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Ukraine destroys Russian missile launchers and production facilities using ATACMS in Volgograd

Duration: 3:29 484 transcript words EN summary

Video summary

To effectively counter Russian missile attacks, Ukraine must adopt a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond traditional air defense systems by actively targeting enemy infrastructure on its own territory. According to Anatoly Khrapchynsky, the development director of a Ukrainian defense company and a reserve officer in the Air Force, this approach involves destroying launchers within Russia as well as striking logistics hubs, warehouses, and production facilities. The expert highlighted that different Russian missile systems have distinct vulnerabilities; for instance, while Patriot interceptors can handle Zircon missiles, their primary weakness lies in limited monthly production rates of two to three units. Conversely, the Iskander system is most vulnerable at its launchers, making them a critical priority for Ukrainian strikes. The strategic rationale behind targeting Volgograd stems from it being a key location where Iskander missile systems are manufactured, repaired, and serviced. Khrapchynsky emphasized that successful interception relies heavily on high-quality intelligence to track moving targets within an extremely narrow window of opportunity. It takes approximately six minutes to detect a launcher and deliver a strike, while the vehicle itself spends about twenty minutes in position before launching its second missile and departing quickly after firing the first one. This tight timeframe necessitates weapons capable of speeds exceeding Mach 1.8 to ensure the target is destroyed before it can relocate or launch another projectile. Given these operational constraints, ATACMS missiles have emerged as a vital asset because they can rapidly ingest new target data and execute strikes within the required six-minute window. However, analysts point out that Ukraine currently faces significant limitations in its ability to hunt down Iskander systems since drones are their only available weapons for this specific task. The core challenge remains determining precise coordinates under extreme time pressure, as even a slight delay could allow the mobile launcher to escape or complete another launch cycle. Despite the tactical necessity of these advanced munitions, there is growing concern regarding Ukraine's supply levels and future availability. Reports indicate that American ATACMS missiles have been transferred in what experts describe as "homeopathic quantities," leaving little room for error or sustained high-intensity usage against moving targets like Iskander launchers. Furthermore, geopolitical complications involving Iran suggest that additional supplies of these critical weapons are unlikely to arrive soon. Consequently, Ukraine must maximize the effectiveness of its existing stockpile while continuing to develop a multi-layered defense strategy that integrates intelligence gathering with rapid-response capabilities to neutralize Russian missile threats before they can be deployed.

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Ukraine needs a comprehensive approach to counter Russian attacks, as this involves not only air defense, but also the destruction of enemy launchers on its territory, and strikes against logistics, warehouses, and production facilities. Anatoly Khrapchynsky, the defense company's development director and a reserve officer in the Ukrainian Air Force, stated this on Ukrainian radio. If we talk, for example, about the production of Zircon missiles, which are also intercepted by the Patriot system, their weak point is production, because the Russians can produce two or three missiles per month. If we talk about the Iskander, its weak point is the launchers, he said. This is precisely why, according to the expert, a strike was launched on Volgograd, where launchers for the Iskander missile system are manufactured, repaired, and serviced. There's been a lot of discussion lately about the possibility of destroying launchers. But here's the key thing to understand. It takes roughly 6 minutes to detect a launcher and strike it with a weapon. Therefore, even if we calculate the route a launcher takes from its permanent base to the launch site, it will take about 20 minutes, Khrapchynsky explained. Therefore, as he noted, the main task is high-quality intelligence data that we can obtain in order to track and accompany the launcher and, accordingly, predict where it will be located and strike it with weapons. But at the same time, it must be noted that the average range to the launcher is approximately 180 km. Given the 6-minute time frame, we understand the need for weapons that operate at speeds exceeding Mach 1.8. This means we can consider using, for example, ATACMS missiles. They can quickly input target data and, accordingly, deliver a strike within that time, he concluded. As reported, one of the most pressing issues for Ukraine currently is how to destroy Russian Iskander operational-tactical missile system launchers, as the only weapons it has in its arsenal are drones. Defense Express experts note that in the matter of hunting launchers, the key role is played by determining the precise coordinates of the target and the minimum time available to destroy it, which is a matter of minutes. They noted that launching the first 9M723 ballistic missile from a 9P78-1 launcher on the move takes up to 16 minutes. Once it's in position, it takes up to 4 minutes. The total time spent in position is up to 20 minutes. This means that after launching the second missile, the Iskander SRBM launcher leaves its position within a few minutes. They added that, "Theoretically, if the launcher's stop and the start of its transition to combat mode are detected, it would be possible to destroy the target provided the missiles are ready to launch. Analysts noted that the American ATACMS were transferred to Ukraine in homeopathic quantities, and given the situation with Iran, additional supplies should not be expected. >> [music] [music]