It's been more than three months since Russia started its invasion of Ukraine.
Initially, there was a view that the capital, Kyiv, would soon fall, but the Ukrainian “good fight”, which is contrary to most expectations, is showing signs of prolongation.
Weapons provided by Western countries have been pointed out as a major factor in the “good fight”.
"Javelin", "Ryu bullet gun", and "Phoenix ghost".
I think many people have heard the names of these weapons even once.
In fact, the types of weapons offered have changed little by little to adapt to changing war conditions.
What does that mean?
And how do the donated weapons exert their power and support Ukraine?
Read and understand with expert commentary.
"Fog of war" with Western support
Mr. Kiyofumi Iwata (65), who was the top of the Ground Self-Defense Force and the Chief of Staff of the Ground Self-Defense Force, spoke to us.
He specializes in armor, or tanks, and has served as the division commander of the 7th Division in Hokkaido and the Northern Army General Manager, and is also familiar with Russian tactics.
First, when asked how he sees the background of the prolonged battle, Mr. Iwata pointed out that the following factors can be considered on both the Russian side and the Ukrainian side.
To explain each in detail, it is said that this is the case.
<Russia>
1. No one can be blamed for militaryly unreasonable instructions
2. Disagreement between the purpose of "early overthrow of the government" and the means of "controlling the city"
3, lack of troops 3, command system for joint operations Lack
of
_
_ 2. Based
on
the information, he planned a defense strategy according to the opponent's appearance
3. Using Western information and weapons, he counterattacked effectively
4. President Zelensky inspires morale and "protects the land." There was a cause
The current war situation was born from the intertwining of various elements.
Above all, Mr. Iwata thinks that Ukraine had a major advantage in terms of information.
"Formerly Prussia's prominent strategist Clausewitz called the uncertainties on the battlefield, the uncertain information, the'fog of war'. This time, Ukraine has largely cleared the'fog of war'. It can be said that it was supported by information support by satellites of Western countries including the United States, and large-scale cyber operations. With these support, Ukraine supported the intention of the Russian side's operations. I was able to grasp the deployment status of the unit in detail in advance. That is why even if I was hit by a missile in the early stages of the invasion, I was able to evacuate the air defense system and fighter planes and not lose the superiority in terms of aviation. Also, Russian ground troops marched from three directions, but I think they were able to properly allocate and prevent them. In addition, a pinpoint sniper aimed at the Russian commander, the opponent's We are developing a very effective fighting method that makes use of information at key points such as attacks that block supply lines. "
Weapons provided have changed
The Ukrainian army has developed an accurate defense operation after gaining an advantage in terms of information and grasping the hands of the Russian side.
Weapons provided by Western countries support the operation.
In fact, looking at the types of weapons donated, the content has changed in the last three months.
This is a list of major weapons donations created from materials compiled by the Ministry of Defense based on announcements and reports from each country.
The one on the left was provided as of mid-March, about a month after the invasion began.
Notable are the "portable" anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank missiles that people can carry, such as the "Stinger" and "Javelin."
And on the right is a newly donated weapon by mid-May.
You can see that many "heavy weapons" such as artillery and tanks have been introduced, including the "Ryu bullet gun" provided by the United States and Germany.
From here, you can see the changes in the battle over the last two months.
The reason why the portable missile was provided
Stinger and Javelin, which were actively donated in the early stages of the invasion.
Both are "keep shooting" type weapons that automatically move toward the target, allowing the shooter to leave the spot immediately after firing.
In other words, the risk of receiving a counterattack from the opponent is small.
Above all, the javelin was a perfect weapon for the early battles of the invasion.
Initially, Russia is believed to have aimed to control major cities, including the capital Kyiv, with ground forces and to overthrow the Zelensky administration at an early stage.
Ukraine needed to stop the Russian army from advancing and protect the city.
Urban areas have limited routes for tanks and armored vehicles, so you can easily predict where your opponent will come.
In addition, there are many obstacles such as buildings, and it is easy to hide before and after shooting.
For this reason, Ukraine repeated the strategy of ambushing tanks, attacking with Javelin, and hiding, which seems to have been extremely effective.
In the end, Russia was evaluated as "failing to control Kyiv, which was the goal" (March 30, US Department of Defense spokesman Kirby).
"Javelin can shoot from inside the building because there is less blast to the rear after launch. In early combat, Ukrainian troops seem to have dared to refrain from operating in open areas. The "hit and away" tactic of pulling in to a point with a lot of obstacles, attacking with a javelin, etc., and escaping immediately, effectively defeated Russian tanks and armored vehicles. High-performance Western weapons and Ukrainian I think it can be said that the tactics matched well and had a great effect. "
The key to the Eastern Front is "firepower"
After that, the Russian army withdrew from the area around Kieu and relocated the force to the east.
In the eastern part, fierce offense and defense are still going on.
What is unfolding here is a battle between the Russian army aiming to expand the territory and the Ukrainian army trying to protect the land.
It is a ground battle in an open place, which is completely different from the battle that took place in cities such as Kyiv.
And as we saw earlier, the weapons provided by each country are increasing in number of cannons and tanks to keep pace with changes in the battlefield.
Why do we need these weapons?
According to Mr. Iwata, in ground battles, the following attacks will be launched against each other.
1. Reconnaissance the deployment status of the opponent's unit with a drone or an aircraft
2. Suppress the opponent's artillery etc. with a crown cannon etc. and reduce the force
3. Tank unit and infantry unit advance to the opponent's position
The Ryu bullet cannon is a weapon that fires a cannonball with high killing ability = Ryu bullet from a distance of several tens of kilometers, and by bursting it on the ground or in the air, it can suppress a wide range of enemies at once.
Ground battles are to use tanks to push up the front line and expand the area of control after sufficiently reducing the opponent's strength by bombarding with a dragon cannon.
In the second phase, it is thought that attacking with more guns from a greater distance will advance the battle in an advantageous manner, and if it becomes 3, the number of tanks will have a great influence on the outcome.
That is why Western countries seem to have provided a lot of cannons and tanks.
Russian troops are believed to be focusing on rifles and multiple rocket launchers in eastern Luhansk Oblast, which is aiming for full control, and is strengthening its offensive by arranging Ukrainian troops in number and range. It is reported that.
In response, Ukraine urged the provision of multiple rocket launchers made in the United States with a longer range, and on May 31, the United States will newly provide a long-range high-mobility rocket launcher system "Himars". Revealed.
Mr. Iwata talks about this as follows.
"Russian troops are traditionally good at ground warfare, but in a nutshell, the characteristic of their fighting style is" thorough destruction. " With missiles, artillery, just hit it thoroughly, and finally tanks and infantry rush. The only way to meet this is to have overwhelming firepower that surpasses the opponent. So now Ukraine says, "Cannons. "Give me a tank," and "Give me a tank."
“Game changer” drone
Another thing I would like to pay attention to is unmanned aerial vehicles and drones.
It is also called a "game changer" because it changes the appearance of battle.
As for drones, many of you may remember the news that the Japanese Ministry of Defense provided to Ukraine.
This drone is a consumer product and is expected to be used for grasping the damage situation, reconnaissance, and confirming whether an attack has hit.
On the other hand, the drones called "Switchblade" and "Phoenix Ghost" provided by the United States are completely different.
It can be used not only for reconnaissance, but also as an attack weapon that rushes into the opponent and explodes, as the name "self-destruct type" suggests.
Among them, Phoenix Ghost is newly developed by the US Air Force following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and it is said that it can attack opponents farther than the range of the crown cannon.
Although the actual situation of operation in Ukraine is not clear, Mr. Iwata said, "If you use a self-destructive drone that can fly long distances, it may be possible to directly attack food and ammunition supply units in deep places. Yes, it will be possible not only to hit the firepower head-on, but also to take more effective tactics. "
Meanwhile, in Ukraine, an unmanned attack aircraft provided by Turkey is being used to attack Russian ships in the Black Sea, and Ukraine claims to have destroyed Russian landing ships, as well as the flagship "Moscow". It has been pointed out that it was involved in the sinking of Ukraine.
What is meant by a series of weapons is ...
At least 35 countries and regions have provided military assistance to Ukraine, including the provision of weapons, including the EU, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Mr. Iwata points out that there is a strategic intention that goes beyond simply supporting Ukraine.
"U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin said when he visited Ukraine in April,'I want Russia to weaken.' Western countries said,'The more Ukraine continues to resist, the more military it is. It is possible to weaken Russia's national power, which is a threat. ”There are three ways in which Russia's national power will change after the battle in Ukraine: Russia, China, and North Korea. It is not a thing for Japan, which needs to think about security with this in mind. "
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on May 28 that the provision of weapons by Western countries would "lead to further instability and aggravation of the humanitarian crisis."
We are repeating the restraint while flickering the use of nuclear weapons.
What exactly does a series of weapons donations bring?
We, who live in Japan, also need to continue to be interested.