Curtains of Fire! Ukrainian Army Exhausts Russian Artillery, But New Threat Is Coming

At the beginning of the full-scale war, Russian artillery was considered one of the Kremlin's main trump cards. The massive shelling created "curtains of fire" behind which the troops advanced. At that time, Russia was believed to outnumber Ukraine by 10 times, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky regularly asked the allies for shells, writes Forbes.

A lot has changed since then. As the commander of the "Typhoon" unmanned aerial vehicle unit says in a comment to the publication of the National Guard of Ukraine with the call sign "Mikhail", artillery has not disappeared anywhere, but now drones are becoming the main threat.

How drones detect Russian artillery systems

Ukraine has achieved great success in counter-battery warfare. Guns that have opened fire can be detected using counter-battery radars, such as the American AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder, which track the trajectory of the projectile and calculate the starting point. In addition, new-generation acoustic sensors are being actively deployed.

"Radar is the first stage. It determines an approximate area, but not a point. Often this is an area of 200 by 200 meters - too large for an accurate strike", the military emphasized. Therefore, the use of drones with wide coverage is subsequently necessary - both with real-time video broadcasting and high-resolution photography. They make it possible to accurately determine whether the weapon is in place and to transmit the coordinates.

When is the best time to look for artillery

"The easiest way to detect artillery at the moment of firing is flashes, smoke, movement of the compartment. Even if the gun is partially hidden by trees or buildings, we recognize it by its silhouette. In the forest we look for traces of tracks, broken soil, heat from equipment (if there is a thermal imager)“, notes Mikhail.

After confirming the coordinates, the strike must be delivered immediately - before the gun has left its position.

Why are drones better than artillery

Although counter-battery fire is still relevant, in many cases howitzers are already being replaced by drones.

“FPV-controlled drones - both quadcopters and gliders - often turn out to be more accurate and faster than artillery. A high-quality drone is the most effective way to destroy an artillery system,“ explains the commander of “Typhoon“.

In practice, the drone can fly slower than the projectile (~160 km/h versus 1000 km/h for the projectile), but manages to reach the target faster, since it does not require aiming and fire correction. FPV can fly for several minutes, but will hit the target the first time. Artillery, on the other hand, requires several volleys, especially if the target is moving.

If the gun is self-propelled, it can take off even before the projectile arrives. The drone is capable of pursuing artillery and will defeat it even on the move. It is more difficult with towed weapons - they need to be hit by elements: bolt, sight, towing vehicle.

"The main thing is a stable video connection. Without it, the operator will not be able to precisely direct the drone", the Ukrainian military explains. According to him, this is helped by new "optical drones", which do not lose connection even in difficult conditions. After the strike, a reconnaissance drone is used to confirm the destruction.

Artillery is worse than drones

"Russian artillery still poses a serious threat", confirms "Michael". However, for example, Russian reconnaissance drones, despite the fact that they were shot down in the number of several thousand, are still numerous.

“They (the Russians) have no shortage of reconnaissance drones. They (the drones) are constantly in the air“, the Ukrainian commander emphasizes, adding: The most interesting thing is that Russia, despite the presence of artillery, is increasingly relying on FPV drones, carrying out hundreds of drone strikes per day.

According to anonymous sources, Russia plans to produce up to 2 million FPV drones by 2025 against 3 million artillery shells. Ukraine, for its part, is also increasing its production.

The War in Ukraine

Earlier, UNIAN reported that, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the war should preferably end during Donald Trump's presidential term - by January 20, 2029.

"I really rely on the influence of the United States. This is what can help. Sanctions are needed. Diplomacy is needed. Security is needed,“ the Ukrainian leader said.