Ukrainian air power continues to prove a decisive element in the country’s resistance against Russia’s full-scale invasion. In a recent high-impact aerial strike in the Zaporizhzhia region, a Ukrainian MiG 29 fighter jet eliminated two Russian assault groups in a single, precise attack run. This swift and clinical manoeuvre disrupted Russian infantry movements and underscored the expanding role of Ukraine’s air force in halting Kremlin advances.
As Russian ground units attempted to regroup and press forward, the Ukrainian aircraft unleashed a powerful barrage that instantly broke their formation. Such high-speed aerial strikes are inflicting severe losses on Russian troops, impeding any semblance of momentum and confirming that Ukraine retains crucial airspace advantages.
Meanwhile, soldiers from the 63rd Mechanised Brigade captured a foreign mercenary fighting for Russia. The prisoner, a citizen of Uzbekistan, revealed during interrogation that he had signed up with Russian forces in return for citizenship and a payment of 2 million rubles, which equals roughly £17,200. He was captured during battles in the Lyman sector after being separated from his unit. The Ukrainian brigade released footage of the event, stressing that surrender is the only realistic option for invading forces who hope to survive.
As early as 2022, Uzbekistan, along with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, warned citizens that joining foreign military conflicts like Russia’s war in Ukraine could result in imprisonment of up to ten years. Despite these warnings, the Kremlin’s growing desperation for manpower has led to the recruitment of mercenaries from multiple countries.
Earlier this month, Ukrainian forces also captured fighters from Togo and Senegal who had been enlisted into Russia’s invasion force. Many had originally come to Russia on student visas through state-sponsored scholarships and were later coerced or lured into combat roles.
The 49th Separate Assault Battalion, Carpathian Sich, recently captured a Senegalese national near Toretsk. Ukrainian officials say such captures highlight how Russia is scraping global margins to sustain its war, while the Ukrainian Defence Forces grow more precise, disciplined and internationally respected.
Ukraine’s technological warfare edge continues to show. Units from the Koshi Group’s 37th Separate Marine Brigade successfully downed five Russian drones in a single day, including two Molas, two SuperCams and one Aala. Ukrainian drones are now engaging Russian drones directly in aerial duels, turning the skies into a theatre of high-speed combat between unmanned machines.
Elsewhere, elite forces from Ukraine’s Third Separate Special Purpose Regiment carried out a textbook attack that destroyed a rare Russian Buk-M3 air defence system. The Honeybadger Tactical Group first took out the Buk’s support vehicle using a strike drone, which triggered a massive ammunition explosion. Then, other drones targeted a Russian multiple launch rocket system located nearby. With air defences neutralised, Ukrainian missile units, likely using HIMARS, delivered a precision strike that obliterated the enemy rocket system.
This Russian rocket launcher system, built on a new BAZ69092 chassis, entered service only in late 2023 and was meant to upgrade ageing Soviet systems. The loss of these units is a significant blow, as the updated artillery platforms are rare and intended to modernise a dwindling arsenal.
While Ukraine achieves battlefield victories, international military dynamics are shifting. In a development beyond the Ukrainian theatre, Pakistan has claimed it successfully struck Indian S400 air defence system components during recent hostilities. According to Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Arange Zeb, satellite imagery shows that radar and control infrastructure of the system were hit at an air base near Adampur.
Despite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the airbase to downplay the incident, visual confirmation of a single intact launcher has inadvertently validated Pakistan’s claims. India ordered five S400 regiments in 2018 for approximately $5.5 billion (around £4.4 billion), with the first units arriving in 2021. Delivery delays by Russia in 2024 were reportedly due to heavy losses sustained in Ukraine, where Ukrainian defence units have destroyed several such systems.
