Russia

[tugaj]

TheTeapot : lets ask Vladimir 'Why not peace with Ukraine'? We've got also prof. Orsini from Italy : "Hitler didn't want to start the WWII". Sure, agree, we can find Kremlin's propaganda everywhere.

 

[P.K.]

As the East of the country is perfect AFV country I should imagine the Ukrainians are now having a very hard time of it. Zelensky has asked for heavy weapons and as I understand it the next shipment from the US will include 155mm howitzers. Eighteen of them apparently which in the British Army is three batteries i.e. not a lot really.

I trust they are Self Propelled Guns (SPGs) and not towed. Because these days armies have MAMBA - MOBILE ARTILLERY MONITORING BATTLEFIELD RADAR. Iirc a narrow beam radar that can detect mortar, artillery and missile launches and instantly calculate where they came from and direct counter battery fire accordingly.

So you put your SPGs in position, fire off a couple of salvos and then execute the military manoeuvre known as RLF before a cruise missile turns up and obliterates your Gun Position. Set up elsewhere and repeat.

Of course, to be effective systems like that require first rate Command and Control integration which fortunately the Russians seem to very much lack.

So included in the shipment will be the US MAMBA system AN/TPQ-36.

Of course, the interpretation of the Department of Defense bulletin where I got the above from could be just wishful thinking...!

[The Phantom]

23 minutes ago, P.K. said:

As the East of the country is perfect AFV country I should imagine the Ukrainians are now having a very hard time of it. Zelensky has asked for heavy weapons and as I understand it the next shipment from the US will include 155mm howitzers. Eighteen of them apparently which in the British Army is three batteries i.e. not a lot really.

I trust they are Self Propelled Guns (SPGs) and not towed. Because these days armies have MAMBA - MOBILE ARTILLERY MONITORING BATTLEFIELD RADAR. Iirc a narrow beam radar that can detect mortar, artillery and missile launches and instantly calculate where they came from and direct counter battery fire accordingly.

So you put your SPGs in position, fire off a couple of salvos and then execute the military manoeuvre known as RLF before a cruise missile turns up and obliterates your Gun Position. Set up elsewhere and repeat.

Of course, to be effective systems like that require first rate Command and Control integration which fortunately the Russians seem to very much lack.

So included in the shipment will be the US MAMBA system AN/TPQ-36.

Of course, the interpretation of the Department of Defense bulletin where I got the above from could be just wishful thinking...!

I've heard it's a mixture of self propelled and the older towed style with the vehicles to tow.  Dutch are providing their Panzerhower which is regarded as being probably the best in the business.  I think the Canadians are supplying their Excalibur rounds which are extended range and guided - hopefully level up the towed/un-towed issue. 

As you've noted, counter battery radar is being supplied too.

MiGs and MiLs now being provided also.  Ironically the MiGs from Moldova and the MiLs from Afghanistan. 

A lot of older APVs are now being provided, a mixture of Soviet and Western.

10,000s more anti tank and air missiles. 

Rifles, millions of rounds of ammo.

Not just weapons.  Body armour, uniforms, MREs, credit for commercial satellite imagery (surely they should be giving that away free), IFAKs, medical. 

Talk about a proxy war! 

Mind boggling amounts of material are heading to the Ukrainians from all over the world.  The only problem is going to be getting it all to the front line which is approx 1500km from the western border, where it's all coming in and now being specifically targeted by the Russians.  

[P.K.]

Totally amoral narcissistic serial philanderer and inveterate liar Bozo Johnson really pissed me off yesterday. His car crash interview with Susanne Reid really set the scene. Reid told him about 77 yo pensioner Elsie who now has an energy bill 5 times what it was, only has one meal a day, shops in the evening for the cheap stuff and gets up early to use her Freedom Pass on the bus to ride around all day just to keep warm. What can she cut back on PM? Bozo responded with "Just to remind you that the 24 Hour Freedom Bus Pass is something that I introduced..." Toe curlingly awful and a rare insight into how he absolutely does not care for the "little people" at all. It's always about him.

The full interview 

The Elsie bit is 11 minutes in but the whole is worth watching.

He followed up that bravura performance with addressing the Ukraine parliament. He actually quoted Churchill and told them "This is Ukraine's finest hour" - sheeeesh! Pass the sick bag Alice...

He also told them this "You have proved the old saying – it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog – which is an old English saying..." Well, I guess US author Mark Twain spoke a sort-of English as it's a quote from him.

The best advice Boris Johnson could have given the Ukraine parliament would have been never, ever, trust a totally self-centred politician like Boris Johnson...

 

[manxman1980]

@P.K. Johnson also lied about introducing the Freedom Bus Pass whilst Major of London.

It already existed although he did extend the coverage to 24 hours per day.   I suppose Elsie should be eternally grateful for that.

[ManxTaxPayer]

Well, back on topic, this is (possibly) interesting.

[The Phantom]

32 minutes ago, ManxTaxPayer said:

Well, back on topic, this is (possibly) interesting.

It's the only way this will stop I think. 

In other news, the Belarus military has started a massive mobilization. 

[quilp]

58 minutes ago, ManxTaxPayer said:

Well, back on topic, this is (possibly) interesting.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/04/27/vicious-blame-game-erupts-among-putins-security-forces-a77508

I'll believe it when I see it...

[Numbnuts]

On 5/5/2022 at 10:56 AM, quilp said:

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/04/27/vicious-blame-game-erupts-among-putins-security-forces-a77508

I'll believe it when I see it...

I think there could be something in all this. Clearly Putin has made a massive mistake in thinking his forces would take the country in around three days. He's  had a big wake up call on the abilities of his military .Also he couldn't have thought that there would be such a coming together of all the countries to support the Ukrainians. His military have been decimated and can't imagine its not affecting mindsets. 

 

Edited May 6, 2022 by Numbnuts

[The Phantom]

We'll have to see what madness comes out on 9th May!

Interesting report on the Azov Battalion.

 

Tragically i think the defence of Mariopol Steel works will become one of the legendary last stands.

Slava Ukraini

[Numbnuts]

2 hours ago, The Phantom said:

We'll have to see what madness comes out on 9th May!

Interesting report on the Azov Battalion.

 

Tragically i think the defence of Mariopol Steel works will become one of the legendary last stands.

Slava Ukraini

Have to sadly agree. But those guys are what the word hero was made for.

They will talk about their stand for ever. Praying for a miracle and they can be saluted as they emerge from that living hell. 

Slava Ukraini 

Edited May 6, 2022 by Numbnuts

[P.K.]

Today is "Victory Day" in Moscow.

Arms are pouring into Ukraine. Even heavy artillery which is much needed.

The Russian doctrine is pound the enemy positions with artillery until they're wrecked. Then a column of tanks drive through what remains of the enemy followed by APCs. The APC's then disgorge their dismounts who attack from the rear the theory being most of the enemy weaponry will be facing forward.

Fine in theory. However the morale of the Russians right now isn't up to closing in to kill the enemy hand-to-hand. Counter-battery fire will also be starting to have an effect on their supporting arms. So their advances are a bit stalled and stagnating.

So wouldn't it be nice if Putin announced their mighty war machine had achieved all of their objectives so it is time to consolidate their gains.

[P.K.]

Oh well. It was a nice idea:

Putin marks Victory Day in Moscow with no major new announcements on Ukraine

Russian president Vladimir Putin in his speech at the Red Square parade did not make any major announcements as the Russian leader spent of it justifying his invasion of Ukraine, describing it as he has done in the past as “the forced, timely and only correct decision.”

Speaking in front of over 10,000 troops, the Russian leader repeated his rationales for what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine, claiming that the West was planning an attack on Crimea and that Moscow had “no other option.”

“Nato countries did not want to listen to us. They had different plans, and we saw it. They were planning an invasion into our historic lands, including Crimea … Russia gave a preemptive rebuff to aggression, it was a forced, timely and only right decision.

Putin notably did not declare general mobilisation or a formal declaration of war, two scenarios experts said would further escalate the war in Ukraine. His speech was also devoid of threats to use nuclear weapons, as Western concerns have recently grown concerned over Moscow’s rhetoric that signalled the Kremlin was considering such weapons.
But there were also no signs that Putin planned to de-escalate the conflict. Some observers said the Russian leader might seek to end the war by proclaiming victory in the Donbas.

As expected, Putin aimed to portray the war in Ukraine as a continuation of World War II and the battle aganst Nazism.

Addressing Russian soldiers who he said arrived from the battlefield in Ukraine, he said, “You are fighting for the homeland, for its future, for no one to forget the lessons of World War II.”

[The Phantom]

It was a distinct possibility he could have gone full tonto and declared all out war on Ukraine and/or NATO. 

Thus far, I think his speech hasn't gone as far as many feared and this is the best we could have hoped for. 

[P.K.]

23 minutes ago, The Phantom said:

It was a distinct possibility he could have gone full tonto and declared all out war on Ukraine and/or NATO. 

Having seen NATO technology tearing up his AFV assets in Ukraine Putin knows taking on NATO could only end in a nuclear exchange.

Seems to me he doesn't know what to do...