02/11/2024 – Translated from Ukrainian via Google and OFP

During the attack on Kiev on February 7, Russian occupation forces could have used a Zircon missile launched from the territory of temporarily occupied Crimea. This attack was stupid for a number of reasons. In particular, because the Zircon is an anti-ship missile, and also because it is not capable of accurately hitting targets on land. 

Actually, this is not the first time that the enemy has taken such illogical steps. Previously, he also used Onyx and S-300 missiles, which were not designed to hit ground targets, during attacks on Ukraine.

Why is that? The first reason is that the enemy simply ran out of missiles to hit ground targets, so “everything they have at hand is thrown into battle.” Secondly, these attacks were, in fact, a test of these weapons in unusual conditions. This opinion was expressed by military expert Mikhail Zhirokhov in an exclusive interview with OBOZ.UA.

– At that time, the commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Syrsky, visited the Bakhmut direction and reported that a number of important decisions had been made. Of course, there is no mention of exactly what decisions we are talking about. In your estimation, how will events develop on this hottest section of the front? Is it possible to break through the front on the eve of the so-called elections in Russia?

– It is obvious that the Russians are planning some kind of large-scale military operations. For now, we can talk about the Kupyansk direction. But as for Bakhmut, our task today is exclusively defensive. The task of our group, which is now there, is to actually prevent a breakthrough at Chasov Yar.

And this is understandable, because behind and in front of Chasovy Yar an additional line of defense is now being built in great haste. Therefore, it is necessary to hold these positions, in particular, until these lines of defense are completed.

Of course, no one knows what decisions Syrsky made, except for the military who were involved in this. But I think that there will be active defense there in the coming months. In addition to defensive actions, there will also be counter-offensive actions by the enemy, but at a tactical level. That is, occupying the remnants of a populated area or improving the tactical situation. However, our military will try to prevent a large-scale offensive. Because the loss of Chasov Yar opens the way further into Donbass, deeper into the controlled territory. Therefore, I think this is unlikely to be allowed.

– What about the left bank? We saw some pretty inspiring information regarding Krynki, where the Ukrainian flag was installed. How do you assess the situation now, when the circumstances with Western help do not add optimism?

– As for Western help, we have become hostages of the internal political situation. First of all, I mean the United States, but in the near future there will be elections in European countries. Consequently, this assistance depends not only on what the situation will be at the front, but also on the internal situation among the Western allies.

Because, in fact, they have exhausted the possibilities for helping Ukraine. I mean primarily ammunition. Launching the production of new ammunition is time that, unfortunately, we do not have.

– What about the left bank? What’s your forecast?

– Left Bank is still an incomprehensible story for me personally. Because there are no indications that some kind of large landing operation is planned. Maintaining a 2-3 kilometer wide coastal strip there makes sense only when planning a future offensive in this direction. But the Ukrainian military leadership has no experience in landing operations.

Of course, we have already done many things for the time being, but, a coordinated and fairly powerful plan should be required. Only in this sense can we consider holding this line, which, frankly speaking, costs great losses among our military. You need to regularly rotate and support this group.

So I believe that there are certain plans, they are not announced. In any other case, it would be retention for the sake of retention.

– During the attack on Kyiv on February 7, the Russian occupation army probably used a 3M22 Zircon missile. Is this a serious weapon? Do you suppose that in the near future the occupier may use new types of weapons against Ukraine?

– “Zircon” is a missile that was developed exclusively as an anti-ship missile. The use of anti-ship missiles – “Oniks”, “Zircons” – looks, frankly speaking, stupid, because they have practically no ability to accurately hit ground targets.

This can most likely be attributed to field-testing. That is, from a military point of view, it is meaningless. If the use of the same air-to-surface missiles or drones makes sense, then the use of Onyxes, Zircons or S-300 anti-aircraft missiles as ballistic missiles looks like throwing everything that is at hand into battle.

– So we can conclude that the enemy has a certain shortage of necessary weapons?

– Yes. It is necessary to use the Black Sea Fleet somehow, but with the help of such “Zircons”… In fact, there is very little information. According to Russian data, Zircon is used exclusively against ships. Information appeared that it was launched from some ground-based installation.

It is also interesting that there is not even a decent photograph of the Zircon on the Internet. The photos that illustrate publications about Zircon show an American rocket. That is, first someone was the first to illustrate their publication, and then they began to replicate it. So we don’t know what this rocket actually looks like, because there are no photos of it in open sources.

– Maybe because it’s a military secret?

– Yes, this is a military secret. But the Russians had “cartoons” for other missiles. In particular, in 2018, Putin showed one such “cartoon” at his next gathering. But “Zircon” was not even in the “cartoons”. There were all other methods of destruction that they developed, but this missile never existed.

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