Ukraine is apparently currently carrying the war deep into Russian-occupied territory. Explosions on the annexed Black Sea peninsula of Crimea have increased in recent weeks. But Ukraine needs more weapons to continue fighting deep in enemy territory, Mark Arnold, a retired US Army brigadier general, told the Tagesspiegel.
Ukraine must be able to destroy “Russian supply depots, transport hubs, fuel stores and command centers,” says the military expert. This is the only way to defeat Russia.
At least ten Russian aircraft were apparently destroyed in detonations at the Saki air base in early August. The area is located on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which was annexed in 2014.
Russia spoke of an accident, Ukraine did not speak up. However, an anonymous source from Kyiv admitted the involvement of Ukrainian special forces, the Washington Post reported at the time.
Last week, an ammunition depot caught fire. Also in Crimea. Reports of Russian missile defense systems active over the peninsula have been increasing since Thursday.
So far it is unclear with which weapon system the Ukrainian army could have hit the Saki air base. Up until the explosion there, observers agreed that Ukraine lacked long-range weapons to hit Crimea. After all, the airfield is almost 200 kilometers behind the front line in the Cherson region.
A senior Biden administration official told Politico that the US has allowed Ukraine’s armed forces to use US weapons to strike in occupied Crimea. “Crimea belongs to Ukraine.”
In order to keep up the attacks deep in Russian-held areas, the US government must supply the allies in Kyiv “also with long-range drones like the US-made MQ-9 Reaper drones,” says ex-General Arnold, who works in Afghanistan and was deployed in Iraq. These drones could be armed with heavy weapons and multiple missile systems “and attack targets on the Russian border, inside Russia and beyond Crimea,” he added.
However, the military expert warns that delivering Reaper drones to Ukraine is more complicated than previous arms deliveries. The system is considered to be very demanding. In Arnold’s opinion, the quickest way to end the war would be for a US-led coalition to enter the conflict. In this way, the Russian air forces could be defeated and the Ukrainian armed forces could be effectively supported.
“Russia will not stop until Ukraine is militarily defeated. Russia will try to slowly bury Ukraine in the same ashes as Mariupol and Sevierodonetsk,” Arnold said.
Many politicians are afraid of nuclear threats, but Arnold is convinced that “the nuclear threat must not serve as a shield for nuclear powers to support their evil and use their conventional military, because this concession only encourages further aggression”.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is trying to defend itself with its own forces while waiting for supplies from allies. The IT specialists at the Ukrainian non-governmental organization “Aerorozvidka” (English: air reconnaissance) are currently working on two projects: the R18 combat drones and the “Delta” situational awareness system.
“We are often confused with the military unit of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In each of these formations there are special forces that need our help, but we are not one of them. Air reconnaissance does not fly drones and does not bomb anyone, we create the capability to do so,” said organization spokesman Mykhailo, who asked not to give his last name. The “Aerorozvidka” also had a certain share in the destruction of the convoy of Russian military vehicles just outside Kyiv, he told the Tagesspiegel.
The R18 drones built by “Aerorozvidka” are equipped with thermal imaging devices and can carry explosive devices weighing up to five kilograms. The development of these drones started about six years ago. Drones from series production, such as those from China, are less suitable for this purpose, but are still needed. “Of course there are more successful and less successful models. But the lifespan of such drones is short. They are used for close-in reconnaissance, and this is where quantity becomes quality. Because without ‘eyes’ on the battlefield, it’s difficult,” said the Aerorozvidka expert.
In addition to the drones, the “air reconnaissance” are working on a software called “Delta”, which looks like a multi-layered map. For this purpose, data from drone flights, mobile phone networks, terrain maps, satellite images from western partners, coastal radars, sensors on the battlefield and data from informants in the occupied territories are combined into a single unit, explains Myhhailo. “Any entity connected to the system can exchange and use information.”
What is unique is that thanks to this project, units from different areas can communicate with each other – from ground defense to the Security Service of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Previously, the systems in Ukraine only allowed communication within a single entity.
Until the technology is ready, the Ukrainian army can fall back on data from the Finnish microsatellite manufacturer Iceye. Ukrainian TV presenter Serhiy Prytula used a crowdfunding campaign to raise enough money to give the armed forces access to a satellite and image database. In 2014, the 41-year-old put his career on hold to help the army.
According to Prytula, the company has the most advanced radar satellite imagery technology to date. Unlike traditional Earth observation satellites, Iceye’s radar imaging satellites can provide high-precision images of the Earth in daylight, at night and through clouds.
The purchase also included 600 million Ukrainian hryvnia (about 16.26 million euros), which was actually collected for the purchase of a Turkish drone. Impressed by the willingness to support, the drone company Baykar provided three Bayraktar TB-2 drones free of charge.
