Drones and javelins: Ukraine’s arsenal in the fight against Russia

EARLY RUSSIAN STRUGGLES IN UKRAINE RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT PUTIN’S NEXT STEPS

Video footage shared over the weekend appears to show Ukrainian soldiers using Turkish-built Bayraktar TB2 drones to hit a Russian convoy in the Malyn region.

The Ukrainian Embassy in Turkey has also shared footage of the drones in action targeting Russian forces in recent days.

Ukraine began building up its arsenal of the drones in 2019, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. The drones are able to fly unmanned with a remote pilot located as far as 185 miles away for 24 hours.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry tweeted on Monday a video appearing to show a drone strike destroying a Russian surface-to-air missile system.

Another weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal is the Stinger anti-aircraft missile.

Last week, the United States approved a shipment of Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine as part of a $350 million military aid package, the Military Times reported. The “shoulder-fired weapon” has over a 2-mile range and was previously used by Afghan guerrillas to fight Russian troops during the Cold War.

Germany and the Baltic states also announced they would send Stinger missiles to Ukraine. Germany pledged in February to send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger missiles.

“Once the Stinger’s employed, it has the ability to be a game changer,” retired Army Lt. Gen. Jim Dubik told the outlet. “The Russians don’t have air dominance, but they do have air superiority ― and the Stingers won’t take that away, but it’ll be contested airspace.”

A U.S. defense official told NBC News that the portable air defense missiles could be part of the reason why Russia has not gained air superiority over Ukraine.

Another similar shoulder-fired weapon called the Javelin missile has been supplied in recent months and weeks.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said in January that 300 Javelins had arrived in Ukraine from the U.S., adding to the hundreds others from previous U.S. shipments.

Estonia pledged Tuesday to send Javelin missiles and ammunition, according to the Kyiv Independent.

The Javelin missiles, using an infrared system to identify targets, can be a deadly force against tanks.

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Ukrainian forces so far have appeared to carry out several strategic military moves, ambushing Russian troops.

The aftermath of a Russian military convoy destroyed by NLAW missile launchers in the town of Bucha in a Ukrainian ambush was reported by LBC on Tuesday.

A 40 mile-long Russian convoy positioned outside of Kyiv has also been stalled outside of the capital in the past 24 hours, not making any advances as Russia reassesses its strategy.

As of Wednesday, Ukrainian officials claim that 5,800 Russian troops have been killed and 2,000 Ukrainian civilians.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said Russia has lost 5,840 soldiers, dozens of helicopters, planes, artillery systems, fuel tanks, and hundreds of armored machines and vehicles overall.

Ukraine’s early military successes and Russian forces’ failed attempts to capture strategic cities, including the capital, Kyiv, and Kharkiv on the northeastern border, raise questions about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s next steps that could have deadlier consequences.

Some reports indicate that Putin could be shifting Russia’s strategy to siege warfare, bombarding and leveling cities in the process.