Haiduk

Russians gradually have been learing of Ukrainian experience of artillery fire control. If in 2022 - mid 23 we have seen typical Soviet style of whole batteries and even battalions of side-by-side standing guns simultainous work, that now Russians are more and more shifting to dispersing of artillery and work by single guns of a battery with individaual targeting for each. Here is google-translated post about changes since 2022. "The work was carried out in areas with a low coeeficient of UAV use" - means "ineffective area fire with low UAV usage", though for summer 2022 it's not always could be true, or soldiers then reported about dozen Orlans and Zala, ajusting fire. Probably ajusting was inefefctive or come on too long command chain, which made it ineffective. And addition to this post by other Russian artillerist with my translation: I'l throw my 5 cents: Regimental artillery tied on artillery chief (of regiment). He, sitting on command post (let's call it in such way) together with chief of recon, watch streams from UAVs (and intercepted streams of the enemy). Spotting the target chief of artillery transmits it to battery commander or senior battery officer [he is commander of 1st artillery platoon also] and they transmit this data to the gun. 2-7 minutes for targeting of the gun, the bird [drone] in the sky. First shoot - the fire ajustment from artilelry chief directly to the gun. Or artillery chief opens the map, come into communication with gun commandr through the radio and gives the targeting (angle, azimuth, lines). The gun crew lives on position 2-5 days, further a rotation is coming. Nobody drink on position, it's taboo, else they go to "zakrep" [probably those who have to hold the ground after assault] - and this is more scary than to stormers. We don't work with mortars since new year. This is no longer relevant becaus of crews life preservation purposes. Drones already fly on 10 km in the rear, so they clicks them at once And here Russian feedback about CAESERs

Ukraine hit one of Sevastopol bays with "Neptun" missile. Local authorities claim "the missile was intercepted, but debrises caused small fire, which was quickly extinguished". Though after some of locals issued a video with a fire on the some ship, thre were information appeared Russian submarine salvage vessel "Komunna" was hit. "Komunna", belonging to 1st group of 145th resque vessels detachment is unique and oldest vessel in military service in the world. It was laid down as far as in 1912 (!!!) and was comissioned in 1915 as a vessel for submarines resque and sunken ships and other ojects lifting. As prototype was used German vessel "Vulcan". Initially it named "Volkhov" and served on Baltic, passing WWI, Winter War and WWII. In 1967 the vessel was moved to Black Sea. Since 2016 "Komunna" was equiped with more modern AS-28 deep-submergence resque vessel, having opportunity to reach 1000 m of depth. Though, in 1967 "Komunna" had more capable deep vessel AS-6, wich could reach 2000 m, but was decomissioned in the mid of 80th. Othe one interesting fact aboyt this vessel - it hull made of unique ductille mallable ship steel - the hull of the vessel even now, since 102 years in very good condition, but the technology of such steel producing was lost after Russian Civil War Here is "Komunna"

M903 Patriot launcher with minor damages delivered for repair works

Improvement in Russian recon&strike complexes, when information now likely come direcly from long-range recon UAVs to missile batatlions and batteries, avoiding long HQ chaing, alas, gets results as well as a lack of SHORAD systems and missiles for them to guard frontline and rear againsg numerous Orlan-10 and SuperCam-350, tracking the terrain. New yesterday Iskander-M strikes on Dnipro city airport and area near Novomykolaivka village in 41 km NW from Dinpro city, destroyed next MiG-29 and S-300 launcher. The third showed strike of Kh-35 missile on allegedle 79K6 "Pelikan" 3-coordinate radar near Novopokrovka (likely also in Dnipropetrovsk oblast) probably hit decoy of this radar

In Ukraine (and former USSR) by some unknown reason under "Congress" traditiaonally meaning House of Representatives )

Rare footage - "Crotale" SAM of 38th SAM regiment of Operative Command "South" shoots down Russian recon UAV. Probably Odesa area.

Mixed feelings. Congress version is stronger than Senate one (ATACAMS + Russian actives). But... How much thousands lives have gone, what economical damage was done, how much our lands were occupied until both political forces have been conducting own dirty pre-election games during these five-six months. All this could have been avoided if Senate agreed to continue lend-lease law.

UKR military analysts Oleksandr Kovalenko comments the reportage of Russian TV with a visit of Shoigu on "Omsktransmash" - the plant where T-80 from storage bases upgrading to T-80BVM mod.2022. He says the reportage confirms his and Andriy Tarasenko conclusions that this plant may issue in avarage a company set of T-80BVM per month. Depending of level of coming T-80 conditions and increasing of output this number may grow up to two company sets

Ukraine this night conducted large drone attack on Russian infrastructure objects with at least 50 drones, including jet ones. This was combined operation of SBU, GUR and SOF Russian side as usual claimed all drones were shot down/supressed, BUT: Most successful attack was on "Lukoil" and "Nyeftyanika" companies oil depots near Kardymovo village in Smolensk oblast. Both bases, standing side-by-side were set on fire. This is transit oil bases - Russian oil accumulates here before transporting on Belarusian refineries and then a gas and other products mostly go back to Russian market. Locals also reported in TG they heard a sound of jet engine and explosion in area of Smolensk aviation plant. This object, which specialized on light aircraft and Kh-59 missiles producing already was hit by a drone in November 2023 In Vygonichi, Briansk oblast power substation was hit Staryi Oskol, Belgorod oblast - also reportedly power object was hit Reportedly a fire on power substation in Ufa, Bashjortostan Republic, but this is 1500 km from Ukraine. Maybe technical failure or diversion

More detailed sattelite shots of Dzhankoy airbase has appeared Large article with preliminary analysis: https://www.twz.com/news-features/major-damage-at-russian-airbase-in-crimea-after-ukrainian-attack Some photos from this article: At least battery set of S-400/S-300 destroyed Something similar to separately standing radars in zone of cluster subminition explosions

TG channel of 177th naval infantry regiment servicemen mothers and wives says for two months in Krynky only 10 % of regimemt were turned back intact from initial 3000 of personnel. So 2700 killed, wounded and missed. Regiment now in own permanent station preparing new replenishment.

There were six launches of Kh-22/Kh-32 today. Typical payload of Tu-22 is two such missiles. Reportedly one Russian bomber turned back after his leading Tu-22 was hit. So, probably 8 bombers participated in this raid and it's hard to designate which of them is Tu-22M3M

Today was claimed Ukrainian AD first time shot down two Kh-22 supersonic cruise missiles. But as became knowingly one of these missiles turned out newest Kh-32 - deep upgrade of Kh-22 with reduced warhead, extended fuel tanks and newest homing and EW protection equipment. Kh-32 can be carried by upgraded Tu-22M3M bomber. In present time probably only one such bomber exists, upgraded in 2018 and which became operational in 2020. In 2019 several Tu-22M3 were moved from storage to Kazan' aviation plant for modernization into Tu-22M3M version, but it's unknown either works were finished or not. In more recent times Russia palnned to upgrade 30 bombers to M3M version up to 2020, but long time of works over Kh-32 foiled these plans. It was adopted only in 2016. On the photo - fragments of shot down Kh-32 missile, issued today by General Staff https://mil.in.ua/uk/news/ukrayinska-protypovitryana-oborona-zbyla-raketu-h-32-yaku-vyrobyly-u-2023-rotsi/

This is probably wasn't posted here Belarusian dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko in own intervew about week ago let it slip (or not), hinting about Putin's startegy for nearest time. He told that it would be great if Ukraine and Russia sign peace up to 31st of May. Because in this day powers of Zelenskiy expire and if, God save, other president will come to power like Poroshenko again, he may just to reject any agreements, signed after this data, because they were signed by illegitimate president. Many of Poroshenko followers in unison with Russian propaganda try to share among Ukrainian society an opinion, that after 31st of May Zelenskiy will become an usurper and army shouldn't execute his directives. Really in Ukrainian Constitution has wriiten that in conditions of emergency and martial law any elections are prohibited. But there is no definition what should happen with powers of current president in this case. And this gives a food for different speculatoins. So, probably, desperate and fierce meat assults, strikes on energy system, blocking of the military aid with help of MAGA side and some other factors, like blocking of Ukrainian borders by Polish farmers under protection of pro-Russian political force, urgent requests to stop hit Russian refineries are the chains of one plan to broke Ukraine and force to sign peace agreement. But something getting wrong...

Chief of GUR Kyrylo Budanov told in own comment to BBC Ukraine, that AD and GUR have been waiting Russian Tu-22M during a week in the ambush. The bomber was shot down on the range 308 km. Budanov told some thing was used, deeply upgraded by Ukrainian enginners. Some OSINTers on the GUR video recognized interiror of S-200, but with complete changed equipment. If true, looks like we could extend the range of missiles much more than 180-240 km of Soviet S-200V/M variants PS. Ukraine hadn't latest S-200D system with range 300 km. USSR had a time to produce and deploy only several complexes of this type in the late 80th, and they were only in Russia and were withdrawn from service in the mid of 90th. Ukraine had S-200V with 180 km range and S-200M with 240 km range (255 km on AWACS planes). They were withdrawn from service in 2011-2013 https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/c3g58qn2jvgo?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2AfBzV1Eh_3H9H3O2ycqZbVOnB3WvjlLJhYLm5Fh4_3lVpdQphJ-pBTRU_aem_AdlSS5xReobUX09lrT-tHx8agDHkU2b3y0ncsvUX982bv2sWMivU_F_W5V7t4OaV4MVejUFjlmfwVQc283wuhDYP

For six months, as clarified General Staff

Battle for Novomykhailivka (Vuhledar direction) remains in the shadow of Avdiivka and Chasiv Yar, but here soldiers of 79th air-assault brigade and other units already destroyed and disabled 300 enemy vehicles

Two days ago GUR issued a video with Russian military Mi-8 helicopter was set on fire in Samara city airport Today governor of Samara oblast made a statement, that two 16 y.o. teens were detained in Tolyatti city on suspicion of this action

It's confirmed preliminary information about Russian command center of Central military district troops was hit with two Storm Shadows in Luhansk on April 13 on the territoruy of local machine-building factory. As result of this strike was killed colonel Pavel Kropotov, commander of 59th control brigade of Central military district. Likely more names of HQ officers will come later

Russian HE and cluster submunitions strike (likely Tornado-S MLRS/ Iskander-M ballistic missiles) on Dnipro city airport and 5 km out of it. It's theoretically possible to reach airport with Tornado-S from Enerhodar area. It's claimed three MiG-29 got damages (it's unknown about their operational conditions before strike) , hangars with aviation ordnance was hit and some S-300 complex equipmemt destroyed. The time of strike is unknown, but more likely during last week.

At least now GUR showed the work of some Air Forces SAM complex during this operation. Air Forces Command claims Tu-22 was hit on 300 km range after which tried to return back, but fell down. On the video SAM operator says "range 356", so Tu-22 was tracked already on 356 km. Equipment is blurred, so it's hard to say what is it. Russian side as usual rejected UKR succes, officially "the plane was crashed due technical problems", TG channels hint this was again "friendly fire, due to UKR more and more systematically distorts our vision of air traffic" (likely means, Russian AD tried to intercept S-200, but again, probably due some UKR tricks locked on the bomber and hit it). Reportedly commander of Tu-22 is dead. He ejected all crew and tried to continue the flight alone, but the jet has fell down. Two pilots were found and delivered to hospital. No information about third crewman. More interest thing, claimed by Air Forces, during todays missile strike oiur AD in first time managed to intercept two Kh-22 misiles. Alas, of six launched. Overall statistic of strike: 2 Kh-101 launched / 2 intercepted 2 Iskander-K / no interceptions 6 Kh-22 / 2 intercepted 12 Kh-59/69 (?) / 11 intercepted 14 Shaheds/ 14 intercepted Alas, probably Iskander-K cruise missile hit residental building near Dnipro railway station. Two citizens were killed, 20 wounded. Other railway node in Dnipropetrovsk oblast was hit - Synel'nykove city - 6 civilians were kileld, including two children, 9 wounded. Pavlograd city, known with own machine building and military factories was hit too, one factory is damaged. Two days ago, three Russian Iskander-K cruise missiles destroyed a hotel in Chernihiv city. Russians claimed there were deployment of Ukrainian troops. It's unknown about military, but as result of this strike 18 civilians were killed and 60 wounded. Were slightly damaged buildings of hospital and univercity nearby

Yesterday in Kamensk-Shakhtinskiy, Rostov oblast UKR UAVs hit the building of chemical factory, producing MLRS rocket fuel components. There is no information about the scale of detriment, just an unverified photo of probable fire in one of factory's building. Local authorities as usual claimed all drones were shot down, just one fell down on territory of the factory, damaging some windows

Two days ago UKR drone repeated attack of Russian over-horizon 29B6 "Konteiner" radar complex (it's receiver part) with 3000 km range near Kovylkino village. On the video we can see distant explosion. Some Russian TG claimed after second attack radar site isn't operational. Single research institute, which developed it almost dead and the factory, where this radar equipment was built already doesn't exist. Radar had been producing during 5 years and about 10-15 years were spent for it deployment, ajustment works and test service until it became fully operational. If this true, Russia got huge blind zone on own SW direction, so if Ukraine has super-long-range drones it can fly more free in this window to reach Volga and Syberia strategical military and civil infrastructure PS. US media as always was alarmed because of this. Newsweek issued an article that this is dangerous attack, which can cause esaclation (OMG...) because Ukraine attacked startegical radar site, intended i.e. for early warning of nuclear strike and this according Russian nuclear doctrine can be considered as a reason of nuclear weapon usage.

Many different sources official and unofficial, Russian TG and UKR ATESH underground in Cimea give different information about results. We should wait satellite images. Here is General Staff posted a mixed video - at the start we can see probably ATACAMS launches (on one of videos, filmed by locals clearly sounds of multiple cluster minitions explosions are heard), then intensive flashing burning - likely SAM missiles detonate. FIRMS map of fire on the airfield Allegedle (but unverified) photos of destroyed launchers on airfield Total claimed losses of different sources: 3 S-400 launchers + radar, 2 S-300 launchers, staying under repair in repairing units on airfield, 2 Ka-52 and 2 Mi-28 helicopters seriously damaged, about 30 of personnel killed, 80 wounded. GUR claims: 4 S-400 launchers and 3 radars, AD control post, "Fundamnet-M" automatized control complex. Russian TG claims: "nothing what can fly wasn't hit" Last one is on the photo: "Fundament-M" allows to coordinate actions of SAM regiment autimatically in repelling of aerial attack. There are no enough information in open sources about this stuff. First time this system appeared on armament of AD in 2015.

I more Eastern European that "old European"