroying civilian homes and infrastructure. “The mere existence” of more Ukrainian anti-battery artillery units will impair Russia’s ability to “sit there, stockpile ammunition and go to the city,” said Scott Boston, a former U.S. Army field artillery officer studying the Russian military. for Rand Corp.
The “problem” that Ukraine and its Western allies would like to “impose on the Russians,” he said, “is that they are never confident that a headquarters, or a key ammunition depot, or an important group of fire platforms could ever be motionless for a very long time. “
The Pentagon said on Friday that Russia was not as effective as it would have liked in using long-range artillery. A senior defense official noted that with the West continuing to send so much artillery to Ukraine, “this could turn into a gun battle.”
Artillery units are often disguised in camouflage or other forms of cover and may require a combination of reconnaissance, drones and radar to spot them. The West is providing Ukraine with drones and anti-battery radar to do just that.
What a difference it can make
artillery mark?
The greater the range of artillery, the more opponents must consider how to position themselves on the battlefield
With 30-mile artillery, these will be targets from the border and controlled areas for the Russian and Ukrainian armies.
separatist
controlled
■ area
Crimea
Attached
from Russia
in 2014
Control zones as of April 27
Sources: Institute for War Research, AEI Critical Threats
Project, post reporting
What difference could artillery make?
The greater the range of artillery, the more opponents must consider how to position themselves on the battlefield
With 30-mile artillery, these will be targets from the border and controlled areas for the Russian and Ukrainian armies.
separatist
controlled
■ area
Crimea
Attached
from Russia
in 2014
Control zones as of April 27
Sources: Institute for War Research, AEI Critical Threats
Project, post reporting
What difference could artillery make?
The greater the range of artillery, the more opponents must consider how to position themselves on the battlefield.
With 30-mile artillery, these will be targets from the border and controlled areas for the Russian and Ukrainian armies.
separatist
controlled
■ area
Crimea
Attached
from Russia
in 2014
Control zones from …
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