LONDON – The Ukrainian military destroyed multiple air targets in one go on the 15th of April. The strike has destroyed one airplane, 2 helicopters, and 4 UAVs. This has also been reported by the Ukrainian government in a statement.
“On April 11, anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force and Air Defence of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed seven air targets of Russian invaders: one aircraft, two helicopters, four unmanned aerial vehicles,” the statement said.
Big blow
This is a big blow to Russia, even with everything else that has happened in recent days. For example, on the 14th of April, a Russian cruiser ship called Moskva (Russian for Moscow) has been hit and sunk by a couple of Ukrainian Neptune anti-ship missiles. The sinking of this ship caused a major blow to the Russian anti-air defense of the region, as that was Moskva’s main role.
What does this mean?
These are, out of many victories, the most decisive victories the Ukrainian army might have gotten in the last few weeks. The fact that the Ukrainian-made Neptune missiles have had the capabilities to destroy the Russian Navy Flagship, alongside Ukrainians shooting down seven Russian air targets in one day, shows that the Ukrainian army still hasn’t given up. This fuels a good morale boost for both the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Ukrainian Citizens.
This conflict does not impact the people that are directly affected by it, but also the entire world. For example, despite several countries wanting to help Ukraine by sending military arms, they are restricted by NATO. This is because sending them may escalate the already tense relationships between them and Russia. Subsequently, turning it into a full-scale proxy war between NATO and Russia.
Another indirect impact the war has is the fuel prices. Since the war began, Russia has been banning countries all over the world from their oil supply. This has raised the already high oil prices to new highs. This has a severe impact on the Aviation Industry, as oil prices are around 40% of every airline’s cost. This means that ticket prices will likely increase as carriers face these costs.
Looking into the future
Ever since this war began, the world has been splitting into even more separate and isolated pieces. Russian banks have been blocked by the SWIFT banking systems. Additionally, with Russia’s state propaganda spewing lies into the minds of their people, the future doesn’t look that bright. Russia will be remembered as the biggest threat and aggressor on the European continent.
Not only that, in the aviation sector, they have shattered every bit of trust they once had gained over the last 30 years. This means that almost no aviation leasing company wants to lease their planes to Russian airlines.
Even the Russian-Chinese ambition to create a long-range plane might be in danger. Their project uses American parts for the plane’s technology, such as Honeywell’s screens for the cockpit. But that doesn’t mean that it could never fly, as either Russia or China might be able to create a counterpart for these parts. This would help avoid economic sanctions, by making themselves more independent from western companies.
These are certainly tough times, but that doesn’t mean that the future should look grim and bleak. This war might be the start of an entirely different future, one with the hope and aspiration for reforms, one with the need to stand and rise up against any individual, no matter how powerful, who dare to use their powers for their own good, while also neglecting the welfare of others.
