**Ukrainian Drones Outrun Russian Artillery**
In the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, a significant development has taken place. The 2S7 tracked howitzer, one of Russia’s biggest artillery pieces, is no longer as effective in avoiding retaliatory fire. Ukrainian drones have been able to spot and hit these guns deep behind enemy lines.
Recently, a surveillance drone belonging to the Ukrainian army’s 15th Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade spotted a Russian 2S7 and its ammunition truck along the front line. The brigade proudly announced that they had destroyed the self-propelled artillery system with a well-aimed shot. This is a significant blow to Russia’s ability to use its artillery effectively.
**Long-range artillery becomes vulnerable**
The 2S7 and other long-range guns have been able to operate far enough from enemy positions to avoid the densest concentrations of surveillance and attack drones. However, Ukrainian forces are now using drones to find and destroy these guns, making them more vulnerable than ever before.
Russia has received a large number of artillery systems from North Korea, including the M1989s, which are equivalent to the 2S7s. These guns can fire shells as far as 32 km and have been used by both sides in the conflict. However, with Ukraine’s increasing use of drones, these long-range guns are becoming less effective.
**Ukrainian drone wall extends**
The Ukrainian armed forces have been acquiring a large number of small drones every month and deploying them to create a “wall” of drones that extends 15 km into Russian-occupied territory. This wall is crucial in denying Russian forces the ability to move undetected across the front line.
As Ukraine’s drone capabilities improve, they are working towards extending the drone wall to 40 km. Analysts believe that this will eventually allow Ukrainian troops to deny Russian forces any freedom of action, cutting off all logistics access out to 100 kilometers.
**Russia struggles to counter**
While Russia has its own drones, its industry struggles to scale and innovate at the same pace as Ukraine’s. To counter Ukraine’s effective electronic warfare, which often grounds Russian wireless drones, Russia is deploying fiber-optic drones that send and receive signals via thin wires instead of wirelessly over the radio spectrum.
However, if Ukrainian troops can preserve their drone edge, they could eventually rob Russian forces of any freedom of action. This development marks a significant turning point in the conflict, as Ukraine’s use of drones becomes more effective than ever before.
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