What's going on in Ukraine?

[tabascoboy]

It's no surprise, but it does give (more) leverage to tie the Wagner PMCs war crimes firmly to the Russian state - which it has an ever growing list of its own of course.

[tabascoboy]

Shirley they can't be serious

[fishfoodie]

Handy for keeping chickens

[lemonhead]

Christ. How f*cking big are the mosquitos out there.

[Niegs]

I can see it working against a suicide drone, but what if you strike a mine and need to bail out in a hurry?

[laurent]

I can see it working against a suicide drone, but what if you strike a mine and need to bail out in a hurry?

Similar issue as with cope cages you burn quickly.

The Ukrainians have used the Chicken fencing around static artillery for a while rather successfully.

[tabascoboy]

Long thread with images about deployment of mines by RU hampering operations

2/ The mine problem encountered in this counter-offensive would pose a formidable challenge even for NATO or Western militaries if given the same resources. With thousands of heavily mined square kilometers, it is a complex and protracted issue that cannot be easily resolved.

3/ Providing us with more anti-mine means would improve the situation, but it doesn't solve all the challenges. Russians use various methods to lay mines, including manual, mechanized, and remote approaches, adding complexity as different types of mines require various clearance

4/ While the possibility of bombarding the mined areas to create safe passages theoretically exists, it would necessitate an extensive quantity of ammunition and resources that Ukraine currently lacks and realistically cannot acquire to clear dozens of kilometers that way

5/ What about mine plows? While this option may appear viable, it is vulnerable to ATGM fire or loitering munitions, effectively blocking the passage and exposing personnel to potential artillery engagements as they struggle to retreat or dislodge the stuck vehicle.

6/ Does the use of mine-clearing line charges prove effective? Yes, it does. However, there are two crucial caveats to consider: a single M58 or UR-77 charge clears only a relatively small area, whereas our objective is to address areas kilometers in depth, not merely meters.

7/ In previous wars, it was easier to approach the enemy at close proximity without being easily detected. However, the element of surprise has diminished significantly due to the constant presence of drones, which easily detect any approaching mine-clearing vehicles.

8/ While the ultimate goal is to suppress the enemy before the mine-clearing vehicles arrive, it remains a difficult challenge to contend with covert and mobile ATGM teams, helicopters, and loitering munitions that cannot be easily neutralized.

9/ This necessitates an extraordinary level of coordination among anti-air defense, electronic warfare (EW) units, sappers, engineers, artillery, and reconnaissance elements on a scale not encountered by many modern armies in recent large-scale operations.

10/ The chaining effect of mines is often overlooked but significantly hampers maneuverability in battle. Even after minefields are supposedly cleared, residual mines create lingering doubts, discouraging swift movements and maneuvers by military units

11/ In conclusion, it is crucial to acknowledge the gravity of this issue and allocate the requisite resources to bolster Ukraine's anti-mine capabilities. To overcome it, we must prioritize the development of innovative solutions and foster exceptional unit cooperation.

[Flockwitt]

^ good tweet that.

[sockwithaticket]

I clicked a video on reddit the other day, but didn't watch it after reading a couple of comments. Basically it was a group of Ukrainian troops who end up stepping into a minefield. A descriptor comment mentioned severed limbs, soldiers self-applying tourniquets, blood everywhere etc.

Just reading about it was enough and fully contextualised the relatively slow progress.

[Hellraiser]

[tabascoboy]

Caveat on unknown reliability of this source, but they are thought to have given at least tacit approval to Prigozhin's adventure, maybe for their own advancement

[Hellraiser]

[tabascoboy]

Caveat on unknown reliability of this source, but they are thought to have given at least tacit approval to Prigozhin's adventure, maybe for their own advancement

Might be corroborated now



EDIT and

[tabascoboy]

Intriguing stuff...

The whole text in easy to read form here https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1673 ... 93764.html

[Uncle fester]

Caveat on unknown reliability of this source, but they are thought to have given at least tacit approval to Prigozhin's adventure, maybe for their own advancement

Might be corroborated now



EDIT and

Was he the somewhat competent commander?

[tabascoboy]

Was he the somewhat competent commander?

The "Butcher of Syria" - don't think he found things quite as easy in Ukraine and led the retreat from Kherson City, but he is responsible for setting up the defensive lines that are proving tough to overcome

[tabascoboy]

[Guy Smiley]

A reality....

[tabascoboy]

From a few days ago, the first time that an error of planning has revealed the existence of "Putin Doubles"

[tabascoboy]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wagner mercenaries will no longer fight in Ukraine after chief refuses to sign contracts with Kremlin
Wagner fighters will no longer fight in Ukraine after the mercenary group’s chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, refused to sign any contracts with the Kremlin, according to the head of the Duma defence committee, Andrei Kartapolov.

Kartapolov said that a few days before the attempted rebellion, Russia’s ministry of defence announced that “all [groups] that perform combat missions must sign a contract” with the ministry, Tass news agency reported.

According to Kartapolov, Prigozhin did not sign the contracts and was informed that “Wagner would not take part in a special military operation.”

“That is, funding, material resources will not be allocated,” the deputy added.

Meanwhile Russia appear to be moving to absorb Wagner and it's numerous assets for itself, so removing any last doubts that Wagner is a proxy arm of the Russian state and its global ambitions

[tabascoboy]

[Hellraiser]

While a ridiculous claim at the best of times, there is both literal video evidence it isn't true, and the SBU has caught the Russian sleeper who called in the strike in real time. The Kremlin can't even claim ignorance or incompetence. It was a deliberate strike against a civilian target using real time intel.

[tabascoboy]

While a ridiculous claim at the best of times, there is both literal video evidence it isn't true, and the SBU has caught the Russian sleeper who called in the strike in real time. The Kremlin can't even claim ignorance or incompetence. It was a deliberate strike against a civilian target using real time intel.

It follows the usual pattern:
1) silence
2) Vatniks claim that UA did it with an errant Storm Shadow or air defence misfire / debris
3) There were CIA agents and mercenaries gathered there, so UA took out their own allies
4) We did it BUT it was legitimate military target!

[PornDog]

While a ridiculous claim at the best of times, there is both literal video evidence it isn't true, and the SBU has caught the Russian sleeper who called in the strike in real time. The Kremlin can't even claim ignorance or incompetence. It was a deliberate strike against a civilian target using real time intel.

To be fair, I can well believe that the sleeper agent told his handlers that there were generals meeting in there! Fucking stupid to buy that if that's the case, but I can still well believe it.

[tabascoboy]

We've heard this before, but given the weak and muddled response to the mutiny maybe they think it's time to flex

[tabascoboy]

[Hellraiser]

[Hellraiser]

[tabascoboy]

While a ridiculous claim at the best of times, there is both literal video evidence it isn't true, and the SBU has caught the Russian sleeper who called in the strike in real time. The Kremlin can't even claim ignorance or incompetence. It was a deliberate strike against a civilian target using real time intel.

It follows the usual pattern:
1) silence
2) Vatniks claim that UA did it with an errant Storm Shadow or air defence misfire / debris
3) There were CIA agents and mercenaries gathered there, so UA took out their own allies
4) We did it BUT it was legitimate military target!

[Hellraiser]

[Hellraiser]

[MungoMan]

Tick each box showing a tank then click the VERIFY button.

[Thor Sedan]

That is too much for me....got about 5 mins in and had a visceral reaction.

I am one of the folk who watches the combat footage like I am watching a movie - thinking that someone takes a bullet, wraps a torn shred of material around it and carries on firing twin machine guns while draped in an Ukrainian flag. This video shows it all to clearly what bullets, mines and bombs do to the human body.

I know that everyone says they would take up arms to defend their country and family etc - but I'm not sure I would have the guts to put myself in amongst that. My respect for the Ukrainian troops just ramped up to a new level.

[tabascoboy]

[tabascoboy]

Unconfirmed reports that the perp is a Russian citizen from a "military" background who entered Moldova from Turkey [EDIT] Now reported as a Tadzhiikstani citizen

[tabascoboy]

[Flockwitt]

The latest drop from hromadske is worthwhile. Talking to one of the new brigades who were given the French AMX-10s. It starts with them talking about the first time they took fire. These are still very raw troops.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usofO5dnpBA

[Hellraiser]

The survivability of the Western heavy kit seems to be incomparable to the old Soviet/current Russian stuff. Saw two pictures earlier of a Leopard 2A4 that hit mine, then got hit by a Lancet. Lost it's tracks but not much damage otherwise; crew all fine and it got recovered for repair.

[Hellraiser]

[Hellraiser]

Kriegsforscher (@OSINTua) said earlier that one Leopard 2, variant unnamed, took 4 ATGM and one 125mm hits and still managed to retreat under its own power.