Ukraine claims Russian weapons obsolete
A Ukrainian government report claims that Russia’s weapons are ineffective and far more vulnerable to small-arms fire than Moscow had claimed.
The translated Ukrainian defence ministry document, seen by The Times, said the Ural Tornado-U truck is supposed to have enhanced armour but has “weak protection against damage by small arms”, forcing personnel to adapt and use other methods to move equipment around.
The document said Russia’s most advanced attack helicopter, the Ka-52 Alligator, was vulnerable to a 7.62mm bullet – which is fired by a standard machine gun – while Moscow called the helicopter a “flying tank” and claimed its armour could withstand 12.7mm rounds.
“As it turned out in practice, the Ka-52 can be disabled with a 7.62mm machine gun,” the report said.
The BMD-4M amphibious armoured personal carrier, which can be dropped from planes for use by paratroopers, is only “weakly protected even against small arms and mine fragments and artillery shells”. Ukrainian forces have captured many of the fighting vehicles.
T-72B3 tanks, the main Russian battle tank, BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers and other armoured vehicles have been repeatedly destroyed with western anti-tank weapons.
The document said the 3M-14 Kalibr sea-based cruise missile has only a 33-per-cent accuracy rate and approximately 30 per cent of the missiles had struck civilian buildings. The Kremlin, however, has not appeared overly concerned about civilian casualties since its February 24 invasion.
Russia’s Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicle or drone uses imported parts that “wear out quickly” and “quickly fail”, the report claimed.
The Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile system cannot allegedly cope with numerous Ukrainian drones and is vulnerable to air strikes, the ministry said. Ukrainian forces reportedly send several drones to attack Russian forces in batches, using some as decoys.
Weapons shortages are forcing Moscow to cancel arms contracts, it said.
In March Moscow suspended a contract with Serbia for two Ka-32 helicopters. In May and June Russia told Algeria amphibious aircraft, software devices and other exports would be delayed.
In July Russia’s defence ministry proposed a termination of the contract for the supply of four Su-30SME fighters, two Pantsir-S1 air defence systems, a radar system and Orlan-10 drones to the junta in Myanmar which is killing large numbers of civilians with airstrikes.
Russia’s battle tanks are being put to the test. Picture source: Wallpaper
