I. Introduction
Today's Russia-Ukraine front, since the retreat of Russia from Kharkiv in September 2022, there have been basically no major changes on the front. And the so-called counteroffensive of the Ukrainian side, which began in March and April last year, has not achieved much results, although Russia has announced the capture of Bakhmut, Maryinka, and Avdeyevka, but the fighting in the vicinity continues. This war is like a war with the blessing of high technology, although Russia has planes in the sky and warships in the water, but it has not achieved much.
Russian warplanes and warships were destroyed and sunk in large numbers
Now Russia and Ukraine are fighting hard in Kubiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdeyevka, Novopavlivka, Orikhov and the left bank of Kherson, and the Russian army has gained a slight advantage relatively speaking. But in terms of strikes on the outside line, the Ukrainian army is not a little stronger than the Russian army. The Ukrainian army used advanced weapons of the Western system and modified them with its own weapons, successively sent many ships of the Black Sea Fleet to the bottom of the sea, and shot down various advanced Russian fighters to the ground. Most of this is the credit of Ukrainian intelligence, and of course there must be intelligence from the West here.
The Zhankoy airbase was fired at in a salvo by two Hippocampus of the Ukrainian army
Second, the Ukrainian army sent away many sets of S400 and S300 in one salvo
Foreign media reported that in the early morning of April 17, two Hippocampus vehicles of the Ukrainian army, equipped with American-made ATACMS tactical missiles, launched a surprise attack on the Russian army at the Zhankoy airbase on the Crimean Peninsula. After a volley, there was a huge explosion at the Zhankoy airbase, and the flames rose into the air, illuminating the night as if it were day.
Zhankoy airbase to the left bank of the Dnieper, controlled by the Ukrainian army, is within the strike range of the Hippocampus
The distance from the right bank of the Dnieper River controlled by the Ukrainian army is about 150 kilometers from the Zhankoy airbase. Army tactical missiles have a range of 124-150 km, while extended-range army missiles can reach a range of 248-300 km. The U.S.-made Seahorse of the Ukrainian army carries tactical missiles to hit Russia's Zhankoy airbase in Crimea, and the range is more than enough.
Zhankoy Air Base is an important air base set up by the Russian Aerospace Forces on the Crimean Peninsula, and various fighters of the Russian Aerospace Forces are stationed all year round. The Russian army attaches great importance to this air base, and in order to protect this air base, Russia has deployed several sets of S400 and S300 air defense systems here. With such strict protective measures, the Russian army thinks that it is foolproof, but this is just the blind confidence of the Russian army, just as they blindly believe that it is easy to fight Ukraine. Today, several S400 and S300 units have been destroyed, as well as three radar systems, with an estimated cost of $2.5 billion.
Multiple sets of S400s were destroyed
Third, the Ukrainian army fought very skillfully
It is said that the most advanced Russian S400 and S300 air defense systems destroyed by the Ukrainian army, S400 and S300 should be able to destroy the tactical missiles of the Ukrainian army. The S300 anti-aircraft missile system began to be developed in the 70s of the last century, entered service in the 80s, and after many improvements, there are already large family members, ABC ah. The S400 has all the functions of the S300, with a maximum range of 400KM, and also has an anti-jamming, highly integrated command system. It is said that the Ukrainian army's Seahorse is not enough to destroy so many S400 and S300 air defense systems of the Russian army.
This time the Ukrainian army fought very skillfully, and they fought with a time difference. The air defense system is the same as a person standing guard, and it also needs to be changed. At the time of this shift change, the tactical missiles of the Ukrainian army flew and caught the Russian army by surprise. In addition, the air defense system is not turned on 24 hours a day, and the Ukrainian army seized this gap. Perhaps the intelligence of the Ukrainian army has figured out the shift time of the Russian S400 and S300.
The Ukrainian army made a time difference this time, and launched an attack when the shift was replaced
Fourth, summary
This action of the Ukrainian army may be to avenge the previous bombing of Chernihiv by Russia. Both Slavic brothers were vengeful personalities. And this time, there happened to be American Global Hawk drones hovering in the sky over Crimea, which were in full view of the US military. Maybe it's the intelligence provided by the Global Hawk drone, or maybe the Ukrainian army wants to show its combat effectiveness in front of its allies and urge the United States to provide $61 billion in military aid.