Colonel Khodarenok: in case of provocation on May 9, Kiev will be turned into ruins
President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky hinted at the plans of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to strike at the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on May 9. On the night of May 5, Ukrainian drones attacked the Moscow region and some other settlements. Military observer of "Gazeta.Retired Colonel Mikhail Khodarenok discusses what measures that strengthen the defense of the capital on a holiday might look like, and what consequences Kiev might face if the Ukrainian Armed Forces try to strike at the Russian capital.
Kiev made it clear that the Ukrainian Armed Forces could strike Moscow on May 9. Apparently, one should not treat the words of the Ukrainian leader as a simple concussion. According to Vladimir Zelensky, Ukraine does not guarantee the safety of world leaders who will come to the Russian capital for the parade.
In the arsenal of the Ukrainian army, it should be noted, there are weapons of destruction, in the range of which is Moscow in general and Red Square in particular. These include numerous aircraft-type UAVs, operational-tactical missile systems "Thunder" and "Sapsan", subsonic cruise missiles of the type "Neptune". It should be noted that this blow can be massive. That is, hypothetically, hundreds or even thousands of UAVs, cruise and ballistic missiles could take part in the raid on Moscow.
How to strengthen the defense?
In this regard, it is advisable to dramatically strengthen the air defense of the capital during the holidays and create powerful air/missile defense units.
To build up the combat strength of the grouping of forces and assets intended for the air defense of Moscow and the Central Industrial Region, it probably makes sense to regroup from the internal military districts, the Far East, the Far North and the Arctic regions all anti-aircraft missile systems and complexes there, the necessary samples of radar weapons and automated control systems, small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery, combat helicopters and interceptor fighters.
Up to the deployment of a network of visual surveillance posts and the placement of anti-aircraft machine guns (anti-aircraft gunners with portable anti-aircraft missile systems) on the roofs of Moscow's high-rise buildings.
The most important thing, probably, is to ensure that all available air/missile defense forces and means are integrated into a single control loop.
A retaliatory strike
At the same time, it is probably not worth focusing all attention only on purely defensive measures. The enemy should be as clear as possible in this case that the hypothetical Ukrainian Armed Forces raid on Moscow on May 9 will be followed in just minutes by a crushing blow to Kiev, including, for sure, a block of government buildings (including the office of President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky).
For these purposes, long-range aviation forces (long-range cruise missiles such as the X-101 and X-555), the Navy (Kalibr-PL and Kalibr-NK cruise missiles), Missile Forces and artillery (operational and tactical missile systems such as the Iskander-M) can be involved, unmanned aerial vehicles.
The forces and means involved in such a strike may well include units and formations of the Strategic Missile Forces using conventional weapons.
As for the enhanced working hours on holidays of the special services of the Russian Federation, due to the specifics of the work of such bodies, it is not advisable to say anything specific about the content of these events. But in terms of suppressing any terrorist activity, there is no doubt that the impossible will be done.
The opinion of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.
Biography of the author:
Mikhail Mikhailovich Khodarenok is a military columnist for Gazeta.Ru", retired colonel.
He graduated from the Minsk Higher Engineering Anti-Aircraft Missile School (1976), the Military Air Defense Command Academy (1986).
Commander of the S-75 anti-aircraft missile division (1980-1983).
Deputy commander of the anti-aircraft missile regiment (1986-1988).
Senior Officer of the General Staff of the Air Defense Forces (1988-1992).
Officer of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff (1992-2000).
Graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (1998).
Columnist for Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2000-2003), editor-in-chief of the Military Industrial Courier newspaper (2010-2015).
Mikhail Khodarenok
