15 Russian air defense systems have been hit in occupied Crimea in the last two months.
15 Russian air defense systems have been hit in occupied Crimea in the last two months.
https://t.me/AFUStratCom/24652
đź’™ The StratCom of the Armed Forces of Ukraine prepared an infographic of the damage to the air defense systems of the Russian occupiers in the temporarily occupied Crimea over the past two months.
đź’Ą The total number of individually affected air defense systems is about 15. In particular, air defense divisions in the S-300, S-350, and S-400 modifications are affected. Dozens of launchers of the specified systems, more than 15 radar stations, and more than 10 control points were destroyed.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to destroy the Russian occupiers and the day of the liberation of the Ukrainian Crimea is approaching!
@AFUStratCom
Everyone always asks what air defense is doing. No one thinks to ask how air defense is doing.
Looks at map
Do we even bother asking?
I'd say this is a big blow, but it's quite obvious those AA systems are actually kinda shit.
It is huge, they aren't shit by any stretch. They can be defeated through tactics and technology, just like western defense systems. If there is an expectation of operating F-16 and Mirage 2000 in the combat area, these air defences need to be degraded. A SCALP missile streaking along at 75M altitude, supported by MALD electronic decoys, under the cover of 20-30 drones, with a few Neptune cruise missiles to soak up interceptors is far more likely to defeat an S-400 battery than a two-ship of F-16 operating within 80km of the front.
According to Ukraine, and the video made available online, (at least some of) the strikes were done with "at least 10" M39 Atacms missiles, not cruise missiles or massed decoys. The submunition explosions from the Atacms are pretty distinct.
Which makes this doubly hilarious, because that's the exact kind system that s-400 has been said to completely defeat. And they did it twice at the same site, and many more times elsewhere.
Edit: looking at the sites, probably at least some were attacked with cruise missiles, since they're far outside ATACMS range.
Isn't the S-400 this 'highly advanced' AA system Turkey bought making the US really upset?
Yeah, and they got booted from the F35 program over it. They must be so happy right now, buying the "most advanced AA system in the world".
Yeah
When/If Ukraine gets the planes all the invaders in Crimea will wish they still had them.
I'm pretty sure that's the point of these attacks. Ukraine is reducing the coverage and effectiveness of Russia Air Defenses in preparation for flying F-16s.