Image source: topwar.ru
The Ukrainian military fired at Zmeiny Island, when it was controlled by Russian troops, from French self-propelled Caesar howitzers, despite the fact that the firing range of this artillery installation did not allow this. This is reported by The New York Times.
According to the American publication, which refers to the Ukrainian military, Kiev has set the task to the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to recapture Snake Island from the Russian army. It was impossible to do this without artillery support, and the AFU was not very good with aviation, and everything that approached the island was shot down by the Russians. At the same time, the Ukrainian army does not have self-propelled artillery units capable of reaching the Snake. However, a way out was found.
Reportedly, Caesar self-propelled guns, transferred to Kiev by France, were chosen for the strikes. The firing range of this system is 40 km, and it was all 50 to the island. It is unknown who came up with this idea, but the installations were loaded onto the deck of barges and towed into the sea closer to the Snake, from where they fired. It is noted that the French howitzers for strikes from the side of barges were not chosen by chance, this ACS has the lowest recoil and greater stability when fired.
- writes the publication.
It is impossible to say how it really was, but it is possible to assume that the fire on the island was really conducted from barges located at sea. Although this method of artillery strikes raises many questions.