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AASM stands for Armement Air-Sol
Modulaire, meaning Modular Air-to-Ground
Weapon. The significance of the second
abbreviation, HAMMER, is Highly Agile Modular
Munition Extended Range. It is a kit that
transforms ordinary unguided bombs into
highly precise weapons. A guidance module
is attached to the bomb's nose, and a rocket
motor is attached to the rear. The basic kit is
intended for 250 kg bombs, with a range of over
70 km after release. Ukrainian MiG-29 fighters
carry them on special racks previously used for
similar weapons like JDAM ER.
Destroying the Infrastructure
In addition to military targets on the front,
Russia also attacked civilian infrastructure
in the hinterland during the observed period.
On Thursday, March 21, Kyiv and Kharkiv were
targeted by 29 cruise missiles and two Kinzhal
and Iskander-M missiles. Ukrainian defenses
intercepted all missiles, but falling debris
caused damage, resulting in five deaths in
Kharkiv.
This attack was likely a test to ascertain the
current positions of Ukrainian air defenses.
On Friday, March 22, a much larger attack
occurred, the largest since the war began. One
hundred fifty-one missiles and drones targeted
critical Ukrainian infrastructure, with defenses
intercepting only 92 – mostly drones and
cruise missiles. Russia deployed 12 Iskander-M
missiles, seven Kinzhal missiles, five Kh-22
missiles, and 22 S-300 missiles in ballistic
mode. All 46 missiles hit their targets, partly
because they avoided areas covered by Patriot
systems. For example, the largest Ukrainian
hydroelectric power plant on the Dnieper River
in Zaporizhia was hit by ten missiles, destroying
the plant, which will take years to repair.
On Saturday, March 23, Russians took
a minor break, sending only about 30 Shahed
drones, most of which were shot down.
On Sunday, March 24, they launched nearly
60 missiles and drones. One missile penetrated
the Polish airspace, spending 39 seconds there
before turning back. This has happened several
times in the past. Russia likely aims to use
Polish airspace to attack the Lviv area from an
unexpected direction. Consequently, the Polish
Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the
Russian ambassador, who declined to appear.
Russian Su-27 fighter crashed into the Black Sea near Sevastopol port in occupied Crimea on March 28.
The ship „Sergei Kotov“ became a target of the Ukrainian naval drones on March 5.
The helicopter carried on her deck likely sank with it.
Mi-8 helicopter "yellow 04" in a photo from the Transnistrian Ministry
of Defense during its operational service.
Two crews perished in the crash of an Il-76 near
Ivanovo Severnyj base in Russia on March 12.
Mi-8 helicopter "yellow 04" after being destroyed. It was a Russian provocation; the helicopter had been parked in one place for years.
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INFO Eduard40
May 2024