Destruction of Russian Air Defense with US-Supplied Weapons
Ukraine "Shoots Down Russian Stealth Fighter"
Northern Front Stuck in Deadlock Again
On the 28th of last month (local time), Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (center), who visited Brussels, Belgium, is inspecting the F-16 fighter jets to be supported to Ukraine with Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium (right). [Image source=AP·Yonhap News]
The Ukrainian Air Force has announced its first successful bombing of Russian mainland since the outbreak of the war, causing the previously advancing Russian forces on the battlefield to stall once again. This is mainly attributed to the destruction of Russian air defense systems in border areas, enabled by the United States and Western countries allowing limited strikes on Russian mainland, which allowed Ukraine to regain partial air superiority on the front lines.
The Russian forces on the northern front, which had threatened the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, have also been pushed back near the border, leading to a stalemate in the overall battle situation. Already struggling with manpower shortages, the Russian military is reportedly facing difficulties in recruiting troops to maintain the front lines, to the extent of mobilizing female prisoners following male prisoners.
"Russian Mainland Fighter Jet Bombing"... Air Defense Destroyed by US-Supplied Weapons
Since the news on the 9th that Ukrainian fighter jets successfully bombed Russian mainland, the morale of Ukrainian forces has risen. According to Sky News UK, citing Ukrainian military sources, Ukrainian fighter jets successfully dropped bombs on a military command post in the Belgorod region near the border. This marks the first time since the Russia-Ukraine war began that Ukrainian fighter jets have successfully bombed Russian mainland.
Until now, Ukrainian fighter jets had repeatedly failed to bomb due to dense Russian air defense systems such as S-300 and S-400, installed from the frontline areas to the mainland. However, after the US and Western countries approved limited attacks on parts of Russian mainland, Ukraine succeeded in destroying Russian air defense systems in frontline areas, enabling Ukrainian fighter jets to sortie.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukraine previously announced that it launched an airstrike on Belgorod using the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) supplied by the US. Through this attack, many Russian air defense and defense facilities were destroyed, allowing fighter jets to conduct airstrikes on Belgorod. However, the US has not yet approved the use of the long-range surface-to-surface missile ATACMS, recently supplied to Ukraine, for strikes on Russian mainland, so the operational area for Ukrainian fighter jets remains limited to border regions.
Russian Pride Hurt... Stealth Fighter Jet Also Hit
Ukraine claims to have also succeeded in airstrikes on rear areas of Russian mainland hundreds of kilometers away from the frontline. On the 9th, the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Directorate announced that it destroyed Russia’s latest Su-57 stealth fighter jet stationed at the Astrakhan airbase, about 600 km from the frontline.
Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Directorate, appeared on Ukrainian TV and emphasized, "At least two Su-57 jets were destroyed." However, he did not disclose what weapons or means were used for the strike. Currently, the long-range strike weapons available to Ukraine are mainly suicide drones, so it is presumed they were used.
Russia has not issued an official statement regarding Ukraine’s claim. Official confirmation that its latest fighter jets were destroyed by Ukrainian drones could negatively affect military morale. The Su-57 is a stealth fighter developed by Russia in 2019, which Russian authorities have promoted as a superior fighter capable of competing with the US F-22.
Frontline Stalemate Again... Russia Mobilizes Female Prisoners
As Ukraine regained air superiority on the frontline and launched airstrikes, Russian forces have been pushed back again. Russian troops on the northern front, which threatened Kharkiv near Kyiv, have been pushed back to border areas.
With worsening manpower shortages, Russia has reportedly begun enlisting female prisoners into the military following male prisoners. According to The New York Times (NYT), since last fall, the Russian military has been recruiting volunteer female prisoners and deploying them to the front lines, with some prisoners released from jail and assigned to the front as of late May.
NYT quoted prisoners near a prison in Saint Petersburg, Russia, saying, "Since last year, military recruiters have started recruiting female prisoners who volunteered. Their roles were not just auxiliary but very dangerous tasks such as snipers, medics, and frontline radio operators. About 40 out of 400 prisoners enlisted in the military at that time," the report said.
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