On Thursday, Ukraine’s military intelligence released images of what it said were special forces during a landing carried out on the westernmost tip of the Crimean peninsula. The information is remarkable, as Crimea was annexed by Russia back in 2014 and has been relatively spared from ground fighting during the course of the war.
But to understand what the disembarkation entailed, you probably need to rewind the tape to Wednesday, according to Johan Houvinen. Then Ukraine announced that it had knocked out an air defense system of the S-400 type in the same area.
The announcement caused surprise, as S-400 systems are usually protected by other air defense systems that are normally capable of shooting down, for example, incoming rockets.
– The S-400 is Russia’s most qualified air defense system. For the past 24 hours, people have been sitting and figuring out what happened, says Huovinen.
May have used naval targeting robot
However, Thursday’s landing gives a clue as to how Ukraine may have succeeded in the feat, explains Huovinen.
– What has likely happened is that a portable naval target robot was used to knock it out. A smaller group was probably landed the day before, two to four people. This raid that we saw today is possibly aimed at picking up those who carried out the operation.
According to Huovinen, Ukraine has access to several different weapons systems that could be used for such a purpose. Including the portable naval target robot Robot 17 that the country received from Sweden.
“A political signal”
If the information turns out to be correct, it is, according to the lieutenant colonel, a highly unconventional tactic.
– If you have now knocked out the S-400 with a naval target robot, it is a sign of a rather daring special operation. It is also carried out in direct connection with the National Day of Ukraine.
– It must be seen as a political signal from the Ukrainian side, that no one is safe in Crimea.
The fact that the anti-aircraft system in the area is now eliminated could have great significance for the war going forward. Hear the lieutenant colonel about what he describes as a “golden opportunity” for Ukraine in the clip above.