A military expert assessed French assistance for the Ukrainian Armed Forces
January 19, 2024
The leaders of the EU countries and Great Britain, against the backdrop of uncertainty in the United States, have become more active in the issue of providing weapons to Ukraine. In particular, France decided to provide Ukraine with up to 50 AASM Hammer bombs per month. Can these aerial bombs be opposed to Russian KABs and how necessary are these weapons for us? Military expert at the Institute of Euro-Atlantic Cooperation Igor Koziy explained on Apostrophe TV.
On the one hand, this bomb can be called a breakthrough thing. But its range is 70 km, which is not as far as we would like. At the same time, the amazing power of these bombs makes it possible to actually destroy those objects that affect logistics or the concentration of troops.
Therefore, we can definitely say that these weapons are absolutely good for us if they are supplied in sufficient quantities. At the same time, we must clearly focus on long-range weapons. We need a distance that would actually prevent the enemy from quietly releasing the weapons that the Russian army needs to fight the war in Ukraine.
As for French air bombs, there remains a serious threat from Russian air defense to Ukrainian aircraft from which these bombs will be dropped. We must understand that a small number of our aircraft may come under enemy fire when they enter positions to drop these bombs. The question is how to use this weapon correctly. Yes, the planes will be under threat, but here it is important to use these weapons correctly, to suppress the enemy’s air defenses with electronic warfare. All this needs to be done, but this is the collective work of the headquarters, which calculate and actually plan, after which they give the command to use these weapons. For example, these air bombs can be used to destroy Russian fortified areas in the south.
At the same time, the transfer of these bombs shows that we are acquiring certain technical standards of NATO member states. As a result, the technical standardization of our air forces will move closer to that of NATO. And this is a very important factor.
In addition to these aerial bombs, we also receive 78 Caesar self-propelled guns, about 3000 shells – but this is catastrophically not enough. Especially with regard to weapons capable of reaching objects at a depth of more than 100-200 km. To ensure the advancement of our troops in the southern direction, it is necessary to destroy such a logistics route as the Kerch Bridge. And it is necessary to constantly keep under fire control the construction of the auxiliary railway, which the Russians are trying to build along the Sea of Azov in the Donetsk region. All this must be actively destroyed in real time. And this requires not only a large amount of resources, but also resources capable of hitting a distance of 100 km or more.
Yes, Europe is slowly starting to gain momentum. Today Poland is rearming, and in Germany, senior military officials are declaring the need to rearm the Bundeswehr and say that war is inevitable. But we need to clearly understand how to meet the needs of our Armed Forces today. For without this there will be neither successful advancement nor protection of one’s own territories and military personnel.
“To ensure the advancement of our troops in the southern direction, it is necessary to destroy such a logistics route as the Kerch Bridge. And it is necessary to constantly keep under fire control the construction of the auxiliary railway, which the Russians are trying to build along the Sea of Azov in the Donetsk region.”
Long-range capabilities should’ve been on the front burner of everyone that supports Ukraine. Even potato generals know the importance of logistics and hence of supplies, without which no army can fight. This was and still is perhaps the single largest mistake that has been made in this war by the Western allies.
“…and in Germany, senior military officials are declaring the need to rearm the Bundeswehr and say that war is inevitable.”
I dare to say that this is a complete farce that’s been invented to give Scholz a reason for not sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine. What IQ does it take to realize that with the mafia army defeated, it can’t and won’t attack again in the foreseeable future, and in particular NATO? This sort of garbage will fool only fools.