“Before that, I only shot on the simulator.” A soldier destroyed a Russian missile with his first MANPADS shot
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Dmytro Gerasimenko, an anti-aircraft gunner of the protection unit of the radio engineering battalion, destroyed a Russian missile from the Igla MANPADS during the very first combat sortie.
The Air Force Command reports that the soldier successfully “debuted” after Easter.
“The management made us happy with the day off for the holiday, so for the first time in a long time we gathered as a family at a large table, everyone wished in one voice: “Clear sky, peace, calm shifts…” They made an appointment… I didn’t have time to come to work in the morning in a good mood, when almost immediately it sounded team “Air!”, – recalls the fighter.
He was at the post when the correction was transmitted from the command post: “On approach, turned south, look carefully…”
| Dmytro Gerasimenko Photo of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine |
“And before that, I only “shot” on the simulator. My heart is racing, I listen to every sound so as not to miss this nasty one… Although in reality it is impossible to miss it or confuse it with something. I fixed the missile when the distance to it was 600 meters. For all about everything – from target detection to launch – a few seconds!” Dmytro explains.
According to him, anti-aircraft gunners always have two loaded “tubes” with them, but in reality there is only a chance for one full-fledged attempt.
“I activated the MANPADS, pointed at the target, fired. I saw how my missile confidently caught up with the Russian one. The explosion hit! To be honest, I didn’t immediately believe it myself… In theory, the “Igla” is not designed to destroy cruise missiles. As you can see, in practice – everything is quite possible”– says the soldier.
The husband jokes that he was most amused by his wife’s reaction – she read in regional publications that “an anti-aircraft defense system went off nearby.” And when she found out that her husband eliminated the missile, she asked several times in shock: “So, you’re an air force?”
How does the radio engineering battalion work?
The fighter emphasizes: it is incorrect to write down missiles as an asset of one person. The main task of the radio engineering battalion in which he serves is the detection of air targets.
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| The weight of the “Needle”, which Dmytro Gerasimenko holds on his shoulder, is 18 kilograms |
“Our radar stations work around the clock, scanning the airspace. They are manned 24/7 by people on combat duty, identify and track targets, and transmit information to command posts.
Thanks to this work, all of Ukraine knows where and when to wait for rockets or “shahedis”. And calculations of anti-aircraft missile systems, fighter aircraft, mobile fire groups, like ours, receive clear coordinates for destroying targets.” – explains Dmytro Gerasimenko.
He is convinced: “destroying an enemy target” is only the tip of the iceberg in the overall chain of the air defense system, because behind every landed missile or drone is the perfectly coordinated work of a large team.
“My immediate task, and that of my unit, is to guard, protect and defend the battalion’s combat positions from enemy attack, in particular from the air. But now the tasks are broader – we are defending Ukraine from air attacks.” – concludes the soldier.
Soldier Dmytro Gerasimenko was awarded the III degree “For Courage” order, as well as a watch from the commander of the Air Force.
We will remind you that earlier we wrote about how to voluntarily enter the army in the desired unit and according to your specialty.
Read also: “FPV-drones – the reincarnation of sniping”. The story of the pilot and sniper “Echo”
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