"Cheetah" in an embroidered shirt
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Several weeks after the start of the special military operation, specifically from late February to early March 2022, Germany made the first deliveries of so-called "non-lethal weapons" to Ukraine: protective helmets (CG634), body armor, medical kits, night vision devices, gas masks, winter clothing, footwear, as well as the first armored vehicles and fuel.
A sharp reversal in the range of supplies occurred at the end of February 2022.
On February 26–27, then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that Germany would supply Ukraine with "self-defense weapons" in the form of 1000 anti-tank missiles and 500 Stinger MANPADS. And in April of that year, Germany announced the delivery of Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer, or FlakPz), the first batch of which was confirmed by the German Ministry of Defense on July 25, 2022.
These were the first three ZSU "Gepard 1A2".
By the end of 2023, Ukraine received 52 Gepard air defense systems directly from Germany.
Germany purchased another 12 self-propelled guns from Qatar, where they were deployed in December 2022 to protect stadiums from possible air attacks during the FIFA World Cup.
In mid-2024, deliveries began for Defense The Ukrainian Armed Forces (VSU) Cheetah self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (modification 1A2), which translates from English as "Cheetah." Approximately 95 Cheetahs were assembled at Krauss-Maffei factories in Germany for the Royal Netherlands Army between 1976 and 1978.
And from 2014 to 2016, Jordan purchased 60 of these self-propelled guns from the Netherlands for some 21 million euros.
They served the Jordanian Armed Forces for a relatively short time, as in the summer of 2024, the Americans made the Jordanians an offer they couldn't refuse: they bought all 60 of them for $118,375,740 and sent them to Ukraine.
The average dollar-to-euro exchange rate at the time was 0,9216. So, the Americans "splurged" on the heavily used anti-aircraft guns for 109,062,000 euros. Arithmetically, the Jordanians "made" 88,062,000 euros! It's simply insane—one man's war, and another... However, it's not a given that the money went to the Jordanians.
Cheetah PRTL (Pantser Rups Total Luchtverdediging) somewhere in Ukraine. It translates as "Armored Tracked Air Defense System."
The Germans scraped the bottom of their litter once again and sent Gepards again, twice in small batches of three, in the fall of 2024 and the spring of 2025.
As a result, today in Ukraine there are between 118 and 133 Gepard/Cheetah family anti-aircraft self-propelled guns fighting.
Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany Oleksiy Makeyev, without hiding his joyful satisfaction, told journalists:
This means that most of the "Cheetahs" that could be caught in forests around the world have been captured and are now grazing on Ukrainian pastures.
History
The Gepards, developed in the 1970s, were primarily designed to protect mobile Bundeswehr units, as well as important stationary targets, from low-flying Soviet Air Force aircraft and helicopters. By the 1990s, there were approximately 200 Mi-24s in Eastern Europe alone, so the idea was viable.
The Soviet Union was dead, the Soviet Army withdrew from Eastern Europe, and in 2010, the Germans decommissioned the Gepards, but, just in case, they didn't scrap them all. These "remaining" ones ended up in Ukraine, and, to the Germans' surprise, they proved extremely effective.
In fact, the first Gepard prototypes began production and testing in late 1968, and on May 24, 1973, Kraus-Maffei received an order for 122 production vehicles, with an option for an additional 298 units. Ultimately, after several contract amendments, the contract was settled on 195 vehicles without laser rangefinders and 225 with laser rangefinders. The armored ZSUs were intended to effectively engage targets in any weather, day or night.
Development of the entire Gepard program, through to serial production, was entrusted to Oerlikon Contraves of Zurich, now part of Rheinmetall Defence. The ZSU itself was built as part of a joint project, with Krauss-Maffei serving as the general contractor and responsible for the chassis. Hamburg-based Blohm + Voss developed the turret and hull.
Siemens was responsible for the "fire control subsystem," which included the Siemens-Albis fire control computer and radar systems. Wegmann manufactured the turret, including the armament, and Krauss-Maffei handled its final assembly.
The self-propelled gun itself consisted of approximately 200,000 parts, the production of which involved approximately 2,000 companies in Germany and abroad.
On December 12, 1976, the first production Gepard ZSU was delivered to the Bundeswehr Air Defense Unit. A total of 420 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns were delivered to the German armed forces from 1976 to October 29, 1980.
Thus, the Bundeswehr equipped eleven air defense regiments with Gepards. Each regiment, in turn, consisted of eight batteries, including six firing batteries with six ZSUs each, for a total of 36 systems per regiment.
TTX ZSU "Gepard 1A2"
Crew: three people (driver, gunner, commander)
Dimensions (length, width, height in meters): 7,68 x 3,27 x 3,29 (with folded radar)
Weight: 47,5 tons
Chassis: Leopard 1
Engine:
The main, 10-cylinder, 37,4-liter, multi-fuel MTU MB 838 CaM-500.
Power 610 kW (829 hp). Fuel consumption 150 liters per 100 km.
Maximum speed: 65 km / h.
Power reserve: 550 km.
Auxiliary Daimler-Benz OM 314, 50 hp. Provides autonomous power supply for onboard systems. Fuel consumption is 20 l/hour.
Armor: homogeneous steel. Hull front up to 70 mm, sides 35 mm, rear 25 mm, bottom 20 mm. Turret 20–25 mm, roof 15 mm.
The driver's station. The automatic transmission control lever is visible on the right.
According to Ukrainians: “Driving a car is as easy as riding a bicycle.”
Armament: 2×35 mm L/90 Oerlikon-KDA automatic cannons.
When using conventional 35×228 mm projectiles, it effectively hits targets at a distance of up to 3,5–4,0 km.
When using special high-speed FAPDS/FAPDS-T projectiles (initial velocity 1440 m/sec) – up to 5,5 km.
Gepard turret with 2× 35mm L/90 Oerlikon-KDA guns
Equipment and means for target detection and acquisition:
Search radar — S-band (operating at a frequency of 2–4 GHz with a wavelength of approximately 15–7,5 cm), detection range up to 15 km (hemispherical, from the Latin hemisphaerium — “hemisphere”); provides an initial overview picture and the output of targets to the tracking system.
Search radar
Tracking radar — Ku/K-band (German version) with a tracking range of 13–15 km; the Dutch/CA1 version — X/Ka-band.
The radar is a monopulse, pulse-Doppler, with interference protection and an automatic targeting function.
I've provided this data specifically for those in the know. I'm sure the site has similar data, and I'd be interested in reading their comments on the characteristics of both radars.
Target tracking radar with laser rangefinder
Identification (IFF) - Integrated interrogator MSR-400 Mk XII for automatic identification of "friend or foe".
Optical (passive) subsystem / sighting devices - stabilized panoramic periscopes (commander/gunner) with variable magnification 1.5× → 6×, night TV/IR device and, in modernized versions, a thermal imager and laser rangefinder.
The optics can function as a backup and for visual target identification.
Throughout its stories The Gepard has undergone several modifications. Beginning in 1985, a significant portion of the Bundeswehr's B2 variants were upgraded with a laser rangefinder, bringing the fleet to 382 units.
Performance was improved through the use of a digital fire control computer, new ammunition, radio transmitters and ergonomic improvements with new control and display concepts, resulting in the FlakPz Gepard 1A2 version.
The latest modification of the ZSU "Gepard 1A2"
The decommissioning of the Gepard began in 2010, and by July 2022, the Bundeswehr had only a few dozen Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns remaining, either in reserve or in storage. These were "reanimated and brought back to life" for subsequent deployment to Ukraine.
Combat use in Ukraine
Qatar International news Al Jazeera media holding, citing Ukrainian sources, writes:
The greatest success in knocking down drones Ukraine achieved this by using the German 35mm Gepard anti-aircraft gun.
German Merkur.de adds:
The Ukrainian armed forces seem pleased with the performance, despite the old system: the Gepard is reportedly excellent at shooting down Russian drones such as the Shahed/Geran-2, and can also fight cruise missiles. rockets and helicopters. Especially compared to more expensive systems such as the US Patriot or the European SAMP/T, the Gepard is considered cost-effective and flexible.
Ukrainian FlakPz Gepard 1A2, German-made
German sources simply write joyfully that "The system, developed in the last century, is now shooting down even Russian cruise missiles in Ukraine, and loitering munitions like the Shahed have become a very easy target for this system."
To what extent the Geranium, which the Ukrainians stubbornly call the Shahed, is a loitering munition, the Germans probably know better, but the fact remains: the Gepard anti-aircraft mount has become an extremely important element of the Ukrainian army's air defense.
The crews underwent training in Germany. Most of the service members had no prior military training or experience. The course lasted six to eight weeks.
A Gepard gunner named Sergei enthusiastically shared with journalists how easy and convenient the Gepard is to use against Russian Army UAVs and cruise missiles: "Target acquisition, tracking, and fire." His crew is credited with downing 28 Gepards.
Workplace gunner
The Germans themselves describe the operation of the target search radar verbatim:
It spins at 60 rpm, no faster than a German washing machine, but just as silently and completely reliably.
The radar effectively acquires targets within a 15-kilometer radius. Once an object is identified as a target, the data is transmitted by a computer to the tracking radar. Both radars operate independently and are equipped with anti-theft software. EW enemy and an automatic system of self-analysis and verification of their work.
Target acquisition and tracking equipment display. It's noteworthy that this ZSU displays information in Spanish. It shows that target acquisition occurs at a maximum range of 14997 meters, at a target altitude of 664 meters, and at a speed of 203 m/s, or approximately 731 km/h.
The Gepard's onboard computer processes the received data and transmits it to the fire control system, which selects the optimal moment to engage the target and signals the start of fire. The operator simply presses the "Feuer" button.
A still from the famous video of a Ukrainian Gepard missile being shot down in December 2022.
True, the Germans admit that near the front line, where they work aviation The Russian Aerospace Forces, and considering other weapons used by the Russian Army, believe that the Gepard itself, rather than being a hunter of aerial targets, will likely become prey. As evidence of this, a video of the destruction of one of the systems was once published on Telegram. I believe it was the Lancet that fired the shots. To avoid this, almost all self-propelled guns operate primarily deep behind enemy lines, hunting for our drones and cruise missiles.
Despite all my attempts to find any further confirmed information about the destruction or defeat of the Gepards, I still haven’t found anything.
According to the military analysis blog and the Oryx database, Ukraine has not lost a single one of them, although some sources report damaged units. Ukraine has not officially published information on the losses of the Gepards.
Objectively, it must be acknowledged that the installations turned out to be truly effective.
The Weapons of Victory YouTube channel says:
The Gepard has found a second life in Ukraine, where it can easily detect and shoot down drones and subsonic cruise missiles. And he does it with absolute calm.
As indirect confirmation of this, one can easily find dozens of photographs on the internet of combat vehicles with marks on their turrets and hulls in the form of silhouettes of downed targets.
A "Cheetah" with marked hit targets. I don't think Ukrainians are drawing these just to show off to each other or for journalists.
Another one, with silhouettes on the tower
A "Cheetah" in the Ukrainian steppes. Photo taken in May 2023.
The YouTube channel Weapons of Victory, citing Ukrainians, reports that there is one ZSU near Odessa. "shot down ten air targets in a short period of time."
A Ukrainian soldier in front of downed Russian drones. It's unknown where this photo was taken or where the debris was piled up, but the photo undoubtedly depicts decoy Gerberas. The "hero" doesn't look very happy...
Speaking of shells
The Gepard is equipped with two L/90-Maschinenkanonen Oerlikon-KDA automatic cannons fed from a belt with 35×228 mm ammunition. The ammunition load is 640 rounds (320 for each of the two cannons).
In addition, there are 40 pieces of FAPDS / APDS / AP (armor-piercing) against light armored vehicles, as well as for the confident destruction of larger air targets, but this is in the form of emergency reserves.
The Germans proudly say that when working on ground targets, using these projectiles weighing 500-700 grams, the Gepard "Turns targets with up to 115mm of armor into Swiss cheese.".
In total, the full ammunition load is 680 rounds.
The total rate of fire of the two guns is approximately 1,100 rounds/min (18,33 rounds/sec).
Theoretically, with continuous firing at air targets, all 640 pieces would last for 35 seconds.
Of course, this is purely theoretical. In practice, the ZSU fires short bursts of 24-48 rounds, so the "real" combat time is much longer. Nevertheless, the Gepard's appetite is voracious. For example, 48 rounds take 2,6 seconds, while 96 rounds take about 5,2 seconds.
The Ukrainians boast that they can supposedly hit a Geranium at a range of three kilometers with eleven shots. Some report that in some cases two or three shells were enough. If they're not lying, they were apparently firing at point-blank range. Perhaps that's true...
Well, since, despite all attempts to use the ammunition sparingly, it sooner or later runs out, it takes at least 20 minutes to reload a full load of ammunition.
Reloading the Gepard
The main and most common ammunition is HEI / HEI-T (High-Explosive Incendiary / tracer) - high-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer and HE / HE-F (High-Explosive / High-Explosive Fragmentation) - high-explosive fragmentation.
If I have not translated and labeled these ammunition in Russian quite correctly, I will gratefully accept corrections from specialists.
It was precisely with these munitions that problems initially arose. The shells were manufactured in Switzerland, a country officially neutral. Under Swiss law, the supply of weapons and ammunition manufactured in Switzerland to a country where military operations are taking place is prohibited without the permission of the country of origin.
Surprisingly, the Swiss dug in their heels and forbade the Ukrainians from supplying ammunition, saying, "The self-propelled guns are yours, do with them what you want, but the shells won't cross the border!"
In mid-2022, Germany officially requested Berne's permission to re-export 12,400 Swiss 35mm shells to Ukraine, but was denied. The Germans, along with the Netherlands, Denmark, and several other EU countries, then quickly launched production of the ammunition at their own factories.
Rheinmetall, naturally, was at the forefront. According to officially published data alone, the company manufactured and shipped at least 480,000 shells to Ukraine between 2022 and 2025.
These include not only high-explosive fragmentation, incendiary, and tracer rounds priced at €300–€550 each, but also the most effective and expensive AHEAD (programmable airburst) projectile—a programmable projectile that disperses multiple tungsten submunitions, each weighing 3,3 grams. Typically, these consist of 152 cylinders, creating a destructive curtain.
The price of one AHEAD reaches up to 1,200 euros per shot.
The projectile explodes at a precisely calculated distance by setting the required moment of explosion using an electronic timer, programmed during firing.
A diagram of the AHEAD programmable munition. Although the text is in English, I think everything is clear.
From 2022 to 2024, the Ukrainians experienced a rather serious shortage of AHEAD ammunition and used mainly HEI-T/HE.
HEI-T 35x288 projectiles. Yellow indicates high-explosive fragmentation, red stripe indicates tracer.
However, already in 2025, Rheinmetall significantly increased the production and supply of programmable 35×228 mm AHEAD projectiles, which significantly increased the effectiveness of target destruction.
A visual result of the use of the AHEAD (programmable airburst) munition.
The muzzle of the Gepard's left gun barrel, showing the muzzle velocity measuring device (muzzle velocity measuring device), which plays a key role in the use of AHEAD/programmable airburst ammunition. It is also used for gun testing and calibration, ballistic calculations, firing at moving targets, and checking the gun's performance after repairs or upgrades.
Subtotals
Naturally, we don't know the actual number of targets shot down by Gepards, and we probably never will, but the fact remains: they have firmly established their place in Ukraine's air defense system and are operating reliably and quite effectively.
The Ukrainian-German propaganda machine is ready to broadcast 24 hours a day about the superiority of German technology and weapons over everything and everyone. But, unfortunately, it must be acknowledged that the old "Cheetahs" have indeed demonstrated that their "fangs and claws" have not become dull at all.
Of course, we are not talking about “superiority”, just as it is absolutely wrong to call these ZSU “scrap metal from the last century”, which we initially heard more than once from the Russian media.
When a representative of the Belgian international military news publication Army Recognition asked a Ukrainian Gepard commander named Andrey which three systems he considered the most effective for combating Russian drones, the following answer was given: "Gepard, Gepard, and more Gepard."
This Ukrainian fighter tells German reporters that "This machine can be relied upon. Its effectiveness against Vladimir Putin's drones has proven impressive."The photo was taken near Odessa.
Ukrainian analytical agency Defense Express writes:
The Bundeswehr's old technology—the legendary Flakpanzer Gepard—inflicted heavy losses on Putin's army.
The Ukrainian military valued the German "oldtimer" so highly that they intend to establish their own production of self-propelled guns.
Anyone even slightly "in the know" understands that Ukrainians can't produce anything truly "indigenous" today. Take, for example, the much-hyped Ukrainian 2S22 Bogdana self-propelled gun. It was designed and assembled by Ukrainians with assistance and components from France (CAESAR self-propelled gun), the Czech Republic (Dana M2 self-propelled gun), Slovakia (Zuzana 2 self-propelled gun), Poland, and Turkey. Incidentally, it was put together very well at Ukrainian factories, and production, including the towed version, reached forty units per month in 2025. They claim that they at least make the gun barrels themselves, which is highly unlikely, given the disappointment with tank gun barrels.
In September of this year, Merkur.de correspondent Karsten-Dirk Hinzmann wrote:
Ukraine prioritizes practical, "reliable" weapons over complex, high-tech systems. Negotiations with KNDS regarding modifications to the Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft gun are already underway.
KNDS is a European defense concern formed in 2015 as a result of the merger of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) from Germany (known for the Leopard 2 tank, PzH 2000 self-propelled gun) and Nexter Defense Systems from France (Leclerc tank, Caesar self-propelled gun).
Kyiv has not yet commented specifically on this report, but they emphasized that the Gepard air defense system is already being serviced and repaired by KNDS in cooperation with Ukraine, and, it should be understood, on Ukrainian territory.
The current Minister of Defense, Denys Shmygal, while still serving as Prime Minister of Ukraine, also publicly announced plans for the joint production of a "Ukrainian Gepard."
It's unclear whether this is actually a new production facility or just a repair and upgrade of existing self-propelled guns, but information about these plans is increasingly appearing in German media. KNDS writes on its website:
The Gepard remains prepared for the challenges of the 21st century. The modern version of the Gepard is capable of countering all types of aerial threats—from aircraft and helicopters to guided missiles and drones. Its projectiles are protected from electronic jamming, and their fragments are guaranteed to hit their targets.
The manufacturer claims that the experience of the Ukrainian army, which successfully uses the Gepard, has become the best confirmation for KNDS that the "old anti-aircraft tank" is back in service.
Heirs of the Cheetah
While the Ukrainians are excitedly talking about what a fantastic combat unit the Gepard is and are trying to build their own version of the Gepard-Lite, loaded with updated electronics and modern radars and sensors, based on existing developments and combat experience, their German partners are implementing their own promising programs.
Skynex stationary air defense system
According to open sources, the Dusseldorf-based defense concern Rheinmetall, which calls itself "a key partner of the Ukrainian defense industry in the fight against Russian aggression", has already delivered two of the latest Skynex stationary air defense systems to Ukraine.
The first Skynex was delivered in 2023, and the second complex on April 29, 2024. This was officially confirmed by the German government.
On July 12, 2025, the Ukrainian Air Force released video footage showing the Skynex air defense system shooting down several Russian drones. According to the video, at least seven Geraniums were destroyed in the attack.
A Skynex weapon module in Ukraine
In a typical configuration, one Skynex system includes four 35mm Oerlikon Revolver Gun Mk3 cannons (one cannon per firing module), a radar station and a control post.
The radar and control station can theoretically be located at any distance from the firing modules: from "near the weapon" to tens of kilometers via Line-of-Sight (LOS) radio links, or hundreds or thousands of kilometers via cable, repeater, or satellite. This option avoids personnel losses in the event of direct damage to the weapon modules.
Components of the Skynex complex
Unlike multi-barreled revolver guns that operate on the Gatling principle, these guns are single-barreled, but equipped with a four-chamber revolver mechanism, similar to a classic revolver.
According to Rheinmetall, each gun is equipped with 252 programmable AHEAD rounds. To ensure a continuous supply of rounds at a rate of fire of approximately 1000 rounds per minute while also controlling the gun's consumption, the ammunition is fed into the drum chambers from seven-round magazines (cassettes). The ammunition hopper holds only 36 magazines.
Loading a magazine of shells into the hopper/magazine
The Skynex system effectively destroys air targets at a range of up to four kilometers.
And so, while the first Skynex stationary systems produced by Rheinmetall have been fighting in Ukraine for two years, the Germans, having collected and processed invaluable combat experience from the Gepard and Skynex stationary systems, and meeting the wishes of the Bundeswehr and their valued Ukrainian partners, have taken on the production of a modern mobile air defense system.
Simply "cloning" the old Flakpanzer is, of course, impossible. The Leopard 1 chassis and engine have long been out of production, and the requirements for an air defense system that must be effective in all respects and meet 21st-century standards are completely different. It became clear here that the key word in the phrase "dear Ukrainian partners" is "expensive».
And while the Ukrainians are raving about producing “their own” anti-aircraft self-propelled gun, Rheinmetall is offering them, and anyone else who wants it, a successor to the Gepard – a ZSU with the Skyranger 35 module.
ZSU Skyranger 35
Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger told German media that the corresponding contract would be signed on September 10, 2025, at the DSEI (Defense & Security Equipment International) international exhibition of weapons and security systems in London.
According to ZDF, the contract, according to Armin Papperger, will be worth "hundreds of millions of euros."
Bloomberg reported in an article dated September 9, 2025, that Rheinmetall plans to sign a contract for the supply of Skyranger systems worth approximately 500 million euros.
The potential parties to the contract could have been Rheinmetall as the manufacturer and the Ukrainian side (the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense), with a high probability of participation from the German government and other sponsoring states.
However, as of today, there is no publicly confirmed information that the contract was signed on September 10, 2025.
It's highly significant that deliveries to Ukraine will begin before the first production Skyranger 35 is manufactured for the Bundeswehr, with which a contract has not yet been signed. According to Defense Express, Rheinmetall expects to receive this contract (from the Bundeswehr) worth €6-8 billion this year.
And then, quite unexpectedly, a pan-European hysteria about Putin's ubiquitous drones began. Now's the perfect time to sell these systems to European partners and other interested parties. To paraphrase Vladimir Mayakovsky, "to the Danes and various other Swedes."
And... Oops, the Rheinmetall Skyranger 35 is already included in the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) project – a European shield against air threats!
Now let's take a little more detail about the ZSU itself.
The Skyranger system is a mobile anti-aircraft artillery complex of the Swiss company Oerlikon, now part of the Rheinmetall concern.
The system is a turret module that can be mounted on a wide variety of chassis types, both wheeled and tracked, such as the Mowag Piranha, GTK Boxer, Pandur Evolution, Lynx IFV, Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tanks, and even trucks.
Skyranger 35 truck-mounted weapon station
The system is capable of monitoring an area of up to 16 square kilometers and is particularly effective at intercepting low-flying targets, especially drones.
Each of these systems can provide complete protection for a four-by-four kilometer area—a drone-free zone.”
"Papperger said in an interview with the German television channel ZDF.Unlike the Gepard with its two cannons, the Skyranger is armed with a single 35mm cannon integrated into a turret module, the same as the weapon module of the Skynex fixed-wing complex, but with a stabilization system, its own drives and an autonomous optical-electronic guidance unit.
This system includes a daytime camera (TV), a thermal imager (IR), a laser rangefinder, a sighting stabilization system for firing on the move, a high-speed video camera, and an automatic target tracker. For 360-degree coverage and detection of airborne targets at various altitudes, the Skyranger 35 uses a three-dimensional active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
A Skyranger 35 demo car on a GTK Boxer chassis
Defense Express suggests that the Ukrainian variant will also be wheeled, for cost and maintainability reasons.
All potential parties to the contract are keeping mum about the Skyranger's price. Defense Express estimates that each system will cost at least €12 million, not including design and maintenance costs.
Some German sources claim the first orders for the Skyranger 35 were placed as early as 2024, though they don't specify who ordered them. Logically, they were from the same Ukrainians, or for the same Ukrainians, since the Germans are threatening to send the first vehicles to Ukraine this year.
Conclusions and thoughts out loud
To summarize, based on the above information, which is based exclusively on German media sources and documentary filming made in Germany and Ukraine, the following conclusion can be drawn:
- “The old Gepards have firmly and quite effectively taken their place in the Ukrainian air defense system.
- The initial problem with ammunition has been almost completely solved through supplies from Europe.
- Crew training and preparation takes place in a short time and is very effective.
- The system of equipment repair and maintenance is well-established.
- As a result of the use of the ZSU "Gepard", the production of a "Ukrainian" version cannot be ruled out.
- The European military-industrial complex has already been “restarted” according to the war preparation program and has significantly increased the production of both previous and the newest and most promising products.
And now, about what I can’t help but share.
I have quite a few relatives and friends living throughout the vast territory of the Russian Federation, from Sakhalin to the Black Sea.
Despite the shutdown of Russian television in Germany, I still have the opportunity to watch it.
I have a computer and a smartphone with YouTube, Telegram, ChatGPT, etc.
I regularly receive information from all the above-mentioned sources about what's happening in Russia and at the front. About how my loved ones are faring, how heroically the guys are fighting in the war with the strange name of "SVO." About how people are collecting a hundred rubles to help the front. About how air raid sirens sound in Russian cities, hundreds and even thousands of kilometers from the border with the crazed former Soviet Ukraine. About how "Ukrainian drone debris" has hit yet another oil refinery, factory, civilian facility, or even just a house. About the wounded and the dead.
The Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR, Comrade V.I. Lenin, spoke at the Second All-Russian Conference on Work in the Village on June 12, 1920:
"The most dangerous thing is to underestimate the enemy and settle for the idea that we are stronger. This is the most dangerous thing that can lead to defeat in war, and it is the worst trait of the Russian character..."
The war will soon be four years old. The enemy is carrying out air strikes deep into Russia with absolute cold-bloodedness and brutality. Every day we hear of hundreds of Ukrainian drones shot down over Russian soil. But we don't know at what cost, and most importantly, and this makes it even more alarming, how many of them actually achieved their targets.
Maybe this is right, I won’t judge.
But the question arises: if the Germans and Ukrainians revived the aircraft of the seventies three years ago, if they are creating new air defense systems aimed specifically at combating drones, then where are the legendary Soviet "Shilkas", "Tunguskas", the new generation of "Pantsirs", where are even simple mobile fire teams?
We probably don't all need to know about this either...
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