{ "archive_path": "archive/1790330657.322793", "base_url": "www.twz.com/news-features/the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones", "basename": "the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones", "bookmarked_date": "2026-09-25 10:04", "canonical": { "archive_org_path": "https://web.archive.org/web/www.twz.com/news-features/the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones", "dom_path": "output.html", "favicon_path": "favicon.ico", "git_path": "git/", "google_favicon_path": "https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=www.twz.com", "headers_path": "headers.json", "htmltotext_path": "htmltotext.txt", "index_path": "index.html", "media_path": "media/", "mercury_path": "mercury/content.html", "pdf_path": "output.pdf", "readability_path": "readability/content.html", "screenshot_path": "screenshot.png", "singlefile_path": "singlefile.html", "warc_path": "warc/", "wget_path": "www.twz.com/news-features/the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones.html" }, "domain": "www.twz.com", "extension": "", "hash": "NG82T4MYHTBFMRKWGADQ", "history": { "archive_org": [], "dom": [], "favicon": [ { "cmd": [ "curl", "--silent", "--location", "--compressed", "--max-time", "120", "--output", "favicon.ico", "--user-agent", "Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/118.0.0.0 Safari/537.36 ArchiveBox/0.7.4 (+https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox/) curl/curl 8.14.1 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)", "https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=www.twz.com" ], "cmd_version": "curl 8.14.1 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)", "end_ts": "2026-09-25T13:35:11.215722+00:00", "index_texts": null, "output": "favicon.ico", "pwd": "/data/archive/1790330657.322793", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2026-09-25T13:35:10.388556+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "git": [], "headers": [ { "cmd": [ "curl", "--silent", "--location", "--compressed", "--head", "--max-time", "120", "--user-agent", "Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/118.0.0.0 Safari/537.36 ArchiveBox/0.7.4 (+https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox/) curl/curl 8.14.1 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)", "https://www.twz.com/news-features/the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones" ], "cmd_version": "curl 8.14.1 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)", "end_ts": "2026-09-25T13:35:11.500684+00:00", "index_texts": null, "output": "headers.json", "pwd": "/data/archive/1790330657.322793", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2026-09-25T13:35:11.225794+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "htmltotext": [], "media": [], "mercury": [ { "cmd": [ "/app/node_modules/@postlight/parser/cli.js", "https://www.twz.com/news-features/the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones" ], "cmd_version": "1.0.0", "end_ts": "2026-09-25T13:36:04.342209+00:00", "index_texts": null, "output": "mercury", "pwd": "/data/archive/1790330657.322793", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2026-09-25T13:36:00.735721+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "pdf": [], "readability": [ { "cmd": [ "/app/node_modules/readability-extractor/readability-extractor", "/tmp/tmp32xmjmyl", "https://www.twz.com/news-features/the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones" ], "cmd_version": "0.0.11", "end_ts": "2026-09-25T13:36:00.720633+00:00", "index_texts": [ "It\u2019s stunning to comprehend how much has changed since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. The conflict quickly turned into one dominated by artillery, with both sides scrambling to source shells wherever possible. Drones have since replaced tubed artillery as the \u2018king of battle\u2019 along the front, but cannons still have an important place on the battlefield. The commander of a new combined drone-artillery brigade offered some fresh insights into how his guns are now being deployed to achieve effects that drones still can\u2019t provide.\u00a0\n\n\n\nAs we have frequently documented, the ubiquity of drones has changed the nature of combat, especially when it comes to artillery. Not only can drones hold artillery positions at risk, many are cheaper than shells and easier to produce at scale. Most types are also precision guided munitions capable of hitting moving targets with pinpoint accuracy and can also provide battlefield surveillance. However, they are not a panacea, especially amid the cat-and-mouse game of electronic warfare countermeasures and improving kinetic and passive defenses.\n\n\n\nIn a recent interview with the Ukrainian Oboronka news outlet, Lt. Col. Vitalii Korniienko, commander of the 7th Artillery Brigade, talked about the changing nature of artillery warfare. Korniienko, whose unit is part of the Ukrainian National Guard, explained what is being done to keep his array of domestically produced Bogdana 155mm systems, donated weapons like M777 howitzers, remaining Soviet-era 2S7 Pion 203mm self-propelled howitzers and other guns, relevant. Here are some takeaways from that discussion.\n\n\n\nHow The Game Changed\n\n\n\n\u201cGuns used to be massed at positions to create an \u2018artillery wall\u2019 and a barrage of fire,\u201d the lieutenant colonel said. \u201cThat practice is gone now. So, how effective is artillery today? We can create an artillery barrage, but what is the point of mindlessly churning up the earth? I\u2019d rather send 20 FPV drones to destroy the target. The cost of that mission is $20,000.\u201d\n\n\n\nA soldier from the 13th Khartiia Brigade of Ukraine\u2019s National Guard hones his FPV drone piloting skills during a training flight in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine. (Photo by Viacheslav Madiievskyi/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images) Future Publishing\n\n\n\n\u201cAlternatively, I could fire 200 shells, but the cost would be astronomical,\u201d he pointed out. \u201cPlus, if we fired 100 shells from a gun in a single day, it likely wouldn\u2019t survive until evening. The sky is full of drones; every shot gives away the position, leading to detection and an attempt to dismantle it using every available means. Nowadays, a typical mission involves a series of up to 10 shots. First, 3\u20135 shells for ranging, followed by fire on the target. That\u2019s a minimum of five shells, with each costing at least $2,000.\u201d\n\n\n\nWhat Does The Drone-Artillery Brigade Do Differently?\n\n\n\n\u201cIt is a concept of ours that was approved: combining artillery and drones within a single brigade,\u201d Korniienko said. \u201cDrones take out enemy artillery and logistics, while our guns provide cover for the infantry, destroy targets, and pin the enemy down in their dugouts. This way, we mitigate the limitations of both systems and boost overall effectiveness.\u201d\n\n\n\nUkrainian troops firing a domestically produced 2S22 \u201cBogdana\u201d self-propelled howitzer against Russian forces near the front line in the Zaporizhia direction. (Photo by Maksym Kishka/Frontliner/Getty Images) Frontliner#VIDEO\n\n\n\n\u201cOur primary operations are focused within the corps\u2019 area of \u200b\u200bresponsibility\u2014targeting positions 10 kilometers deep or farther behind enemy lines. Of course, we will also engage closer targets if requested by the brigade holding the defense. In addition, we are shifting logistics tasks from pickup trucks to ground-based robotic systems. They are already transporting ammunition to drone and artillery positions, as well as food and fuel for generators.\u201d\n\n\n\nWhat Artillery Can Do That Drones Can\u2019t\n\n\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s be honest: 95% of strikes right now are carried out by drones,\u201d Korniienko explained. \u201cYet, we cannot simply abandon artillery. The focus of our operations has shifted from merely striking the enemy to destroying, suppressing, and halting the actions of assault groups and armored columns\u2014and the need for that remains as critical as ever. There are tasks that only artillery can handle.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cFor instance, we currently have several enemy targets in the Kupyansk sector that drones cannot reach due to electronic warfare (EW) interference, while slow fiber-optic drones are simply shot down,\u201d the officer noted. \u201cWhat do we do? We call in artillery. Nothing affects its shells. Fog, strong winds, snow, or headwinds\u2014it makes no difference to artillery; it will operate regardless.\u201d\n\n\n\nPreparing Artillery For The Modern Battlefield\n\n\n\n\u201cAt the beginning, both we and the Russians might have had two or three guns at a single position,\u201d Korniienko proffered. \u201cThe enemy was doing this as late as 2023. Then it tapered off, because if you deployed six guns, an hour later they\u2019d be gone. No one drives out into an open field anymore. Today, a gun wouldn\u2019t even make it to the position without being spotted.\u201d\n\n\n\nUkrainian National Guard troops prepare a \u2018Bogdana-BG\u2019 artillery installation from a dugout position. (Photo by Sofiia Bobok/Anadolu via Getty Images) Anadolu\n\n\n\nAs a result, the artillery crew\u2019s deployment \u201cis prepared in advance,\u201d the officer stated. \u201cFirst, anti-aircraft drone teams \u2018clear\u2019 the sky above the site of enemy reconnaissance assets. The position itself is a fully underground-dugout caponier with well-camouflaged access routes. We put a lot of effort into ensuring the artillery doesn\u2019t get destroyed. Losing a gun is a huge blow to us.\u201d\n\n\n\nShort Range Versus Long Range Shells\n\n\n\n\u201cThere is currently an ongoing debate about phasing out \u2018short\u2019 shells and switching entirely to long-range variants,\u201d the officer stated. \u201cThis is intended to protect artillery from drone strikes.\u201d\n\n\n\n\u201cWhat exactly is a \u2018short\u2019 shell, and should we stop using it?\u201d he asked rhetorically. \u201cThe M107 155mm round is what is known as a \u2018short\u2019 shell. It is inexpensive and mass-produced; all our allies\u2014and even our own country\u2014manufacture it. We have sufficient stocks of them for combat operations. While accurate, its range is limited to 14\u201318 km, depending on the propellant used.\u201d\n\n\n\nArmy \n\n\n\nLong-range options \u201cinclude the M795 and its foreign equivalents,\u201d Korniienko explained. \u201cThese are longer, heavier, and significantly more expensive. With high-quality propellant, they can reach 30 km, or even further if equipped with a base-bleed unit. However, both these shells and the necessary propellants are in short supply.\u201d\n\n\n\nArmy \n\n\n\n\u201cI do not believe abandoning the M107 is the right move,\u201d the officer suggested. \u201cLong-range shells cause faster barrel wear and compromise position concealment; firing a long-range charge produces a massive burst of flame from the muzzle\u2014visible for kilometers at dusk or dawn.\u201d \u201cBesides,\u201d he added, \u201c18 km is a respectable range. If the gun is positioned 15 km back, it still has a 3-km margin to spare. That is sufficient for engaging frontline infantry. In my view, the ideal mix for most brigades would be 60% long-range shells and 40% standard M107 rounds.\u201d\n\n\n\nBig Versus Small Guns\n\n\n\n\u201cI operated 105mm guns in the Serebryanka area, on the Kharkiv axis,\u201d Korniienko noted. \u201cBased on intercepted communications, the enemy thought it was a mortar and searched for it within a five-to-six-kilometer range. But the howitzer was positioned eight or nine kilometers away and fired out to 10\u201312 kilometers.\u201d\n\n\n\n\u201cThere is almost no muzzle flash, just a bit of dust,\u201d he added. \u201cThe shell arrives, and the enemy doesn\u2019t even hear the sound of the shot. It\u2019s compact and lightweight\u2014you can transport it on a pickup truck. So yes, it would be useful.\u201d\n\n\n\nAn L119 lightweight towed howitzer. (Via X) \n\n\n\n\u201cI\u2019d also like to see the development of 203mm artillery; why move away from that caliber?\u201d the officer wondered aloud. \u201cOur \u2018Pion\u2019 systems fire a massive 100-kilogram shell capable of punching through at least two floors of a building or a bunker. And it\u2019s reasonably accurate, too. You wouldn\u2019t want to be on the receiving end when guns like that are firing at you. Overall, I believe we need competition. Right now, the \u2018Bogdana\u2019 is evolving under wartime conditions, which is good. But in a few years, momentum could stall. They might just keep producing the same system without significant upgrades because there\u2019s no incentive to innovate. Yet, the nature of war doesn\u2019t stand still.\u201d\n\n\n\nWary Of Asian Shells\n\n\n\n\u201cWe have a wide range of shells from different countries, and the ones coming from the West are fine,\u201d Korniienko said. \u201cHowever, their counterparts produced in certain Asian countries\u2026 the quality is frankly poor.\u201d\n\n\n\n\u201cWhat is wrong with them?\u201d queried Korniienko, who did not name the country in question. \u201cOn paper, the shell weight is listed as 46 kilograms, but when we weigh them, we find 46.9 or 45.4 kg. And that half-kilogram difference\u2014give or take\u2014has a huge impact on where the shell lands.\u201d\n\n\n\nAs a result, \u201cwe no longer trust the standard firing tables provided with the shells; instead, we compile our own for each manufacturer. We weigh every batch and sort them by weight so that the difference between the \u2018piles\u2019 is minimal, ensuring a reasonably tight grouping. I can\u2019t afford to make a mistake that causes a shell to land 2 kilometers off-target\u2014right where our infantry guys are positioned. I should add that our artillerymen are actually wary of shells from one specific country. There have been instances where they tore off the muzzle brake or even caused the barrel to burst. A barrel burst is a disaster.\u201d\u00a0\n\n\n\nHomegrown Is The Best\n\n\n\nKorniienko said his unit was one of the first to test the Bogdana system, adding that he prefers it to other guns.\n\n\n\n\u201cWe tested them and provided feedback to the manufacturer, which was then used to refine the design,\u201d he explained. \u201cIt is a solid gun now, and it is my preferred choice. It might not be the absolute best, but I am very satisfied with the support and service.\u201d\n\n\n\n\u201cIf there\u2019s a breakdown, the gun is back in position within a day or two,\u201d he pointed out. \u201cFor instance, a gun broke down today, and we needed a repair team from the manufacturer. I know I\u2019ll have it fixed by the day after tomorrow. They arrive in the morning, and by midday, the gun is ready. Then it takes another day or two to get it back to the position. That is very fast.\u201d\n\n\n\nThat\u2019s a very different experience than what he sees with donated weapons like the U.S.-made M777.\n\n\n\nUkrainian soldiers prepare to fire an M777 howitzer at Russian forces. (Photo by Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Anadolu\n\n\n\n\u201cAs for the Western partners helping us\u2014we are deeply grateful,\u201d the officer avowed. \u201cHowever, by the time you actually receive a part\u2014say, a sensor\u2014the gun might have been sitting idle for six months. And you can\u2019t try to fix it yourself, because that would void the warranty.\u201d\n\n\n\nWhile artillery may no longer be the reigning weapon of war, as far as Ukraine is concerned, it has not been relegated to the dustbin of history yet either.\n\n\n\nContact the author: howard@twz.com" ], "output": "readability", "pwd": "/data/archive/1790330657.322793", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2026-09-25T13:35:58.217073+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "screenshot": [], "singlefile": [], "title": [ { "cmd": [ "curl", "--silent", "--location", "--compressed", "--max-time", "120", "--user-agent", "Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/118.0.0.0 Safari/537.36 ArchiveBox/0.7.4 (+https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox/) curl/curl 8.14.1 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)", "https://www.twz.com/news-features/the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones" ], "cmd_version": "curl 8.14.1 (x86_64-pc-linux-gnu)", "end_ts": "2026-09-25T13:35:58.209209+00:00", "index_texts": null, "output": "The Evolving Role Of Ukraine's Artillery In The Age Of Drones", "pwd": "/data/archive/1790330657.322793", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2026-09-25T13:35:58.161895+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ], "wget": [ { "cmd": [ "wget", "--no-verbose", "--adjust-extension", "--convert-links", "--force-directories", "--span-hosts", "--no-parent", "-e", "robots=off", "--reject=js,mjs,woff,woff2,ttf,otf,eot,mp4,m4v,mov,webm,ogv,mkv,avi,flv", "--timeout=120", "--restrict-file-names=windows", "--page-requisites", "--user-agent=Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/118.0.0.0 Safari/537.36 ArchiveBox/0.7.4 (+https://github.com/ArchiveBox/ArchiveBox/) wget/GNU Wget 1.21.3", "--compression=auto", "--timestamping", "https://www.twz.com/news-features/the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones" ], "cmd_version": "GNU Wget 1.21.3", "end_ts": "2026-09-25T13:35:58.151455+00:00", "index_texts": null, "output": "www.twz.com/news-features/the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones.html", "pwd": "/data/archive/1790330657.322793", "schema": "ArchiveResult", "start_ts": "2026-09-25T13:35:11.510804+00:00", "status": "succeeded" } ] }, "icons": null, "is_archived": true, "is_static": false, "latest": { "archive_org": null, "dom": null, "favicon": "favicon.ico", "git": null, "media": null, "pdf": null, "screenshot": null, "singlefile": null, "title": "The Evolving Role Of Ukraine's Artillery In The Age Of Drones", "warc": null, "wget": "www.twz.com/news-features/the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones.html" }, "link_dir": "/data/archive/1790330657.322793", "newest_archive_date": "2026-09-25T13:36:00.735721+00:00", "num_failures": 0, "num_outputs": 6, "oldest_archive_date": "2026-09-25T13:35:10.388556+00:00", "path": "/news-features/the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones", "schema": "Link", "scheme": "https", "snapshot_id": "103ac323-36db-48e4-b32c-87bce9cd8dd5", "sources": [ "/data/sources/1790330657-import.txt" ], "tags": ",pool,escalation,war-wiki", "tags_str": "pool,escalation,war-wiki", "timestamp": "1790330657.322793", "title": "The Evolving Role Of Ukraine's Artillery In The Age Of Drones", "updated": "2026-09-25T13:35:10.388103+00:00", "updated_date": "2026-09-25 13:35", "url": "https://www.twz.com/news-features/the-evolving-role-of-ukraines-artillery-in-the-age-of-drones" }