Ukraine forces appear to own the nights

 Telegraph:

Ukrainian forces are taking advantage of Western-supplied night-vision equipment to attack under the cover of darkness, seizing villages and territory.

Kyiv has launched repeated night-time assaults since its counter-offensive in the Zaporizhzhia region began a week ago, triggering alarm among Russian war correspondents reporting the losses.

On Monday morning, Ukraine claimed to have captured Storozhov, a village near Velyka Novosilka. It came a day after it claimed to have liberated the villages of Neskuchny and Blahodatne and Makarivka, in the same area.

Meanwhile, a Russian train carrying fuel to the front lines appeared to have been blown up in a possible attack by partisans working behind enemy lines.

The Ukrainian military has refused to discuss tactics for the assaults, but the timing of the attacks on the villages suggests they have a tactical advantage after dark.

“Why is the war conducted at night? It’s as clear as day! ” Vladimir Sladkov, a Russian war correspondent, wrote on Telegram on Saturday.

“Imported equipment has amazing night optics. It can move, observe, and target, and correct the accuracy of fire. That’s why the enemy is choosing the night.”

Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-installed official in the Zaporizhzhia region, suggested that the Ukrainian offensives came after dark to frustrate Russian air power and drones and “maximise the advantage from Western-supplied equipment and instruments”.

Leopard 2 tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles, which have both played a prominent role in the offensive so far, are known to have cutting-edge night sights.

Most Russian and Ukrainian tanks and armoured vehicles also have night-vision capabilities. However, some older Soviet-pattern systems operated by both sides, like unmodernised BMP infantry fighting vehicles and Strela-10 air defence systems, often have no night-vision capability at all.

The US began supplying Ukraine special forces with night-vision goggles (NVGs), including $40,000 GPNVG goggles, as early as 2018.
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US special forces have been using the night goggles for operations for some time and it looks like Ukraine is now doing the same thing.