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Ukrainian Drones Hunt Down Two Russian Msta-S Howitzers Behind the Front Line
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Ukrainian drone operators destroyed two Russian 2S19 Msta-S self-propelled howitzers in the Vovchansk direction.
Ukraine’s 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade stated on Facebook on August 13 that the two Russian artillery systems had been positioned behind the front line but were detected and destroyed by Ukrainian drone operators.
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“Two Russian 2S19 Msta-S self-propelled howitzers were hiding in the enemy’s rear in the Vovchansk direction. But the rear does not guarantee safety from our drone operators,” the brigade said.
The operation was carried out by pilots from the Ares artillery reconnaissance battery of the 57th Brigade together with the Bulava unmanned systems battalion of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, according to the military.
The Ukrainian forces said locating and destroying the systems required coordinated work because the howitzers regularly changed positions, used camouflage and operated at a distance while being protected by other Russian forces.
“Such a target is not simply a matter of ‘spotting it and guiding a drone.’ The self-propelled howitzers constantly change positions, use camouflage, operate at a distance and are protected by the enemy. Therefore, every destroyed system is the result of precise and coordinated work by our soldiers,” the military said.
About Msta-S howitzer
The 2S19 Msta-S is one of Russia’s primary 152mm self-propelled howitzers and is routinely used against Ukrainian defensive positions, supply routes, and settlements near the front.
Introduced into Soviet service in 1989, the system was developed by the Uraltransmash plant as a replacement for older generations of Soviet self-propelled artillery. It is built on a tracked chassis incorporating elements from the T-72 and T-80 tank families and is powered by a V-84A diesel engine.
Its main weapon is the 152mm 2A64 rifled gun, which uses a semi-automatic loading system and can fire up to eight rounds per minute when using onboard ammunition.
The Msta-S can carry up to 50 artillery shells, including high-explosive fragmentation, smoke, illumination, radio-jamming, and other specialized rounds. It can also fire Krasnopol laser-guided precision ammunition.
Using conventional high-explosive shells, the howitzer can strike targets at distances of up to about 24.7 kilometers (15 miles). Rocket-assisted projectiles extend its effective range to roughly 29 kilometers (18 miles).
For additional close-range protection, the vehicle is equipped with a remotely operated 12.7mm machine gun mounted on top of its turret.
Separately, Ukrainian FPV drone operators also located and destroyed a Russian BM-21 Grad loaded with ammunition, triggering a powerful explosion that left only one wheel of the vehicle intact.
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