Ukrainian Artillery Halts Russian Armored Group Using Cluster Munitions Near Andriivka

Ukrainian gunners hit the Russian armored group with cluster munition in the Donetsk region near Andriivka.

Footage of the combat mission was shown by the Ukrainian volunteer Teoyaomiquu.

The Russian command sent the armored group in the dark to avoid detection.

Nevertheless, the Ukrainian 92nd Assault Brigade deployed drones with thermal imagers that managed to detect the convoy.

After this, Ukrainian drones, with a clear view of all the invaders’ armored vehicles, started adjusting artillery fire.

Ukrainian artillery actively attacked the convoy with American 155mm cluster projectiles.

“You can see the effective operation of our artillery and cluster munitions, but this would not be possible without thermal imaging drones that gave the picture,” the volunteer said.

One of the bomblets of the cluster projectile hit the ammunition of the armored vehicle, which immediately exploded.

In service with Ukrainian artillery are American M864 and M483A1 cluster shells.

72 bomblets are placed in the cartridge of the M864 projectile. These are 48 M42 and 24 larger M46 dual-purpose anti-materiel/anti-personnel submunitions. During detonation, bomblets of both types scatter debris within a radius of several meters.

The M483A1 has M42 submunitions in the amount of 64 units, and M46 in the amount of 24 units. Each of the M42/M46 submunitions has a killing area of 10 square meters. However, the fragmentation is effective within a radius of 50 meters from the point of explosion of the submunition.

When the submunitions disperse in a circle and explode, they create a killing area and a fragmentation effect. Therefore, the impact zone of the cluster projectile looks like a circle. At the same time, the submunition can destroy the armored vehicle if it explodes in close range.