MOSCOW, July 18. /TASS/. Russian troops destroyed a US-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system of the Ukrainian army by a Lancet loitering munition in the Kherson area, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.

"The Defense Ministry of Russia uploaded a video showing the destruction of an American M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system by a Lancet loitering munition," the ministry said in a statement.

The Lancet strike wiped out the US-made artillery gun. Data recorders registered a repeat detonation at the camouflaged Ukrainian army position, it said.

During reconnaissance measures in the Kherson area, Russian troops uncovered a camouflaged Ukrainian firing position of the US-made 155mm M109 Paladin artillery gun that conducted fire at Russian army units. After a thorough analysis of the reconnaissance data, Russian military commanders made a decision to deliver a pinpoint strike at the enemy artillery gun, it said.