MOSCOW, March 5. /TASS/. Russian artillery crews destroyed a Ukrainian army stronghold and an enemy armored vehicle with a reinforcement of an infantry platoon in the Avdeyevka area over the past day, Russia’s Defense Ministry told TASS on Tuesday.

"Artillery crews of 2S19 Msta-S self-propelled systems from the Battlegroup Center destroyed a Ukrainian army stronghold and a BMP-1 armored vehicle with a reinforcement of up to an infantry platoon in the Avdeyevka direction of the special military operation," the ministry said.

"After receiving the target coordinates, an on-duty artillery team took aim at the target and with a series of three shots struck a stronghold and fortifications of the Ukrainian army’s long-term weapon emplacements, supporting assault and holding forces as Russian troops moved forward to take more advantageous frontline positions. Data recorders confirmed that the combat vehicle was hit and its equipment detonated," the ministry said.

The 2S19 Msta-S is a 152mm self-propelled howitzer (the Msta-B as the towed version) designed to wipe out and suppress various types of enemy combat hardware (artillery and mortar batteries, tanks and other armored targets) and manpower, destroy its defensive sites, command posts, air defense and anti-missile defense capabilities and deny the maneuver of its infantry and tank reserves.

The Msta-S has a maximum firing range of 20 km to 29 km, depending on the type of munitions, can carry an ammunition load of 50 shells and has a cruising range of at least 500 km.