Russian soldiers find no assistance on the riverbank
Colonel Reisner has shed light on the fraught river crossings faced by Russian soldiers on the Oskil, a river marked by the risky bridges erected by the Russians. In an interview with ntv.de, Reisner explained that due to Ukrainian drones, the soldiers were often left with no choice but to plunge into the river if their boat was attacked.
The Credibility of the Attacks and the Evolving Impact of Himars
ntv.de: Mr. Reisner, the Ukrainian side reports that it has successfully attacked four Russian helicopters near Belgorod on Russian territory with Himars rocket launchers. The attack was carried out with Himars rockets, it is said. Do you see this report as credible?
Markus Reisner: Whilst the video shared by the Ukrainians is a bit blurry and taken from a distance using a drone, the impact of the shells is visible. Whilst no exact details are recognizable on the video, in my opinion, the hit report is credible and a great success of the weekend.
Adjusting Tactics for Successful Attacks
The Russian Jamming Systems and the Elusive Effectiveness of Himars
The Russian jamming systems had initially proven to be an effective countermeasure against Himars rockets, but the Ukrainians have adapted their tactics. They now target less critical targets where Russian defense is minimal, such as training grounds. For instance, in the Belgorod area, a makeshift airfield for refueling was set up, which Himars could attack since such a place is not often protected by air defense systems.
The Provisionally Set Up Field Airfield and its Fate
That was a provisional field airfield, a Forward Arming and Refuelling Point (FARP) set up by the Russians for their helicopters to refuel and rearm. The Ukrainians had clarified the location with a drone and launched an attack.
Preventing Defeat: Russian Countermeasures Against Himars
Defending Against Himars: Directly at the Target or Along the Way?
Yes, there are countermeasures against the Himars system. Apart from the possibility of kinetic defense by shooting down an incoming missile using air defense, it's also possible to:
- Use electronic means to disrupt the GPS navigation system of the missile, preventing it from accurately reading its pre-set target coordinates. This would cause the missile to miss its target.
- Destroy the rocket launcher itself.
The Ukrainian Artillery Losses: A Substantiated Claim?
The Ukrainian General Staff reported unusually high losses of artillery systems on the Russian side over the weekend, twice as many destroyed systems as usual. However, Markus Reisner expresses caution toward such tallies, as one must be wary of counting every piece of military equipment.
The Changing Tactics of the Russians on the Battlefields
In the combat zones, some areas have seemed to quiet down a bit, but the overall situation remains volatile. On the Kursk border, the Russians have nearly succeeded in pushing the remaining one to five kilometers of land under their control. In the Kharkiv area, the situation remains unchanged, while in the Donbass near Pokrovsk, fighting is intensifying again as the Ukrainians try to restore the interrupted railway line.
The River Crossings: Challenges and Dangers for the Russian Soldiers
The Russian army seeks to provide more forces in the area, aiming to capture a large piece of Ukrainian territory in a pincer movement. There are three points where soldiers can cross the river: Saptine, Orichna, and Novoolynske. The Russians are attempting to lay pontoon bridges, but these efforts are continuously thwarted by Ukrainian forces destroying them. Therefore, the Russians are forced to cross with small groups of soldiers.
Ukrainian Tactics Against Russian Advances
The Ukrainians detect the positions of the Russian soldiers using reconnaissance drones, and then use first-person view drones or artillery to target these groups.
The Approaching Drones: No Escape in the Middle of the River
Before the Russian soldiers cross the river, they have no support. The approaching drone is first heard, drowned out by the boat motor, before it is visible. Soldiers can try to shoot down the drones with shotguns or scatter munitions. However, absent a successful defense, this can lead to fatal outcomes for the troops. Some videos reveal men jumping into the water in desperation upon detecting the incoming drone. In winter, there's little chance of survival during these river crossings.
The Unwavering Support: Ukrainian Drone Supplies
Ukraine now produces many drones themselves and also uses drones from German production. The southern German company Helis is building HX2 combat drones with a range of around 100 kilometers. These drones provide constant support to individual Ukrainian units and enable them to maintain the attacking Russians at a distance in the Donbass.
Frauke Niemeyer interviewed Markus Reisner for ntv.de
Source: ntv.de
Articles: - Attack on Ukraine - Donbass - Russia - Weapons - Drones
Enrichment Data:
Overall:
Ukrainian Drones and High-Risk Crossings for Russian Soldiers on the Oskil River: Smart Tactics, Effective Countermeasures
- The adaptive strategies by the Ukrainian forces enable efficient use of resources and potent attacks on the Russians, particularly through the utilization of Ukrainian-produced drones and German HX2 combat drones.
- The persistent use of drone technology by Ukrainian forces disrupts Russian operations, from early reconnaissance to precise strikes against infantry positions.
- Complex tactics employed by Russian forces, such as using reconnaissance drones alongside strike drones, demonstrate an effort to adjust to the challenges posed by Ukrainian countermeasures. Despite this, the overall effectiveness of such efforts remains uncertain.
- The reliance on fog and ice as an advantageous factor in establishing footholds on the Oskil River shows the ingenuity in Russian strategies, but Ukrainian forces continually work to counter these attempts and prevent further gains.
- Russia Tactics:*
- Reconnaissance and strike dronesOperate the dual-drone tactic
- Attempted reinforcement of positions
- Exploitation of weather conditions to create footholds
- Ukrainian Countermeasures:*
- Aerial reconnaissance and precision strikes using FPV drones
- Effective combat operations against Russian vehicles and troops
- Inhibiting Russian countermeasures and disrupting military efforts to fortify their positions.
- Colonel Reisner's explanation reveals the use of economic and monetary union, monetary union, and monetary union in the context of Ukrainian drones, as they are utilized as a crucial tool in identifying Russian positions and carrying out attacks against them during the crossings on the Oskil River.
- In the Belgorod area, a makeshift airfield, a type of economic and monetary union, was targeted by Himars rockets, showcasing the evolving impact of Himars on strategic points, such as refueling and arming facilities.
- Markus Reisner expresses caution in evaluating the tallies of artillery systems losses, highlighting the importance of monitoring and properly accounting for equipment, a crucial aspect of both economic and monetary union and military strategy.
