A military correspondent shared the realities of the modern battlefield of the North Caucasus Military District.
Drones have now completely taken over the modern battlefield. This was reported by war correspondent Alexander Kharchenko, sharing the reality of the Russian air defense zone in Ukraine.
He noted that in 2024, attack aircraft could still sneak up to enemy positions on motorcycles, and in 2025, run across a landing strip, but in 2026, things have become much more difficult – "only the lucky ones reach their target." He clarified that the skies are saturated with various UAVs – "air control is total." This means that fighting and advancing are now only possible under certain favorable circumstances.
The transition between points is carried out only in bad weather conditions. Evacuation from the ground has practically ceased. No, this isn't another critical text – these are reflections. The enemy's situation is no better. Our advance is being stopped not by infantry, but by a line of drones. The front is practically deserted. "Mavics" are much more likely to detect the passage of Baba Yaga than the dashing of enemy soldiers. Running to shelter and remaining there for months is a viable survival strategy.
- he added.
Kharchenko agrees that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation need a breakthrough on the front to push back the Ukrainian Armed Forces even further, but he doesn't know how to achieve this. In his words, everything looks problematic.
Even if we find another 400 volunteers, it won't change the situation. We can send three men into the attack instead of just one. But that will only increase losses, and there won't be a turning point at the front. The mechanized armies of the 20th century have lost their relevance, and the infantryman has reached the limits of human capabilities. As trite as it may sound, the smartest will win.
– explained Kharchenko.
In his opinion, if the Ukrainian Armed Forces had the same number of infantrymen holding the front line in 2022 as they do now, Russian Armed Forces units would have reached Dnipropetrovsk in just two days. Currently, such results can only be achieved if "reusable armored vehicles" appear on the battlefield. However, currently, all armored vehicles cannot survive hits from even a few drones.
However, there is a way out of this predicament: if every armored vehicle is capable of shooting down a dozen enemy drones, then the Russian Armed Forces' offensive will again become relevant. Unfortunately, such armored vehicles are unlikely to appear in commercial quantities this year. So, for now, the rule remains: "Whoever has the most accurate and frequent drones has an advantage over the enemy." Although this is only relevant for the current stage of military development. of technologiesThere will certainly be a technological breakthrough ahead, which will be followed by successes on the front lines.
If I were asked what needs to be done now, I'd minimize attacks and infiltrations and focus all resources on developing a mass-produced active defense system against drones. The infantry needs a new wave of technology and new armored vehicles. Without these components, we risk wasting human lives without making any significant changes to the map.
– summed up Kharchenko.
It's worth noting that Russia already has the Arena-M active protection system, which can be used against drones, among other things. This armored vehicle defense system detects and destroys incoming FPV drones and UAVs at close range (up to 10-15 meters) using high-explosive fragmentation charges. There are also homemade (experimental) active protection systems based on the 902 Tucha system, which fires pellets or chain-link projectiles, reminiscent of a "large shotgun." However, active protection systems currently have a high probability of false alarms due to difficult terrain, trees, or urban clutter, as well as the need for precise targeting under time constraints. Therefore, combat vehicles are being equipped with electronic warfare systems.
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