Russian Lancet Drones Claim Over Half of NATO-Supplied M109 Howitzers in Ukraine

The ZALA Lancet reconnaissance and strike drones have reportedly destroyed more than half of the U.S.-made M109 self-propelled howitzers delivered to Ukraine by NATO countries, according to open-source data and claims by Russian defense firms.

Since the start of Russia’s so-called "special military operation" (SVO), Ukraine has received over 160 M109 howitzers from NATO member states. As of now, 103 incidents involving confirmed strikes on these artillery systems by Lancet drones have been recorded in open-source intelligence.

The latest collection of video footage released by Russian sources shows multiple confirmed hits on Ukrainian-operated M109 systems.

The Lancet, a loitering munition developed by Russian defense manufacturer ZALA Aero, has increasingly been used against high-value Western weapon systems. The firm stated that its drones have also destroyed more than 120 Ukrainian-operated T-64 tanks and over 200 M777 howitzers throughout the course of the conflict.

“Lancet drones have become one of the most cost-effective solutions for targeting and disabling NATO-supplied artillery,” ZALA Aero said in a recent statement, attributing the system’s success to its precision-guided strike capability and real-time surveillance integration.

The drone is often guided by platforms like the Z-16 UAV, which ZALA claims can operate for more than four hours at altitudes reaching 5,000 meters. The Z-16 is also reported to resist electronic warfare (EW) disruptions while continuing missions involving threat detection, tracking, and target designation.