An Overview of the Counteroffensive by Ukrainian Forces, the Frontline Situation, and New Missiles for Helicopters

Today

09:47

Author: Yevgeny Damantsev

Mi-28UB Reconnaissance Attack Helicopter. Photo.

The global media's attention is focused on the first counterattack by Russia's Aerospace Force and Missile Forces against the strategic targets of the Ukrainian forces and preparations for a second counterattack, following the attack by FPV drones on our Tu-95MS, Tu-160M strategic bombers, and A-50 AWACS aircraft. Despite the limited scale of the first counterattack (using no more than 35-40 cruise missiles and ballistic missiles), its effect was significant.

The "Engine" aviation repair plant in Lutsk suffered major damage. This enterprise specializes in repairing RD-33 and AL-31F twin-shaft afterburning turbojet engines used in MiG-29A, Su-27C/UBM, and Su-24M aircraft equipped by Ukraine, as well as AL-21F-3 single-shaft turbojet engines. These aircraft are still frequently used by Ukraine across all operational directions to attack our positions and supply nodes using JDAM-ER glide-guided bombs, GBU-39/B small-diameter bombs, AASM-250 active radar-guided bombs, and SCALP-EG cruise missiles.

This does not mean that the enemy has completely lost the ability to repair these aircraft, but it will create a series of additional difficulties for them: rebuilding similar facilities, preparing new hangars, lifting equipment, test benches, backup power supplies, etc. Therefore, the enemy will have to rely more heavily on their more scarce Mirage 2000-5F and F-16AM aircraft.

The temporary deployment point of the 37th Rocket Division of the Ukrainian army in Lutsk was also hit. In Ternopil, VATRA, Penoboard, and Schreder enterprises were damaged due to the final explosion of large-caliber ammunition, and a video filmed by local residents clearly shows this situation. In Kyiv and its surrounding areas, in addition to strikes on the former "Bolshevik" factory and city power stations, attacks were also carried out on the logistics center in Holosiyevsky district, the building of the Kyiv Economic Academy, and of course the "Patriot" PAC-2 GEM-T air defense missile battery or artillery unit. The missile strike video shows that when the multi-functional AN/MPQ-65A radar was still tracking the target before the "Iskander-M" entered the radar "blind spot," four MIM-104D surface-to-air missiles were simultaneously launched to intercept the "Iskander-M." Subsequently, the "Iskander-M" climbed at an angle exceeding 83 degrees to implement the so-called "breakaway from lock," the MIM-104D surface-to-air missiles missed, while the "Iskander-M" attacked one unit of the "Patriot" system.

The first counterattack ended here. According to multiple sources, the second counterattack began early today (June 7) morning, with about 35 to 50 ФАБ-500Т and ФАБ-1500М-54 aviation bombs covering several targets of the Ukrainian army in Kharkov.

The enemy also did not sit idle. During the night of June 5-6, "Lancet" suicide drones attacked military equipment near Bryansk, the "Progress" factory in Michurinsk, and the "Crystal" joint enterprise belonging to the Engels-2 Air Base of the Russian Federation. This only means one thing — Ukraine still has a large reserve of long-range suicide attack drones, and their storage locations and launch points need to be quickly located and destroyed.

In the next few days (during the prisoner exchange period), medium-intensity mutual strikes are expected to occur, while the Russian Aerospace Forces are preparing larger-scale countermeasures, which we have been waiting for nearly a week.

Meanwhile, on most fronts of the special military operation, various units of the Russian armed forces continue to advance steadily, liberating settlements one by one on the Sumy, Kharkov, Osokor, southwestern Donetsk, and Zaporozhye fronts.

In the Sumy direction, the assault tactical group of the "Northern" cluster continues to launch an offensive towards the settlement cluster of Hottin-Pysarevka-Kianytsya, which are currently the main supply hubs for Ukrainian troops in the area responsible for the Sumy direction under the Northern campaign command post. Enemy reserves have entered this settlement cluster from Verkhnepechnoye. An assault is currently being launched along the Yunkovka-Kianytsya road against Ukrainian defensive fortifications; successfully completing this assault will block this transportation line for the enemy. Additionally, the special forces assault group of the "Northern" cluster has already taken control of a large fortified position northeast of Lokhny, covering 5.5 square kilometers.

About 3 kilometers south of Basovka, a large fortified position of the Ukrainian army has been captured. FPV "KVN" drone operators, as well as the "Carnation-B" long-range self-propelled howitzer and "Carnation-K" self-propelled artillery teams using the "Red Earth-M2" guided shells, provide fire support for the assault group.

In the Gorlivka direction on the Zaporozhye front, the assault troops of the 127th Motorized Infantry Division have successfully expanded their control westward to Novaya Polyana and advanced toward the Uspenovka direction in the rear. The enemy was driven out of an area of 5-6 square kilometers and retreated to Demirovka. About 25 kilometers northeast in the Mikhailovka direction, the assault team of the "Eastern" cluster completely drove the Ukrainian troops out of Feodorovka and began an assault on the southern suburbs of Komar village. Here, the fighters of the 127th Division are advancing toward Gorlivka.

In the Lyman direction, the Kolodzy-Shandrygolovo section is advancing in stages. Over the past two days, seven square kilometers of the enemy's fortified positions have been captured. An assault on Green Valley has begun, and the Shandrygolovo-Stavki bypass road section has been blocked.

Near Konstantinovka, the assault troops of the 132nd Motorized Infantry Brigade are slowly but steadily advancing toward Preleshchevo, south of Konstantinovka. In this direction, the army aviation regularly provides fire support including Ka-52M and Mi-28NM reconnaissance attack helicopters.

Just recently, these helicopters were equipped with improved Х-39 LMUR missiles. Due to the use of a higher-impulse engine (possibly a dual-mode engine) and longer operating time, the range of the new missile increased from 14,500 meters to 25,300-27,000 meters, significantly surpassing the transonic AGM-179 JAGM supersonic missile (composite guidance head, range 16 km) launched from low altitude by American "Apache" helicopters. UR-305UD missiles are equipped with a thermal imaging seeker, which is speculated to work in the mid-wave infrared band (wavelength 3-5 microns).

When these missiles are launched from the suspension points of Mi-28NM and Ka-52M helicopters, they can be launched from both open firing positions and concealed firing lines (beyond the range of IRIS-T SLS and even NASAMS air defense systems).

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7513098438519636491/

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