Thread by @GuyPlopsky

1/ Interesting short post by the Fighterbomber Telegram page on VKS air operations in the Kharkiv area over past three days.
Photos of 🇷🇺 Su-25SMs & 🇺🇦 Buk-M1's 9A310M1 TELAR on the right are for illustrative purposes.
A short thread with key points (my remarks in parentheses) 👇

2/ Firstly, as always, take claims by Russian telegram channels with a grain of salt.

3/ The post claims that the Kharkiv area has one of the densest concentration of Ukrainian air defenses (ADs) in the country. It also claims that, rather than cover their forces, Ukrainian ADs attempt to ambush Russian aircraft after the latter have delivered their ordnance.

4/ For example, it claims that Ukrainian ADs attempt to engage the last aircraft in a group that is egressing after having attacked ground targets. (This is not the first time Russian sources have made such claims).

5/ "There are [SAM] launches ... practically against every strike group," the post goes on to note. ("Group" is used to refer to two or more aircraft). According to the post, Ukrainian ADs haven't had much success in downing Russian aircraft in Kharkiv area over the past 3 days.

6/ Russian aircraft have "changed their tactic," the post alleges, adding that "it is working for now. According to the post only "one Su-25 has been lost" & some other aircraft have taken damage.

7/ The post claims that Russian aircraft are only attacking targets with known coordinates. "No one is going to loiter & try to make out what tank went where," it adds. Coordinates are provided by Russian forces on the ground. Russian aircraft are employing both bombs & rockets.

8/8 (Given the heavy presence of Ukrainian ADs & the limited target acquisition & self-protection capabilities of Russian aircraft (especially Su-25s & Su-25SMs), the claim that Russian aircraft are only being employed to attack targets with known coordinates makes sense).

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A final key point the post makes: because Russian aircraft are only attacking targets with known coordinates, the effectiveness of Russian air operations in the Kharkiv area heavily depends on reconnaissance (by ground forces) & "accurately and timely issued target coordinates."