RIA Novosti's choice: the main events of 2022 in the military sphereMOSCOW, Dec 15 – RIA Novosti.
The beginning of the special operation in Ukraine became the main military event of the year in Russia. This is the first experience of a protracted large-scale military conflict for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the first partial mobilization, the first massive use of a number of weapons.
In general, the special operation was the first experience of the participation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in a full-scale military conflict with an enemy with full-fledged troops, which are provided with modern weapons with the help of the West.
This is incomparable with Syria: for all their danger, international terrorists did not have and do not have multi-species armed forces with a variety of armored vehicles, artillery, missile systems, aviation, air defense, electronic warfare, and so on.
Current situation at the front
At the moment, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation almost completely control the territory of the Luhansk People's Republic and part of the Kherson region – the units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation left the right bank of the Dnieper and part of the Mykolaiv region to avoid possible blocking of forces as a result of the undermining of the dam of the Kakhovskaya HPP. Also, the Allied forces control most of the territories of the Zaporozhye region and more than half of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Along the line of contact, the Russian troops have built a defense that allows them to successfully repel all Ukrainian attacks, which leads to heavy losses among the Ukrainian troops.
At the same time, the Russian Armed Forces continue to advance in the Donetsk direction. In particular, in recent months, the settlements of Andreevka, Kurdyumovka, Belogorovka, Pershe Travnya, Opytne, Mayorsk, Kodema have been completely liberated from the Ukrainian armed formations of the Russian Federation.
Losses
The last time Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported on the losses of Russian troops in the framework of the SVO was at the end of September. According to him, at that time, 5,937 people were killed by the Russian side. At the same time, the minister clarified that the losses of the Ukrainian side are an order of magnitude higher – and then amounted to more than 61 thousand killed and almost 50 thousand wounded.
On December 6, Shoigu reported that the losses of the Ukrainian troops in November alone amounted to more than 8,300 servicemen killed.
Mobilisation
As part of a special military operation in Russia, partial mobilization was carried out for the first time. The appeal within the framework of partial mobilization began in Russia on September 21 and ended at the end of October. A total of 300,000 reserve troops were called up. It was stated that the mobilized would be involved in the control of the front line with a length of about 1,000 km and the liberated territories in Ukraine.
On December 7, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that out of 300,000 mobilized, 150,000 are in the area of the operation in the grouping, of which only 77,000 are in combat units, the rest are on the second, third lines, performing the functions, in fact, of the territorial defense forces. Another 150 thousand, the head of state specified, remain at the training grounds and in the training centers of the Ministry of Defense, where they undergo additional training - this is the so-called combat reserve.
SVO increased the army's need for weapons, which affected the work of the enterprises of the domestic "defense industry". Many of them have switched or are switching to a three-shift mode of operation.
Precision weapons
Russian long-range aircraft and Navy ships, as well as ground-based complexes, have been striking Ukrainian military facilities and critical infrastructure with high-precision cruise and hypersonic missiles, such as the X-101, X-555, X-32, Kalibr, Onyx, Dagger, 9M723 and R-500.
Moreover, Kiev has repeatedly announced that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will run out of missiles in the near future, but the strikes continue and are often massive – when dozens of high-precision munitions fall on Ukrainian facilities in different areas in a few hours.
The operational-tactical and army aviation of the Russian Federation actively uses high-precision weapons. The Su-35 and Su-34 use the X-31 and X-58 family of missiles to defeat the radar of the Ukrainian air defense system, strike equipment, troop concentrations, command posts and ammunition depots with the help of X-59, X-29 and X-35 missiles. The latest "Product-305" missiles are used extremely effectively from the Mi-28NM and Ka-52M attack helicopters.
One of the business cards of the SVO was the use in large quantities and with high efficiency of Russian barrage ammunition "Cube", "Product-51/52". Videos of precise defeats of Ukrainian tanks, radars, SAMs, artillery and manpower by these strike drones are regularly published from the combat zone. During the second Karabakh war in the fall of 2020, such foreign ammunition was widely advertised, even the term "drone war" appeared. The Russian developers showed their highly effective solutions in this class of shock ammunition during their training.
High-precision ammunition is used by Russian artillery. Thus, Tornado-S systems hit Ukrainian targets with guided missiles, barrel howitzers use guided shells "Krasnopol", which have no analogues in the world 240-mm mortars "Tulip" use corrected mines "Daredevil".
Russian Air defense
The special military operation has become a kind of exam for Russian air defense systems - the Pantsir-S, Tor-M2, Osa-AKM, Buk-M2, Buk-M3, S-300PM1/2, S-300V, S-400 air defense systems effectively destroy rockets missiles and drones launched by Ukraine intercept planes and helicopters. One of the unspoken mottos of the air defense forces is "We don't fly ourselves, and we don't give to others."
Thus, most of the missiles of the American HIMARS MLRS, as well as American HARM anti-radar missiles, are destroyed in the air. As a result of the actions of our air defense systems, HARM missiles turned out to be practically useless – there are no cases of their hitting targets in Ukraine.
Russian air defense has nullified Ukraine's use of Bayraktar drones. Most of the drones that Ukraine had were destroyed in the air. In general, Russian air defense systems and complexes have proven their effectiveness.
Armored vehicles
SVO has become a baptism of fire for the newest Russian tanks T-90M "Breakthrough" and T-72B3M. The combat vehicles supporting the Terminator BMPT tanks have proven themselves well in the zone of their own.
BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles demonstrate high efficiency due to their complex of weapons, including a powerful smoothbore 100-mm cannon. Russian armored vehicles and armored personnel carriers of various developers are widely used.
Special services
In the conditions of the special operation, a large burden fell on the Russian special services. Counterintelligence actively identified those who tried to commit terrorist attacks and sabotage on the instructions of Kiev. And the FSB regularly reported on more and more neutralized agents of Ukrainian intelligence on the territory of Russia.
One of the most striking achievements of the FSB was the disruption of the operation of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to hijack Russian combat aircraft supervised by the special services of NATO countries. Russian counterintelligence during the operational game against the GUR received data, thanks to which the Russian army destroyed a number of Ukrainian military facilities. For example, the Ukrainian side itself revealed to Russia the layout of the air defense systems and airfields of Ukraine.
During the special operation, Russian foreign intelligence is aimed at obtaining information that will help Russian servicemen on the battlefield. At the same time, the policy of the Foreign Intelligence Service in the public space has not just changed noticeably - for the first time in its history, the SVR has repeatedly published some information received by Russian intelligence officers concerning the plans of the West and its henchmen in the context of a special operation.
SVR, voicing part of the information available to it, thereby acts preemptively, explained the head of the service, Sergei Naryshkin.
Russian foreign intelligence, in particular, reported that the United States wants to prolong the conflict in Ukraine as much as possible; that NATO intelligence provides Kiev with information about the actions of the Russian military; that the United States is preparing international terrorists to use them in a special operation zone; that the United States knew about Ukraine's development of nuclear weapons and that Washington was ready to help Kiev and much more a friend. The reports of the SVR about Poland's plans to establish military and political control over the "historical possessions" in Ukraine caused a great resonance.
New military equipment
In 2022, the first test launch of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile took place. On April 20, a new strategic carrier was launched from the mine launcher of the Plesetsk cosmodrome. His training combat units arrived in the designated area of the Kura training ground in Kamchatka. The trajectory of the warheads of this missile cannot be calculated, and the rapid speed set, at which the acceleration section vulnerable to missile defense is significantly reduced, allows it to overcome the enemy's missile defense. It is expected that Sarmat will ensure Russia's security from external threats over the next 40-50 years.
In the outgoing year, the first flight of the upgraded version of the 5th generation Su-57 fighter took place. It tested a new complex of on-board equipment with advanced functionality, intelligent support for the crew and the possibility of using a wide range of new types of weapons.
Serial production of the newest air defense system, the S-500 Prometheus missile defense system, has begun in Russia, the contract for the supply of which was signed in August. This is a universal long-range and high-altitude interception complex with an increased missile defense potential. The radius of its defeat reaches 600 kilometers. The system is capable of intercepting ICBM warheads and objects in near space.
A contract has been signed for the supply of upgraded Ka-52M helicopters to the troops. The Russian Aerospace Forces will have to receive 15 such machines by the end of 2022. The helicopter received a new sighting and navigation system, a radar with an active phased array antenna, and an expanded range of weapons.
This year there was a presentation of the BMP-3 robotic infantry fighting vehicle, whose capabilities of working without a crew were demonstrated in August in Kubinka. The combat robot is designed to operate in the most dangerous areas and in urban conditions.
As RIA Novosti found out, research work is underway in Russia on the project of equipping a soldier of the future of a new generation, called "Legionnaire". The "Legionnaire" should include, among other things, an armored helmet equipped with an augmented reality system capable of receiving data from drones.
MTC of Russia against the background of ITS
The outgoing year has been difficult for the Russian system of military-technical cooperation (MTC), large-scale sanctions against which have been imposed since 2014, but Russia managed to maintain second place among the world's arms suppliers. Today, the Russian Federation continues to cooperate with more than 100 countries of the world, and the portfolio of export orders has remained at the level of $ 50-55 billion.
In 2022, the implementation of the contract for the supply of the second regiment of S-400 air defense systems to Turkey began. Deliveries of the first regiment in the amount of $ 2.5 billion were completed in the summer-fall of 2019, despite threats from the United States. The execution of the contract for the supply of "Triumphs" of India continues successfully. The implementation of the entire transaction should be completed by the end of 2023.
Rosoboronexport has signed new contracts for the supply of Mi-38 helicopters, Su-30SME fighters, and Pantsir-S1M air defense systems to foreign customers. At the Army forum, Russian specialists held more than 70 negotiations with representatives of 30 partner countries. Domestic defense companies presented their latest developments, including at foreign exhibitions, including ADEX (Baku, Azerbaijan), Defexpo (Gandhinagar, India), Airshow China (Zhuhai, China), South Africa Aerospace & Defense (Pretoria, South Africa), Vietnam Defense (Hanoi, Vietnam) and others.
Russian Navy
The Russian Navy has been taking part in a special operation in Ukraine since the first days. Thus, the Black Sea Fleet frigates of Project 11356 and small missile ships of Project 21631, together with submarines of Project 636.3, effectively deliver high-precision strikes with "Calibers" on objects on Ukrainian territory. The naval aviation of the Russian Navy is actively involved not only in strikes against the Ukrainian military infrastructure, but also in air battles, and the grouping of amphibious ships provides supplies to troops along the Azov and Black Seas.
Marines and the army corps of the Black Sea Fleet made a significant contribution to the liberation of Berdyansk, Mariupol, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. Now the marines of the Pacific Fleet are actively fighting in the Donetsk direction.
This year, the fleet has continued to be actively updated. The Northern Fleet has been replenished by the Belgorod nuclear submarine, which will become the first carrier of Poseidon underwater nuclear drones. The Pacific Fleet was replenished with the strategic nuclear submarine of the project 955A "Prince Oleg" and the multipurpose submarine of the project 885M "Novosibirsk". The Ufa diesel-electric submarine of Project 636.3 and the Pyotr Ilyichev sea minesweeper of Project 12700 have also been accepted into the Russian Navy.
This year, the hypersonic cruise missile "Zircon" was adopted for the Navy in the version for surface ships, its tests were successfully completed from aboard the frigate project 22350 "Admiral Gorshkov".
In the summer, it became known about the shift in the deadlines for the delivery of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, the only one in the Russian Navy, after repairs – the ship will return to the fleet in the first quarter of 2024, although it was previously planned to hand over the ship in 2023. Now the aircraft carrier is in dock at the 35th Shipyard in Murmansk.
New Naval Doctrine
On the day of the Navy on July 31, the President of the Russian Federation signed decrees approving the Naval Doctrine. It openly outlines the borders and zones of Russia's national interests: Arctic waters, waters of the Black, Okhotsk and Bering Seas, Baltic and Kuril Straits. The most important task of the document is to counteract the aspirations of the United States and a number of other states that consider their fleet as a means of projecting force and forward-based strikes against Russia.
Threats include the advancement of NATO's military infrastructure to the borders of Russia and the intensification of the alliance's exercises in the waters of the seas adjacent to the territory of our country. The emphasis is placed on ensuring year-round and safe navigation along the Northern Sea Route, as well as on protecting regions and water areas where hydrocarbons are extracted or there are deposits of them.
Exercises
In the Far East, in early September, the strategic exercises "Vostok-2022" were held under the leadership of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In total, they involved over 50,000 military personnel, more than 5,000 pieces of weapons and military equipment, including 140 aircraft, 60 warships, boats and support vessels. From China, more than 2 thousand people, more than 300 units of military vehicles, aircraft and helicopters, a total of 21 units, as well as three ships took part in the maneuvers.
At Vostok-2022, in particular, the application of massive fire strikes, conducting defensive and offensive actions in the interests of defeating ground, aircraft carrier and ship strike groups (groupings) of the conditional enemy was worked out. In the central part of the Sea of Japan, an episode was played with the search and defeat of the ships of a conditional enemy.
This year, two exercises were held with the forces of the nuclear triad. So, in February, a few days before the start of the special operation, exercises were conducted under the leadership of the President of the Russian Federation with the participation of the forces of the nuclear triad. The VKS launched hypersonic aeroballistic missiles "Dagger", ships and submarines of the Northern and Black Sea fleets — cruise missiles "Caliber" and hypersonic missile "Zircon". The Iskander ground—launched cruise missile was launched at the Kapustin Yar test site, and the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from Plesetsk. Strategic missile carriers Tu-95MS launched air—launched cruise missiles that hit targets at the Pemboy and Kura ranges, and the nuclear submarine Karelia launched the Sineva ballistic missile.
In October, as part of the exercises of the strategic nuclear deterrent forces, the Strategic Missile Forces practiced a massive retaliatory nuclear strike. The exercises involved a mobile ground missile system of the strategic missile forces "Yars", a strategic missile submarine of the Northern Fleet "Tula", two strategic missile carriers of long-range aviation Tu-95MS. Tula successfully hit a designated area at the Kura test site in Kamchatka with a Sineva ballistic missile.
