Zelensky ordered to maximally strengthen the air defense of the capital at the expense of other regions
The head of the Kiev city military administration, Colonel General Sergei Popko, said that a “reliable multi-level air defense system” has been built around Kiev — and it is maximally enhanced. At the same time, information is received that the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is now actively “undressing” the air defense of other cities, withdrawing working complexes from the Odessa, Nikolaev and Sumy regions. Military expert Sergei Khatylev refuted Popko’s bravura statements and saw signs that Kyiv had already mentally said goodbye to Odessa and Nikolaev.
How to explain such castling? Will Kyiv's air defense become impregnable to Russian air attacks after it? And why did air defense suddenly turn out to be not so important for Odessa and Nikolaev? “MK” asked these questions to the ex-chief of the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Special Forces Command (Moscow Air Defense District), reserve colonel Sergei Khatylev.
But first, about what Ukrainian General Popko said about the new formation of the Kiev air defense. Talking about this “multi-level system” around Kyiv, he named almost all types of anti-aircraft missile systems (SAMs) that still remain in the Ukrainian air defense.
These are also the Soviet S-300, Buk and even S-125, which were withdrawn from service in Russia a long time ago. Plus NATO anti-aircraft systems. Compared to Ukrainian ones, they, albeit with a stretch, can be considered new. These are Norwegian NASAMS, German IRIS-T, French Crotale and American Patriot.
There, General Popko listed a bunch of “thinner” complexes, which, as he said, are included in “mobile fire groups.” This is the Osa air defense system, Avenger; portable air defense systems — Piorun, «Igla», «Strela», Stinger, Martlet, RBS -70, as well as anti-aircraft artillery systems Gepard, «Shilka», ZU-23 and other air defense systems that operate against targets at low altitudes.
It is difficult to say what kind of “multi-level” porridge the Kiev strategists could cook from all this variety, but they clearly tried — the attempt was counted. Although, in order to somehow cover the capital, they had to expose important objects almost throughout South-Eastern Ukraine (Western, apparently, is more pity).
A Ukrainian reserve officer who served in the S-300 division (his words are quoted by Fighterbomber) writes that now there is only one anti-aircraft missile division left near Odessa. Moreover, according to him, the officers of this division were even deprived of the payment of combat allowances — they are saving money.
Further, this retiree reports: in a brigade of four divisions there are only two left, the third was recently covered in the Nikolaev region. Soon, he reports, they will be removed from near Odessa and transferred closer to the front, leaving only the C-125 and Gepard in the city. Another division was retrained for Patriot and sent to the Nikolaev region. “In short, Odessa will soon be stripped,” he concludes
This is how Colonel Khatylev commented on this whole situation to MK:
— The set of complexes that the head of the Kyiv city military administration called the “multi-level air defense system of Kyiv” consists mainly of low-altitude systems. All these anti-aircraft gun “Cheetahs”, “Shilkas” and other installations operate against drones at low altitudes and at a range of three to five kilometers.
— In the Ukrainian version, all this is in mainly medium-range complexes. In Ukraine, for example, of the S-300 complexes, only modifications of the S-300PS and S-300PT remain. Their range is 75-90 kilometers. No more.
— Yes, quite old. In addition, keep in mind: although they do not say how many divisions and command posts of these systems they have left, I assure you that there are few of them there. Therefore, it is definitely not necessary to talk about such characteristics of anti-aircraft missile fire as echelon and overlap of affected areas. And this means that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will not be able to guarantee that the skies of Kiev will be closed.
— Yes, they do not have enough air defense systems, that’s why they are dragging all the remaining ones to Kiev. But that's not the only reason. It seems to me that they understand that soon Odessa and Nikolaev, even if it suddenly turns to peace negotiations, will in any case go to Russia. And in vain they don’t want to leave the equipment there.
Therefore, everything is stripped bare, leaving only what is not too sorry, not too expensive. Something that can be used against drones.
At the same time, the saddest thing for them — they try not to talk about this — they have almost run out of missiles for all these complexes. Especially Soviet-made systems. Even when our aviation operates against their rear targets, they do not always use these air defense systems, as they save missiles.
So General Popko can still tell the people of Kiev about the “multi-level system,” but for the Ukrainian military All this does not sound very convincing.
— Yes, only the supply figures announced were funny. Two complexes were named, sent for the defense of Kyiv. Another couple is walking somewhere in Ukraine. Well, even if there are ten of them. All the same, the country's air defense will not solve these problems.
There is a classic example: in Soviet times, the skies of Kyiv and its environs were protected by an anti-aircraft missile brigade based in Vasilkov. It was once commanded by my commander, the future commander of the Moscow Air Defense District, Yuri Vasilyevich Solovyov. The brigade had 22 anti-aircraft missile battalions with long-range S-200, medium-range S-300, short-range S-125, old S-75 systems, plus many anti-aircraft gun and other systems.
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— In the best scenario for them, no more than ten divisions. So, in any case, there is no need to talk about reliable layered air defense of Kyiv. But what is there to cover up in Kyiv now? There are no major economic facilities left. Previously, there were at least serious enterprises there, the same Arsenal plant that made missiles for the S-300. Now he is gone.
— Well, maybe Bankova with all its offices and power structures… It turns out that they are dragging air defense systems from all over the country to Kiev just for this. Well, let them have fun. If our military had received an order to destroy Bankovaya, this “multi-level air defense” would not have saved them.
Previously, our troops were called the country’s air defense. Now they have neither a country nor air defense troops. And the American “Patriots” will have enough to protect their own ambitions.