Ukraine

[Holman]

A Hundred Wrecked Tanks In A Hundred Hours: Ukraine Guts Russia’s Best Tank Army

The Ukrainian army by contrast has more tanks now than it did before the current counteroffensives, as it has captured more Russian tanks than it has lost of its own.

Grand Theft Armor

[Daehawk]

Ukraine President Zelensky has 'no serious injuries' after car accident

Sounds suspicious.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has emerged with "no serious injuries" from a car collision in Kyiv on Wednesday.

According to a statement from the president's press secretary, "a car collided with the car of the President of Ukraine and escort vehicles."

Medics accompanying Zelensky gave emergency aid to the car's driver and transferred him to an ambulance, it said.

"The president was examined by a doctor, no serious injuries were found," the statement added.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the incident.

[raydude]

6-minute podcast from former Gen. Mark Hertling on why Russia's army is so bad and why it will take so long for it to become good:

[Jaymann]

Let me guess: In the U.S. the graft is funneled through defense contractors, whereas in Russia the Oligarchs take it right off the top.

[raydude]

Let me guess: In the U.S. the graft is funneled through defense contractors, whereas in Russia the Oligarchs take it right off the top.

It's not just the Oligarchs. Corruption is at every level. From the generals and officers who siphon off funds and supplies, to techs who steal components to sell on the black market, to trainers who cut corners and pocket the difference. Then there is the culture of lower ranks not needing to know, or make decisions. Thus, everyone has to wait for an upper-level officer to make a decision. No incentive for unit initiative, hence no quick reactions to events on the battlefield.

[malchior]

Right. It is fair at larger scale to label Russia as a criminal nation. It has corruption from the lowest level soldier up through Putin himself. At the soldier level, we have reports of ethnic violence, summary executions, and worse. In the retreats we've seen since the beginning of this phase of the war we've seen wholesale looting, carjacking, and indiscriminate violence. The next level up in the pecking order are robbing from the soldiers. The next level up are taking a cut and diverting funds/equipment to sell off. It continues on like a matryoshka doll of corruption. Their society is ethically bankrupt and it has impacted their capabilities down to the bones. This war has exposed how deep the rot was.

[LawBeefaroni]

It continues on like a matryoshka doll of corruption. Their society is ethically bankrupt and it has impacted their capabilities down to the bones.

It's a Dickensian Ghost of USA Future.

[Pyperkub]

Ukraine President Zelensky has 'no serious injuries' after car accident

Sounds suspicious.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has emerged with "no serious injuries" from a car collision in Kyiv on Wednesday.

According to a statement from the president's press secretary, "a car collided with the car of the President of Ukraine and escort vehicles."

Medics accompanying Zelensky gave emergency aid to the car's driver and transferred him to an ambulance, it said.

"The president was examined by a doctor, no serious injuries were found," the statement added.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the incident.

Stay away from hospital windows and umbrellas?

[paulbaxter]

Ukraine President Zelensky has 'no serious injuries' after car accident

Sounds suspicious.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has emerged with "no serious injuries" from a car collision in Kyiv on Wednesday.

According to a statement from the president's press secretary, "a car collided with the car of the President of Ukraine and escort vehicles."

Medics accompanying Zelensky gave emergency aid to the car's driver and transferred him to an ambulance, it said.

"The president was examined by a doctor, no serious injuries were found," the statement added.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the incident.

Stay away from hospital windows and umbrellas?

If you've ever been on Ukrainian roads, you'd probably find this a bit less suspicious.

On a different note, Yale University is making their course The Making of Modern Ukraine, available for free on YouTube. It's taught by Timothy Snyder, who is one of the big names in scholarship on Ukraine. I've watched the first two lectures and they were both excellent.

[malchior]

It continues on like a matryoshka doll of corruption. Their society is ethically bankrupt and it has impacted their capabilities down to the bones.

It's a Dickensian Ghost of USA Future.

Maybe not the best thread but a good example of our own rot.

[El Guapo]

Ukraine President Zelensky has 'no serious injuries' after car accident

Sounds suspicious.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has emerged with "no serious injuries" from a car collision in Kyiv on Wednesday.

According to a statement from the president's press secretary, "a car collided with the car of the President of Ukraine and escort vehicles."

Medics accompanying Zelensky gave emergency aid to the car's driver and transferred him to an ambulance, it said.

"The president was examined by a doctor, no serious injuries were found," the statement added.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the incident.

Stay away from hospital windows and umbrellas?

If you've ever been on Ukrainian roads, you'd probably find this a bit less suspicious.

On a different note, Yale University is making their course The Making of Modern Ukraine, available for free on YouTube. It's taught by Timothy Snyder, who is one of the big names in scholarship on Ukraine. I've watched the first two lectures and they were both excellent.

I assume that if the Ukrainian government thinks that Russia was involved in the accident, that they won't be shy about saying so.

Can you imagine being the guy to accidentally crash into the president's car in a situation like this?

[malchior]

This led to me having a good laugh. They're on the assembly line just behind the T-14s.

[LawBeefaroni]

Ignoring that Russia is a joke, a .50cal starts at around 10K foot pounds IIRC. Even if the armor stops it from penetration, it's still going to shatter bones, damage organs, etc. You may survive impact but you're still a WIA casualty.

[Jaymann]

Wasted In Action?
Wanker In Action?

[Holman]

Ignoring that Russia is a joke, a .50cal starts at around 10K foot pounds IIRC. Even if the armor stops it from penetration, it's still going to shatter bones, damage organs, etc. You may survive impact but you're still a WIA casualty.

Hey now. That suit consists of two feet of reinforced concrete.

The West will come to fear the modern Russian soldier and the six-wheel forklift supporting him.

[$iljanus]

This led to me having a good laugh. They're on the assembly line just behind the T-14s.

I think someone in Russia has been watching too many FPS games…

I also suspect that the poor sucker in that armor is probably going to have shit situational awareness in that helmet so as he stumbles around he’ll probably get a few laughs before a few rounds knocks him down and shatters some bones.

[LordMortis]

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/16/russia- ... dates.html


Snip

Russian mercenary firm Wagner Group is recruiting convicts for Ukraine war

Russian mercenary firm Wagner Group is recruiting criminal convicts and has been doing so since at least July, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said in its daily intelligence update posted via Twitter.

“Kremlin-linked Russian private military company Wagner Group has been conducting a campaign to recruit Russian convicts for service in Ukraine since at least July. Prisoners have been offered commutation of their sentences as well as cash incentives,” the ministry wrote.

The Wagner Group has been notorious for its fighting on behalf of Russian interests in places like Libya, Syria, and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. The Kremlin denies links to the group.

The group’s recruitment campaign has been “reinvigorated,” the report added, citing a recently posted video “highly likely showing Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin making a recruitment pitch to prisoners.”

Prigozhin in the video says he is only seeking “fighters for assault units.”

This, in addition to Russia’s military academies shortening the training time for cadets and moving their graduation dates forward, “suggests that two of the most critical shortages within the military manning crisis are probably combat infantry and junior commanders,” Britain’s Defense Ministry wrote.

DJT worships at the alter of this state. Is it a wonder he considers violent criminals the patriots he wants as his cult.

[Unagi]

These men may be ruthless and/or bloodthirsty psychopaths - but I can’t imagine they make a very good soldier / army.

[El Guapo]

These men may be ruthless and/or bloodthirsty psychopaths - but I can’t imagine they make a very good soldier / army.

Indeed. Also you figure that they'll be looking for the first opportunity to either surrender to the Ukrainians or to desert and melt away into the countryside.

[Unagi]

Yeah. Exactly.

Or even just play it safe and never risk their neck and retreat at every opportunity. Just to keep their paychecks.

[LawBeefaroni]

Russia subscribes to the cannonfodder theory of warfare. They'll do just fine as long as there's leadership behind them threatening them with death.

[Pyperkub]

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/16/russia- ... dates.html


Snip

Russian mercenary firm Wagner Group is recruiting convicts for Ukraine war

Russian mercenary firm Wagner Group is recruiting criminal convicts and has been doing so since at least July, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said in its daily intelligence update posted via Twitter.

“Kremlin-linked Russian private military company Wagner Group has been conducting a campaign to recruit Russian convicts for service in Ukraine since at least July. Prisoners have been offered commutation of their sentences as well as cash incentives,” the ministry wrote.

The Wagner Group has been notorious for its fighting on behalf of Russian interests in places like Libya, Syria, and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. The Kremlin denies links to the group.

The group’s recruitment campaign has been “reinvigorated,” the report added, citing a recently posted video “highly likely showing Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin making a recruitment pitch to prisoners.”

Prigozhin in the video says he is only seeking “fighters for assault units.”

This, in addition to Russia’s military academies shortening the training time for cadets and moving their graduation dates forward, “suggests that two of the most critical shortages within the military manning crisis are probably combat infantry and junior commanders,” Britain’s Defense Ministry wrote.

DJT worships at the alter of this state. Is it a wonder he considers violent criminals the patriots he wants as his cult.

Blake Masters will now announce MS-13 recruitment efforts...

[Kasey Chang]

Perun had went over how the Russians really procure stuff. You'd be lucky a couple suits actually got made as a demo. The chances of it getting mass produced? None. Way too much graft among all the ranks.

How did you think they lost the Moskva? MASSIVE maintenance issues, comms that interfere with radar (you can talk, or you can detect incoming, pick wisely). Most of the defensive systems don't work. And you basically have poor conscripts that barely know the ship doing damage control with half of the equipment missing. It's a surprise it stayed afloat this long.

Russia can't even rank among the top ten when it comes to number of 5th gen stealth fighters. Su-57s that were featured as the villain in Top Gun Maverick? 12 hand-built prototypes and 2-4 production models, THAT'S IT! US has like 300+ stealth fighters! (F-22 and F-35). Heck, the Brits bought enough F-35's to outnumber the Russian stealths!

The Russian cheerleaders are either Russian or MAGA types that still believe Putin is really in Ukraine to kill neoNazis.

[Daveman]

This led to me having a good laugh. They're on the assembly line just behind the T-14s.

To be fair, that quote says the suit will survive a .50 caliber bullet.

[Max Peck]

The Ukraine government continues to own the social media operational space.

In the past week, the #UAarmy received thousands of tons of ammunition as a gift from the Armed Forces of Please note that we do not accept gifts from murderers, torturers, looters, or rapists. In the coming days, we will return everything, right down to the last shell.

[LawBeefaroni]

The Ukraine government continues to own the social media operational space.

In the past week, the #UAarmy received thousands of tons of ammunition as a gift from the Armed Forces of Please note that we do not accept gifts from murderers, torturers, looters, or rapists. In the coming days, we will return everything, right down to the last shell.

[Unagi]

Oh, Gav.

[Holman]

There are reports/video of fighting deep inside the Russian-controlled area of Kherson.

Some are speculating that it might be Russians fighting Russians. (I assume it's more likely to be Ukrainian partisans or special ops, but the state of the Russian forces means you really can't rule out mutiny.)

Another possibility is that it's staged Russian propaganda, but it really looks like the shooters are themselves taking incoming fire.

[Daehawk]

Looking forward to Ukraine reclaiming its bread basket of Crimea.

[Grifman]

A long (112) series of posts on the recent offensive and the state of the Russian army;

[LordMortis]

Thank you izzy

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1571 ... 91392.html

[Carpet_pissr]

Thanks for posting that LB. I love seeing how savvy (and sarcastic/funny!) the Ukrainians seem to be on social media, they really are VERY good at it.

It’s almost not fair…like some kind of social media challenge between a teenager and my Mom. (‘You have 1 hour to post this message on any social media platforms you are aware of, and generate the most likes/followers possible…GO!’)

Well, at least the quick hits and likes - unfortunately Russia does indeed know how to play the long ‘social’ game (though to be fair, they use OTHERS (Tucker, for one) to do what they can’t.)

Icing on the cake was “Why would you do this... They'll just use it against yous“.

Very close to spewing coffee on that one.

[Isgrimnur]

Thank you izzy

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1571 ... 91392.html

I live to serve.

[Daehawk]

Who woulda thunk FL doin something right.

[LawBeefaroni]

Thanks for posting that LB.

All credit to Max Peck for the first post. I just posted the "yous" woosh.

It’s almost not fair…like some kind of social media challenge between a teenager and my Mom. (‘You have 1 hour to post this message on any social media platforms you are aware of, and generate the most likes/followers possible…GO!’)

Well, at least the quick hits and likes - unfortunately Russia does indeed know how to play the long ‘social’ game (though to be fair, they use OTHERS (Tucker, for one) to do what they can’t.)

Yeah, Ukraine definitely winning the short term. We'll see what kind of conversion rate they get.

[malchior]

The good news is in the bottom tweet.

[Daehawk]

General Ben Hodges...seems like a smart man.

[Apollo]

General Ben Hodges...seems like a smart man...

Interesting video. I hope he's right.

[Holman]

Ukrainian forces captured an undamaged T-90m abandoned by its Russian crew.

All the milblogger types are saying this is a *huge* prize for Western intelligence. It's thought that NATO hasn't had access to a fielded version of this tank model before now. (And tank experts are noting that the interior control systems don't seem nearly as advanced as advertised.)

Presumably it's already on a cargo plane headed for Langley.

[hepcat]

Whoa….is that a 56k baud modem in that one photo?? That’s twice what I thought they had!