|
a
|
|
Ukraine - Russia Invasion conflict
|
|
|
|
|
On February 12, 2024, a video shared on Russian media details updates to the T-62M and T-62MV Model 2020 tanks, which are in use by Russia's Buryat 5th Separate Guards Tank Brigade, part of the 36th Combined Arms Army active in the Donetsk Oblast sector of southern Ukraine. It's also possible that these tanks could be linked to the 39th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade, following the abandonment of a T-62M near Novomykhailivka, Donetsk Oblast.
The Ukrainian Navy's press service recently broadcast footage demonstrating the air defense forces' effectiveness, featuring the first combat use of a Counter-Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) weapon system developed by L3Harris specifically for Ukraine.
As the conflict between Russia and Ukraine enters its third year, reports confirm the deployment of Cold War-era tanks by the Russian army in direct assaults against Ukrainian positions. This resurgence of outdated military equipment raises questions about the evolving dynamics of modern warfare and the strategies employed by both sides in the ongoing conflict.
On February 6, 2024, the Telegram channel Spy Dossier disclosed an incident involving the Russian Airborne Forces in the occupied Ukrainian region of Luhansk. A 50P6E launcher, part of the S-350E Vityaz air defense system, was damaged during night operations. According to available information, the Russian forces, ironically, became victims of a mine from defenses presumably laid by themselves.
On February 9, 2024, the Russian Ministry of Defense revealed through a video on its VK social network account the deployment of an upgraded version of the T-90M tank in Ukraine, showcasing significant enhancements in its defense mechanisms. The latest model of the T-90M has been outfitted with a new generation of Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA), aimed at bolstering its resilience on the modern battlefield.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has mandated the creation of a specialized branch within the Ukrainian Armed Forces dedicated solely to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), as reported by The New Voice of Ukraine on February 6.
The Ukrainian military has recently received two Leleka-100 unmanned reconnaissance systems (leleka means ‘’stork’), courtesy of the Poroshenko Foundation Militarnyi reports. This announcement was made by People's Deputy of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, through his social media channels. These state-of-the-art UAVs have been allocated to the 3rd separate regiment of the SSO, bearing the name of Svyatoslav the Brave, and the 141st separate rifle brigade.
During the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on January 23rd in the Ramstein format, the Netherlands officially joined the IT coalition, a development reported by Ukraine's Defense Ministry on January 27th and confirmed by Maria Tril in Euromaidan. Led by Estonia and Luxembourg, this coalition is dedicated to supporting Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces in the fields of IT, communications, and cybersecurity. The Netherlands has demonstrated its commitment by contributing a substantial 10 million euros, equivalent to over $10 million in funding.
Due to a lack of funding, the United States cannot repair the weapons supplied to Ukrainian forces. Laurent Lagneau reports in Opex360. The United States has exhausted the available funds that previously allowed them to provide military assistance to Ukraine. An allocation of 61 billion dollars is on the table, but its release has not yet been approved by Congress, where Republicans and Democrats have no intention of giving each other any favors, especially in an election year. This week, the White House has urged senators to reach an agreement.
As reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense on January 22, 2024, servicemen from the Russian 1st Guards Tank Army have begun using their BMP-3 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) to support infantry units in the Kupyansk direction, utilizing both indirect and direct fire positions. This shift towards employing indirect fire tactics by Russian BMP-3 crews can be attributed to vulnerabilities exploited by Ukrainian forces during close assault operations near their positions.
In the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Russia has faced significant losses of its rocket launcher systems, prompting the development of new artillery solutions to bolster its military capabilities. The new development includes rocket launchers based on the MTLB tracked chassis and Ural-4320 trucks, which are being armed with RBU-6000 213 mm caliber Soviet anti-submarine rocket launchers, originally designed for naval warfare. Some videos published on social networks also show the RBU-6000 naval rocket launcher system mounted on the chassis of a Russian T-80 tank.
In August 2023, a Ukrainian intelligence unit undertook a perilous mission, traveling over 600 kilometers on foot across Russian territory. Their goal was to neutralize a threat posed by the Russian Tu-22M3 bombers located at the Soltsy airfield in the Novgorod region. But how did they manage to achieve such a feat so far from the combat zones?
According to Russian sources on January 24, 2024, the Russian company Tula NPO "Splav" may have supplied a batch of Uragan-1M bi-caliber multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) to Russian troops stationed in Ukraine. But is there evidence to suggest that Russia is deploying this new MLRS in Ukraine?
As reported by OSINTtechnical on January 21, 2024, a DJI Agras T30 agricultural drone in Ukrainian service has been modified to be equipped with a PKM 7.62x54mmR machine gun and a Bullspike-AT grenade launcher. This conversion of an agricultural drone into an armed platform capable of performing military tasks showcases the technical skills of Ukrainian engineers in adapting technology for defense purposes.
On January 20, 2024, the Ukrainian armed forces shared a video on their social media platforms, revealing a successful operation to neutralize a Russian TOR-M1 air defense system. This operation was carried out near the Russo-Ukrainian border by soldiers from the 15th Separate Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade, utilizing Polish-made Warmate loitering munitions.
During a field investigation, Conflict Armament Research (CAR) documented the debris of a ballistic missile that struck Kharkiv, Ukraine, on January 2, 2024. Evidence suggests that this missile was manufactured in North Korea and is likely a KN-23 or KN-24, both of which entered service in North Korea in 2020.
According to a recent report by Iryna Voichuk for EuroMaidan Press, Ukrainian engineers have unveiled a remarkable advancement in the realm of FPV (first-person view) drones, introducing the EFP-S armor-piercing ammunition. This innovative development, as part of the Army of Drones project, signifies a substantial leap in targeting lightly armored vehicles, proving its efficacy against a range of military assets.
Russia reportedly deployed the historic P-35 anti-ship missile, marking its first use in this war. This information comes from a Defense Express report dated January 18, 2024.
Recent pictures published on social networks reveal that the US-donated Bradley M2A2 tracked armored Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs), currently utilized by the Ukrainian armed forces, are now equipped with additional reactive armor. This armor is mounted on the front and sides of the hull and includes a counter-drone electronic warfare solution. The armor appears to be very similar to that mounted on the American M2A3 Bradley.
As reported by Defense of Ukraine in two separate videos released on January 17 and January 18, 2024, the Bradley M2A2 has demonstrated its formidable combat effectiveness in Ukraine. It showed its capacity to demolish a BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) in a matter of seconds, as well as neutralizing a Russian T-90M Main Battle Tank (MBT), thanks to its uniquely designed Bushmaster gun.
Ukraine is developing a new type of kamikaze drone equipped with a jet engine. This innovation represents a significant advancement in the country's offensive capability, offering superior performance compared to traditional propeller-driven drones. However, the use of a jet engine in these kamikaze drones raises several questions, both strategically and economically. This new drone can be seen in a tweet from Ukraine Battle Map dated January 17, 2024.
In Ternopil Oblast, a land-based robotic complex known as the "Ant," constructed using 80% Ukrainian-manufactured components, has been developed for military purposes, as reported by Militarnyi. Ihor Chaikivskyi, who serves as the chairman of the "Robotized Systems" project, shared details about this innovation with "Suspilne." According to Chaikivskyi, this remote-controlled device has a range of 15 kilometers or even more.
As the conflict in Ukraine persists into 2023, Russia, despite facing significant international economic sanctions, has seen a notable increase in its defense orders. According to a press release from the Steel Research Institute dated January 16, 2024, there was a threefold increase in state defense orders for the year 2023 compared to the previous year. This expansion included a surge in orders for armored vehicles, including tanks.
The impact of human resources on the conflict in Ukraine in 2024 reveals several key aspects, including Ukraine's ambition to mobilize 500,000 men, the challenges encountered in achieving this goal, the Russian response, and the growing involvement of unmanned technologies in the conflict. The ability to deploy a significant number of soldiers on the battlefield remains an important factor in 2024, and we will delve into more detail on this aspect of the conflict.
Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy chief major general of Ukraine's main military intelligence arm, has recently reported that Russia is enlisting approximately 30,000 soldiers monthly. Although this recruitment of soldiers each month suffices to compensate for frontline losses, Russia would have to initiate a larger-scale mobilization to build a more substantial strategic reserve.
