Flashback to Hostomel and the “wiping out of the VDV”
A thread about VDV casualties at Hostomel
1/17
A thread about VDV casualties at Hostomel
1/17
So we’ve all heard the ukie cope by now “The VDV got destroyed in Hostomel”, “Two IL-76s shot down full with paratroopers”. Let me talk this bs (and make xoxols go wild).
2/17
2/17
Russian (opposition) site “Mediazona” has been keeping count of Russian casualties since Feb 24 2022, and it has the most reliable info on overall Russian casualties since the start of the SMO. Keep in mind that the casualties are for the whole front and not just Kiev
3/17
3/17
For the whole duration of the Kiev Offensive (Feb. 24 to Apr. 4) the VDV only suffered 478(!) confirmed KIA. As for vehicles they lost about 102 pieces of equipment (Arty, AVs and technicals)
4/17
4/17
Three main VDV Brigades attacked Hostomel: 31st Guards Air Aslt. Brig., 11th GAA and the 45th Sptesnaz Brigade. Each brigade consists of two Air Assault Battalions (6 AA companies). Each company has about 12 vehicles.
5/17
5/17
On paper an AA battalion is around 307 men strong and has 36 vehicles (BMDs, BTR-D). Based on these numbers one AA brigade is 614 strong and has 72 vehicles in total (two battalions).
6/17
6/17
Now, if we look at the units at Hostomel (3 Brigades) we can calculate the approximate size of the attacking elements. At max 1842 soldiers were transported by Mi-8mtv helicopters to seize the airport. Without any vehicles but with air support from KA-52s and Su-25s.
7/17
7/17
The heavy equipment (BMDs, ATGMs etc.) were only pulled in after the VDV had secured the airport about a day later. During the storming only NSV/Kord heavy machine guns were the only heavy equipment present.
8/17
8/17
Only by the 25th was the VDV able to send BMD-2s and 4Ms to the Antonov Airport. That day the 31st Guards Air Assault Brigade moved into the city of Hostomel where they got ambushed. They lost about 4 BMD-4Ms (only the 31st has BMD-4s) a few BTR-Ds and some BMD-2s.
9/17
9/17
Was this the “wiping out of the VDV”? Absolutely not. Until the end 31st would lose some 16 more BMD-4s (about 2 companies). While these losses are big, those BMDs got replaced. After the retreat the 31st participated in the battles of Izyum and Severodonetsk.
10/17
10/17
Going back to the claimed 478 KIA VDV soldiers, this is about 25% of the total number of troops that landed at Hostomel. This is a rather large number but again, these are all VDV casualties from the SMO zone in a 1 month period.
11/17
11/17
So what about those 102 pieces of lost equipment? Those are all of the equipment losses that the VDV suffered, artillery, trucks etc. A VDV brigade has way more vehicles than 216. 216 are only the BMDs and fighting vehicles in an AA brigade. They also have trucks and such.
12/17
12/17
“Why no artillery support?” is a common question I've come across. Well air assault troops usually don’t have artillery support, see Market Garden, Operation Mercury and alot more. Airborne troops almost never have artillery support.
13/17
13/17
The 31st are supposed to have 2S9 Nona mortars but they didn’t drop them for some reason. They were also seen using mortars at the airport and captured Ukrainian artillery guns so they did have some artillery support.
14/17
14/17
A VDV Brigade would also have additional support in form of a T-72B3 company and an artillery battalion with D-30 howitzers, however these aren't airdroppable.
15/17
15/17
“Two IL-76s shot down full with paratroopers”. Where proof? It has been a year and still no proof. Also having IL-76s would also mean that they would have dropped vehicles like BMDs and Nonas. Nothing happened.
16/17
16/17
In conclusion, no, the VDV did not get wiped out because the 31st lost a few BMDs in the town of Hostomel. We also did not see much more personnel losses at the airport itself. The 45th and 11th held the airport until the last days, and didn’t suffer as many casualties.
17/17
17/17
Had fun writing this. Thanks for everyone who took the time to read it
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