The Russian Army was reported on January 9 to have deployed Mi-28N assault helicopters to destroy Ukrainian strongholds and assault troop concentrations within the Donetsk area. The Defence Ministry reported that “all targets had been destroyed” through the operation, though not specifying what number of plane had been concerned or what weaponry was utilised. Combating in Donetsk has been among the many most intense within the theatre, with Ukrainian forces reported on January 7 to have misplaced over 300 servicemen in underneath 24 hours. This corroborates a rising variety of Ukrainian sources reporting equally excessive casualty charges notably for conscript items. Extreme shortages in Ukraine’s floor to air missile arsenal has left its frontline items far much less properly protected, and thus allowed each assault helicopters and fighter plane to complement Russia’s huge and rising superiority in firepower utilizing artillery and surface-to-surface missile belongings to additional improve stress on Ukrainian frontline items. Ukraine’s means to fireside on Russian forces has diminished considerably in latest months because the nation’s artillery items and even its most elite mechanised brigades have been compelled to chop ammunition expenditures to fractions of earlier ranges as a consequence of extreme shortages. A slicing off of American navy assist following the supply of the ultimate arms package deal in late December is predicted to additional considerably worsen the scenario.
The Mi-28 is likely one of the latest assault helicopter designs fielded anyplace on this planet, and is a direct successor to the late Soviet period Mi-24 which is taken into account a broad equal to the high NATO assault helicopter the AH-64 Apache. Whereas the US invested in modernising the Apache relatively than growing a brand new assault helicopter class, Russia invested closely in growing each the MI-28 and the Ka-52 as solely new twenty first century plane, offering distinct benefits over abroad rivals. Mi-28s can every carry as much as 16 anti-tank missiles or 80 80mm rockets, and have an unrivalled flight efficiency together with a famed means to fly backwards, in addition to a robust edge over Apaches when it comes to flight firepower, survivability, and ease of upkeep. The Mi-28 has primarily been seen deploying 80mm and 122mm rockets and 9M120 Ataka and LMUR anti-tank guided missiles in Ukraine. The LMUR was first seen being employed in January 2023, and gives a 15km engagement vary whereas combining inertial, satellite tv for pc and optical steerage to supply a excessive diploma of precision.
The newest variant of the Russian Army’s high assault helicopter the Mi-28NM was first fight examined supporting counterinsurgency operations in Syria from 2016, with its robust efficiency within the theatre thought to have been a significant component influencing the Defence Ministry to signal contracts for the availability of 98 extra items by 2027. Enhancements included integration of VK-2500P engines, a 13 p.c pace improve, and integration of latest sensors offering all-round visibility, in addition to upgrades to fireside controls and air-to-air capabilities. Army Mi-28 and Navy Ka-52 assault helicopters in 2023 took a outstanding function combating Ukrainian armour from early June 2022 because the Ukrainian Navy and accompanying paramilitaries tried to launch mass offensives towards Russian positions. On August 7 the chief government officer of the Rostec state owned defence conglomerate Sergey Chemezov reported that navy helicopter manufacturing underneath the State Defence Order had greater than doubled, with 296 helicopters having been produced in 2022 alone in comparison with simply 134, or 55 p.c much less, in 2021.
