Ukrainian gunners at one of the brigades rate one French howitzer above most of what they field. The French CAESAR self-propelled gun is one of the best in the Ukrainian arsenal, able to fire various munitions with long range and high accuracy, Major Denys Chmykhun of the 148th Separate Artillery Brigade's self-propelled artillery battalion said in an interview with Ukrinform.

The praise is a frontline verdict on the Western artillery that has helped keep Ukraine in the fight. France has supplied Ukraine with CAESAR howitzers throughout the war, and the crews who fire them rate its range and precision highly valuable.

Why the crews rate it

Chmykhun described CAESAR as newer than other guns, and very mobile and maneuverable.

"CAESAR is now one of the best self-propelled systems in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine," Chmykhun said.

He wished Ukraine had fielded more of them sooner.

"If at the start of the full-scale war, when FPVs and Lancets were not yet used, there had been at least a few CAESAR battalions, it would have seriously affected the front line," the major noted.

The crews learned to repair it themselves

However, the gun's electronics are its weak point, but the crews adapted. The French system has a lot of electronics, and when it produced errors, crew members studied each one using an online translator and fixed them, Chmykhun explained. He added that the howitzer can be temperamental because it is not built for such intense combat.

Rather than pulling a finicky Western system off the line when its software faulted, the crews taught themselves to diagnose and clear the errors.

What it hunts

The CAESAR fires at everything the crews can find. It works against enemy personnel, drone-control points, landing pads, guns, mortars, and artillery, Chmykhun said, wherever its shells can reach.

He took particular satisfaction in counter-battery work. Destroying Russian guns, mostly 152mm, is gratifying because they trouble the Ukrainian infantry who assault, the major said.

"It's great when you hit precisely and understand that this gun is out of action, and somewhere, a field ammunition store starts to detonate. The enemy runs around, panic sets in, and it's pleasant to watch," he added.

Ukraine wrecked more Russian vehicles in July than in any month of the war. Ukraine's Defense Forces destroyed and disabled 13,998 units of automotive equipment, the most for the entire war, Ukraine's Defense Ministry reported on 12 August.

The record fits a month of intensifying attrition against Russian logistics and air defense. In July, the Defense Forces continued methodical work to weaken Russia's air-defense capabilities and logistics, and the vehicle figure, the war's highest, reflects a campaign hitting the trucks that move Russian ammunition, fuel, and troops to the front.

The vehicle losses target Russian logistics

The record vehicle toll strikes at how Russia sustains its offensive. Trucks and transport vehicles are the arteries that carry ammunition, fuel, and supplies to Russian forces, and destroying nearly 14,000 in a month, largely with drones, degrades the logistics that keep the assaults moving.

The figure marks a scale of vehicle destruction not seen before. That the highest monthly total of the war came in July matches the wider picture of that month, which was also Russia's deadliest for personnel in 2026, as Ukraine's drones reached deeper and hit more.

Air defense and armor were hit hard too

Ukraine also struck at the systems that protect Russian forces. Ukrainian troops hit 68 units of Russian air defense systems in July, chipping away at the shield that guards Russian positions and rear areas.

Armor losses were also heavy. Ukraine destroyed and disabled 162 tanks, including 28 in a single day on 22 July, along with 204 armored combat vehicles and 2,016 artillery systems.

The count is Ukraine's own

The figures are Ukraine's tally and cannot be independently verified. The Defense Ministry reports Russian losses without detailing Ukraine's own.

Meanwhile, July was Ukraine’s deadliest month for civilians since 2022 due to Russia's ballistic missile attacks and lack of Patriot interceptors from allies.

Russian attacks on Kherson Oblast injured nine people and damaged residential infrastructure on June 18-19, according to local authorities.

Thirty-four settlements were reportedly targeted with artillery and drones.

On June 18 at 6:00 p.m. local time, eight civilians were reported injured, including two men in Komyshany and Romashkovo, and six others in Bilozerka, Beryslav, Antonivka, and the regional capital Kherson. One more person has been injured since then.

Civilian infrastructure, including private homes and residential buildings, was also damaged in the attacks. A gas pipeline, emergency medical clinic, and fire department were also damaged, according to the latest reports.

Kherson Oblast is located in southern Ukraine, just north of Russian-occupied Crimea, and has been relentless targeted by Russian forces throughout the war.

Ukrainian forces liberated the city of Kherson, the regional capital, in November 2022.

Russian troops continue to occupy large parts of the region and regularly launch attacks on civilian areas using artillery, guided bombs, and drones.

For the first time, Australia sanctions Russian shadow fleet oil tankers

“Russia uses these vessels to circumvent international sanctions and sustain its illegal and immoral war against Ukraine,” Australia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir