ULTIMATE ARSENAL
Ukraine’s mightiest weapons in the fight against Putin from ‘flawless’ mystery missile to Storm Shadow & CARDBOARD drone
UKRAINE is turning the tides against Vladimir Putin's invaders with the help of a fearsome arsenal of weapons from across the globe.
The nation's military cache has helped change the course of the unjust war that has been raging for the past eighteen months.
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President Volodymyr Zelensky has scored a series of impressive wins throughout his counteroffensive, bringing the conflict to Putin's doorstep.
Highly sophisticated missiles, drones, tanks, ammunition and defence systems are now a regular feature on the battlefield.
They easily trounce Russia's outdated tactics, rusty weaponry and untrained conscripts on land, sea and air.
NATO allies have been pooling resources to give Ukraine a promising leg up against Putin's forces, sending an array of high-tech Western weapons that may prove pivotal in the war.
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Zelensky seems to have taken on a harder-hitting strategy in recent weeks with regular aerial bombardments and daring raids on Russia.
Resilient troops are giving their all for Ukraine - but their accompanying arsenal of weapons is relieving some of the pressure.
The subsequent element of surprise that comes from using sophisticated new arms has also given soldiers a welcome advantage.
In the last week of August, Ukraine unveiled its mysterious new "super-missile" while wiping out one of Vladimir Putin's prized £200million Triumf air defence systems.
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The spectacular strike deep behind enemy lines in annexed Crimea saw the S-400 launcher explode into a huge fireball.
Initial speculation was that Kyiv had used a British or French-supplied Storm Shadow missile to carry out the deadly attack at Cape Tarkhankut.
But it is now clear Ukraine deployed its own sophisticated new cruise missile - which has been praised for its "flawless performance".
"The missile was a new one, absolutely modern," said Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine.
One suspicion is that Ukraine has adapted the low-flying, subsonic Neptune anti-ship missile which famously sank the 12,490 ton Moskva flagship of Putin’s Black Sea Fleet last year.
The mystery new missile appears designed to hit ground targets and is sure to have caused panic among the Russian President's camp.
Ukraine's creation had some big shoes to fill - as the nation already boasts a number of mighty munitions.
British Storm Shadow missiles have proved a huge headache for Putin, as they can blast targets up to 350 miles away that have long been out of reach for Ukraine.
It means the weapons could hit at maximum range in just 35 minutes - travelling nearly half the length of the UK at 600mph.
These speedy projectiles have been dodging Russia's air defence systems and paving the way for Kyiv’s counter-offensive.
Storm Shadows, which can fly in zig-zags at varying altitudes, can wipe out well-defended static targets like facilities, bunkers and bridges.
This includes Putin's favourite Crimean bridge which was attacked last October, as well as the regions Chonhar and Henichesk bridges that were struck in early August.
The use of the US-supplied HIMARS missile systems has also proved a huge help to Zelensky's forces on the frontline.
The satellite-guided rockets are believed to have been central to Ukraine's success when pushing back Putin's men in the south.
Boasting precise firepower with superior accuracy, the launchers can aim and strike a target in just 16 seconds.
The system fires its weapons and moves away from the area at high speed before enemy forces have a chance to locate the launch site.
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With the capability of launching the entire MLRS daily of munitions, Ukraine has been able to relentlessly plough Russia.
The HIMARS is said to make a mockery of Russia's Smerch system, as it is much more accurate with a larger potential range.
When Ukrainian troops aren't blasting missiles into the skies, they are rolling into battle in style - as well as under a cloak of diesel.
The sophisticated 75-ton Challenger 2 tanks outstrip their the T-55 on speed, armament, firepower and precision.
Despite costing £5million each, they have been a priceless addition to Ukraine's war chest.
The Challenger 2’s 120mm gun destroyed an Iraqi vehicle during the Gulf War from three miles away — a “kill shot” record.
They boast a top range of 340 miles, tough armour to repel enemy fire and even heat dampening technology to make them harder to detect.
The 27ft tanks can spray diesel to create a smokescreen, while soldiers operate the "hunter killer" targeting system.
And with advanced suspension, the accuracy of troops operating the main gun means they are a formidable military vehicle.
The Challenger 2 was built in the 1990s, but is significantly more advanced than other tanks available to Ukraine's armed forces.
Britain sent a squadron of 14 Challenger 2's to the front line ahead of Ukraine’s summer counter-offensive.
Allies across the pond have also pitched in to bolster Ukraine's abilities to intercept missiles and shoot down Russian drones.
The US-supplied Patriot missile system boasts a powerful radar, a control station, a power generator, launch stations and other support vehicles.
It costs a whopping $1.1billion - $400million for the system and $690million for the missiles in a battery - but it has granted Ukraine a priceless advantage when defending itself against air attacks.
The proof is in the pudding - as it was reported to have successfully downed an "unstoppable" Russian Kinzhal in May this year.
It marked a historic moment in the war as Ukrainian army leaders were unsure whether the Patriot could take down that kind of powerful missile.
KICKING IT UP A NOTCH
Ukraine had previously been using Soviet-era S-300 surface-to-air systems against Russian attacks, but it has significantly upped its game with the Patriot.
The nation's aerial abilities have arguably been the most impressive part of their retaliation against Russia's invasion.
Zelensky has a number of unique drones in his arsenal that have flummoxed Putin's defence systems.
The latest addition to their fleet of UAVs is the Australian-supplied SYPAQ drones - which are made up of cardboard, wax-impregnated paper and rubber bands.
The makers of the drones, which arrive in flat-pack form, say the cardboard contraption is easier to build than IKEA furniture.
They are said to be practically invisible to Russian detection systems and can fly up to 75 miles.
With a wingspan of a little over 6ft, the petite flying assassin is said to glide through the skies, unlike its sturdier counterparts.
Ukraine has had them since March after the Australian government promised to produce 100 drones in a deal worth nearly £16million.
Their initial purpose was to supply frontline troops rather than striking the enemy, seeing them dubbed "the cardboard plane".
The £2,750 UAVs are a much cheaper alternative to conventional unmanned vehicles, that cost millions to manufacture.
But they still pack a powerful punch and are said to have been behind an explosive strike at a key Russian airbase in Kursk at the end of August.
Russian troops haven't even been able to get some restbite on the water either, as sea drones have humiliated Putin's crumbling navy.
Ukraine has no functioning marine defence, and yet it has still managed to mount naval operations.
As the Russian dictator watched the Moskva sink last year, the must surely have thought it couldn’t get worse for his beloved Black Sea Fleet.
But he was mistaken, because tiny Ukrainian drones are now running circles around the very same warships.
Sea drones such as the Magura 5, a small craft that resembles a speedboat, have sunk Putin's ships over the last few months.
The £200,000 craft can be remotely controlled using webcams to guide it to its target.
James Rogers, founder of the Council on Geostrategy think-tank, likened the drones to Britain’s bouncing bomb - designed to swoop across water dodging torpedo nets.
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The likes of the Magura 5 have unleashed chaos during attacks on Russian warships, the port of Sevastopol, and the Kerch Bridge.
A 4,754-ton Russian tanker was then attacked,while the Olenogorsky Gornyak transport ship also endured the wrath of a sea drone on August 4.
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