The conflict in Ukraine serves the Russia to have in the field confirmation of the effectiveness of the new weapon systems being supplied to their armed forces, just as has been done throughout the history of all modern conflicts.
Already in Syriawhere unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) drones, munitions loitering and several thermobarically charged rocket launchers could be seen TOS1Acruise missile calibr and a glimpse of the new fifth generation hunters Sukhoi Su57Moscow has shut down some new domestic production that has even never been seen in action before.
In this case we are talking about the airlaunched ballistic missile KH47M2 Kinzhalof the already known antiship systems Bastion Pstill using the P800 Oniks missiles, and the system Iskander in the two versions M and K.
The Kinzhal was used at least once, although the video released from Moscow casts serious doubts on the communicated target: an underground ammunition depot in the IvanoFrankivsk region, precisely in Delyatyn. A second attack with this hypersonic missile on a fuel depot in the Mykolayiv area, which was not repeated this time, seems to be confirmed.
The shortrange ballistic missile (SRBM) of the IskanderM system was widely used along with airlaunched cruise missiles and embarked on naval units. In the latter category belong the acquaintances calibrused extensively in Syria while there in the first KH101, KH31 and KH555.
The actual novelty is represented by the 9M729 cruise missile, used by another version of the Iskander system, the K (the N for some sources). In military jargon, this is a GLCM (Ground Launched Cruise Missile) that has an estimated maximum range of 2500 kilometers.
One “strange” use concerns the P800 missiles of the BastionP coastal defense system: These launchers were fired for the first time from Crimea at targets on Ukraine’s Black Sea coast on Thursday, mentioned in a detailed analysis on InsideOver, which is a symptom of the rapid reduction in cruise missiles in Russian arsenals.
We already told you that some loitering munitions, also called “kamikaze drones”, saw their first use in Syria: these are mainly the kubs and lancets, but Russia has a drone of a different type, the UCAV (Unmanned Combat Air vehicle) Orion. It is an unmanned aircraft of considerable size, powered by a turboprop engine positioned in the rear, briefly reminiscent of the lines of the American Reaper. The Orion has a wingspan of 16 meters and a length of 8 meters and it is estimated that the maximum ceiling height is 7500 meters and the maximum flight duration is 24 hours with standard payload capable of a top speed of 200 kilometers per hour. Moscow released video a few days ago of an Orion destroying a Ukrainian position in the Donbass using 9M133FM3 missiles, an airlaunched version of the Kornet antitank missile.
A special mention deserves a armed train what was seen in southern Ukraine earlier this month: in the area of Melitopol some casual observers have immortalized a convoy of armored cars with no better definable antiaircraft artillery systems mounted.
Antiaircraft missile systems were stationed, but we don’t know for sure if they were ever actually used. S400, already well known in the news for hate speech between Turkey and the United States. In fact, Ankara bought two batteries of this SAM (Surface to Air Missile), one of which has already been delivered. According to Kremlin press releases, the S400s would have gone into action to hit Ukrainian planes, but as mentioned, we have no confirmation.
We don’t know because there are still no images or reports indicating whether the armed vehicle supports armored units BMPT72 Terminator went into action, but we can confirm that in the days immediately before the conflict broke out, at least five of them, along with other military vehicles, were seen on a train again passing through the city of Yelets in Lipetsk Oblast, a nearby Russian province controlled by Voronzeh and Kursk.
In Ukraine, we have not seen the new T14 Armata tanks, IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) T15 and Kurganets25, and not even the Su57 fighters, and we believe that they will not be seen either. Very few were delivered to the departments and the environment is still too competitive to use without fear of losing them in combat.