Russia's Brand New Artillery System Smashed to Smithereens

Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade Kholodny Yar equip weapons from their positions in the direction of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region on February 20, 2024. Bakhmut has seen some of the fiercest clashes of the conflict.

A video circulating online appears to show the moment Ukraine’s forces destroyed one of Russia’s newest self-propelled artillery systems.

“The newest Russian self-propelled gun 2S40 Floks was destroyed,” Serhii Sternenko, a Ukrainian social activist said on his Telegram channel, sharing a one-minute clip of the weapon, which Russia added to its arsenal in October 2023.

The 2S40 Floks is a Russian wheeled self-propelled 120 mm mortar system that combines the capacities to be used as mortar and howitzer, and is designed to conduct fire missions against stationary and moving targets by mortar shells and high-precision projectiles, according to military website Army Recognition.

Sternenko said the artillery system was destroyed near the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which has seen some of the fiercest clashes of the conflict.

Newsweek couldn’t independently verify when or where the footage was filmed, and has contacted Russia’s Defense Ministry for comment by email.

Ukraine’s military regularly releases videos showing its forces destroying Russian equipment.

On Thursday, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense published footage showing Russia’s RBU-6000 Smerch-2, a 213 mm caliber Soviet-era anti-submarine rocket launcher, being targeted and struck, causing an explosion, fire, and large plumes of smoke.

“Teamwork of the 45th Artillery Brigade and the 80th Air Assault Brigade: RBU-6000 Smerch-2 rocket launcher destroyed,” the Defense Ministry said.

The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, which posts estimates of Russia’s troop and equipment losses, said in an update on Friday that Moscow lost 28 artillery systems, eight tanks, 27 armored personnel vehicles, 50 vehicles and fuel tanks, six anti-aircraft warfare systems, and five cruise missiles during a single day in the ongoing war.

Kyiv also said Russia lost 820 soldiers over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 440,790.

Neither Ukraine nor Russia releases detailed or regular casualty numbers. Newsweek has not independently verified these figures and has contacted Russia’s Defense Ministry for comment by email.

Estimates of casualty numbers vary, with Ukraine’s figures usually exceeding those of its Western allies. Moscow rarely shares information on the number of casualties it has sustained in the war. In September 2022, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said 5,937 troops had been killed since the war began.

Kyiv, like Moscow, does not provide updated information on its war casualties. A U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency assessment leaked in April 2023 said that Ukraine had suffered 124,500 to 131,000 casualties, including 15,500 to 17,500 dead.

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