EkErilaz wrote: Finty wrote:More propaganda or nah
Now for sure: Ukraine reclaims the Hostomel Airport near Kyiv from Russia's forces.
Sources: Deputy Interior Minister Anton Herashchenko; Ukrainian parliament's Telegram channel.
Impossible to know, it is only text written by one of the opposing sides sides propaganda makers.
What speaks against it is that tit is not backed up by any video, or picture evidence.
My guess is that it is still a running battle, the area might be changing hands on and off.
And that might be the objective, to tie up ukrainian assets in rear areas. I can't really see what they need the airport for.
But apart for the first sentence it is all speculation.
Russia does not send fresh recruits out there to take that airport.
That Berret does not come with an pack of cornflakes.
You send units out there with battle-hardened experience and an high level of training.
I suspect they are there, to cut off any fixed-wing evac/supply and pose an threat to Kiev itself, and prevent the americans itself from landing there.
Kiev airport was incredibly busy with NATO air traffic the last days. They went back and forth with Poland and Kiev Airport.
If you dig in there on the airport, you can do a lot with an FAC, and FSO (Forward Air Controller, Fire Support Officer) To make life difficult for the surrounding area.
If they can get in the ATC, they can very easily report targets with an Spotter set. Im sure the Russians just have them like we do in NATO.
They are these bit oversized binocular set, it contains an GPS/Glonass, laser rangefinger and an millitary map in its system. We call it in NATO MGRS (millitary Grid Refference System)
NATO's MGRS gives and coordinate accuracy up to ten digits for an map square that are standard 100 by 100 meters.. giving an accuracy in real life of about one meter.
When you laze an target, the system immidiatly display's the milltary co-ordinates of the map.
Russia has at least something simmilar, or better.
as ours where getting old even as we used them back in Afghanistan.
Add that to HF and Sattelite Comms Airborne FSO's/FAC'ers carry and you are a serious pain in the ass for your enemy. while relatively being an small, lightly armed unit.
Being (relatively) light armed and few men, its important to not get pinned so the heavy weaponry can get in position to snuff you out.
So it would sound logical that at the Kiev Airport that Ukrainians can not get a grip on the situation.
Of course, Airborne guys need supplies and backup eventually.
There are plenty of examples what happens in history when Airborne units get cut off.
Either way, i have confidence the troops there know what they are doing.