Iranian drones will have no advantages for Russia in Ukrainian sky - Serhiy Zgurets

HIMARS in southern Ukraine, in Donetsk and Kherson regions

We actively use weapons from our partners.  In the last two days, 15 targets in the depth of the enemy's defenses have already been destroyed thanks to long-range HIMARS impression means and long-range artillery. The targets were hit in Nova Kakhovka, near Kherson, Alchevsk, Tokmak, Luhansk and near other cities. A couple of hours ago, warehouses in Donetsk were added to this list.

The most revealing are two strikes on Nova Kakhovka. About 150 Russian soldiers, including a general and five officers, were killed in one strike. The chief of staff of the 22nd army corps, as well as the commander, chief of the operational department and chief of artillery of the 20th motorized rifle division died after being hit by HIMARS missiles in the Kherson region. These are significant losses for the enemy.

HIMARS are used in the south, in Donetsk, and in the Kherson region. Previously, Russia was accumulating forces there and tried to use equipment to carry out attacks and breakthroughs. Now it is much more difficult for them to do it.

The second hit in Nova Kakhovka was in an ammunition depot. It was one of the most powerful strikes in the last few days. The Russian base was located in the city, and in terms of public effect, this strike surpassed several conditional Chornobaivka. The destroyed object was not only an ammunition depot, but also several dozens of refueling stations and an advanced repair base of the Russian army were based there. In Nova Kakhovka, this is not the first Russian depot that took off. On June 14, the base on the outskirts was destroyed, and now Russia was placing a base in the city. We used high-precision weapons to minimize civilian casualties, so there were no such casualties.

SMArt ammunition destroys two targets in one shot

In addition to HIMARS, we are beginning to use other high-precision artillery ammunition. The other day, a video appeared showing the use by Ukrainian gunners of the German SMArt 155 ammunition, which is intended for point-blank destruction of enemy armored vehicles. SMArt ammunition allows you to destroy two targets at once with one shot. It approaches the tank from the mountain and fires a submunition into the turret of the enemy tank and destroys it. This projectile is interesting in that it carries two ammunition at once, which are separated from each other in the area of ​​the target.

Each of these munitions has a combined homing head, and then, when it is separated by a parachute, it approaches the target and strikes the tank from above. The blow is delivered at a speed of 5,000 meters per second and penetrates the tank's armor. This munition was developed by several German companies and is used with the Panzerhaubitze 2000. It engages a point target at a distance of over 27 km.  SMArt 155 destroyed the Russian anti-aircraft missiles, the Pantsir S1 complex.

BONUS French ammunition

In addition to these ammo we also have a French ammo called BONUS that we use with the French CAESAR howitzers.  BONUS is a more simple ammunition, it has only one homing system and costs less, about USD 40 thousand for one ammunition. SMArt 155, worth $70,000, is expensive compared to conventional ammunition, but much cheaper compared to the targets it destroys.

Iranian drones

Russia is forced to resort to various ways to renew the weapons samples in his arsenal. Starting from the T-62 tanks, which were seen even by Stalin, also from attempts to deconserve and use the Kh-22 missiles, which are blind, but suitable for terrorist attacks. Also, Russia tried to take arms from Belarus, but this was not enough for them.

Russia is now hoping for help with weapons from Iran. National Security Adviser to the US President, Jacob Sullivan, reported that Iran is preparing to hand over several hundred unmanned aerial vehicles and drones capable of carrying weapons to Russia. The Iranians have already begun to teach the Russian military to use these UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicle - Ed.) of various types, which are on the equipment of the Iranian army.  Iranian weapons and Russian service may be ready for use on the battlefield as early as July this year. This news sounds exotic because it suggests that Russia have reached a technological and industrial impasse in terms of serial production of their drones.

After China refused to help Russia with weapons, the Russians are going to bet on Iran. If this information is correct, then in the range of weapons of Iran there are several different lines of unmanned systems that can stay in the air from 4 to 12 hours, but they are not technological samples. These are samples that carry all the disadvantages of limited production and are associated with limited access to high technologies, just like in the Russian Federation. The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran said that such information is not known to the Iranian side regarding the transfer and cooperation with the Russian Federation, but we will see how this story will develop further.  In any case, if Iran's UAVs are acquired by Russia, then these drones do not have the advantages that will allow them to dominate the skies.

Russian artillery is blind due to the lack of drones

We will destroy all these complexes, just as we destroy Russian drones. During this time, we crushed Orion, Forpost and hundreds of Russian Orlans. Orlan is the most massive unmanned complex actively used by the Russian Federation. We have already destroyed about 300 of these lethal vehicles, despite the fact that Russia has produced about 1000 of them. Now the Russians have a problem that their artillery remains blind due to the fact that they lack reconnaissance drones. We destroy Russian drones with the British Martlet MANPADS, this is a cool thing, because it eliminates these drones guaranteed and effectively. We hit more powerful drones at the expense of Strela, Buk and trophy SAMs (anti-aircraft missile complex - Ed.), which we took from the Russian Pantsir, which is starting to perform work in the combat formations of the Ukrainian army. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that the Russian Pantsir-S1, a trophy of the Armed Forces, is already fighting on the side of Ukraine and destroyed the first Russian target.

Our air force stands to protect our skies and our lives depend on their professionalism. We have to believe in the Armed Forces.