Field Artillery in the defensive war of Ukraine 2022-2023. Part II. Methods of task implementation

Abstract

This article is a continuation of the considerations regarding the use of field artillery in Ukraine’s defensive war in the period from 24th February 2022 to the 2023 summer offensive of the Ukrainian army. Artillery in this armed conflict is used by both sides with great intensity and is an essential means of fire support, often decisive for the success of the implemented operations. The aim of the second part of the article is to present ways of using field artillery units in selected operations of the Ukrainian war. As before, the subject of the research is the missile forces and artillery of the warring parties, but in this case, above all, the way they carry out their tasks. In his research, the author wants to answer the following problematic questions: How did the field artillery units of both parties involved in the conflict carry out combat tasks in selected phases of the war? What conclusions can be drawn from this for the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland, which are currently increasing their capabilities, especially their artillery capabilities, as well as for other NATO armies? The Author, an artillery officer by education and currently a military academic teacher academically involved in the issue of state military security, based his academic analysis largely on his personal academic achievements and conclusions gained from participating in military exercises, conversations, and workshops conducted with Ukrainian officers before the outbreak of the war, as well as on the latest academic studies and reports on the course of warfare.

Keywords

• Ukraine’s defensive war
• fire support
• field artillery
• artillery tactics