Kyiv removed the best complexes from the defense of the city and transferred them to the center
On the night of July 23, the Aerospace Forces and the Russian Navy continued a series of retaliatory strikes for undermining the Crimean bridge. The missiles flew at military installations in southern Ukraine and along the transport infrastructure that ensures the delivery of NATO weapons. Experts noted that this time the Ukrainian air defense «distinguished itself» only by the fall of anti-aircraft missiles on city buildings. Moreover, only the old Soviet S-300 anti-aircraft systems worked, Western installations, for example, Patriot or Iris-T, did not fire. Why? This question was answered by military expert Air Defense Colonel in reserve Sergey Khatylev.
Photo: GOChS of Ukraine
According to the Ukrainian military, on the night of July 23, almost 20 Russian missiles took part in the attack: 5 Onyx missiles, invulnerable to Ukrainian air defense, fired by Bastion coastal systems, 3 Kh-22 long-range aircraft missiles, 4 Kalibr sea-based cruise missiles, 5 cruise missiles and 2 ballistic missiles of the Iskander operational-tactical complex.
Traditionally, Ukrainian air defense reported that they shot down more than half of Russian missiles. Mostly winged. In this regard, the Ukrainian military can only take their word for it, as usual, no evidence has been provided.
Any filming about the work of air defense in Ukraine is prohibited under threat of arrest. Nevertheless, several moments of the night air defense work over Odessa got into the social network.
The Rybar channel, for example, posted a video with an abnormal operation of Ukrainian air defense systems that night: an anti-aircraft missile failed to gain altitude and hit a residential building.
In the morning, footage of the damage to the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odessa appeared. The Ukrainian authorities, as always, blamed Russian missiles for the damage. But experts have debunked this version. As the experts of the channel “Frontovye Zametki” noted, “if it had been a direct hit by a rocket, then only ruins would have remained from the Cathedral in Odessa.” “What we see in the photo is the clear consequences of falling debris. And the result of the work of Ukrainian air defense,” the channel sums up.
The information resource «Military Informant» cites another night video, which recorded the launch of an anti-aircraft missile, followed by an outbreak near the cathedral. “Thanks to this video, there is no doubt that the Ukrainian air defense attacked the largest Orthodox church in Odessa tonight. For what?» — asks the channel's expert.
The fact that Ukrainian air defense systems are located in urban areas has long been known. On this occasion, political scientist Yulia Vityazeva notes: “The entire center of Odessa is entirely architectural monuments, to which Ukraine has nothing to do. Therefore, all those who give orders to shoot down missiles over the city do not care where the debris will fall.
Among the targets hit on the night of July 23, in addition to transport corridors for the delivery of Western weapons to Ukraine, was the Shkolny airfield, from where drones attacking Crimea are launched. Military facilities in the Nikolaev region were also attacked. Apparently effective, as fires, explosions, and detonation of munitions are reported.
After the terrorist attack on the Crimean bridge, Ukrainian air defense could not interfere with our strikes on military targets in southern Ukraine. She acted clearly inefficiently, hitting mostly her own objects. Western air defense systems, in contrast to the anti-aircraft battles in Kyiv, were not noticed. The Soviet S-300 systems, which are over 30 years old, are being used. Why?
— Here, I think, two factors work, — Sergey Khatylev says. — Firstly, Ukraine naturally concentrated the main air defense forces and the best anti-aircraft crews in those areas where we used to attack them more often. For example, in Kyiv and in the direction of the main attack of the offensive. Foreign air defense systems are mainly concentrated there.
Kyiv really hoped that the grain deal would be extended and Russia would not hit military facilities in Odessa. But Zelensky miscalculated. Why is there hysteria in Kyiv now.
The day before yesterday, by the way, Zelensky spoke and set the task of strengthening the air defense of Odessa and the southern direction. This means that they will do something now.
The second factor is the consumption of missiles. Their number in Ukraine is limited. Therefore, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are trying, so to speak, to save money, not to use imported anti-aircraft systems.
They are well aware that yes, we will work in the south now, but the main actions will still unfold on those fronts where the main hostilities are taking place.
We can say that we used a good tactical move and took into account the fact that Ukraine weakened its air defense in the south. This helped us a lot in delivering strikes on military targets in order to cut off the delivery of Western weapons from Romania and Bulgaria to Ukraine.