Ukrainian forces have reported the destruction of five russian 152 mm howitzers and a field ammunition depot during a recent strike in the Zaporizhzhia direction. The operation was carried out by the 44th Separate Artillery Brigade.
According to an official statement from the Brigade, the targeted artillery pieces were 2A65 Msta-B howitzers, a towed artillery system commonly used by russian forces for long-range indirect fire support.
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The strike was executed with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, which provided real-time targeting data and precision coordination for the artillery units. The brigade emphasized the accuracy of the hits in a brief published comment.
The Brigade's statement describes the impact of the strike as "destructive" and visually evident, noting that the enemy's artillery "burned brightly after the precise hits".
The 2A65 Msta-B howitzer is Soviet-designed 152 mm towed gun introduced in the 1980s. It remains in active use by the russian military and has seen frequent deployment throughout the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Eliminating five such units in a single engagement marks a notable tactical result.
The Zaporizhzhia sector remains a zone of intense activity, with both sides engaging in artillery duels and drone reconnaissance to influence control over strategic terrain and logistics routes.
As Defense Express previously reported, on July 9, the UA_REG Team of the Special Operations Forces released footage showing the destruction of rare russian Zemledeliye remote mine-laying system. The engagement was carried out using precision drone strikes.
According to the video published by the unit, the russian vehicle was in the process of changing its firing position. It was first immobilized and later destroyed. The full sequence of the operation was documented by aerial surveillance.

Read more: Ukrainian UA_REG Team Destroys Rare russian Zemledeliye System Mid-Move