Summary and Key Points: The Ukrainian military has reportedly lost a significant weapon system, the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), following a Russian Iskander-M ballistic missile strike. A video circulating on Russian social media shows the Ukrainian M270 being tracked and eventually struck, resulting in fires and explosions, suggesting its destruction.

-This would mark the first known M270 MLRS loss in the ongoing conflict.

-The M270, along with the M142 HIMARS, has been crucial in Ukraine's artillery efforts, offering precision strikes and high maneuverability, significantly impacting the war. The loss of the M270 MLRS represents a notable setback for Ukraine.

Ukrainian M270 MLRS Destroyed by Russian Missile Strike in First Recorded Loss

The Ukrainian military has likely lost one of its most useful weapon systems after a Russian ballistic missile strike.

Over the weekend, a video started circulating on Russian social media of a Russian Iskander-M ballistic missile hitting a Ukrainian M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).

M270 MLRS Down?

In a video circulated on social media, a Russian intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) asset tracks from afar what looks to be a Ukrainian M270 MLRS. The Russians exercise good tactical patience, waiting for the Ukrainian rocket artillery system to finish its operations and head back to rearm and refuel. Eventually, the Ukrainian crew does exactly that. At that point, the Russian ISR asset gives the all-clear, and the Russian military strikes the area with an Iskander-M. Fires and secondary explosions engulf the area, and it is very likely that the M270 MLRS was destroyed. This would be the first known M270 MLRS loss in almost twenty-nine months of war.

Although it isn’t exactly clear how many M270 variants the Ukrainian forces have, it is over twenty, with Norway, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom proving the most.

Ukraine’s Rocket Artillery

As we have covered here at The National Interest, artillery is by far the number one reason for casualties in the conflict. Intelligence estimates suggest that up to 80 percent of the casualties on both sides are caused by artillery fire.

It is no exaggeration to say that the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and its faster cousin, the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), changed the war. To be sure, the hundreds of pieces of traditional towed and self-propelled artillery the Ukrainian military operates, including the M-777 155mm towed howitzers and M109 Paladin 155mm, Archer 155mm, Ceasar 155mm, and PzH 2000 155mm self-propelled guns, are important aspects of Kyiv’s artillery force. But weapon systems like the M270 MLRS and M142 HIMARS make the difference and are able to hit targets with precision outside the range of conventional artillery.

Both weapon systems have a crew of three (driver, gunner, and section chief) and can fire their missiles in a matter of seconds. What makes them the ideal artillery is their combination of range, accuracy, and maneuverability. M270 MLRS and M142 HIMARS can unload their entire arsenal in a matter of seconds, hit targets dozens of miles away, and be on the road before their missiles reach their destination, thus evading counter-artillery fire.

Being a tracked vehicle, the M270 MLRS is slower than its more agile M142 HIMARS cousin. As such, it is more vulnerable to counter-battery fire than the M142 HIMARS but is still far more effective than towed artillery. But the M270 MLRS can carry almost double the payload and has the ability to fire twelve MLRS/GMLRS rockets or two MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) ballistic missiles.

The Ukrainian military has received hundreds of artillery pieces and millions of artillery rounds from the United States and NATO to defend its territory from Russia’s aggression.

About the Author

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.