Posted on 06/17/2023 1:18:27 PM PDT by Mariner
Russia is using attack helicopters equipped with long-range missiles to gain an upper hand on the key southern front of the Ukrainian counter-offensive, according to Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Moscow has deployed more than 20 extra helicopters to Berdyansk airport, which lies approximately 100km behind the front line, since Kyiv launched its offensive earlier this month, the ministry said in an intelligence update.
“In the constant contest between aviation measures and counter-measures, it is likely that Russia has gained a temporary advantage in southern Ukraine, especially with attack helicopters employing longer-range missiles against ground targets,” said the MoD.
It indicated earlier in the week that the Russian air force had been “unusually active over southern Ukraine”, which is at the centre of a counter-offensive as Ukraine hopes to sever Russia’s land corridor between annexed Crimea and eastern Donetsk.
The daily sortie rate remains much lower than at the start of the invasion, when Russia was flying up to 300 missions a day, the MoD said. But Russia has increased its use of air-to-surface weapons that allow attack aircraft to remain well away from their targets.
In particular, reports suggest that Russian attack helicopters are operating close to the front lines in the south and could pose a serious threat to the Ukrainian counter-offensive.
One Ukrainian commander who spoke to The Guardian near the front line in Zaporizhzhia described “constant attacks from helicopters, three or four times a day”, saying his brigade had no effective way to shoot them down from the ground.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
Because they see Ukraine as nothing more than fodder.
Welcome to the Big Suck.
Good to see this war now starting to end its end-phase. It was a lot of fun, but hopefully now some ADULTS take over in the West, and, unlike the Neocons, are willing to talk to the ADULTS in Moscow.
The week-old, “massive” Ukrainian counter offensive has gained a few yards here and there with a lot of casualties and destroyed charity hardware. It sucks to be them.
Ukraine has occasionally been sending small numbers of aircraft (both helicopters and fixed wing) to the vicinity of the front lines in the south and west. These forays to support their troops are shot down with some frequency so the forays are becoming less common.
Russian supporting aircraft are operating in these front areas with their losses being rare in recent months. It’s not “air supremacy” but close to it along the front.
Russia has Air Superiority on their side of the line, with certainty.
And they also have the ability to project out to the Ukrainian line, at some risk.
But with Ukraine on the “offensive”, all they have to do is lay back and wait for them.
A comprehensive article on Ukraine’s failed strategy: https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/06/on-the-failure-of-the-ukrainian-counterattack.html#more
True dat. But they’re continually attacking Ukrainian reserves and logistics in the rear of the battle area.
And yet, U.S. Air Force leaders say A10s can't survive on a modern battlefield because of antiaircraft weapons.
If Russian helicopters can fly and fight successfully, why can't A10s - especially in areas where F22s and F35s have established air superiority?
In before the “You’re a Putler” retards.
.....”they see Ukraine as nothing more than fodder”.....
We said this would be so from the get go and it remains as so. Zelensky and his crew surely pulled the wool over many Ukrainian eyes - and they still are. Most understood Zelensky was nothing more than a tour guide and bag money man....and he’s proven he is so.
The Russians are taking advantage of a kill zone to be sure.
Simce they've taken all the initial land, that's basically all Russia has had to do.... sit back and smash everything that comes its way. Bakhmut is a microcosm of the larger black hole.
Russia (and China) are using Ukkraine to bleed us dry - but we can't see that because evil morons are in charge.
Their mini-moron, useful idiots show up here.
China is trying to manipulate the West and Russia to fight each other.
Why does the biggest country in the world have to “lay back and wait” in a battle against Ukrainian “farmers and miners”? Because Russia is a Potemkin fake and weak, obviously.
Bleed us dry? The US Army has 5000 Abrams tanks. How many given to Ukraine? Making Russia Great Again has never been in the interest of American conservatives. It’s been the dream of the Quisling left for generations, though.
Well, as long as it is 10% for the Big Guy, all is well.
So much for the vaunted NATO AD - helicopters?@?!
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