A battlefield video surfaced online on Thursday showing a German-supplied Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled 155mm howitzer, operated by Ukraine, being destroyed by Russian artillery.
The artillery piece was reportedly destroyed recently near the key Donbass town of Avdeevka, which was liberated by Russian troops in mid-February. The howitzer was observed by Russian surveillance drones, which tracked it from its firing position to a wooded area nearby.
The weapon was targeted by Russian artillery, reportedly using a 2S7M Malka self-propelled 203mm heavy cannon. The Ukrainian howitzer caught fire, resulting in an internal explosion of its ammunition stock, the footage suggests.
The Ukrainian military has been extensively using German-supplied PzH 2000s during the conflict with Moscow. The howitzers boast a range of over 40km and high accuracy. According to German media reports, Kiev’s troops recently started using the systems to conduct strikes on Russian soil.
Kiev has received least 28 weapons of the type, with multiple units destroyed by the Russian military in artillery duels and suicide drone strikes. Early this year, Germany pledged to supply Ukraine with 18 additional PzH 2000s.