Russian drone operators have reportedly destroyed a Czech-made 155mm DITA self-propelled howitzer for the first time since the artillery system entered service in Ukraine. According to the military analysis portal LostArmour, the strike took place in the Kharkov region.
The DITA is a relatively new wheeled artillery system that entered serial production only recently.
The Ukrainian crew was reportedly attempting to move the vehicle under cover of darkness. However, Russian kamikaze drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras detected the howitzer despite the nighttime conditions.
As a drone approached, Ukrainian soldiers opened fire in an attempt to shoot it down. Their efforts failed, allowing the fiber-optic-controlled UAV to reach its target.
The first strike immobilized the artillery vehicle, leaving it exposed to further attacks. Additional drones subsequently hit the howitzer, including one that entered through an open commander’s hatch.
After several direct hits, the DITA caught fire.
Russian servicemen involved in the operation told Rossiyskaya Gazeta that the howitzer apparently had no ammunition on board, which would explain the absence of an internal explosion. Nevertheless, the damage was reportedly extensive enough for the vehicle to be considered completely destroyed.
The incident also revealed an unusual detail about the crew. The DITA’s automated loading system allows it to operate with just two personnel, but footage of the attack reportedly showed three Ukrainian servicemen.
One of them was killed during the strike, while the other two abandoned the damaged howitzer, leaving their fellow soldier’s body behind.
Just days before the reported destruction, Ukrainian sources had highlighted the successful use of Czech DITA artillery systems near the front line.
The Netherlands financed deliveries of these self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine. Since the summer of 2024, Ukraine has reportedly received between 15 and 16 DITA systems.
Unlike many other artillery platforms supplied to Ukraine, these vehicles were allocated to the National Guard and border guard units rather than the Ukrainian Ground Forces.
The DITA is a 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer built on a Tatra T815-7 chassis with an 8×8 configuration.
Powered by a 400-horsepower engine, the vehicle can reach a maximum road speed of 90 kilometers per hour and has an operational range of approximately 600 kilometers.
The artillery system weighs 29 tonnes and can engage targets at distances of up to 39 kilometers, with a maximum firing rate of six rounds per minute.