During the period of the full-scale war, Ukrainian intelligence officers carried out a number of unique operations, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy.
The results and coordinated actions of the military amaze not only Ukrainians, but also our Western partners.
Military Intelligence Day — date
Military Intelligence Day of Ukraine in 2024 is celebrated on September 7.
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— Ukrainian military intelligence and the GUR are valued, known, respected. Other intelligence agencies in the world strive to cooperate with it. In terms of collecting, analyzing information, interpreting, providing this information to all necessary consumer entities, Ukrainian military intelligence performs very important tasks, — told ICTV Fakty the head of the Center for Military-Legal Research Alexander Musienko.
According to the military expert, the work of intelligence, in addition to conducting special operations, consists of collecting information, analyzing it, reporting it to the President of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense, the Border Service and other security agencies.
In his opinion, the GUR has reached a serious level of strategic intelligence — assessment of possible enemy actions, understanding of the situation, forecasting individual actions and consequences for Ukraine, positions, in particular, of our partners, as well as interaction with partner communities.
— For example, it was the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Kirill Budanov, who, on the eve of a full-scale invasion, reported that Russia was accumulating troops, and its state of readiness for possible aggressive full-scale actions would be in January-February 2022. The society was informed about this because it was done through the media. Ukrainian intelligence assessed the risks, — the expert emphasized.
This allowed the Armed Forces of Ukraine to prepare to repel a full-scale aggression, noted Alexander Musienko.
In particular, we managed to save our aircraft and air defense thanks to the information we received about how the enemy would act, what means it would use, that it would launch large-scale missile strikes on the airfield network, air defense systems, command posts, and prepare attacks from different sides.
— This allowed the Ukrainian Armed Forces to prepare and enter the battle, save the Ukrainian aviation. And then organize defensive actions that allowed us to stop the enemy's active advance, prevent it from entering Kiev and continue the fight. From the point of view of analyzing the situation, assessing the circumstances, potential actions of the enemy and the consequences, military intelligence plays a very large and important role, — said Alexander Musienko.
On the occasion of Military Intelligence Day, ICTV Fakty decided to recall the significant operations of Ukrainian intelligence officers.
The Ukrainian flag in Crimea
Ukrainian military intelligence conducted operations on the ground, in the air, at sea.
Since the full-scale invasion, and before that during the ATO, the beginning of Russian aggression in 2014, representatives and servicemen of the Ukrainian military intelligence participated in all active combat operations, starting with the landing in Crimea, the military expert noted.
He recalled how back in 2016 a group under the command of the head of Ukrainian military intelligence Kirill Budanov landed in the occupied Crimea.
— The goal was to provide weapons to Ukrainian saboteurs who were supposed to counteract and prevent a full-scale aggression of Russian troops from Crimea. They went there, acted in other directions, in particular, collected information about Russia's actions in the occupied territories, their plans and participated in special operations, — Musienko said.
Special forces also landed after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
On the night of August 24, 2023, on Ukraine's Independence Day, special forces units of the Main Intelligence Directorate, together with the Ukrainian Navy, carried out a special operation in temporarily occupied Crimea.
The military landed on watercraft near the settlements of Olenevka and Mayak, planting the national flag.
During the mission, Ukrainian defenders engaged in battle with units of the occupier, at least 30 Russians were eliminated. Four Russian speedboats were also damaged.
According to the head of the GUR, Kirill Budanov, the importance of the operation is to make the residents of Crimea believe that their liberation is just around the corner.
Storming Zmeiny and returning Boyko's towers under control“
On May 8, 2022, Ukrainian intelligence officers took part in a combat landing operation to liberate Zmeiny Island.
Groups of special forces of the GUR MO and fighters of the Alpha anti-terrorist groups flew out to storm the island in helicopters with open ramps of the landing compartments SBU.
This attempt to land on the island became the so-called reconnaissance in force, many military trophies were taken, and the Russians suffered significant losses.
— There were several attempts to land, and the enemy more or less understood that we wanted to do this, but did not expect the landing and attack itself. We destroyed them pretty well there… Everyone understood that this was a difficult operation, and no one could back out, because there was no one who would say “no” and that's it, — said the commander of the special forces unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense with the call sign Shaman in the documentary film Battle for Zmeiny Island.
All eight helicopters that carried out the missile strike and landed the special forces groups on Zmeiny returned to their bases unharmed.
— These are joint actions with units and servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Defense Forces, as well as employees of the SBU special forces unit Alpha for landing on Zmeiny Island. This is what forced the enemy to retreat from there, — Alexander Musienko is convinced.
On September 11, 2023, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence reported that Ukraine had regained control of the so-called Boyko rigs – oil and gas drilling platforms located in the Black Sea.
We are talking about the Petro Godovanets, Ukraine, as well as Tavrida and Sivash platforms, which were returned to the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces after eight years of occupation.
— These are ambitious GUR operations at sea to destroy electronic reconnaissance and combat facilities, as well as observation posts on the so-called Boyko rigs in the Black Sea, which were used by Russia for the purpose of countering, as well as collecting information and intelligence, and could later be used to counter Ukrainian surface drones. Units of Shaman, Artan, Group 13 regained control over drilling platforms in the Black Sea, — noted the military expert.
Raids on surrounded Azovstal under enemy air defense sights
GUR special forces, together with other security agencies, took part in the operation to deliver ammunition and provisions to the fighters of the Mariupol garrison.
Military intelligence was able to pave the way deep into the occupied territories to pick up the wounded, deliver weapons, food and medicine to the defenders of Mariupol.
The fighters made seven flights to Azovstal, six Mi-8 helicopters were used, which flew at extremely low altitudes.
Defense of the Kiev region, deoccupation of the Kharkiv region, a bridgehead in the Kherson region, battles in Donbass
In 2022, at the beginning of the full-scale aggression, the 10th special detachment of the GUR met the enemy in Gostomel. Active hostilities were already taking place there.
The GUR was involved in the defense of Kyiv together with other units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
Ukrainian special forces of the GUR participated in the battles of in the Kharkiv region and were involved in the liberation of Balakleya, in particular, the Artan special forces unit.
Other special forces units participated in other places where battles took place. For example, Ukrainian special forces were very active in creating a bridgehead on the left bank of the Kherson region, where they engaged in battles with the enemy and ensured the further landing of Ukrainian troops in the Krynki area.
Ukrainian intelligence officers took part in heavy fighting in the city of Chasov Yar, stopping and holding back the Russian occupiers.
GUR units, together with the 3rd separate assault brigade and the Special Operations Forces, other units and brigades of the SBU participated in ensuring the safety of withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Avdiivka, inflicting extremely high losses on the enemy.
Attempts to liberate the Zaporizhzhya NPP
Special forces of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense attempted to liberate the city of Energodar and the Zaporizhzhya NPP at least three times, but all operations ended in failure, said Kirill Budanov.
The first such attempt by the Main Intelligence Directorate fighters was in August 2022. They crossed the then full-flowing Kakhovka Reservoir on high-speed boats in the Energodar area. But they had to retreat due to a lack of artillery support.
Then the GUR special forces tried to land twice more on the left bank of the Dnieper, and several hundred people took part in the last of these attempts.
— The GUR carried out ambitious operations, in my opinion, very correct and absolutely brave, because it was the special forces who tried to liberate the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant by force. Unfortunately, the attempts were unsuccessful, but the fact that they actually managed to prevent the Zaporizhzhya NPP from being connected to the occupier's power grid and from starting to supply electricity to Crimea — this is also a certain intermediate result, — Alexander Musienko is convinced.
“Bavovna” at the Engels and Dyagilevo airfields in the Russian Federation
GUR Chief Kirill Budanov revealed details of the operation when, in December 2022, Ukrainian forces first reached airbases deep behind the occupiers' lines.
Thus, a Tu-141 Strizh jet drone, packed with explosives, attacked the Dyagilevo airbase on the night of December 5, significantly damaging two Tu-95 and Tu-22 strategic bombers, as well as a tanker truck.
Two Tu-95MS aircraft were damaged in Engels at that time.
As GUR representative Andrei Yusov stated, thanks to the production of Ukrainian weapons, the occupiers will no longer be able to hide even at a distance of 1 thousand km, and the number of “bavovny” in the Russian rear will increase.
The Main Intelligence Directorate carried out ambitious operations to destroy Russian aviation. The military expert recalled that back in 2022, Ukrainian drones carried out strikes on Russian airfields.
The goal was to strike Engels in order to destroy the strategic aviation of Russian troops, he said.
In August 2023, it became known about the destruction of Tu-22M3 bombers that carried out strikes on the South of Ukraine.
— The GUR conducts operations, in particular, abroad. One cannot help but recall how in August 2023, a reconnaissance group under the command of Oleg Babiy covered 600 km. They ensured the destruction of a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber at the Soltsy airfield in the Novgorod region. Unfortunately, Oleg Babiy died during his return and was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine, — noted Alexander Musienko.
Also, with the participation of the GUR, on January 14, 2024, an A-50 airborne early warning radar was destroyed, which was an important aircraft for the enemy.
— Then the missile of the anti-aircraft missile system of Ukraine flew a range of 308 km, setting a record. It was the special forces of the GUR who were involved in depriving Russia of the ability to conduct reconnaissance using airborne early warning aircraft. This is also very important, — believes the military expert.
On the evening of February 23, 2024, another Russian airborne early warning aircraft (ALW) A-50 was shot down in the area of the Sea of Azov.
Sinitsa: interception of the Russian Mi-8 in Ukraine
On August 9, an operation codenamed Sinitsa was carried out in the Kharkiv region near the border with the Russian Federation. As a result, the reconnaissance lured out a new Russian Mi-8 helicopter with an armored cabin.
The scouts also captured valuable documentation and secret technical equipment, which caused significant damage to enemy aircraft.
— Among the successful — operations was Sinitsa, when they actually managed to force Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov to hijack a helicopter and fly it to Ukraine. Then Kuzminov was killed in Spain, — recalled Alexander Musienko.
Then Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov, who ferried the enemy aircraft along a pre-agreed route, took off from the Kursk airfield in the Kharkov region — approximately 20 km from the border.
Then, near the village of Shebekino, the pilot flew at an extremely low altitude — 5-10 m, and in radio silence mode.
When we were directly crossing the border, they started firing at Kuzminov.
— I can't say for sure who started it, but I assume it was the Russian side. I was wounded in the leg by small arms fire. Then I flew about 20 km, landed at the designated place, — he said.
Along with the pilot, there were two crew members on board the Mi-8. When they realized that they had landed in Ukraine, they tried to escape and were eliminated.
Destruction of ships in the Black Sea and electronic warfare in Russia
Ukrainian Magura V5 naval drones, the key operator of which is the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, have repeatedly demonstrated their powerful effectiveness.
In particular, Ukrainian drones sank a number of ships, including — patrol Sergey Kotov, large landing Caesar Kunikov, missile Ivanovets, as well as the frigate Admiral Makarov. All of them were part of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
— It is necessary to highlight the strikes of the GUR with Magura surface dronesand not only. This is really what changes the course of military operations. These drones have destroyed many targets and surface ships. This is what deprives Russia of the ability to use ships in the Black Sea. These are very outstanding actions, the military expert emphasized.
On the night of April 17, 2024, Ukrainian drones attacked a military facility in Mordovia. The target was the 29B6 Container over-the-horizon radar, which was part of Russia's missile defense.
— It is impossible not to mention the GUR drone strikes deep into Russian territory. The GUR has already carried out an attack and destroyed Container over-the-horizon radar systems with a detection range of 3,000 km, — Musienko said.
It is known that thanks to the GUR, the Voronezh-M radar system was destroyed at a distance of more than 1.8 thousand km and the most modern 5th generation aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces Su-57 at the Akhtubinsk airfield.
The Main Intelligence Directorate was also involved in other strikes, the purpose of which was to deprive the enemy of the capabilities and capabilities for further strikes on the territory of Ukraine.
Operation in the Kursk region
On the morning of August 6, 2024, it became known about the beginning of the Ukrainian operation in the Kursk region of Russia. As reported by the Ukrainian side, the operation is a success and has five key goals.
Among them are — depriving Russia of the opportunity to use the Kursk region as a springboard for a new offensive, diverting Russian forces from other directions, creating a security zone and preventing shelling of civilian targets, capturing the occupiers, raising the morale of the Ukrainian troops and the nation as a whole.
— I like the fact that Kirill Budanov himself and his department are supporters of the idea that the war should be transferred to enemy territory. This is a very important point that must be understood, because it is the transfer of the war to enemy territory that solves a number of problems for us, — the military expert believes.
The first task — destruction of certain types of weapons or carriers of these weapons on the territory of Russia, respectively, it poses less of a threat to residents of Ukraine, noted Alexander Musienko.
Secondly, it has a preventive value, because it weakens the enemy even before he can use these weapons.
The third task is to play on the demoralization of both military personnel and the local population, because they see that they are unprotected. This begins to form a certain field of discontent with the actions of the Kremlin, the analyst noted.
— It is important to understand that Ukrainian intelligence can play a certain role in actions aimed at undermining Putin's power through various movements and trends. It is not fully known what role the GUR could have played in Prigozhin's rebellion, which never ended in success. But in any case, the interest is in having destructive processes in Russia and destabilizing the Putin regime, its legitimacy and interest. Perhaps this is the most secret history of these operations, which we have yet to learn about. But in the future, — summed up Alexander Musienko.
