Ukrainian soldiers say that using UAVs to support artillery fire has increased the accuracy of their shots by 250%.
Ukrainian forces along the front line, including the Avdeevka region, have been forced to adapt and find new tactics to cope with the shortage of artillery ammunition. One such tactic is to combine artillery with drone (UAV) operators to achieve more accurate targeting with limited ammunition.
A Ukrainian artillery soldier fighting on the outskirts of Avdeevka, Donetsk province, said on February 2 that the accuracy of their artillery fire increased by 250% when they coordinated with the UAV operating unit.
"Due to constant ammunition shortages, we were forced to learn how to shoot more effectively than usual. We succeeded in doing this," a Ukrainian soldier said.
UAVs have now become an important component of Russian and Ukrainian artillery units. They search for targets such as tanks, armored vehicles, or fortifications, assisting in correcting projectile trajectories to increase accuracy. UAVs also help save artillery ammunition, allowing commanders to know the extent of enemy damage and whether further fire is needed.
Ukrainian soldiers load ammunition for a CAESAR self-propelled artillery system near the city of Avdeevka, Donetsk province, in May 2023. Photo: Reuters
Ukraine is currently heavily reliant on Western weapons and ammunition. However, the current crucial US military aid package has yet to be approved by Congress.
"On average, we fire 15 rounds a day. Some days we fire more than 100 rounds, but some days we don't fire at all," a Ukrainian soldier said. "The enemy is increasing the intensity of their attacks, and we now have less artillery ammunition than before."
The Ukrainian army is currently unable to fire more than 2,000 rounds per day. Meanwhile, Russian forces overwhelmingly outnumber their opponents in terms of artillery barrages. "In different areas and stages of the fighting, the amount of artillery shells fired by Russia is 5-10 times more than ours," a Ukrainian soldier stated.
While awaiting aid from the West, the Ukrainian army is trying to increase its artillery shell production capacity, but this is not an easy task. Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin stated that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia is on such a large scale that the entire capacity of its partners and allies is insufficient to support Ukraine's needs.
The Russian military is believed to be able to re-equip its forces more effectively thanks to its significant advantages in the defense industry, materials, and manpower. Despite significant losses, Russia can still continue its offensive because it can produce up to 100 tanks per month to replace those lost in combat.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict situation. Graphic: WP
Nguyen Tien (According to BI, Reuters, AFP )
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