As of: February 22, 2024, 12:13 p.m
By: Patrick Mayer
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Press
Split
Sweden is supplying Ukraine with armed combat boats for the first time.
They are eagerly awaited on a section of the front against the Russian invading army.
Krynky – This section of the front should give hope in the Ukrainian war.
Accordingly, Kiev aggressively promoted its military progress when elite Ukrainian soldiers were able to secure a small bridgehead on the huge Dnipro River in the southern Kherson region.
Weapons for Ukraine: Sweden supplies Kiev with the Combat Boat 90
However, President Volodymyr Zelenskyj and the General Staff did not mention the fact that the army needed weeks with numerous attempts to do this.
It is now clear: Ukraine is also having to accept immense losses here in the southern delta of the river, which divides the country into two halves.
“Combat boats” that Sweden will supply to the Ukrainian armed forces are now expected to help near Kherson, the large city of the same name.
On Tuesday (February 20), Stockholm announced the delivery of ten Stridsbåt 90 military boats - called Combat Boat 90 (CB90) in the international version.
It is a completely new weapon on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Extremely agile on the water: the Combat Boat 90 from Swedish production.
© IMAGO / StockTrek Images
Ukraine Army: Marines suffer heavy losses near Krynky on the Dnipro
Because: Those Ukrainian Marines who crossed the Dnipro alive near the village of Krynky, where the bridgehead is located, had to fight from simple motor-powered inflatable boats during their crossing.
Without armored protection around them, they were literally at the mercy of Russian counterfire from the other bank, which, according to soldiers' reports, led to heavy losses.
“Several brigades should be stationed here, not individual companies - we simply don't have enough men,” a Ukrainian soldier told the
BBC
about the situation around Krynky near Kherson.
“We paid for a lot of our equipment ourselves – buying generators, power banks and warm clothing.
Now that the frost is coming, it's only going to get worse - the real situation is being covered up," he told the British broadcaster's news site in December.
Combat Boat 90 (CB90) |
|
Construction yard: |
Dockstavarvet from Sweden |
Crew: |
3 men plus 21 men infantry |
Length Width: |
15.90 m / 3.80 m |
Maximum speed: |
40 kn (74 km/h) |
Armament: |
three Browning M2HB heavy machine guns, a 40 mm Mk 19 automatic grenade launcher, four sea mines or six depth charges |
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Ukraine front on the Dnipro: Media criticized Kiev for daring landings
That's not all: “When we arrived on the bank (
of the Dnipro near Kherson, editor
), the enemy was waiting.
The Russians we managed to capture said their forces had been informed of our landing, so when we arrived they knew exactly where to find us.
They threw everything at us - artillery, mortars and flamethrowers.
I thought I would never get out,” he said: “The entire river crossing is under constant fire.
I've seen boats with my comrades on board simply disappear into the water after being hit." Another Marine told
The New York Times
, "The Left Bank was like purgatory."
In recent months, Russian military bloggers have repeatedly shared videos of the bodies of suspected Ukrainian marines floating on the banks of the Dnipro.
Judging by the uniforms, they were actually Ukrainians.
Because of the daring Ukrainian Dnipro landing missions near Krynky, even the pro-government media project
The Kyiv Independent
criticized President Zelensky and the General Staff.
Combat Boat 90 from Sweden: armament and speed for Ukrainian soldiers
What can the CB90 “combat boats” do now?
The armor is not the main advantage because it is (only) made of light aluminum.
Advantage one is the armament: In its military version, a CB90 has three Browning M2HB heavy machine guns, a Mk 19 40 mm heavy machine grenade launcher, four sea mines or six depth charges.
This means you can of course defend yourself completely differently on the water.
The second advantage is speed: The combat boats, which are built by a partner shipyard of the Swedish company Saab, can be accelerated to a top speed of up to 40 knots (74 km/h) with two diesel engines (1305 hp).
What's more: They can be tilted at full speed on the water and have a relatively short braking distance of just a few boat lengths.
(pm)