Artillery is still the top class in the Russia-Ukraine war

Over the past 29 months, the Russians and Ukrainians have developed new strategies and used modern technologies to gain a decisive advantage in the ongoing war. As the conflict continues to evolve, one particular aspect remains constant: both sides rely heavily on artillery. Most of the battle damage inflicted in the war so far has been caused by artillery, commonly referred to as the “queen of battle.” In fact, the Russians fire approximately 10,000 rounds per day, while the Ukrainians fire approximately 2,000 rounds per day. This reliance on artillery will remain as both Russia and Ukraine develop new tactics and incorporate new technologies to bolster their firepower.

While every modern military uses artillery, both Russia and Ukraine adhere to Soviet doctrine that favors the use of heavy artillery. For example, in World War II, the Red Army fired 2 million rounds at Berlin, a city that was already on the verge of collapse from airstrikes before attacking it. In the modern context, Russian and Ukrainian military operations focus on deploying their artillery systems in key locations from which they can target their opponents. Proper use of artillery played a key role in the Ukrainians’ repulse of the first Russian invasion and in the Russians’ stopping the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

In the current conflict, Ukrainian forces have positioned their artillery in and around their defensive positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and Kharkiv oblasts. They plan to hold these defensive positions for at least the next six months and reinforce them with obstacle belts guarded by artillery to prevent Russian mechanized attacks. As a result, the Russians are forced to conduct dismounted attacks in small units to overrun these defensive positions. These attacks are called the “meat grinder” and have had little success.

Meanwhile, Russian forces are attempting to destroy Ukrainian defensive positions with massive artillery fire. As part of this effort, the Russians are attempting to attack and destroy Ukrainian artillery positions. The Russians are also using their artillery to support their dismounted attacks, as an artillery attack forces Ukrainian soldiers to take cover, limiting their ability to defend their positions.

Both sides have an impressive range of howitzers. Ukraine uses a mix of older Soviet-era equipment, such as the 2S3 Akatsiya, and newer equipment provided by NATO, including the American M109 Paladin, British AS-90 and French CAESAR. Ukraine also produces the 2S22 Bohdana howitzer domestically, partly funded by foreign aid. One challenge is that NATO-provided equipment uses different ammunition sizes than Eastern European equipment, leaving Ukraine dependent on NATO-provided ammunition. Recent British and American aid packages to Ukraine included large numbers of ammunition, along with more AS-90s and M109 Paladins.

At the same time, the Russian military has more artillery than any other army in the world and has three times more artillery pieces than the U.S. military. It uses a combination of Soviet-era self-propelled howitzers, such as the MS19 Msta-S, and newer systems, such as the 2S33 Msta-SM2. In addition, the Russian defense industry has a robust supply network for the production of artillery shells and has a production capacity of 250,000 artillery shells per month, which can keep up with the military’s usage rate.

Both sides have adapted their artillery to the changing dynamics of the battlefield. In fact, the widespread use of electronic warfare has enhanced the role of artillery in combat operations. Throughout the war, Russia and Ukraine have deployed a number of new projectile systems, such as loitering munitions or precision missiles. However, within a few weeks, the system becomes ineffective as the other side discovers a vulnerability in the new system and exploits it with electronic warfare. Artillery shells have the internal electronics needed to jam, making them a reliable weapon for destroying enemy targets. With electronic warfare expected to play an increasingly important role in the war, both sides are likely to resort to more traditional artillery systems.

Additionally, both the Russians and Ukrainians use artillery in conjunction with drones, with the drones being used to locate artillery targets. The drones then monitor the attack, allowing for adjustments in target acquisition, and subsequently assess battle damage. This tactic allows them to increase their reach to targets since they do not need to deploy a forward observer to request the attack. While the Russians first introduced this technique in their 2014 invasion of Crimea, both sides have improved this process over the course of the war. The drones operate more autonomously and the process for requesting artillery strikes has become more automated, allowing for a more effective process.

Artillery had a storied history in the Soviet Union, reflected in its strong integration into modern Russian and Ukrainian combat doctrine. As the war evolved and employed new technologies and tactics, heavy reliance on artillery was a consistent trend throughout the conflict. As the war continues, both sides will no doubt maintain this reliance on artillery as a cornerstone of their military strategies.