The Ukrainian military said it launched airstrikes on Zmiinyi Island, also known as Snake Island, causing “significant casualties” to Russian forces. The southern operational command confirmed that it had undertaken “targeted strikes with the use of various forces”. The military operation continues. The Ukrainian army fired 150 times at Russian targets in the south of the country.
The Southern Operational Command said it destroyed a multitude of Russian units, including two self-propelled howitzers and an ammunition depot, as well as five armored and military vehicles.
The Kyiv Independent tweeted: “Ukrainian army fires 150 times at Russian targets in southern Ukraine.
“Operational Command ‘South’ said it destroyed two self-propelled howitzers, an artillery tractor, an electronic warfare station, an ammunition depot and five armored and military vehicles.”
The Southern Operational Command is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in the southern part of Ukraine, which was formed in January 1998.
It is the latest hammer blow for Putin, who has seen his Russian forces continue to struggle since his invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
Russian troops have left a path of destruction across Ukraine, with large parts of the country reduced to rubble.
But Putin, who also lost several senior brass in battle, watched his men fail to make significant advances in many major cities as fierce Ukrainian resistance forced them out.
In an intelligence update on Tuesday, the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) highlighted some of the difficulties Russian forces have faced.
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The Ministry of Defense intelligence update added: “Ukrainian coastal defense capability has largely neutralized Russia’s ability to establish sea control and project maritime force in the northwest sea. Black.
“This undermined the viability of Russia’s original operational design for the invasion, which involved keeping the Odessa region in jeopardy by sea.”
The MoD’s intelligence update on Monday tore at the Russian Air Force, saying it had “underperformed” during the war in Ukraine.
The update read: “In the conflict to date, the Russian Air Force has underperformed. Its inability to consistently deliver air power is probably one of the most significant factors in the very limited success of the Russian countryside.
“It cannot achieve complete air superiority and has operated in a risk-averse style, rarely penetrating deep behind Ukrainian lines. Some of the underlying causes of its difficulties echo those of the Russian ground forces.
“For years, much of Russia’s air combat training was most likely heavily scripted and designed to impress senior officials, rather than to develop dynamic initiative among aircrew.
“While Russia has an impressive roster of relatively modern and capable combat aircraft, the Air Force has almost certainly failed to develop the institutional culture and skills needed in its personnel to respond to Russia’s aspiration to deliver a modern, more Western-style air campaign.
This led to a greater than expected effort for the ground troops, who were becoming exhausted; and on advanced cruise missiles, the stocks of which are likely running out.”
