How Far Can Russia's Artillery Really Shoot?

The war in Ukraine has been heavily shaped by the constant presence of artillery, a tactic that echoes strategies from the First World War playbook.
Artillery holds a deeply ingrained and almost mythical status in Russia, earning it the nickname "the god of war." This deep connection stretches back to Peter the Great, who famously melted down church bells to cast cannons for his war against Sweden, an act that proves the enduring significance of artillery in Russia's military history.Show more

Unlike airpower, artillery offers the crucial advantage of functioning around the clock, regardless of weather or the vulnerability of air bases. Since the February 2022 invasion, Russian forces have unleashed a relentless barrage of shells, aiming to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses and carve paths for their own troops.

While the sheer volume of fire can be devastating, the effectiveness of bombardments goes beyond the number of shells launched. Understanding the difference between a system's effective range and its maximum potential is vital, especially in a long-range artillery duel like the one unfolding in Ukraine.

So, how far can these Russian “god of war” truly reach, and what factors ultimately determine their effectiveness in the face of real-world combat?