The Russian military is not assaulting the positions of Ukrainian troops in the Lyman-Kupiansk sector, but it is the “record holder” in terms of the use of the tube and rocket artillery, according to Col Serhii Cherevatyi, the spokesperson for the Eastern Grouping of Forces:
“Over the past day [Apr 24], the enemy carried out 432 strikes with various types of artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, carried out 13 air raids, and launched missile attacks,” he said on the national telethon, ArmyInform reports.
The head of the joint press center of the Defense Forces of the Tavria direction, Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, said on the telethon that the Russian troops are increasing artillery attacks, and also using new tactics for its aircraft and drones:
“The enemy has started to build up its artillery power again and is shelling our positions in much the same way as it was in February. Yesterday and today the enemy attacked our positions almost 500 times with their artillery systems,” he said.
Also, the press officer says Russian aircraft are utilizing new tactics trying to detect Ukrainian air defense assets and subsequently attack them:
“As for the tactics employed by the enemy, they have changed somewhat since yesterday. The enemy is trying to show its air superiority. That is why we can see that many air strikes over the last day,” Dmytrashkivskyi said, elaborating that previously, the Russians used 1-2 planes, and on 24 April, there was “teamwork” when two planes were “luring out” Ukrainian air defense assets, and the third plane was striking.
Russian drone warfare is also targeting Ukrainian air defense assets:
“Yesterday [Apr 24] – perhaps it was due to the excellent weather, the enemy used twice as many reconnaissance drones in the Donetsk sector. Also yesterday, a different tactic of using kamikaze drones was used for the first time. Yesterday afternoon – this was the first time it happened – they used Shaheds [Iranian-made slow kamikaze drones, – Ed.], which were successfully shot down, but after them came Lantsets [Russian small one-way attack drones, – Ed.]. This is also a strategy to identify some air defenses and then strike them with Lantsets,” he said.
Read also:
- Ukrainian air defenses destroy four of five Russia’s Iranian-made kamikaze drones
- Ukrainian air defenses shot down eight Shahed-type drones in Russian nighttime attack – Air Force Command
- Russia intensifies Shahed drone attacks on Ukraine after receiving new batch from Iran
- Ammo shortages likely to hinder Russia’s ability to sustain offensive operations in 2023 – ISW
