In the ongoing battle for Ukraine, Russian forces have reportedly lost over 20,000 artillery pieces since the invasion began in February 2022, according to Ukrainian military sources. This figure, totaling 20,013, was highlighted recently by Kyiv’s General Staff, which also mentioned that 58 systems were destroyed just since Wednesday.
The conflict, the largest land war in Europe since WWII, has seen both Ukraine and Russia relying heavily on artillery. Ukraine employs a mix of artillery types, including the U.S.-supplied HIMARS and various howitzers.
Sergey Bobylev / Sputnik via AP
Recently, Ukraine has also rolled out its own Bohdana howitzer, compatible with NATO’s 155mm shells. President Zelensky mentioned that Ukraine is producing around 20 of these howitzers each month.
Meanwhile, Russia claims that Ukraine has lost nearly 17,000 artillery units and mortars, in addition to 1,482 multiple launch rocket systems, which includes HIMARS. These numbers remain unverified, and we’ve yet to hear back from the Ukrainian military for confirmation.
Artillery is known to inflict a large share of casualties along the extensive front lines in eastern and southern Ukraine. It plays a crucial role by targeting enemy positions and supporting advancing troops, often in combination with infantry and armored vehicles.
Although artillery systems are high on Ukraine’s list for Western support, there’s a strong emphasis on securing ammunition to keep these systems effective. Earlier this year, reports indicated that Ukraine was firing only a fraction of the artillery rounds compared to Russia. While many Western nations are stepping up ammunition production, consistently sourcing munitions remains a challenge for Ukraine.