84 missiles and cruise missiles as well as 24 combat drones: Moscow retaliated on Monday for the attack on the Crimean Bridge with attacks on cities across Ukraine. In addition, the Russians had civilian infrastructure such as transport hubs and the power supply. A children’s playground was also hit.
The long-range shooting continued on Tuesday. The Russians fired about 20 rockets at Kiev, Odessa and other regions. In the Vinnytsia region southwest of Kiev, a thermal power station was destroyed with combat drones. However, according to the Ukrainian media, many missiles have also been intercepted by the Ukrainian defense system.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (44) said: “The occupiers cannot resist us on the battlefield and therefore they resort to this terror.”
Weak Ground Forces
The fact that the Russians now rely on long-range fire actually has something to do with their ground forces. Wolfgang Richter (73), a former colonel in the German armed forces and now a military expert at the Science and Politics Foundation in Berlin, told Blick: “The Russians must overcome the phase of weakness in their land forces by intensifying the air war.”
On the Russian side, it is expected that 50,000 to 60,000 soldiers have been killed, wounded or no longer ready. According to Richter, the Russians in Ukraine may have as few as 120,000 soldiers left, who will be reinforced with some 30,000 eastern Ukrainian militias.
They are being opposed by a Ukrainian army that, once its reserves and territorial defenses have been called in, will likely have up to 700,000 highly motivated active soldiers.
The reserve is slowly starting
Three weeks ago, President Vladimir Putin (70) announced that he would mobilize a reserve of 300,000 men. “It will probably take two to three months for these troops to be trained, equipped and brought to the front,” Richter said.
During this transition period, the Russians tried to damage the Ukrainian infrastructure. Richter: “By attacking railway junctions and the electricity supply, they are making it difficult to supply logistics and move heavy weapons such as artillery and battle tanks from the West.”
The bombing would have an impact on the Ukrainian counter-offensive, says Richter. “The Ukrainians lack the strength for a major attack on Crimea,” he says. The first difficulties would be to take the city of Kherson and cross the Dnipro, especially since the Ukrainians destroyed the bridges.
Russians have taken precautions
Observers said Russia had now fired all of its modern missiles and only had old material. Wolfgang Richter is skeptical. “We don’t know exactly how many modern missile systems Russia still has. So far, the land-based Iskander and cruise missiles, which can be launched from aircraft, have only been used in limited numbers.”
Richter is convinced that the Russians have made provisions for the war. That’s why he estimates their weapons stocks to be large. “In Russia, numerous major weapon systems are stored in depots, including more than 9,000 main battle tanks. They may not be ready for use at this point, but a good deal can be repaired in the foreseeable future. »
Guido fields
Source: Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
