This morning, the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense Intelligence Service released their unclassified assessment of the Ukrainian counter-offensive in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in Southern Ukraine. In the report, the British claim that the Russian Federation transferred more than 20 tactical aviation helicopter assets to Berdyansk airfield, a mere 100 miles behind the forward line of troops.
The service claims that these units, among others, have played a pivotal role in repelling the Western armor that has defined this renewed counteroffensive. These helicopters are armed with a variety of anti-tank guided munitions (ATGMs) and other air-to-ground weapons that are effective against the newly supplied armor.
This report comes only a few days after commercial imagery revealed an influx of Russian Army Tactical Aviation helicopters at Berdyansk. Although the Ukrainian Defense Minister claimed yesterday that Ukrainian troops have advanced at least 3km in every direction since the launch of the early-June counter-offensive, the British assessment seems to confirm frustration that these Western-supplied arms have not totally broken through Russian defenses.
As Andy Milburn (leader of the Mozart Group) pointed out on his social media, both the Ukrainians and Russians are facing a severe shortage in troops which makes advanced extremely difficult, unless concentrated in one area.
