Ukraine Sends Russia A Not So Coded Message

Satellite images have emerged showing the Saky airbase engulfed in thick smoke. It is estimated that around 9 of Russia’s fighter jets were devastated by a sequence of explosions that transpired at the airbase on Tuesday. This number could be higher as the actual number is yet to be confirmed.

This recent devastation account for around 20% of the total fighter jets that Russia has lost during its war with Ukraine. Oryx, an analyst firm, has estimated that Russia has lost around 47 fighter jets since the invasion began. Despite having a lot more fighter jets in its arsenal, the amount of success that Russia will achieve is likely to be very little.

Ukraine has had some attacks on Crimea, but this was the most significant attack. This attack was special not only because it occurred almost 177 kilometres away from the frontline but also because it happened as thousands of tourists watched. Videos of Russian tourists scrambling to leave their sunbaths as thick dark clouds emerge in the background have taken the internet by a storm. This massive exit also caused a huge traffic commotion on the peninsula.

The attack was immediately taken up by a Ukrainian propagandist who saw the Ukrainian ministry of defence release a direct video directed at Russian holidaymakers. In the video, the ministry of defence of Ukraine suggested that the Russian holidaymakers had other options to pick from but instead chose Crimea. The video went ahead to term that as a big mistake. explosion scenes at the beach followed the footage.

Despite Russia having a different perception of the ongoing war with Ukraine, messages like this continue to echo. The devastation of planes at Saky beach is a serious disaster in Russia’s history. The attack ranks close to other attacks such as the sinking of Moskva back in April-a cruise ship and the loss of around seventy armoured vehicles in March in a failed attempt to cross Bilohorivka in Donbas. It is expected that the residents currently fleeing the country will aid to boost the impact of the message sent by Ukraine.

It is very common to experience losses in the war. The next issue that arises after this attack is its impact on the political and military landscape. Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack, but individual officials claim responsibility privately. This is maybe because they do not want to give full details of how the attack was planned and executed, thus reducing the success of a similar strategy if it were deployed in the future.

The precision of the attack tells us a lot about the attackers. They were completely aware of what they were aiming for. All the planning and accuracy of the attack indicate that the hit was aided by local intelligence.

Fiona Sherwood, a strategist and visionary at Diligend, had an exclusive chat with EatNews and said, “War is not good, especially in modern times, adding that Russia and Ukraine should come to an agreement.” She continues to say, “It’s really sad to see the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. I think that neither country should be involved in this kind of conflict. I believe that it’s time for them to create peace between each other. It has been long enough since the beginning of their conflicts; it’s time for them to work together as one nation.”

Justin Bronk, who works with Royal United Services as a military analyst, says that the aim of the attack was not to cause disastrous damage to the Russian airbase. According to Bronk, the primary aim of the attack was to instil fear into the Russian military of their inability to protect bases miles away from the frontlines.

Justin added that this attack would prompt the Russian military to deploy more troops to their airbases, thus suffocating other areas. The main short-term goal of Ukraine is to mount more pressure on Russia and force them out of Kherson. When looked at from a vantage position, Ukraine’s main motive is to try and destabilize Russian logistics by frequently hitting on their ammunition and bases. Ukraine hopes that this plan will reduce the ability of Russia not only to continue on the offensive but also the ability to protect itself.

Most attacks have occurred near the city and the wider Kherson province. Towards the end of July, Russia claimed a drone strike had occurred at a depot in Novooleksiivka, a rail, and a road that links to Crimea.

However, there is a chance that Russia, having been stung, will also make an offensive move against Ukraine. The next few weeks will determine whether the attack on Saky airbase has weakened and instilled fear into the Russian defence ministry or spiked an offensive instinct. The conflict in Ukraine has been going on for several years now. The United States has supported the Ukrainian government, while Russia has supported separatists in eastern Ukraine. The two countries have been fighting back and forth for quite some time now, with no real end in sight.