Units of the Dnieper troop group reportedly destroyed a Msta-B howitzer and a 120-mm mortar belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kherson region within a single day. A representative of regional operational services cited by TASS described the impact of artillery fire that eliminated these pieces of equipment and took a toll on Ukrainian manpower. The firefight left four Ukrainian soldiers dead and two others wounded to varying degrees, according to the same regional source.
In addition to the reported losses at the front, the operational services representative noted that a Ukrainian Armed Forces position was wiped out in an island area, and a 120-mm mortar along with its crew and ammunition was neutralized in the vicinity of Kakhovka. The assessments highlight the intensity of engagements in the Kherson sector, where both sides have sustained casualties and where weapons caches and fortified positions are regularly targeted by artillery and air-supported operations.
Previously, the governor of the Magadan region, Sergei Nosov, indicated that a tank commander identified as Vladimir Tsatsulin from the Khasynsky district was involved in the destruction of armored vehicles belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces inside the designated special operations zone. Nosov’s update stressed that numerous armored assets belonging to Ukrainian forces remained in the zone of operations, underscoring the ongoing tempo of combat activity and the strategic emphasis on armored warfare in the region.
On September 16, the Russian Ministry of Defense released footage showing the destruction of Ukrainian armored vehicles in the Kherson direction. The ministry claimed that Russian paratroopers employed the Lancet kamikaze drone to strike a Ukrainian tank as stray ammunition further contributed to the damage. The release of these images and the accompanying claims were presented as evidence of sustained Russian capabilities in countering Ukrainian armor and fortifications in disputed territories.
A veteran fighter from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who did not provide public identification, remarked that there has been a persistent lack of clarity surrounding the underlying causes of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The statement reflected the broader sense of unresolved questions that many servicemen perceive as they carry out missions amid shifting front lines, changing strategic objectives, and the political pressures that shape military decisions on both sides of the conflict. Although such comments from Ukrainian personnel offer a personal perspective on the war, they do not alter the verifiable facts reported by regional and national authorities about losses, equipment destruction, and ongoing combat operations in the Kherson area.
The pattern of reports from the region continues to emphasize the fluid nature of frontline activity. Military observers note that the Kherson sector remains one of the most active fronts, with sporadic advances and retreats, frequent shelling of supply routes, and persistent attempts to degrade the opposing side’s artillery and armored capabilities. The accumulation of incidents involving Msta-B systems and 120-mm mortars underscores the continuing importance of air defense, mobility, and the careful allocation of artillery resources in a densely contested landscape. Analysts also highlight how information from official channels, while sometimes contested, contributes to a broader understanding of the scale and direction of combat operations, as well as the humanitarian consequences for nearby civilian populations and infrastructure in the region.