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Putin Is Angry: Ukraine Destroys Russian Satellite System and Ammo Depot

Russian artillery firing in Ukraine. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

The War in Ukraine Keeps Heating Up: Ukraine’s Operational Command South, a formation of the country’s armed forces that oversees military operations in southern Ukraine, revealed in a Facebook post this week that its troops had destroyed a Russian Legenda-2 satellite system as well as an ammunition depot in Blahodatne.

“This night, the enemy’s army was reduced by five rashists, ‘Legenda-2’ satellite system and an anti-tank missile complex. In Blahodatne, the rashists will no longer be able to replenish ammunition, as their warehouse has been destroyed,” the post reads in Ukrainian.

According to the Ukrainian military, rocket and artillery units continue to carry out strikes, and on the night of August 17, five Russian soldiers were eliminated along with the satellite communication system.

In response, Russian forces continue to carry out counter-battery fire and airstrikes on Ukrainian positions in the region. Russia hopes to maintain its defenses in the south as well as make territorial gains, but Ukrainian forces have set back their plans substantially through a series of highly effective rocket strikes. Among those strikes were several strikes on Russian military facilities and airbases in occupied Crimea.

What Is the Legenda-2?

The Legenda-2 consists of a number of satellite communication stations that allow Russian troops to securely communicate with one another. The setup consists of dozens of stations, including the R-439-P surface station which is designed to be transported, as well as the R-439-KUL container hub station.

Each station uses a repeater to enable satellite communication between troops and different units. By destroying the Legenda-2 system, Ukrainian forces made it difficult for Russian forces in the south to coordinate fresh strikes, though it is unknown just how much damage was caused by the strike and how many satellite stations survived the attack.

Russian Ships Maneuvering in the Black Sea near Ukraine

The post, which also included a video update, revealed how 10 Russian ships were maneuvering in the Black Sea at the time of the strike.

“They take shelter in safe areas along the Crimean coast to Novorossiysk,” the post reads, adding that two surface carriers with 16 Caliber cruise missiles and one air defense missile are “On combat duty.”

“The threat of missile strikes and artillery shelling in the range remains relevant, the coastal waters are dangerous for swimming in order to avoid detonation,” it continues.

Continued attacks on Russian ammunition depots are making it difficult for the Kremlin to move forward with its plan to gain more territory in the south and expand westward to the border with Moldova.

Ukraine War: What the Experts Think

“Clearly Ukraine continues to take the initiative and strike every possible Russian target they can, and those shiny new state-of-the-art American weapons are helping them do that” explained Harry J. Kazianis the founder and President of the Rogue States Project, a non-partisan foreign policy think tank based in Washington, D.C. “I would expect in the months to come, the war will only get more intense as both sides try to push towards some sort of decisive victory. I see no chance the war will end anytime soon.”

Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.

Written By

Jack Buckby is 19FortyFive's Breaking News Editor. He is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.

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