Russian Forces Destroy Norway, U.S. Supplied Artillery Guns in Ukraine

A Norway-supplied 155mm M109A3 self-propelled artillery gun and two U.S.-made M777 howitzers were destroyed by Russian artillery in Ukraine.

"The artillery strikes wiped out a 155mm M109A3 self-propelled artillery gun supplied by Norway, two U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzers and also seven field artillery guns and mortars, including a 203mm Pion self-propelled artillery system," Igor Konashenkov, Russian defense ministry spokesman, said at a regular press briefing Tuesday.

The strikes also eliminated "over 400 nationalists, 10 pieces of armor, three Grad multiple launch rocket systems, 10 special vehicles and also three S-300 anti-aircraft missile launchers near Kramatorsk,” the general added.

In the past 24 hours, the Russian missile and artillery troops say they hit 39 command posts, 47 firing positions of Ukrainian artillery batteries and 426 areas of amassed manpower and military hardware. Russian air defense forces shot down 12 Ukrainian drones in the Kharkov and Nikolayev Regions in the past 24 hours, Konashenkov said.

"Russian air defense capabilities shot down 12 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in the areas of the communities of Liptsy, Strelechye, Dementyevka, Borodoyarskoye, Maryino, Petrovskoye, Grakovo and Maliye Prokhody in the Kharkov Region and also Vasilyevka in the Nikolayev Region," the spokesman said.

Russian forces delivered strikes by precision missiles to wipe out two Ukrainian ammunition depots and three artillery battery positions, Konashenkov claims.

"Air-launched precision missiles hit two Ukrainian command posts, three firing positions of artillery batteries and also 18 areas of amassed manpower and military equipment," the spokesman said.

The Russian troops also eliminated two ammunition depots near the communities of Vrubovka and Yakovlevka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, the general added.

Russian combat aircraft hit 65 areas of amassed Ukrainian manpower, eliminating two Grad multiple rocket launchers and over 170 nationalists, Konashenkov said.

"Operational-tactical and army aviation aircraft struck 65 areas of amassed Ukrainian manpower and military equipment. The air strikes eliminated over 170 nationalists, nine tanks and two Grad multiple launch rocket systems," the spokesman said.

The air strikes also wiped out a Ukrainian field artillery battery and eight vehicles of various designation, the general added.

So far, Russia says it destroyed 190 aircraft, 129 helicopters, 1,139 UAVs, 333 surface-to-air missile systems, 3,443 tanks and other combat armored vehicles, 478 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,807 field artillery guns and mortars, and also 3,464 special military motor vehicles operated by the Ukrainian forces since February 24.