Modern weapons are lacking and the old ones are already being used. The British Ministry of Defence’s theory, based on intelligence sources, and even “found” by BBC journalists on the ground, indicates that Russia is short of modern, more accurate missiles. The solution to “artillery warfare” has been the “use of heavier and more imprecise anti-ship missiles” to attack land targets. The consequence, the British explain, is that they cause “significant collateral damage” and “more civilian casualties”.
Another, more technical explanation is that in addition to the shortage, caused by the fact that most modern missiles have already been used, is the deduction of the impact of sanctions. “A lot of [modern] weaponry requires imports of Western technology” before it can now be used.
On the ground, BBC’s Joe Inwood says that “a few weeks ago, during Russia’s attacks on the city of Odessa, old Soviet weapons were used”. And he adds, without directly citing the source, that the “received analysis” indicates that it is “symptomatic that the Russians are left without [modern] weapons”.
But Russian artillery strength, despite the apparent “lack” of modern missiles, is now 10 to 15 times that of Ukraine. And in the east, in the Donbass region, “success on the battlefield is increasingly decided by big guns”. Attacks are launched miles from targets.
The Russian advantage, decisive in what remains to be occupied in Donbass – about a third of the Lugansk and Donetsk regions, is the great Ukrainian disadvantage that is “almost out of ammunition” and in “urgent need of resupply”. For example, the Kiev authorities say, the promised high-tech HIMAR and M270 systems from the United States and the United Kingdom are missing. The calls for help follow one another. Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of the Ukrainian military secret services, in an interview with The Guardian, asked for this help, as did Vitaly Kim, governor of the Mykolaiv region: “help from Europe and America is very, very important”.
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