Camouflaged in the bushes on the side of the Ukrainian trenches is the Howitzer M777 artillery piece, “the most powerful the West has ever provided.” [à Ucrânia] until now”, writes The New York Times who saw her on the ground. The reason? There are five more: not only is it easier to carry and hide, but it also hits targets farther away and more accurately – since it has a built-in GPS system – and is faster than other weapons of this type, as you can read on the place of the company Bae Sysrtems, in charge of manufacturing the M777 Howitzer, in addition to supplying material to Ministries of Defense of several countries.
If there was any doubt – since the shipment of 90 Howitzer M777-type weapons was announced long ago – now, the American newspaper has confirmed that this howitzer (a kind of cannon) is actually being used by the Ukrainians. army. east of the territory invaded by Russia.
Like other countries, the United States of America made it official to send weapons to Ukraine as a way to help combat military inferiority. France and Slovakia will also send howitzers.
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We believe that the shells are having an impact, particularly in Kharkiv. Now is this the only reason? I don’t think we would go so far as to say such a thing, but we believe that the systems that [Ucrânia] they are receiving, not only from the US, but also from other countries, they are absolutely helping them regain some momentum and territory,” said a government official, quoted in a Pentagon statement published last Monday.
The M777 howitzers, authentic steel and titanium machines capable of hitting targets up to 40 kilometersthey were first used by the US in Afghanistan in 2005 and only two other countries had them: Australia and Canada.
In Ukraine they have already killed dozens of Russian soldiers and destroyed at least three armored vehicles of Moscow troops, according to the estimate of Colonel Roman Kachur. In fact, ever since they went into combat about two weeks ago, almost two thousand projectiles have already been firedthe Ukrainian authorities advance.
“This weapon brings us closer to victory,” the commander of the 55th artillery brigade, whose unit was the first to use the lethal weapon, stressed to the American newspaper, acknowledging (implicitly) that more support is always needed: “With all the modern weapons, precise weapons, we are getting closer to victory.”. Analysts assure, however, that this “no guarantee of success”.
Destroy Russian military infrastructuresuch as ammunition depots and command posts, is the main objective, the colonel assumed, in addition to dismantle enemy bombardments addressed to Ukrainian cities.
Skill in handling the weapon is the key to success, but few Ukrainian military know how to operate the 90 incoming howitzers. So only about 12 are being used and it can take weeks for everyone to be on the ground.
for six days US troops taught 200 Ukrainian soldiers at bases in Germany to fire these weapons. The group was later split down the middle, with 100 going to the front lines and the remaining 100 being responsible for training more soldiers.
THE Russia, while relativizing the power of this powerful weapon, chooses it as a target. “In the process of achieving its objectives, a set of Giatsint-S systems eliminated a unit of US-made M777 howitzers,” said a government statement, quoted by the state agency TASS.
In the video released by the Ministry of Defense and circulating on YouTube, you can see howitzers being hit by Russian shells and later seeking refuge in the forest, an area that was also bombed.
Russia announces destruction of ammunition depot for US howitzers
On Tuesday, Moscow announced that it had destroyed howitzer ammunition depots. A week ago, Mikhail Kodaryonok, a former Russian colonel who first criticized Putin’s war strategy and later backtracked, mentioned Russia’s attacks on US missiles in Ukraine. He said they would continue to be a target of Russian forces “for the foreseeable future.” “They will be searched, discovered and beaten,” the colonel assured in the reserve, adding that they will soon be just “memories.”
Colonel who criticized Putin’s strategy changes his speech: “Ukraine will have a very unpleasant surprise”
Source: Observadora
