Full Breakdown
Ukrainian Drone Unit Claims Massive Artillery Destruction in Early June 2026
7/10/2026, 1:20:59 PM
Drone Strike Surge Against Russian Artillery
An elite unit of Ukraine’s National Guard, the Lasar Group, announced that a coordinated operation in early June 2026 employed more than 800 drones equipped with a newly-developed anti-howitzer munition. The strikes targeted fortified Russian gun positions along the eastern and southern fronts, resulting in 231 artillery pieces hit and 171 destroyed, a loss the group equates to roughly ten to fourteen artillery battalions or about three artillery brigades.
Operational Background
The attacks formed the second phase of “Operation Auchan,” a multi-stage campaign outlined by Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. The first phase, conducted in 2025, saw Ukrainian drones engage 980 Russian targets over three days to pressure the Kremlin into pulling back heavy armor. Across both phases, officials say 1,180 targets have been struck in a five-day window. Fedorov has emphasized that artillery fire accounts for 10 % to 20 % of Ukraine’s battlefield casualties, underscoring the strategic focus on neutralizing enemy guns.
Data & Impact
- Drone deployment: >800 units in the June operation.
- Artillery losses (June 2026): 231 pieces hit, 171 destroyed.
- Monthly record (June 2026): Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces logged 417 howitzers and 57 other artillery pieces struck, with 61 confirmed destroyed after video verification.
- Economic claim: Kyiv officials attribute roughly $15 billion in Russian equipment losses to the Lasar Group’s actions.
Official Statements & Responses
The Lasar Group released a statement describing the engineered warhead that “targets gun barrels, making the weapons inoperable.” Defense Minister Fedorov framed the operation as part of a broader effort to diminish Russian artillery capability, noting the deployment of a “newly developed munition specifically targeting enemy artillery.” The National Guard declined further comment, stating that all publicly releasable information had already been disclosed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As a result, 231 enemy artillery pieces were hit, 171 of them destroyed. This is equivalent to roughly 10 to 14 artillery battalions, or about three artillery brigades,” — Lasar Group statement
- “The group's engineers developed this warhead specifically to destroy howitzers by targeting their gun barrels, making the weapons inoperable,” — Lasar Group statement
- “newly developed munition specifically targeting enemy artillery.” — Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s defense minister
- “The Ukrainian defense minister said that that 10% to 20% of Ukraine's battlefield casualties are caused by artillery fire.” — Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s defense minister
