South Front
File image.
On April 19, video footage surfaced online showing a pinpoint Russian artillery strike against an American-made M109 self-propelled 155 mm howitzer of Kiev forces.
The artillery strike completely destroyed the Ukrainian howitzer, which was deployed near the settlement of Petropavlivka in the Kharkiv region. A 2K25 Krasnopol guided artillery round was reportedly used in the strike.
The Krasnopol can be fired by most 152 mm or 155 mm artillery guns. The round is guided by semi-active laser and has a range of 20 to 30 kilometers.
A drone equipped with a laser designator, most likely an Orlan-10, was apparently used to illuminate the Ukrainian howitzer for the round.
The Krasnopol is armed with a high-explosive warhead that weights between 6.50 and 11 kilograms, depending on the version.
Kiev forces received dozens of M109 type howitzers from the United States, Norway, Latvia, Italy and the United Kingdom via Belgium since the beginning of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine more than a year ago. Many of these howitzers have been already damaged or destroyed by Russian artillery fire.
The Russian military intensified the use of Krasnopol rounds against Kiev forces in the last few months. According to recent reports, the Russian military industrial complex increased the production of the precision-guided round in the months following the start of the operation in Ukraine.
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