Western military aid like that from NATO nations is having a significant impact on the war in Ukraine.
Putin’s forces have not been able to make significant progress in months as billions of dollars in weapons pour into the battlefield.
And what might be worst of all for Russia – the flow of arms is only increasing by the second.
Russian Drone Annihalted in Mid-Air –
Video footage shared back in March shows the moment that Ukrainian forces used a British Alvis Stormer HMV short-range air defense system to take out a Russian drone.
The video shows footage recorded from the ground and the view from the operator’s computer.
In the video, the air-defense system can be seen aiming at the drone. The missile is launched into the air, and in both clips, it can be seen taking out the Russian drone in the air.
The video was shared by popular war-tracking Twitter account Ukraine Weapons Tracker. The account noted that the strike occurred somewhere near Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast.
“Uncommon footage of the successful use of a [British] Stormer HVM short range SAM system in the vicinity of Avdiivka, #Donetsk Oblast,” the post reads.
“A Russian reconnaissance UAV is shot down, most likely using the LMM multi-role missile.”
Russian forces continue their advance into Avdiivka, and reports suggest that invading forces’ efforts to take control of Bakhmut are slowly failing.
On March 22, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine noted that Russian troops continue to conduct offensive actions “on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Marinka and Shakhtarsk fronts.”
“The fiercest battles are taking place in the southern and northern parts of Bakhmut, and the invaders also conducted offensive actions on the Avdiivka front to establish control over Avdiivka and Marinka,” the update reads.
What Is the Alvis Stormer?
The Alvis Stormer is a military armored vehicle that is manufactured by Britain’s BAE Systems Land & Armaments. The Stormer HVM is a configuration of this armored vehicle, which is equipped with a High Velocity Missile (HVM). The missile system features two types of missiles, namely the Starstreak and Martlet, the latter of which is also known as the Lightweight Multirole Missile.
As per the Army 2020 plan for the British armed forces, the Stormer HVM was scheduled to equip three regular and two reserve artillery batteries.
However, all reserve batteries have now been converted to HVM Lightweight Multiple Launchers to minimize the amount of training required.
#Ukraine: Uncommon footage of the successful use of a ???????? Stormer HVM short range SAM system in the vicinity of Avdiivka, #Donetsk Oblast.
A Russian reconnaissance UAV is shot down, most likely using the LMM multi-role missile. pic.twitter.com/belHPBGzLm
— ???????? Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) March 24, 2023
The Starstreak missiles used by the Stormer HVM have a two-stage solid propellant rocket motor and are capable of traveling at more than three times the speed of sound, reaching Mach 3.5. Each missile carries three high-density darts with impact fuses and explosive warheads, allowing for multiple hits on the target.
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.
