An-72 military transport plane explodes in the Moscow region: how it may affect the course of the war
24 December 2024 17:19
ANALYSIS
An An-72 military transport aircraft belonging to the Russian Navy exploded on December 12 at the Ostafyevo airfield in the Moscow region. The incident was reported on December 20 by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The detonation occurred in the main power unit of the An-72 aircraft.
“The estimated cost of the damaged Russian aircraft is about $4.5 million,”
– the GUR said in a statement.
Destruction of Russian aviation is one of the key tasks
In a conversation with Komersant ukrainskyi , Ukrainian military expert, pilot-instructor and retired colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Roman Svitan spoke about the importance of destroying Russian aircraft and the methods used to do so. He argues that the destruction of aircraft such as the An-72 is strategically important for the Ukrainian army, even if these attacks do not directly affect combat operations on the front line.
Svitan emphasized that even aircraft used to move equipment and troops over long distances can cause serious damage to Ukrainian forces when they are deep in the rear. He noted that aircraft such as the An-72 are part of the Russian Navy and are used for military purposes.
“Sometimes armies use a large number of munitions, including airplanes, missiles, and small arms. Aircraft can cause serious damage even when they are far from the front line,”
– the expert explained.
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Methods of destroying Russian aircraft: from drones to direct attacks
According to Svitan, various methods are used to destroy Russian aircraft. One of the most effective is the use of FPV drones, which are capable of striking over long distances. In particular, in his opinion, an important success was the damage to a Russian A-50 aircraft using such drones, which was recorded in Mochulyshchy. In addition, other drones can be used, as well as mechanisms used directly on the battlefield.
“This is a major success of our special services, which were able to damage or even destroy the aircraft without using bulky systems to destroy aircraft. This demonstrates the high efficiency of our technologies and capabilities,”
– said Roman Svitan.
When asked whether the destruction of Russian aircraft will have a significant impact on the course of the war on the battlefield, Svitan noted that in the short term, one destroyed aircraft will not change the situation. However, he emphasized that if this practice were to be scaled up, it could significantly weaken Russia’s transport aviation, which would affect Russia’s ability to transport equipment and personnel, as well as missile systems.
“If this process is scaled up, it could leave Russian transport aviation without any movement capabilities at all. This will already affect their ability to conduct operations,”
– the expert emphasized.
Long-term consequences: destruction of production and moral pressure on Russians
Roman Svitan also drew attention to the fact that Russia has a limited number of heavy transport aircraft. Since the production of such aircraft is not infinite, regular destruction of them on the ground could be a serious blow to Russia.
“The Russians have a limited supply of such aircraft. They are certainly producing something, but we can jeopardize this production. This will be a serious blow to their capabilities in the long run,”
– noted the retired Ukrainian Armed Forces colonel.
Speaking about the moral effect that the destruction of Russian aircraft could have on the Russian audience, Svitan expressed doubt that it could significantly change the mood of ordinary Russian citizens. He explained that under the conditions of Russian propaganda and the imperial psyche, the population is not able to critically evaluate events.
“No, this will not affect Russians. They have no understanding of what is happening. Their psyche works according to a different logic, and even such news as the destruction of a Russian plane will not make them think,”
– Svitan noted.
The expert emphasized that even if the physical destruction of Russian equipment is not able to change the course of hostilities in the short term, it has a great moral effect. This is not only a physical blow to Russia’s military capabilities, but also psychological pressure on the Russians, which can contribute to weakening their morale.
“This is just one stage of a larger strategy that includes both physical destruction of equipment and psychological pressure on the aggressor. As a result, it helps Ukraine bring victory closer,”
– summarized Roman Svitan.
Thus, the destruction of the An-72 aircraft was another important step in Ukraine’s strategy to weaken Russian aviation. Although the single destruction of such an aircraft will not change the situation on the front line, in the long run it could have serious consequences for Russia’s logistics capabilities. Not only the destruction of equipment is important, but also the moral pressure on the aggressor, which gives Ukraine an additional advantage. Scaling up such operations can significantly weaken the Russian transport aviation, which will complicate its ability to conduct combat operations.
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Author: Darina Glushchenko
