Ukrainian Pilot: The Kremlin Was Afraid Of Strikes On Their Aircraft

• 9.05.2023, 22:10

In Russia, they are afraid of “good folk”.

Today's Victory Parade in Moscow was the shortest in the last 20 years. It is noteworthy that the aviation part of the parade was cancelled. What does it mean?

The Charter97.org website asked this question to a prominent military analyst, reserve colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, pilot-instructor Roman Svitan.

– Military aircraft are legitimate military targets. So-called “good folk” who at least sympathize with Ukraine could hit the aircraft. Here, in order not to take risks, the Russians had to remove the aircraft.

They have enough aircraft. Aircraft are not like tanks or combat vehicles. They could easily take the aircraft off the front and fly over Moscow, but they were afraid of strikes, or maybe it was part of some kind of deal. They were allowed to hold a parade for 40 minutes without drone strikes, but also without everything they have, a short one.

- It is reported that only 51 vehicles passed through Red Square this year. Are the rest in Ukraine?

- No. They have enough, especially missile weapons. They brought the old “heavy” vehicles and rockets to the parade, the Yars also were there and the old T-34-85 tanks. In general, they could have increased the number of missiles, but they did not do it, the rest is really in Ukraine. The weapons are all on the battlefield. They sand it to combat missions just-in-time.

You know, I did not watch the parade attentively. I had a fleeting overall impression. If we consider that I have been living for 60 years and remember Soviet parades since the age of five, then this one is the poorest one. One can feel the degradation of the Russian defense industry.

– There is an opinion that Putin invited foreign leaders to protect himself at the parade in Moscow and to use them as a human shield. Is it possible?

– That's true. I have repeatedly spoken about this since the moment the President of Kyrgyzstan accepted the invitation. Putin tried to hide behind this president, and when he already received a notification that “good folk” would not attack the square, he gathered everyone at the last moment.

The most interesting thing, please note that it was mainly the presidents of the CSTO member states [Collective Security Treaty Organization - Ed.] who came. So all these presidents will soon go to China to meet Xi Jinping at a summit in full.

I don't think it's all that simple. I think that the issue of deliveries to Russia of old Soviet ammunition from these CSTO countries, which came to the parade, will be resolved.

Instead of this old Soviet ammunition, which the Russian army lacks so much, Chinese weapons will go to these countries. It will be a kind of replacement. This is my personal analytical opinion. I see such reasons. Most likely, China will help Russia in this way.