Can strikes deep into Russia reduce massive attacks on Ukraine: Experts explain
Illustrative photo: experts explained how strikes deep into Russia will affect the shelling of Ukraine (Getty Images)
The planes that Russia uses to launch missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine are located at a fairly long distance. Therefore, strikes deep into Russia will not be able to reduce the shelling of Ukraine to zero, according to RBC-Ukraine's article Kremlin's tactics: What targets Russia attacks and can Ukraine destroy its aircraft?
According to military expert Oleksii Hetman, Ukraine may continue to strike oil refineries and chemical plants that produce rocket fuel. However, it is impossible to simply make sure that airplanes in Russia cannot take off at all.
“Russia is a gas station country, it will be difficult for us to destroy everything. They have their oil. We will destroy everything, and they will pump it up and produce it again,” Hetman said.
This is because the planes from which the Russians are hitting Ukrainian territories are mostly based at the Olenya, Engels, Diaghilevo, Shaikovka, Savasleyka, Akhtubynsk, and Mozdok airfields. Strategic bombers are stationed at the Olenya airfield, which is technically difficult to reach. Another part of the Tu-22 bombers is kept at Dyagilevo, where we can reach, but there are quite a few of them.
“Dyagilevo has the infrastructure to service all types of strategic bombers, but it is minimal because it is a training center. As for a few Tu-22s, they can service one squadron,” aviation expert Valeriy Romanenko said.
Ukraine may try to limit the fuel supply for the Tu-160s by striking Engels, but Russians rarely use these aircraft for strikes.
Oleh Katkov, editor-in-chief of Defense Express, noted that the Kombinat Kristal plant is located in Engels. It belongs to the state strategic reserve, and it stores fuel for Tu-95MS and Tu-160 aircraft. Ukrainian troops recently attacked the base and the attacks are likely to continue. But he believes that this will not reduce attacks on Ukraine, but will create some difficulties for the Russians.
“The defeat of this oil depot will complicate the operation of this air base, but it will not make it impossible. Russia will spend additional resources on it. It also contained specific T-8V fuel, which is needed for Tu-160s, which are the only consumers of this fuel. The possible destruction of part of the stockpile of this fuel could lead to a decrease in the activity of Tu-160s, but they were already used by Russia to a limited extent to strike Ukraine,” Katkov said in a commentary to RBC-Ukraine.
Strikes against Russia
The Ukrainian military continues to strike at Russia's military infrastructure, including factories that repair and produce equipment for the army, weakening its potential. The strikes are increasingly being carried out on Russian territory, complicating the work of its defense industry.
In particular, last night, drones of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Special Operations Forces attacked many Russian targets involved in the supply of the Russian occupation army.
In addition, on the night of January 20, the Russians complained about a drone attack on military facilities in Kazan.
