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Ukraine - Russia Invasion conflict
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Militarnyi brodcasted a video of the Ukrainian Air Force released by the Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk demonstrating its use of the MIM-23 HAWK air defense missiles. This air defense system shot down aerial targets during the Russian shelling of Ukraine on the night of Monday, October 23.
In an interview with Voice of America on October 16, 2023, Colonel Martin O’Donnell, a spokesperson for US Army Europe and Africa, confirmed that all 31 M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) promised to Ukraine by the Biden administration have been delivered, along with ammunition and spare tank parts, as suspected in this previous article dated on August 8, 2023. Ukrainian personnel, who received training alongside US forces in Germany, have also returned to Ukraine, prepared to operate the newly acquired tanks.
As reported by Btvt on October 15, 2023, the 110th mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed a Russian BTR-50P armored personnel carrier, along with a T-64BV tank equipped with a KMT-6 mine trawl, in the ongoing conflict for Avdiivka, a city located in Ukraine's Donbas region. This marks the first documented loss of a BTR-50P, the first Soviet armored personnel carrier with origins dating back to the Stalin era.
Ukraine has employed MGM-140A ATACMS ballistic missiles for the first time. On the night of October 16, units from the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) and the Armed Forces carried out precision strikes targeting two key Russian airbases in Berdiansk and Luhansk. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the use of these advanced, U.S.-supplied missiles in both successful operations. Debris from the missile and unexploded M74 APAM submunitions conclusively verify that the MGM-140A variant was used in these strikes.
On October 17, 2023, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the deployment of the TOS-2 Tosochka 220mm thermobaric rocket launcher vehicle in Ukraine. This statement, shared on Russian social media, corroborated an earlier report by Army Recognition on September 4, 2023. This vehicle, a part of NRBC units, was employed against Ukrainian fortifications with extended-range projectiles.
As reported by Ukraine's Ministry of Health on October 16, 2023, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have taken delivery of the first Gurkha 4x4 armored ambulance out of a planned thirteen. These ambulances are intended for the safe evacuation of wounded individuals from the front lines to the nearest medical facilities. The acquisition of these armored ambulances cost a total of 124 million hryvnias (€3.24 million), with funding support from the UNITED24 initiative amounting to 9,532,000 hryvnias (€248,759).
According to Andrei_bt on October 13, 2023, in a surprising turn of events, a rare Russian military vehicle, the BTR-90 'Rostok' infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), was spotted in Ukraine, near the city of Avdiivka, located in the Donbas region. In total, only 12 BTR-90 armored personnel carriers (APCs) were ever built, including all variants. The BTR-90, officially adopted by the Russian Armed Forces through Order No. 324 on June 9, 2008, was never mass-produced.
As reported by Ukrainian Front on October 12, 2023, the Viktor short air defense system, produced in the Czech Republic, has been added to the inventory of Ukraine's 117th separate Territorial Defense Brigade. This deployment reflects Ukraine's ongoing efforts to enhance its air defense capabilities, as these systems are crucial in safeguarding critical assets like airbases, command and control centers, military equipment, and logistical hubs.
In a recent video shared across social media platforms on October 12, 2023, Ukrainian forces reportedly neutralized a Russian Geran kamikaze drone, also known as Shaded-136, using for the first time ASRAAM IR air-to-air missile launcher system mounted on a Supacat HMT truck.
In a significant move to bolster its armored capabilities against emerging aerial threats in Ukraine, the Russian army has taken delivery of advanced T-90M Proryv and T-72B3M Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) with enhanced turret protection. This development was disclosed on VK, a leading Russian social network, on October 11, 2023.
On October 11, 2023, the UK Defense Secretary announced a new military assistance package for Ukraine, valued at over £100 million. This package includes the delivery of the MSI-DS Terrahawk Paladin Very Short-Range Air Defense (VSHORAD) system. This marks the first instance of Ukraine receiving the Paladin system to enhance its air defense capabilities, particularly in countering the threat posed by Russian drones. The package, as described in this article, aims to support Ukraine's counter-offensive efforts, focusing on minefield clearance, vehicle maintenance, and fortifying defensive infrastructure.
Ivan Sybyriakov, the manager of the unmanned systems center at Ukrainian state-owned SpetsTechnoExport (STE), recently reported that the Ukrainian army is currently operating "thousands" of Lithuanian counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs). This significant deployment underscores the vital role that Lithuanian technology is playing in strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities, particularly against Russian drone threats.
According to MilitaryLand on October 10, 2023, the Ukrainian 5th Assault Brigade deployed an unspecified number of BMP-1TS infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) on the battlefield. These deployments represent the utilization of a Ukrainian modernization effort intended to enhance the capabilities of the BMP-1 to bring its combat capabilities closer to the Russian BMP-2M Berezhok. The BMP-1TS was publicly unveiled in 2021 during a military parade in Kyiv and is a product of collaboration between the Kyiv research and production company Techimpex and the Zhytomyr Armored Plant. As of 2021, Ukraine possessed approximately a dozen BMP-1TS.
According to TASS on October 11, 2023, Russian defense specialists recently unveiled a high-speed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) named "Tubus." This drone has been designed with the primary objective of targeting enemy armored vehicles and artillery deep within the frontlines, as reported by a source within the defense industry complex.
According to information on Russian social media dated October 9, 2023, Russian troops in Ukraine received the new up-armored Tigr-M SpN variant of the Tigr-M light armored vehicle, affectionately nicknamed "Mad Max" by its developers. These vehicles boast reinforced wheels, front body sections, windshields, and modified doors to enhance protection. The Tigr-M SpN can be armed with a 12.7 mm Kord, a 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun, or an Arbalet-DM remote-controlled weapon station (RCWS).
In a recent initiative to improve the Kyiv region's defense capabilities against Russian missile and drone threats, the Kyiv Regional Military Administration and AWT Bavaria announced the receipt of 21 Mitsubishi pickup trucks for the force's land ZSU. The announcement was made on October 9, 2023, by the administration's press service via the Telegram platform.
On October 6, 2023, a video shared on X by Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Minister of Digital Transformation, showcased a large number of civilian drones supplied to front-line troops. Nearly 2,000 Autel Evo Max 4T drones, equipped with artificial intelligence, will be deployed for reconnaissance missions, artillery adjustments, and identifying hidden Russian positions.
As the Russia-Ukraine conflict intensifies, a curious trend is becoming apparent: Russia is experiencing increasing losses of its sophisticated T-90M tanks. While this may appear to be a disadvantage for Russia and an advantage for Ukraine at first glance, the situation is far from straightforward. The uptick in T-90 casualties is actually in line with the growing number of these tanks being deployed to the front lines.
As reported by Russian media on October 5, 2023, Russian paratroopers have recently taken delivery of a batch of refurbished BMD-2 airborne combat vehicles and BTR-RD armored personnel carriers as part of the ongoing modernization efforts within the Russian armed forces. The equipment was supplied by the Volgograd branch of Kurganmashzavod, an enterprise part of the Rostec High-Precision Complexes holding.
According to TASS on October 4, 2023, Russian special forces units started to deploy the Ghoul FPV (First-Person View) drone in the Luhansk Oblast in Eastern Ukraine. This drone offers a flight range of 6-12 km and a maximum speed of 180 km/h. Some components of the UAV, including antennas and body components, are fabricated using 3D printing technology. It is equipped to carry RPG-7 grenades, such as PG-7VL, RKG-3M anti-tank hand grenades, and high-explosive fragmentation charges, which can be produced directly in the combat zone.
On October 5, 2023, a US official informed CBS News that North Korea had initiated the transfer of artillery equipment to Russia, seemingly to support Russia's ongoing involvement in the conflict in Ukraine. Simultaneously, the US Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) issued a report detailing a substantial increase in rail activity between these two nations. These developments align with a prior report from Army Recognition, which had indicated that North Korea was set to commence deliveries of military resources in October.
Breaking News: In a recent video released on October 3, 2023, by the Artillery and Missile troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine via their official Facebook account, it has been revealed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces successfully targeted and destroyed a pivotal Russian RB-301B Borisoglebsk-2 electronic warfare system in the vicinity of Novopetrykivka, Donetsk region. Recognized as the cornerstone of electronic warfare within the Russian Army, the Borisoglebsk-2 boasts the capability to orchestrate four distinct jamming units from a singular command point.
Following a visit of the Russian defense minister to Iran on September 21, 2023, Russia showed interest in purchasing an Iranian-made Fateh-110 short-range ballistic missile to compensate for the heavy use of missiles in the conflict in Ukraine, and manufacturing delays in the Russian defense industry.
On October 5th, the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence released a video showcasing the intense conflict known as the "Artan" operation against Russian occupiers in Crimea. The video provides detailed insights into a nighttime special mission carried out by Ukraine's GUR, according to Valentyna Romanenko's report in Ukrainska Pravda.
According to The Drive on October 4, 2023, recent video footage circulating on Twitter unveiled a unique mobile air defense missile system in action in Southern Ukraine against a Russian drone. This system appears to combine the AIM-132 Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) mounted on a High Mobility Transporter (HMT) by Supacat, both supplied by the United Kingdom. The video showcases the system's exceptional agility, even when engaging lower-flying targets at shorter ranges.
