For all the folks calling @oryxspioenkop and our list biased in favor of Ukraine, we spend multiple hours today going through four pieces of film to determine if a Russian loss was the same or not.
Others would've counted them as separate entities, but we did not.
The four pieces of film/footage include
A) Picture of a heavily damaged 9A331 TLAR from Telegram;
B) Video showing a burning 9A331 TLAR;
C) Screenshot from a TikTok video showing a glimpse of a Tor TLAR;
D) Another screenshot showing a Tor TLAR quite a distance away.
Step 1:
We compared the TikTok video (C) to the film showing a Tor TLAR in the distance (D). These were match.
Step 2:
Next, we geolocated the TikTok video (C) and confirmed its location. We already knew of other losses in the area; seven T-72B tanks were lost in that area, coordinates can be seen below.
Step 3:
We geolocated the burning 9A331 TLAR (B) and compared it to the TikTok film (C), these too were a match.
Step 4:
At last, we compared the psychical constants such as markings, painting, and other attributes that can't be easily changed, of the burning 9A331 TLAR (B) to the heavily damaged and looted 9A331 TLAR (A), unsurprisingly these also matched.
These four pieces of footage show one single 9A331 TLAR of a Tor-M1 system. It took some time to confirm this, and not just from Oryx and me, but also others like @Rebel44CZ and @azyakancokkacan and many, many more.
As a side note, we're also working on trying to determine the affiliation of not just this Tor, but all other Russian Tor system losses.
Not just divisional, but regimental or even battalion-level subordination. Tor is a valuable asset and not numerous. Each loss is a win for🇺🇦
The same applies to any other lost Russian kit part of their Integrated Air Defense System (IADS), like Strela, Osa, Pantsir, Tunguska, and Buk etc. All are valuable.
However, they're more numerous and harder to pinpoint, Tor is not. But this is for the future.
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Here’s a compilation of Russian military attack helicopters (Ka-52 and Mi-28) taking part in the war in Ukraine.
Notice how they’re mainly using unguided dumb-rockets, cannon fire, and radar/laser beam-riding SACLOS missiles.
1/8
These aforementioned weapons are fairly old and outdated system, and we can see the ramifications of this in their losses: 12 attack helicopters lost. Helicopters armed with these systems have to enter contested airspace to have desirable effect on target.
2/8
Months ago, I brought up how modern attack helicopter capabilities have drastically changed.
The USMC AH-1W, fighting in Iraq nearly two decades ago, had the same offensive capabilities as Russian helicopters today. SACLOS missiles, rockets etc.
I suspect these belong to the Ukrainian 'Sea Guard'/Coast guard, which is under the command of the Ukrainian Border Guard Service, hence maybe why one has hull number "BG 118".
What I believe to be refurbished civilian vessels, in-service with the Sea Guard/Coast Guard of the Border Guard Service.
In total, six such vessels were captured by the Russians.
i. BGXX8
ii. BG311
iii. BG14
iv. BG25
Here's a (partial) guide on how to identify Russian military Air Defense losses in Ukraine. It will be a two part series, focusing on the Tor and Buk systems respectively.
This is part two, Buk.
1/25
Russian Air Defense systems are usually composed of smaller units/sub-systems, Buk is no different. From my understanding, its combat vehicle can work independently if need be, but it usually does not. I will focus on battalion-level Buk systems.
2/25
Buk variants (or a part of them) that are known to be active in Ukraine are:
Here's a guide on how to identify Russian military Air Defense losses in Ukraine. It will be a two part series, focusing on the Tor and Buk systems respectively.
This is part one, Tor.
1/8
Many Russian Air Defense systems are composed of smaller units/sub-systems, Tor is a little different. Its combat vehicle can work independently and does not necessarily require input from its command vehicle or radar. I will thus look at ID'ing this sub-system only.
2/8
Tor variants that are known to be active in Ukraine are:
- 9K330 Tor-M, with 9A330 Transporter Launcher and Radar (TLAR) sub-system;
Here's something different from my more recent Ukraine oriented tweets. Some pics I took today of USS The Sullivans (DDG-68), moored in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Gotta love the firepower of a Burke,
Harpoons, Phalanx, SVTT, and Mk41 VLS in one pic :)
Some of its radar and EW assets: AN/SPY-1D, AN/SPG-62, and AN/SLQ-32(V)3.
The SLQ-32 is MASSIVE, it really is. It is a very capable EW-system.