Putin reeling as 'long-range precision strikes' devastate Russia's 'fragile supply lines'

Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the go-ahead for tens of thousands of troops to begin their invasion of Ukraine more than six months ago on February 24. s a result, a path of destruction has been left throughout Ukraine, with many towns and cities reduced to rubble after coming under heavy attack as the war grew more brutal. But Russia’s troops have suffered several setbacks throughout, forced out of many regions in Ukraine they had been hoping to occupy after being met with fierce opposition resistance.

Russia has also lost tens of thousands of its own soldiers in the war, with thousands of weapons and military vehicles destroyed along the way.

Now the latest intelligence update from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) suggests Russia’s struggles are continuing at pace as it battles to get the upper hand on Ukraine.

The update on Twitter read: “From early on 29 August 2022, several brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces increased the weight of artillery fires in front line sectors across southern Ukraine.

“Ukrainian long-range precision strikes continue to disrupt Russian resupply. It is not yet possible to confirm the extent of Ukrainian advances.

“However, since the start of August, Russia has made significant efforts to reinforce its force on the western bank of the Dnipro River around Kherson.

“The Southern Military District’s (SMD) 49th Combined Arms Army has highly likely been augmented with components of the Eastern Military District’s (EMD) 35th Combined Arms Army.

“Most of the units around Kherson are likely under-manned and are reliant upon fragile supply lines by ferry and pontoon bridges across the Dnipro.”

The MoD said the integration of the SMD and EMD units indicates a “significant reorganisation of Russia’s force in Ukraine”.

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Russia has used these aerial devices to scope out potential missile targets, before transmitting their locations to naval cruise missile carriers in the Black Sea.

But the clever decoys have reportedly attracted at least 10 Russian Kalibr cruise missiles, which has now seen Ukraine expand the production of the replicas.

These rocket system decoys are proving to be a crucial tactic to use against its bigger and better-equipped invading Russian enemy.

The US-supplied HIMARS 50-mile firing range – double the 25-mile reach of the M777 Howitzer – thus pinpointing why Russia is so determined to destroy them.

They have proved central in the war and have been used to destroy Russian ammunition depots, supply lines and logistical hubs.

A senior Ukrainian official told the Washington Post: “When the UAVs see the battery, it’s like a VIP target.”

George Barros, a researcher at the Institute for the Study of War, said: “If the Russians think they hit a HIMARS, they will claim they hit a HIMARS.

“Russian forces very well be overstating their battle damage assessments after hitting HIMARS decoys.”

Rob Lee, a military analyst at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, commented: “A Kalibr missile launched at a fake HIMARS target in a field is a missile that can’t be used against a Ukrainian city.”

source: express.co.uk