Sept 13, 2024
Why Western limitations must be removed.
The last 30 days and nights in Ukraine. While the pictures represent another horrendous month of missile and drone attacks launched from the sanctuary of Russia – the area from where Russia can launch its indiscriminate attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure without the risk of being destroyed by Western-made weapons – the pictures only represent the weapons Ukraine has successfully countered.
The reality is far worse.
Between 24 Feb. 2022 and 20 Aug. 2024, Russia launched 9,590 missiles and 13,997 drones against Ukraine. Only 25,3% of the missiles and 42,7% of the drones were shot down. The majority got through.
The effectiveness of the Ukrainian Air Defence network varies depending on the missiles used and the AD coverage. Ukraine lacks AD to protect its frontline cities.
– 67% of all Kalibr, Kh-555/101 and R-500 cruise missiles have been downed.
– 63% of all Shahed-136s and Lancets have been downed. Of the 13,315 launched, 8,836 have been downed.
– 33% of the hypersonic Zircon missiles have been downed. 2 out of 6 were shot down. The four that survived hit civilian targets.
– 25% of the hypersonic Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles have been downed. Of the 111 launched, 28 were shot down. These missiles mostly targeted civilian infrastructure. Only 15 military structures were targeted.
– 22% of all Kh-59s, Kh-35s, Kh-31s and similar air-to-surface missiles have been downed.
– 5.7% of the Onyx anti-ship missiles have been downed. Only 12 out of 211 were shot down.
– 4,5% of all Iskander, Tochka-U and KN-23 ballistic missiles were shot down. A total of 1,388 ballistic missiles have been launched.
– 0,63% of S-300 and S-400 air defence systems (used against ground targets) were downed. They were fired 3,008 times.
– 0.55% of the Kh-22s and Kh-32s, which are launched from Tu-22M3 bombers, are downed. Only 2 out of 362 were shot down.
Of the staggering 11,879 facilities that were hit, 6,203 (52%) were civilian facilities. 5,676 of the targets were military. 3,196 of these were hit by Russian ballistic missiles (Iskander, Tochka-U, KN-23, and S-300/400).
More than 50% of the residential buildings, hospitals, health care facilities, schools, kinder gardens, energy generation facilities, and more, were hit by missiles launched from launchers operating from inside the highly artificial and utterly illogical Russian “sanctuary” created by Western limitations on use of its weapons against military targets on Russian territory.
The statistics are horrendous and help explain Ukraine’s urgent calls for more Air Defence and the lifting of restrictions on the use of Western-made weapons.
The situation is about to get worse as Iran has just delivered 225 Fath-360 short-range ballistic missiles, all of which will be operating within the Western-created sanctuary.
It’s time to admit strategic failure and take off the gloves.
…….
Hans Petter comments on his own post :
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “If allies can come together to shoot down missiles and drones in the Middle Eastern sky, why have they not made a decision to join forces and shoot down Russian missiles and Iranian Shaheds in the sky over Ukraine? This isn’t done even when missiles and drones literally head for our neighbouring countries. Whenever we raise this issue with our partners – which we do all the time, by the way – everyone is trying to dodge it, to be honest. They’re afraid of even saying: ‘We’re working on it.’ They’re even afraid of saying those words. This is true. […] I believe that the strong, democratic world should be embarrassed.”
Sir Kier Starmer has returned from Washington after unsuccessfully lobbying for Biden, Kirby and Sullivan to shift their stubborn, lethal and horribly wrong position.
DT:
“Sir Keir Starmer was set to leave Washington on Friday night without any announcement on allowing Ukraine to fire long-range missiles into Russia.
The Prime Minister held talks with Joe Biden in the White House to discuss pleas from Volodymyr Zelensky to let the country use the Storm Shadow missiles.
But John Kirby, a spokesman for the US national security council, said there would be no announcement on long-range missiles after the meeting. He did not rule out one at a later date.
Foreign Office sources had briefed against expecting the green light at the end of Starmer’s visit, but it will come as a disappointment to leave without a decision.
After the meeting, Sir Keir said the pair had come to a “strong position” but suggested a final decision on Storm Shadow had been deferred to the UN General Assembly at the end of the month.
“Today was about having a chance to talk not just about a particular step or tactic, but the strategy in relation to Ukraine,” he said.”
All liars tie themselves in knots and putler is no exception.
His latest “red lines” bullshit about Ukraine’s possible deployment of British Storm Shadows inside the cauldron of devilry is a spectacular own goal. He is clearly and unequivocally admitting that Crimea is Ukraine, because Storms have already hit military targets multiple times inside Crimea.
While Biden and co continue to prevaricate about Storms, Ukraine should now use their entire stock to pound the fuck out of the putler bridge.
“It’s time to admit strategic failure and take off the gloves.”
This time is long past due. But, what can you do about deep-seated cowardice? Once you’re born without a spine and balls, you are likely to remain spineless and scrotumless for the rest of your miserable life, even if reality is screaming right into your face.
I may be a dreamer, but I keep hoping that “there will be no announcement” means that russia will only find out about it when Ukraine bombs the shit out of their airfields.