R-360 Neptune anti-ship missile hit Russian S-300 SAM launcher
In the pre-dawn hours, an assault was staged on the Crimean peninsula by Ukrainian formations. Initially, a squadron of 11 unmanned aerial vehicles, colloquially known as drones, commenced their airborne journey from a location proximate to Odessa.
It marks a significant deviation from the established norm, as no ‘Mugins’ were utilized in this endeavor for the first time in a considerable period.
At the early dawn hour of approximately 5:30 a.m., air defense forces successfully neutralized airborne drones in the skies above Evpatoria. An event significant enough to raise eyebrows, this was quickly overshadowed by a subsequent episode that unfolded just twenty minutes later.
Near Uyutnoye at approximately 5:50 a.m., forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine [AFU] deployed an anti-ship missile known by its code, R-360 Neptune. In an unfortunate turn of events, a S-300 Surface-to-Air Missile [SAM] launcher was caught in the missile’s destructive path. The extent of the damage to the SAM launcher is profoundly visible in footage released on the World Wide Web for global scrutiny.
Same tactic
In a striking replication of prior strategies, the Armed Forces of Ukraine [AFU] once more deployed their established modus operandi similar to the tactics employed mere weeks ago. In the aftermath of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle [UAV] incursion, the locations of the S-300 Surface-to-Air Missile [SAM] system were duly exposed, subsequently becoming prime targets for the Neptun missile system.
Meticulous in their approach, the AFU exercised strategic patient restraint, biding time until the complete exhaustion of the SAM’s ammunition reserves. It was only after this pivotal point that the AFU made their unequivocal, decisive move, launching an offensive on the defenseless SAM.
Several strategic offensives
In a formidable display of military action, the Armed Forces Unit [AFU] executed several strategic offensives over the past two days. Their target? The formidable Black Sea Fleet’s squadron, notably comprising the warships “Vasily Bykov” and “Sergey Kotov”. Documentation of these instances reveals the deployment of as many as 12 unmanned vessels. Evidence points to a tactical synchrony too – six engagements were observed yesterday, with a further six unfolding today.
On the eventful day of September 13, a noteworthy incident took place: a total of three drones fell victim to the artillery prowess of the maritime vessels. These unmanned aircraft were skillfully intercepted by the precision-guided small arms onboard the vessels, even amidst the demanding oceanic conditions. Additionally, three other drones met a similar fate, this time at the hands of naval aviation helicopters. These perpetrator helicopters, stationed at the Kacha airfield and aboard the formidable “Vasily Bykov”, successfully downed the aerial threats.
As the darkness of night draped the scenario, the confrontation continued on a tense note. An array of five drones, nearing the fleet, were promptly dealt with and decimated. This swift act of defense, however, did not wholly fend off the impending danger. One particularly tenacious drone managed to evade the defensive measures, reaching perilously close to the “Bykov” where it inflicted minor damage upon the vessel’s board.
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On the 21st of February, 2022, allegations emerged from Russia, asserting that a border facility under the jurisdiction of their Federal Security Service [FSB] had been decimated due to an aggressive shelling operation purportedly executed by Ukrainian forces. According to the Russian authorities, this unexpected and violent incursion resulted in the unfortunate demise of five Ukrainian combatants.
Ukraine, however, vehemently repudiated involvement in both occurrences, categorizing them as nothing more than deceptive maneuvers, or ‘false flags’.
In a significant development on the very day, the Russian government extended formal recognition to the self-proclaimed entities of DPR and LPR. This recognition, as per Putin, was not confined merely to the territories under their de-facto control, but encompassed the entire Ukrainian Oblasts. In an ensuing move, Putin commanded the mobilization of Russian military forces, inclusive of tanks, into the said regions.
Aggressive invasion
In a significant geopolitical development on the 24th of February, 2022, President Vladimir Putin of Russia commanded an aggressive military invasion into Ukraine. This act of aggression was executed by Russia’s formidable Armed Forces, which had been strategically amassed along the Ukrainian border in a show of ominous intent.
This invasion was not a random act of violence, but a meticulously planned operation, characterized by precise airstrikes that targeted key military infrastructures within the Ukrainian territory. Concurrently, an armored division of tanks rolled in from the Belarusian frontier, further intensifying the scale and impact of the offensive.
The Russian administration thus far has refrained from acknowledging the ongoing incursion into Ukraine as a “war”. This, despite the fact that the unfolding events bear all the hallmarks of a military conflict. Instead, the Kremlin insists on terming it a “special military operation”.
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