Ukrainian Witness | War in Ukraine | ️🫡 ✈️ 🔵  Every third sortie is successful: how the 412 'Nemesis' briga...

💭❗️🫡 ✈️ 🔵  Every third sortie is successful: how the 412 'Nemesis' brigade destroys Russian air defenses with mid-strike drones — explained by the brigade’s deputy commander in an interview* 👇  Click the bottom-right arrow to see the full text 🎤 When did you start using 'mid-strike' drones?💭  We started before the term existed. We simply used heavy bombers for one-way missions when we knew a high-value target was there. That was already 'mid-strike'➡️  We have confirmed destruction of a 'Buk' air defense system at 50–57 km — at the time, that was beyond expected reach.🎤 How many targets have you hit?💭 As of May 2, 2026, the brigade has hit or destroyed 83 Russian air defense systems (TOR, Buk, S-300 radars, launchers, command and support vehicles)🎤  Why can’t Russian air defense protect itself?💭 ⏺ We destroy more systems than Russia can replace, so their air defense becomes thinner and less effective;⏺ They also move systems deeper to protect critical infrastructure, reducing coverage at the front;⏺ Their Soviet-era radars are also poorly suited to detect small composite drones;⏺ At the same time, they do shoot down drones — but at the cost of expensive missiles, which we aim to exhaust;⏺ Low altitude flight, small size, and tactics give us an advantage.🎤  How is a 'mid-strike' mission carried out?💭 It starts with intelligence ➡️ target selection ➡️ planning ➡️ coordinated executionIt’s not a single drone strike — it’s often a multi-layered operation with several systems working togetherSometimes mid-strike opens the way for deeper strikes. But today it is no longer a fixed pattern — operations are fully dynamic.🎤 Is 'mid-strike' mass warfare?💭  No. It is not mass like artillery. It is precision strikes on high-value targets, often requiring complex intelligence and multiple assets per mission🎤 What is effectiveness?💭 About one in three sorties results in a successful strike.But 'hit' ≠ 'destroyed'. Damage, mission success, and target confirmation all matter. Even unsuccessful strikes still create pressure — forcing enemy air defense to react, relocate, and waste resources.🎤 Operator training⏺ Operators require advanced training, similar to aviation;⏺ They progress step by step from simpler drones to complex systems;⏺ Basic proficiency: 30–60 days, but real skill develops over time with simulators and experience.🎤 Future developmentKey directions:⏺longer range;⏺heavier payloads;⏺better autonomy and guidance;⏺improved communication;⏺ higher maneuverability.➡️ Future systems will be more specialized: for moving targets, static targets, and deeper strikes.❗️  We expect major — even revolutionary — changes within a year🎤 Production & feedback⏺ Ukrainian manufacturers respond quickly to feedback. Development is done in close cooperation with units;⏺ We work directly with crews, test systems in real conditions, and force rapid improvements;⏺ Quality is currently 'satisfactory plus', but improving fast.🎤 Main limitation💭 The biggest bottleneck is not pilots or targets — it is the number of available systems🟡  If supply increases, we can scale crews and operations immediatelyBut these are expensive systems, so they must be used against high-value targets only🎤 Strategic impact💭 'Middle-strike' changes the war by eliminating safe rear areas🏹  It forces both sides to disperse logistics, move infrastructure deeper, and stretch supply lines⏺ This slows operations, increases logistical pressure, and directly affects the front⏺ It is not just about destruction — it is about systemic pressure on the entire battlefield structure.