Ukrainian general: Ratio of Javelin missile systems to Russian tanks in the Donbas is 1 to 3, but Ukraine has thousands of its own anti-tank systems
The ratio of American Javelin anti-tank missile systems to tanks in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) is approximately 1 to 3, but the Armed Forces of Ukraine also has Corsar and Stugna systems, as stated by ex-deputy head of the General Staff, Lieutenant-General Igor Romanenko, in an interview with InfoResist.
“There are 210 missiles in two corps of the so-called republic. There are about 700 tanks and more than 1,000 armored vehicles. Additionally, I'm not saying that they can be used on unmanned aerial vehicles. They have hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles. So the ratio for the tanks only will be 3-3.5 per missile. The probability of its defeat is 0.95. That ratio will only increase. That is, it has no effect strategically. It does have a tactical effect. The numbers of Corsars and Stugnas are good. But 1,000 of the Stugnas were delivered to the military last year, along with Corsars. Do you see the difference? So this is also important. And it is important from the point of view that this opens the door to further supplies of lethal weapons by both Americans and our other allies,” he said.
Romanenko also stressed that the Javelin systems will not be taken to the front line in the near future. “Even for an averagely prepared operator of our anti-tank systems, which, for example, will be removed from the Stugna and placed on the Javelin, preparation still should take two to three weeks, I think. So it takes time to prepare our calculations for this. Normally this takes up to a month” he said.
“In addition, as regards deliveries, I think the Americans have special requirements for this. They do not want to violate the balance as it were, especially during the period of the Normandy format talks, which in May should take place, and therefore they supplied a small number of both missiles and launchers. And they should be put in warehouses and used, first of all, when large-scale actions begin. First, we will have calculations ready to use them in this case. Second, if necessary, American military transport planes can bring more supplies. Again, this is possible in order to stop the corresponding Russian aggression there. But it is possible at the beginning of large-scale aggression,” said the ex-deputy head of the General Staff.