With the recapture of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, the Ukrainians managed to win an important stage last week. But how did the Ukrainian armed forces manage to bring Putin’s forces to their knees?
As the Tagblatt writes, Western weapons would have been decisive in the Kherson victory. And this is despite the fact that since the beginning of the war in Ukraine there have been repeated voices claiming that the West’s arms supplies make little difference on the battlefield.
Western howitzers gave Ukrainians an advantage
After the Ukrainian armed forces launched attacks on key river crossings, such as the Antonov Bridge at Kherson and the bridge at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station, the supply of Russian troops was already severely hampered.
From then on, the Ukrainians really brought out the big guns – and launched a systematic artillery assault on the Russian forces: Western precision artillery like the American M777 howitzer, the German Panzerhaubitze 2000 or the highly mobile French Caesar self-propelled howitzer presented them. able to use Russian attack positions from miles away. Ammunition depots, army bases and supply posts far behind the front line fell victim to the attacks.
The howitzers are not only extremely accurate, but sometimes have an immense range. The German tank howitzer can aim at targets from a distance of more than 400 kilometers. Although the guns vary in range, they all have one thing in common: they all fire NATO-standard 155mm ammunition, putting them one step ahead of the Russian guns.
When Putin’s forces were eventually trapped due to supply problems, they had only one option: to withdraw. Moreover, it would have cost the defense a lot of strength. Significant amounts of equipment, personnel and ammunition were used.
Russians lag behind Ukrainians
However, the Ukrainians owe their victory not only to the large-caliber guns of the West. The Ukrainians also gained an advantage thanks to the western satellite imagery that the Ukrainians were using. This allowed them to focus their artillery precisely on the Russian positions. Another point where the Russians fell behind the Ukrainians.
In addition to the state-of-the-art artillery weapons, the Ukrainians were also aided by the Himars rocket launchers, feared by Russian President Vladimir Putin (70). The “Himars” – High Mobility Artillery Rocket System – multiple rocket launchers supplied by the US and Britain can launch up to six GPS guided missiles and fly between 70 and 80 kilometers.
The artillery system costs more than five million Swiss francs. Not to be missed is the German-supplied multiple rocket launcher MARS II, similar to the “Himars” and just as devastating to the Russians.
Ukrainians amaze with homemade drones
While Iranian kamikaze drones deployed by the Kremlin continue to make headlines, the Russians aren’t the only ones using drones. In the battle for Kherson, Ukrainian troops increasingly made use of homemade drones.
And this struck the Russians strongly in the mind. The drones throw uncontrolled grenades, causing major damage to Russian military equipment, among other things. Numerous videos of the plane, some of which cost as little as a few thousand francs, can now be found on the Internet. During the attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, the Ukrainians surprised their opponents with self-developed water drones.
One thing is certain: with the victory over strategically important Kherson, the Ukrainians are not in bad shape at the moment. In addition, targets in the occupied Crimean peninsula are now gradually coming within reach of the Ukrainians.
It remains to be seen whether the Russian forces will dare to attack the city again. As the United States Department of Defense Pentagon announced Monday, tens of thousands of Russian soldiers are currently on the east side of the river. They would intend to keep this area under their control. (dzc)