May 11, 2023 – The UK has donated Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine, the British defense ministry confirmed. This follows exclusive CNN reporting that the UK had supplied Ukraine with multiple Storm Shadow cruise missiles, citing conversations with senior Western officials.
May 11, 2023 – The UK is sending Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine. Ukraine has long been calling for the long-range weapons, but the US and other countries have been unwilling to supply them in case strikes inside Russia lead to escalation. Retired Air Vice Marshal Sean Bell explains what they are and what difference they could make to the Ukraine war.
May 17, 2023 – Ukraine’s western allies seem to be overcoming their hesitation in delivering the munitions they have so far resisted in supplying to Kyiv. After Britain, France has pledged to send long-range missiles to Ukraine ahead of Kyiv’s counteroffensive. French President Emmanuel Macron has said he will send SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missiles to Ukraine. The French equivalent of Storm Shadow, the SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missiles, are a long-range deep strike weapon. Deliveries of French SCALP-EGs will only further expand the Ukrainian military’s capability to strike targets far beyond the frontline.
0:00 – Introduction
0:24 – After Britain, France to Send Long-range Missiles to Ukraine
1:37 – SCALP-EG – A Missile With a Range Kyiv Never Had So Far
3:15 – Why SCALP-EG Will Help Kyiv’s Counteroffensive
May 21, 2023 – Ukraine has targeted the port city of Berdyansk with British Storm Shadow missiles, according to Russia-installed officials. In a statement on Telegram, Vladimir Rogov said that in all, Ukraine had fired seven missiles at Berdyansk. This comes as UK’s defense minister has confirmed that Ukraine is using the long-range Storm Shadow missiles provided to Kyiv. The confirmation comes after Russia announced its first interception of the Storm Shadow missiles on May 15.
0:00 – INTRODUCTION
1:44 – HOW IS UKRAINE DEPLOYING THE STORM SHADOW?
4:16 – HOW WILL STORM SHADOW IMPACT RUSSIAN STRATEGY?
June 15, 2023 – Russian–installed officials have admitted that Ukraine’s British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles are a major concern for Moscow’s forces. The Moscow-installed head of Zaporizhzhia admitted that the British missiles are causing “trouble” to Russian troops. The pro-Russian official explained that the Russian forces are struggling to intercept Storm Shadows, as they are “not easy to shoot down.” Meanwhile, a top Russian general was reportedly killed fighting in Ukraine, after being hit by a long range Storm Shadow missile.
0:00 – Introduction
0:24 – Russia Having “trouble” in Intercepting Storm Shadows?
1:43 – Storm Shadow “killed” Top Russian Military General
2:33 – What Makes the Storm Shadow Deadly?
June 29, 2023 – Storm Shadow: Ukraine’s deadly new cruise missile
July 1, 2023 – Videos of what appear to be the remains of a UK-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missile in Ukraine have emerged online. Twitter account Ukraine Weapons Tracker said the missile was fired by the Ukrainians at the Berdyansk airfield on June 30. If the reports are authentic, then this could be the first recorded Storm Shadow missile that Russia has shot down in Ukraine. The video of the downed Storm Shadow comes as the US is planning to send its ATACMS to Ukraine. Will Biden get cold feet due to Russian interception?
0:00 – INTRODUCTION
1:13 – STORM SHADOW MISSILE
2:38 – STORM SHADOW DOWNED, WHAT NEXT?
July 7, 2023 – Defense Minister Oleksei Reznikov attested that the Storm Shadow/ SCALP EG had a 100 Percent efficiency rate, saying every target was also a hit. But why is the Storm Shadow so good? And what other similar systems might be heading to Ukraine? Watch Talking Tactics, to find out.
July 11, 2023 – Russia has reportedly seized an intact British Storm Shadow missile from the battlefield. Russian war correspondent Andrey Rudenko alleged Ukrainian forces “sold one Storm Shadow rocket to our comrades”. But the former head of the Russian Space Agency, Dmitry Rogozin, said the missile had been shot down near Berdyansk. The onboard radio-electronic equipment can help with new modifications of electronic warfare equipment, Russian military bloggers said. Russia launched an overnight air strike on Kyiv in early hours on Tuesday, Ukraine’s military said. The missile strike comes hours before the start of the NATO summit in Lithuania that is to tackle security threats from Moscow.
“The enemy attacked Kyiv from the air for the second time this month”, Serhiy Popko, a head of Kyiv’s military administration, said. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that US and its allies will “send a positive message” on Ukraine’s NATO bid. Sullivan added that a new NATO aid package for Ukraine would be agreed on at the summit. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also said that the summit communique will send positive message on Ukraine’s path to membership. This comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced his expectation from the NATO summit. Watch this video to know what’s latest Ukraine-Russia conflict.
July 11, 2023 – Day 503 – Today there is a lot of news from the south. Here, Ukrainians conducted a series of deadly strikes, combining the most advanced weapons in their arsenal. The target of the first strike became Tokmak. Tokmak is one of the biggest prefrontal towns, which is why is became one of the most important logistical hubs, where Russians station tens of thousands of soldiers, and numerous ammunition depots, warehouses with equipment, and command posts. Russian sources reported that during the day, Ukrainians conducted a HIMARS strike on Russian military bases located on the northwestern outskirts of the town, near the former poultry farm. The strike itself inflicted a lot of damage to the Russian camp, however, just when Russian forces thought that this was over and were dealing with the aftermath, Ukrainians conducted the second strike, using longer-range multiple-launch rocket systems.
The second strike was even more devastating because it turned out that Ukrainians used cluster munitions. Ukrainians knew that Russians usually involved a lot of mobilized soldiers to clean up the site after the strike, meaning that this would be a perfect opportunity to double, if not triple, the damage. Moreover, cluster munitions are considered dangerous because after they get scattered, there is always a portion of grenades that do not explode immediately and make the whole area dangerous until it is entirely demined. Russian sources claimed that this was the first usage of western cluster munitions, however, it is more likely that Ukrainians increased the use of those that they already had after the announcement that the US would provide new.
The target of the second strike became Berdyansk. Berdyansk is also one of the biggest Russian logistical hubs because it has a huge harbor, lies between Melitopol and Mariupol, and has a lot of industrial zones that can be used for storing ammunition and equipment. Russian sources reported that Ukrainian forces launched multiple Storm Shadow missiles, targeting the industrial area. Russian sources also posted footage provided by Russian air defense operators and claimed that Russians managed to shoot down almost all missiles. Nonetheless, some missiles reached their predetermined destination and destroyed at least one military object on the territory of the harbor. But this was still not the biggest loss for Russians. Later, it turned out that Ukrainians also targeted and completely demolished hotel Dune in the southeastern part of the town.
This hotel served as the command post of the 58th Russian Army, which is why Ukrainians managed to eliminate the Russian deputy commander of the Southern Military District, general-lieutenant Oleg Tsokov. Tsokov was one of the most experienced generals in the Russians army. He fought in the first and second Chechen wars and in Syria and was even wounded near the front line in the Luhansk region last year. Tsokov was considered an intelligent commander, and he had around 85 thousand troops in subordination. Other sources mention that he was not alone in the headquarters, and the strike highly likely eliminated divisions and brigades’ commanders as well. A few days prior, the Russian Army lost another high commander. Russian sources reported that the captain of the 2nd rank, Stanislav Rzhytskiy, was shot dead during his regular morning jog.
Ukrainian Intelligence reported that an unknown person reportedly waited for Rzhytskiy near the stadium, shot him 7 times, and disappeared. Russian sources complained that Ukrainian secret services conducted the assassination, however, the Head of the Ukrainian Intelligence denied these claims. Rzhytskiy was the commander of the submarine “Krasnodar,” which was launching Caliber cruise missiles at Ukrainian cities. Overall, Ukrainians developed a devastating tactic by combining HIMARS and cluster munition strikes on Russian military camps and also conducted a very effective series of Strom Shadow strikes, further decreasing the number of capable Russian commanders. Today the President of France, Macron, approved deliveries of even more Storm Shadow missiles, so we will definitely see more such strikes in the near future.
July 13, 2023 – In the midst of ongoing conflict, Ukrainian forces are leveraging US-supplied glide bombs to their advantage. This video delves into the use of two distinct glide bombs: the GLSDB (Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb) and the JDAM-ER (Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range). However, these American-made guided weapons are facing challenges due to Russia’s electronic interference, impacting their precision and effectiveness. Despite the initial success of the HIMARS system in Ukraine’s counteroffensive in September 2022, recent reports suggest that Russian electronic jammers have disrupted the system’s GPS-guided targeting, leading to missed targets.
The stakes are high as Ukraine heavily relies on HIMARS to target Russian logistical and military infrastructure. The video also explores the impact of jamming interference on the operational effectiveness of the JDAM-ER. Despite anti-jamming enhancements, Russia’s advanced electronic warfare systems are influencing the flight path of these intelligent weapons. This video provides an in-depth analysis of the ongoing electronic warfare and the countermeasures being developed. It highlights the need for continuous innovation and adaptation in the face of evolving warfare tactics. Watch now to understand the intricate dynamics of modern warfare.
August 9, 2023 – The Starstreak missile is a renowned surface-to-air missile currently in service with the British Army and produced by Thales Air Defense, formerly known as Shorts Missile Systems. The missile’s development dates back to the 1980s, with the primary goal of replacing the existing Rapier missile system, which was a key element of Britain’s air defense arsenal. The Starstreak missile system has a unique tri-dart design that distinguishes it from conventional missile systems. Upon launch, the missile propels itself towards the target, and when in close proximity, it releases three separate dart projectiles. Each dart is equipped with its independent explosive warhead and guidance system, effectively multiplying the missile’s chances of successfully neutralizing the target.
This tri-dart design is one of the primary reasons the Starstreak is considered one of the most lethal short-range surface-to-air missiles in existence. The recent war in Ukraine has brought to light the crucial role of Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) in modern warfare, particularly older systems such as the Stinger and Starstreak missiles. Despite the rise of advanced technology and sophisticated aerial weaponry, these missile systems have proven their relevance and effectiveness in the challenging battlefield scenarios witnessed in Ukraine. The high-speed, low-flying drones and aircraft, which are increasingly prevalent in modern conflict zones, have shown vulnerability to these short-range air defense systems.
December 25, 2023 – Ukraine has shot down five Russian fighter jets in the last few days. In this video I discuss what is going on, and why it may be the beginning of a new phase in the air war. 0:00 Five Russian fighters down
0:26 Russian glide bombs
1:40 The radar horizon
1:56 Ukrainian long-range missiles
2:35 Patriot trap?
4:03 F-16 surprise appearance?
5:03 Helicopter story
6:01 The difference F-16 will make
6:40 Interesting period for the air war