Ukraine is well underway with its offensive, and has conquered several villages that were previously occupied by Russia. Several of these recaptures of villages must have happened at night, say military experts to the British newspaper Daily Telegraph. The Ukrainians must have managed this, among other things, with the help of equipment donated from the USA and Norway, which enables Ukraine to fight at night, according to the newspaper. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon is a British military expert who follows the war closely for, among others, the Daily Telegraph. He is also a regular contributor to the podcast Ukraine the latest. Photo: University of Cambridge This is confirmed by British military expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon in an interview with news. He was an officer for 23 years in the British Army and now writes for, among others, the Daily Telegraph about the military side of the war in Ukraine. – Many of the attacks that Ukraine has carried out in the last two months have been carried out at night. It takes a long time for infantry and artillery to learn how to operate effectively at night with the night optics equipment Ukraine has received from Western countries such as the USA and Norway. So it is quite obvious when we look at what time of day the attacks have taken place, this is the type of equipment that has been used, says Bretton Gordon to news. – The Russians have always complained that they have inferior night optics Lieutenant Colonel Geir Hågen Karlsen, head teacher at the Norwegian Defense Academy, believes this equipment is very important for Ukraine – It means that the Ukrainian forces are much better able to attack at night. And the Russians have always complained that they have worse night optics than the Ukrainians. Therefore, Russia is more vulnerable if the Ukrainians carry out attacks at night, says Geir Hågen Karlsen. The Norwegian Defense Force does not want to say how much equipment Norway has given to Ukraine. – It is true that Norway has donated night optics to Ukraine. This includes both light-amplifying glasses and binoculars. We do not want to go into detail about how many we have donated, says press officer Aleksander Engborg Hage in the Ministry of Defence. – This is for security reasons, as it will be able to say something about the capacity this has given Ukraine, says Engborg Hage to news. Ukrainian soldiers use night vision and strobe lights, flashing lights, to be seen by their fellow soldiers. Photo: The Ukrainian Armed Forces. – Now I can see far into the cave here Inside a small cave in Oslo, news is demonstrating the same type of equipment that Norway has donated to Ukraine. The cave is located inside the area of the Intelligence Service at Lutvann in Oslo. Kay from the Home Guard’s task force on its way into the cave at Lutvann. Photo: Tormod Strand / news Kay and Kenneth from the Home Guard’s task force in Oslo demonstrate the equipment. On her head, Kay puts light-enhancing glasses. He turns his head towards a dark part of the cave. – Now I can see far into the cave here, he says. Even I see only a dark hole. Kay from the Home Guard on her way through the cave. This is how it looks through the light-enhanced lens news used. It is completely dark in the cave. Photo: Tormod Strand / news Night optics work in such a way that by using photons, a type of elementary particles that all light and electromagnetic radiation are made of, the little light that is is amplified millions of times. This allows the soldiers to see in the dark through a green phosphor screen that creates small flashes of light. Kay puts on the equipment, light-enhancing glasses. Photo: Tormod Strand / news Night sights can be mounted on the head, on the helmet, on the weapon, or on tanks or other vehicles. The darker it is outside, the better advantage it gives in battle, say Kay and Kenneth. Bright summer nights offer less of an advantage, but the two soldiers from the Home Guard’s task forces say the equipment also offers a great advantage in darkened rooms. Kay and Kenneth from the Home Guard’s task force in Oslo. Photo: Tormod Strand / news Kay and Kenneth do not hide how important such equipment can be, assuming that the enemy is less equipped. – You will be able to see where the enemy will not be able to see. It is a big advantage on all operations. You have the advantage of seeing the enemy without using white light, so you don’t reveal your own position. – What do you think about this equipment being used in the war in Ukraine now? – It is obviously an important tool for the soldiers when it is dark, say Kay and Kenneth from the Home Guard’s task force. Drones become less dangerous for Ukraine The fact that Ukrainian soldiers can operate at night to a greater extent than Russia also reduces one of Russia’s most potent weapons, artillery: grenades and rockets that Russia has in large quantities, including long-range ones, according to Hågen Karlsen. Geir Hågen Karlsen believes that the equipment Norway has given to Ukraine is very important. Photo: Christian Bugge Hjort / Forsvaret / NTB The use of drones to find out where Ukrainian soldiers are in the terrain also becomes difficult at night for Russian forces. Russia has military drones with night vision, but in limited numbers. The Chinese-made commercial reconnaissance drones do not have night vision. This makes it more difficult for Russia to detect and attack Ukrainian forces at night, according to the Daily Telegraph. But Russia also has equipment to see at night, on tanks and on soldiers with night cameras and night goggles. – On a general basis, we know that it is of poorer quality. And that means in practice that you see less and at a shorter distance than modern Western equipment. And in addition, they have a smaller number of this equipment, says Geir Hågen Karlsen. According to military experts, the attacks Ukraine is now carrying out are only preparatory attacks to find out where the Russian fortifications are weakest, and where it is possible to push through for Ukraine. – When Ukraine finds the weak point in the Russian defense positions and chooses to mount a major attack, I also expect that this will happen at night with the night optics equipment as an important part of the major attack, says Hamish de Bretton-Gordon to news.
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Night optics from Norway give Ukraine a clear advantage – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
