Battle for Antonov Airport
1. Preparation before dawn
At 3 am on February 24th, 222, the military airport in Gomel, Belarus was brightly lit, and dozens of advanced armed helicopters were neatly arranged on the tarmac. When you look at it, it was dark, and the tall fuselage was glowing with cold metal, and the pressure came on your face. The airport is surrounded by dense forests, and the night is shrouded. The long runway stretches into the dark distance with no end in sight.
At the moment, the temperature is MINUS 7 degrees, a thin layer of water mist is suspended in the air, and the lights begin to dim, and the shadow cast by the propeller of the fighter plane is like the claws of a monster. The ground crew, wearing gloves and swallowing, are as busy as workers' ants. Some are pulling flatbed trucks to carry ammunition, and some are adding fuel. They are silent and silent, but their faces are dignified and silent. The pilot installed an auxiliary fuel tank under the fuselage of Ka -52 and Mi -24 to prepare for a long-distance attack; The launch nest is full of aviation rockets, supersonic anti-tank missiles with tandem warheads are mounted under the short wings, and the box in the machine gun is filled with 28 3MM shells.
when all the weapons are mounted, this Ka -52 helicopter gunship, which is as famous as American Apache, bulges its strong muscles like a powerful crocodile, ready to launch a deadly attack on its prey. Ka -52 adopts the * * * axial reverse twin-rotor design, and cancels the tail rotor. It is also the world's first ejection escape seat equipped with fixed-wing fighters, which makes this helicopter have strong performance and survivability.
The Mi -8 transport plane not far away has a huge fuselage, just like an Airbus, which can carry up to 28 soldiers and two auxiliary fuel tanks, and can reach the longest voyage of 1, kilometers. This mission is an improved Mi -8AMTSH-VN model, which was named "Peregrine Falcon" by the Ministry of National Defense. The engine and avionics system with better performance were replaced on the old Mi -8 platform, and removable armor plates were installed in the transport cabin and cockpit to resist the attack of 12.7mm bullets. The huge weapon pod on both sides has 12 external suspension points, which can be equipped with anti-tank missiles, rocket launching nests and aviation guns, and a 12.7mm heavy machine gun is installed above the short wing.
The Mi -24 multi-functional armed transport helicopter of the female deer next to it is a veteran who has stood the test of war. After more than 3 wars, it has stable performance and excellent record.
The 31st Air Assault Brigade of the Russian Guards carried out this raid, and the elite troops from the special forces were deployed to supplement the 6th Company, forming a 22-person reinforced company. They will be the vanguard troops at the forefront, and they will go straight into the enemy's heart at lightning speed, open up air corridors and guide the subsequent Il-76 transport aircraft to land. As vanguard commandos, they can only carry assault rifles, grenades, grenade launchers, cornet anti-tank missiles and other individual weapons.
at 4 a.m., all the weapons were mounted, the fuel was filled, the pilot made a final inspection, and everything was ready. 22 heavily armed airborne troops boarded the most advanced Russian helicopter gunships, including 16 Ka-52s, 8 Mi-24s and 1 Mi-8s, and quietly waited for the take-off orders from their superiors.
at 5 o'clock in the morning, the sky in the east showed a fish-belly white. Just then, several flames rose in the distant sky, dragging their long tails to the southeast. The soldiers know that the battle has officially started. The rocket troops assembled at the border fired tactical missiles and precision-guided cruise missiles at airports, radar stations and military command posts in Ukraine, and long-range fire guns were also dumped at preset military targets.
at 6 o'clock, the president's attack order has been given to the whole army. Navy ships are heading for Odessa from the Mediterranean Sea in the south, ship-borne cruise missiles attack the radar system of the port, the army armored cluster in the east advances to the Mesu and Kharkov areas, and the troops in the southeast March to Lugansk and Donetsk. Fighters from various airports carry a large number of guided bombs to break through the border and attack the air defense system of the Ukrainian army.
Second, set sail
The engine started, and the propeller tore the air, making a roaring sound. The soldiers looked solemn. Although they were veterans who had experienced many wars, this time they were not facing the Syrian rebels or the urban riots in Kazakhstan. They were facing a brotherly country with much stronger military strength.
As an elite Russian air force, airborne troops have a brilliant record: in 1968, airborne troops stormed Prague airport by lightning, opened up air corridors, and occupied the capital of Czechoslovakia in one day; In 1979, when Afghanistan was invaded, the airborne division plunged into Kabul airport and quickly took control of the capital. In 1999, 2 airborne troops preempted Pristina airport and completed the blockade and control deployment; In the second Chechen war in 2, 9 airborne troops held on to the 776 highland, defeating the attack of 2 Chechen armed forces at the cost of almost all their deaths. In 222, the 31st Airborne Assault Brigade, 45th Special Operations Brigade and 98th Guards Red Flag Airborne Division took control of Nursultan International Airport, the capital of Kazakhstan, to quell civil strife in Kazakhstan.
oversight decided to take Kiev in five days, and whether it can achieve the preset goal or not, this surprise mission is very important.
The pilot Ka -52 took off, followed by helicopters, and a huge roar resounded through the clouds. A formation of 34 helicopters set off from the military airport in Gomel, Belarus, and went all the way south.
Although Russian air force and rocket army suppressed and attacked Ukraine's air defense system, it is impossible to completely destroy the other's air defense system in a short time. Therefore, when helicopter formations enter Ukraine, they fly at low altitude along the broad Dnieper River to avoid radar detection.
The task of airborne troops this time is to capture Antonov freight airport, which is located 15 kilometers northwest of Kiev, with few residents and weak defense force, and is an ideal bridgehead for attacking Kiev. After occupying the airport, the air corridor was opened to guide the large transport plane of the 76th Airborne Division to transport T-72 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, artillery and other heavy equipment, and quickly entered the Ukrainian capital.
The helicopter formation is advancing at a high speed of 3 kilometers per hour. After flying along the river for more than 3 minutes, the sun has risen, and the sun has spread all over the earth, coating the forests, lakes and fields with a layer of golden light. The endless black land in the Ukrainian plain unfolds like a picture scroll.
The flying height of the helicopter is only 4 meters high from the surface of Dnieper River. The strong airflow blows up the river, causing waves, and the glow is everywhere. Commandos have penetrated into Ukraine for hundreds of kilometers without any resistance. Did the radar fail to find them, or did the air defense system have been completely destroyed by missiles? Soldiers are full of doubts. Of course, they believe that their actions are more secretive.
At about 7 o'clock, the formation arrived over Kiev Reservoir, not far ahead was the capital of Ukraine, and the buildings of the city could be seen from the engine room. The pilot card -5 no longer continued to go south along the river, but turned southwest and went straight to Antonov airport.
Third, it was attacked by stinger
At this moment, several flames flashed in the forest by the river, and several stinger missiles dragged their flames and flew towards the fleet. The pilot's Ka -52 airborne radar had sensed the missile's attack, and the warning light kept flashing. The pilot immediately released the hot flame bomb, interfered with the infrared guide head of the stinger missile, and quickly made maneuvers to avoid it. Stinger missile passed by on the left side of Ka -52 and fell into the reservoir, causing the airborne soldiers on board to break out in a cold sweat.
When the pilot Ka -52 evaded the stinger missile attack, another stinger flew to the Mi -8 behind. Mi -8 quickly pulled up, releasing dozens of hot flame bombs, and dozens of flames disturbed the tracking direction of the missile, making it lose its target. The helicopter formation was attacked by stinger missiles and immediately opened up. The two Ka-52 s on the left turned their heads and fired violently into the forest with a 3 mm machine gun. The powerful power swept off the thick trunk in the forest, and the shooter lurking in the forest might be killed.
The shooter hiding in another forest seized the opportunity and fired a missile at the helicopter. A Ka -52 couldn't dodge, and the missile exploded 5 meters away from the helicopter. Dozens of high-speed prefabricated fragments flew to the fuselage, tearing off the skin of Ka -52, interrupting the lines and oil pipes, and the helicopter immediately lost control.
The pilot started the escape button, and the pre-embedded explosives blew up the main rotor. The top cover of the cockpit immediately bounced off, and two small rockets under the escape seat ignited, with a loud whoosh, and two flames were ejected. The powerful lifting force rushed the pilot into the sky, and then the parachute opened, and the pilot slowly fell into the Kiev reservoir.
In order to cover the rapid passage of the formation, a Ka -52 in charge of the back of the house fired wildly at the shooter's position with a machine gun, and another Stinger missile exploded three meters to its left. The powerful shock wave caused the helicopter to shake violently several times, and the prefabricated fragments of the missile penetrated the engine room, so Ka -52 was out of control and the pilot forced to land.
The helicopter formation was attacked sporadically in Kiev Reservoir, and two Ka-52s were lost. The formation did not continue to fight, but quickly left and continued to run to Antonov airport.
soon, the white runway appeared in front of them, and they knew that it was Antonov airport. In more than a month before the attack, they knew the plan of the airport, the design of the terminal and the three-dimensional real-life model, and simulated the attack many times. So even if I have never been here, I am no stranger to the airport.
The formation launched a battle formation. Two Ka-52s landed at the entrance of Airport Avenue, and three Mi-24s went around the back of the terminal building to shoot the defenders in the tower.
IV. Fierce fighting at the airport
Planes landed at every intersection outside the airport, forming a siege of the airport. Police officers at the airport fired automatic rifles from the windows. The Mi -8 transport helicopter stopped on the runway and put the airborne troops on the ground. Several Mi-24s and Ka-52s circled around the terminal building, firing machine guns and cannons at the defenders.
The defenders of the airport panicked in the face of the enemy's sudden attack, so they had to rely on the ground building of the airport to shoot at the airborne troops. The 3MM machine gun on the helicopter can penetrate the tank's top cover armor, especially against ordinary building bunkers, smashing the defenders hiding indoors.
The airborne troops who have landed quickly broke into the terminal and tower, and fired at the defenders with Grenade launchers, with explosions coming and going. In the face of the powerful firepower of armed helicopters, the airport defenders who were only equipped with light weapons were vulnerable. After more than half an hour, more than 2 guards at Antonov Airport were all killed.
Commandos occupied the airport and controlled key targets such as the terminal building and the tower. Some soldiers deployed outside the airport and called the 76th Airborne Division stationed in Russia at the same time. Twenty Il 76 transport planes were ready to go, which contained infantry fighting vehicles, tanks, artillery and fuel.
The Mi -8 transport helicopter completed the transport task and began to return, leaving eight Ka-52s and four Mi-24s to defend the airport.
Russian airborne troops occupied Antonov airport with lightning speed, approaching the capital, which was like a bolt from the blue for Zelensky. He is well aware of the power of Russian airborne troops. As long as the airport falls into the hands of Russian troops, it will be equal to Enemy at the Gates, and Kiev will face great threats and easily fall to the enemy.
The Ukrainian side responded immediately. It happened that the 4th Rapid Response Brigade of the National Guard was practicing near the airport, so it ordered this unit to rush to the airport immediately.
Several BTR-4 infantry fighting vehicles are leading the way. This is an improved eight-wheeled combat vehicle designed by Ukraine. The unmanned turret on the roof is equipped with a 3mm automatic cannon and two anti-tank missiles, which can destroy enemy armored vehicles within 5km. At the same time, it is also equipped with a 3mm automatic Grenade launcher and a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. The fire control system has been digitally improved, with seven passenger seats. The cockpit and passenger compartment are equipped with armor plates, and the overall performance is excellent, but the output is not much.
As soon as the infantry fighting vehicle drove to the intersection of the airport, it was attacked by the Russian individual "cornet" anti-tank missile. An infantry fighting vehicle was hit and burst into flames, killing all eight soldiers in the vehicle, including two drivers. The rest of the chariots immediately drove to the Woods on both sides of the road to escape. At the same time, the 3MM cannon on the car opened fire on the Russian army, and the powerful firepower penetrated the Russian defense line, killing many Russian soldiers.
Russian airborne troops have no heavy firepower except machine guns, individual anti-tank missiles and Grenade launchers, so they are vulnerable to Ukrainian infantry fighting vehicles. Russian troops stationed at the intersection of the airport were defeated, while firing grenades and retreating to the terminal building. With the protection of infantry fighting vehicles and strong firepower, the Ukrainian army pushed forward step by step, and released smoke bombs to cover the attack of anti-tank missiles and forcibly broke into the airport.
More than 2 Russian airborne troops were compressed in several buildings attached to the terminal and airport, and fired machine guns at Ukrainian troops. In the face of the Ukrainian counterattack, the Russian Ka -52 helicopter quickly took off and fired rockets at the Ukrainian infantry fighting vehicle. Another infantry fighting vehicle was hit and caught fire. Fortunately, the infantry inside had got off the bus and hid behind the building.
A Ukrainian infantry fighting vehicle in the forest fired a machine gun at the helicopter, and Ka -52 maneuvered to avoid the attack of the Ukrainian army. The follow-up troops of the Ukrainian army have been coming continuously. The Russian Ka -52 and Mi -24 all took off, circled over the airport and strafed the Ukrainian army with machine guns and cannons.
Strong air fire blocked the attack of the Ukrainian army, forcing the Ukrainian army to retreat to the nearby forests and buildings to hide. The Russian helicopter was also afraid of the Ukrainian stinger anti-aircraft missiles, and did not dare to catch up and kill them. In addition, due to limited ammunition, it could not be replenished in a short time, so it flew back to the airport and hid the helicopter.
The Ukrainian army was destroyed by three infantry fighting vehicles. For a time, the infantry fighting vehicles dared not continue to advance to the airport, so they only dived under the terminal building by leaping infantry, and the two sides exchanged fire with guns. Although there were only more than 2 Russian troops, they were all elites in the army. They used the buildings in the airport for tenacious resistance and fought a tug-of-war for more than three hours until noon.
When the Russian army took a short break, intensive explosions rang out one after another, and the 45th Special Operations Brigade of Ukraine rushed to reinforce it. This airport is related to the safety of the capital, and Ukraine wants to recapture it at all costs. Mortars were fired from the periphery of the airport to the terminal building, and shells fell from the roof, blowing debris everywhere.
In the face of the siege of nearly 2, Ukrainian troops, the Russian army obviously felt the pressure. The remaining dozen helicopters took off again, 3MM machine guns and rocket launchers poured out from the air to the Ukrainian army, and personnel carriers and armored vehicles exploded one after another, making it difficult to suppress the Ukrainian army.
At this moment, Sam 11 (Beech) air defense missile lurking near the airport launched an attack on the Russian helicopter. A Mi -24 was hit and caught fire, and it fell headlong and exploded violently.
the il-76 transport plane, which was supposed to come later, had no landing conditions at all, so it had to be diverted and landed in Belarus. Heavy equipment and reinforcements can't come, and more than 2 Russian troops can't hold the airport.
V. No winner
In the afternoon, Ukraine forcibly took off a Mi -29 fixed-wing fighter from a military airport in the west, although from the early morning, Russia's