The resumption of combat operations on the battlefronts between Russian and Ukrainian forces, primarily in the Zaporizhia region, has brought attention to the technical side of the conflict back into consideration.
In his report published by the Russian newspaper "Izvestia", Andrey Frolov says that attempts to penetrate Russian defenses in the Ozerovo region inflicted heavy losses on Ukrainian forces, represented by the loss of at least two Leopard tanks and about 13 M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, which indicates that Russian forces used the latest weapons such as guided missiles and aerial bombs while repelling the Ukrainian counterattack.
Russia's use of high-precision weapons has increased compared to previous conflicts: in the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army used Tupolev TB-3 bombers, in Afghanistan it began to use guided weapons more actively, and in Ukraine it launched Su-25 attack aircraft and 139 X-25ml and X-27L air-to-ground missiles, targeting 127 targets.
In Syria, Moscow used for the first time many guided weapons, such as X-555, X-101, and X-35U cruise missiles, Kalibr missiles, the Bastion missile defense system, Iskander M missiles, and modifiable bombs, as well as many other systems.
New Level
For the first time in Russian military history, weapons were used to carry out the strategic tasks of destroying the enemy's military-industrial potential. Rockets of various types were used extensively for the first time, simultaneously hitting targets hundreds of kilometers apart.
Moreover, Russia has used tactical "loitering" munitions (kamikaze) that are the main discovery in this conflict, and a factor for which Ukrainian and NATO forces were not prepared.
With long-range cruise missiles used in the air, sea, and land, Russia has reached the level of the United States, something that was previously unimaginable. Based on Ukrainian estimates since February 24 last year, the total number of missiles launched by Russia exceeded 4,<>.
In May alone, Russia launched 160 cruise missiles, destroying and depleting Ukrainian air defense ammunition and damaging anti-aircraft missile systems and complexes provided by NATO countries.
Through airstrikes, Russian forces almost completely destroyed Ukraine's military-industrial complex, as well as a large number of airports and aviation equipment located there.
Russia used the Kinjal hypersonic missile to destroy more valuable and fortified targets. The extensive use of tactical loitering munitions has reduced the number of Ukrainian armored vehicles and artillery.
Therefore, it became clear - according to the newspaper - that Ukrainian and Western air defense was not prepared to face such a threat. The use of tactical loitering munitions by Russian forces has increased, making it easier to strike important targets such as tanks or artillery pieces and individual vehicles driven by military personnel of the Ukrainian armed forces.
The year 2023 saw the intensive use of guided bombs by the frontline aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces, and the Russian military forces witnessed a real revolution in the use, naming and quantity of high-precision weapons.
Although many weapons were used for the first time, their results were clear. Tactical loitering munitions and guided bombs have changed hostilities to the limit, and their use was a disturbing discovery for Ukrainian forces that they have been unable to counter until today.