Analysis: Comparison between Russian and Ukrainian Artillery powers on the battlefield

What can Ukraine do facing Russia’s might in the field of artillery? What towed guns and self-propelled howitzers does each army operate? A tweet posted on July 17 by Shashank Joshi provides a very interesting chart comparing both arsenals. To make it short, Ukraine is believed to have about 1,000 howitzers and 200 MLRS, both shooting a total of about 4,000-5,000 rounds a day, while Russia is believed to have about 3,000 howitzers and 1,300 MLRS, both shooting between 20,000 and 50,000 rounds a day. Needless to say that the following figures are impossible to check or update, as it is generally the case with OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence).
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Comparison between Ukrainian ad Russian artilleries facing each other in Ukraine (Chart source: Twitter account of Shashank Joshi)

When Russian President Putin said in early July that ‘’Serious things have not yet started’’, he meant that only a minority of the whole Russian army is involved in his so-called special military operation in Ukraine. Let us go deeper in detail in the comparison made between both sides’ artillery in the attached chart.

Light towed howitzers (100-122mm)

Ukraine has about 200 howitzers in the 100- to 122mm caliber range: about 100 MT-14 100mm (3.4 km range), and about 100 D-30 122mm (15.3 km range).

Russia has about 750 howitzers in the 100- to 122mm caliber range: about 500 MT-14 100mm howitzers (3.4 km range) + about 500 in reserve, about 150 D-30 122mm (15.3 km range) + 4,400 in reserve, and about 100 2B16 Nona-K (7-13 km range) + 6,600 in reserve.

     The balance of power is 3.75 in favor of Russia.

Light self-propelled howitzers (100-122mm)

Ukraine has about 230 2S1 Gvodzika 122mm (15.2 km range).

Russia has about 500 2S1 Gvodzika 122mm + 1,800 in reserve, and 50 2S34 Hosta (14 km range),

     The balance of power is 2.5 in favor of Russia.

Heavy towed howitzers (152-155mm)

Ukraine has about 400 heavy towed howitzers: 50 2A65 Msta-B (25-29 km range), 100 D-20 (17.4-24 km range), 100 2A36 Giatsint-B (26.5-33.5 km range), an unknown number of British-supplied FH70 155mm howitzers (24-30 km range), and 136 M777/M777A2 howitzers (25-40 km range).

Russia has about 150 2A65 Msta-B (25-29 km range) + 600 in reserve, and 120 D-20 (17.4-24 km range) + 1,000 in reserve.

     The balance of power is 1.6 in favor of Ukraine.

Heavy self-propelled howitzers (152-203mm)

Ukraine has about 280 heavy self-propelled howitzers: 150 2S3 Akatsiya (20-23 km range) with a limited stock of 152mm rounds, about 20 2S7 Pion 203mm (37.5-42.5 km range), 42 US-supplied M109A6 Paladin (25-40 km range), 18 Czech-supplied AHS Krab (30km range), 18 French-supplied CAESAR (42-50km range), 20+ XXXX-supplied Zuzana/Dana (40 km range), and 12 German- and Netherlands-supplied PzH2000 (36-47 km range). Notice that, on July 27, the German government cleared the sale of 100 PzH2000 by KMW to Ukraine for EUR 1.7 billion, in the same move as 57 Krabs have been ordered from the Polish company PGZ.

Russia has about 1,300 heavy self-propelled howitzers: about 500 2S3 Akatsiya (20-23 km range) + 1,000 in reserve, about 50 2S7 Pion and 2S7M Malka 203mm (37.5-42.5 km range) + 260 in reserve, about 400 2S19 Msta-S (24-30 km range) + 300 in reserve, and less than 500 2S5 Giatsint-S (15-29km range).

     The balance of power is 4.5 in favor of Russia.

Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS)

Ukraine has about 200 MLRS: at least 20 RM-70 (20-35 km range), about 100 BM-21 Grad (20-42 km range), about 50 BM-27 Uragan with a limited stock of rockets (35 km range), 14 M270 MLRS and M142 HIMARS (30-70 km range), and about 50 BM-30 Smerch with a limited stock of rockets (70-90 km range).

Russia has about 1,300 MLRS: 1,000 BM-21 Grad (20-42 km range) + 2,000 in reserve, about 200 BM-27 Uragan (35 km range), and about 100 BM-30 Smerch (70-90 km range).

     The balance of power is 6.5 in favor of Russia.

Complete comparison between Ukrainian ad Russian artilleries facing each other in Ukraine (Chart source: Twitter account of Shashank Joshi)