According to a Ukrainian journalist, Ukraine's forces may have struck Russia's newest S-500 air-defense system using U.S.-supplied ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) missiles.
Andriy Tsaplienko, a Ukrainian journalist, stated on his Telegram channel that "the newest Russian S-500 air defense system was destroyed by ATACMS cluster missiles. The cost of one of these reaches $600 million." However, Newsweek was unable to independently verify Tsaplienko's claim and has contacted Russian and Ukrainian authorities for comment.
In June 2023, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's HUR military intelligence agency, told Ukrainian media that Russia had placed components of an S-500 anti-aircraft missile system in annexed Crimea. Earlier that month, a military expert assessed that Russia could have as many as four S-500 systems, also known as the Prometheus surface-to-air missile system (SAM).
The S-500 is described by Russian media as a new generation of Russian anti-aircraft missile systems capable of destroying ballistic and aerodynamic targets. In April 2023, former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated that the first samples of the S-500 SAM would be delivered to Russian troops this year.
On June 17, 2024, Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute think tank, told Newsweek that Russia currently has one active S-500 air defense regiment. This suggests Russia has two battalions with two air-defense batteries each, totaling four of the S-500 systems.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces appear to have increased attacks targeting Russian air defense systems. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a U.S.-based independent think tank, analyzed the conflict in Ukraine on June 13, 2024, and stated that Kyiv may be conducting an effort aimed at degrading these Russian air defenses. This "could enable Ukraine to more effectively leverage manned fixed-wing air power in the long run."
The ISW report indicated that Ukrainian forces may seek to actively degrade Russian air defenses before Ukraine receives a significant number of aircraft "to set conditions for Ukraine's future use of manned fixed-wing air power closer to front line areas." The think tank said, "Ukrainian forces may be attempting to degrade Russian air defenses ahead of anticipated F-16 fighter jet deliveries to Ukraine, which reportedly will begin in small quantities in summer and fall 2024."
The ISW added that "Ukrainian forces may be able to eventually work toward a concept of operations that combines fixed-wing air power to support ground operations if the Ukrainian military receives a sufficient number of fighter jets, Western partners train enough trained pilots, and if Ukraine succeeds in degrading Russian air defense capabilities."
Comments
Post a Comment