U.S.-Supplied Ukrainian M777 Howitzer Captured by LPR Forces

The U.S.-made 155mm M777 howitzer was captured by the forces of the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR).

A footage shared by the People’s Militia of the LPR on Telegram shows M777’s artillery mount burned and covered with a camouflage net; Russian defense ministry-owned Zvezda reported today.

Ukrainian Army reportedly lost the M777 in battle near Seversk, eastern Ukraine. According to reports, it was badly damaged as a result of artillery shelling and could not be restored.

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s Operational Command South released video footage of troops shelling Russian targets with M777s. "The M777 howitzer fires high-precision missiles with a maximum range of up to 40km. With the use of such shells, a single battery can cover a firing range of up to 1,250sqkm. The M777 has a digital fire control system. Even colleagues from NATO are surprised by how skillfully Ukrainian gunners are using the new weapon,” the military said.

Produced by BAE Systems, the 155mm howitzer weighs 4.2 tonnes and can fire as many as five rounds per minute. The M777 is the world’s first artillery weapon to make widespread use of titanium and aluminum alloys, resulting in a howitzer that is half the weight of conventional towed 155mm systems. It is equipped with a 39-calibre barrel. It has a maximum firing range of 24.7km, with unassisted rounds, and 30km with rocket-assisted rounds.