The Ukrainian military lost about 30 American M777 light howitzers in a single week.
The American M777 light howitzers delivered from the USA to Ukraine turned out to be completely unsuitable for any prolonged hostilities. As it became known, among the hundreds of M777 artillery pieces delivered to Ukraine, only about 40 howitzers remained in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In the last week alone, about 30 guns fell into complete disrepair and were sent for repair to the territory of one of the neighboring countries, while about 30 more guns were destroyed by Russian strikes.
The United States recognizes the loss of these weapons, confirming the fact that in the near future the Armed Forces of Ukraine simply may not have any M777 light howitzers suitable for use.
“In order to provide Ukraine with reliable artillery, the Pentagon began deliveries of modern American-made M777 howitzers firing 155-mm shells two months ago. The US has supplied more than 100 of them, and in total about 200 barrels from all Western suppliers, which is equivalent to the firepower of 10 artillery battalions. Ukrainian artillery shelling was so intense that several dozen M777 guns were damaged and are being repaired , ”The Washington Post reports.
According to the American side, the failure of the M777 howitzers may be associated with their very intensive use. In particular, it is noted that about 6-7 thousand strikes are made from such guns every day, however, it is known that most of the guns were hit and received damage not related to intensive exploitation.
Meanwhile, Russian losses of soldiers and equipment have been staggering. The Pentagon estimates that the Russians have lost 2,600 armored vehicles, or about 30 percent of their inventory. That includes about 1,000 tanks and 1,600 armored personnel carriers. The Russians have also fired nearly 70 percent of their precision-guided munitions, and because of Western sanctions, Moscow may be unable to resupply those critical munitions.