Ukraine Soldiers Say they Are Being 'Carpet Bombed' By Russian Artillery

'Mostly it's artillery," says former U.S. General Wesley Clark when asked what type of military assistance Kyiv needs to win the conflict in Ukraine. "Lots and lots and lots of artillery..." (file photo)  

Politico: 'They are carpet-bombing us': Ukrainian troops are getting pounded as they await heavy weapons from the West  

After suffering humiliating defeats, Russia is making slow but steady progress as it employs a scorched-earth campaign. 

 DONETSK AND KHARKIV REGIONS, eastern Ukraine — The Ukrainian officer’s urgent and profanity-laced plea crackled over the radio: “We need artillery support!” His infantry troops were under attack on the frontline and they needed help, could the mechanized troops hit the enemy? 

Commander “Topaz,” a little more than two miles away, responded in the affirmative and shouted to platoon leader “Horizon” to ready the howitzers. Moments later, crews scrambled among the dense brush onto two self-propelled Ukrainian 2S1 Gvozdikas, or Carnations, and loaded them with 122mm shells. 

Using a touchscreen device, Horizon checked the coordinates of their Russian targets obtained from satellite images and drone footage, kneeled, and then yelled the order: “Fire!” Two muzzles jutting from camouflaged turrets each belched out a round as clouds of smoke dissipated into the air.  

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WNU Editor: I said a month ago that this conflict was becoming an artillery war, and we are now seeing it play out. Two thirds of Ukraine's casualties are now coming from Russian artillery and rocket strikes, and it is devastating its army.

To level the battlefield Ukraine will need better weapons. That is why there is hope in Ukraine that these new "heavy weapon" shipments from the West, specifically artillery, will make a difference .... ‘The west can change the outcome’: plea for heavy weapons on Ukraine frontline (The Guardian). 

But I do not know if delivering on the Biden administration's promise of 108 M777s and 209,000 projectiles (of which 85 M777 howitzers and 190,000 projectiles have already been delivered) .... Can Western Artillery Stop Russia’s Progress In The Donbas? (RFE), or delivering 4 long range rocket systems next month .... Biden’s pledge to send rocket systems to Ukraine is no silver bullet (The Guardian) .... I do not know if this will make a difference in the end. 

When the war started Ukraine had 2,000 artillery pieces (link here). But since that time much of that equipment has been destroyed. This Ukrainian attrition rate should surprise no one. This is after-all a high intensity war. I am also sure that Russia has lost just as much (if not more) artillery pieces. But Russia has massive stockpiles of equipment, and I am sure that much of this equipment has already been replaced.

Ukraine does not have stockpiles. It is dependent on NATO to replace its lost artillery pieces with more advanced NATO artillery pieces. Unfortunately for Ukraine this take time, and the shortfalls are already being noticed .... Can the West continue arming Ukraine at the current rate? (CBC).