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  • Popular Post
#82701

I’m not going to look to confirm it, but others are claiming:  “The Russians just quartered a Ukrainian soldier and posted the picture on a Telegram channel with 220 000 followers”  There’s a shitload of blood and guts on Telegram, so not going to look through it.

Meanwhile, if you are wondering where the more modern Russian military hardware is, it’s in this commercial

The Russian Army has released a new ad meant to unite to country’s Christian, Muslim and Buddhist soldiers against Ukraine

 

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  • AUS-97HORN
    AUS-97HORN

    For the love of Christ woman,  stop posting the same fucking thing every 20 mins just to make your neurotic self feel better.     Bring something useful to the thread other than your inane babbli

  • Im_smarter_then_you
    Im_smarter_then_you

  • InkaUtexas
    InkaUtexas

    I volunteered today. Log/Admin role to replace people for 30-60 days. The operation is in the west, or should the Orcs win will be pulled back behind the NATO wall. Either way the humanitarian effort

Posted Images

#82702
I’m not going to look to confirm it, but others are claiming:  “The Russians just quartered a Ukrainian soldier and posted the picture on a Telegram channel with 220 000 followers”  There’s a shitload of blood and guts on Telegram, so not going to look through it.
Meanwhile, if you are wondering where the more modern Russian military hardware is, it’s in this commercial
 

Well, it seems only courteous for us to continue to send weaponry that can help those fellas meet god as soon as possible.
#82703
12 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:


Well, it seems only courteous for us to continue to send weaponry that can help those fellas meet god as soon as possible.

And no virgins for them.

#82704

Putin and imperial Russia need WW3. They need this to be existential against adversaries they want to be comparable to. The west looking the other way as Russia sabotages shit around the world; arguing over what amounts to tiny fractions of our arsenal, much of it very old, but still just enough to support Ukraine and sustain what’s essentially a stalemate… is deeply embarrassing Russia. Pretty hard to inspire your population in the current situation. 

As frustrating as it can be to watch us ignore provocations and avoid escalation, it’s probably the correct move with Russia today.

 

#82705
1 hour ago, InkaUtexas said:

And no virgins for them.

meh.  I've had a few.  Overrated.  Give me a gal with a few miles on the odometer.  

  • Popular Post
#82706

Major drone attack by Ukraine last night. This airfield supposedly housed the SU-34s that have been destroying Ukrainian positions with glide bombs 

UAVs struck the airfield in Morozovsk, Rostov Region, in Russia. According to the source, the fuel tanks and warehouses were hit. The fire and explosions are massive.Source: Telegram / Rostov_Glavniy— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar)
https://t.co/MW2ub5KiUp
The Morozovsk airbase in Russia is glowing like a Christmas tree on the NASA Firms map. It seems that the entire facility is compromised by the explosions.— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar)
The area burning:

 Potentially a lot of planes there: 

IMG_20240803_092542.thumb.jpg.5b9fbd9cfbd6dd6beb13eb513c0a268f.jpg

Additional footage of an absolutely massive secondary detonation at Russia’s Morozovsk Airbase after a successful Ukrainian drone attack overnight. Likely bombs/rockets going up.

 

Edited by KYHorn

  • Popular Post
#82708

 

😢Pianist, Pavel Kushner, 39, dies in Russian pre-trial detention. The musician & anti-war activist was on a hunger strike & “his body couldn’t handle it,” his friend says.Kushner had “incited terrorism,” by reading poems, against Putin, in a YouTube channel with 5 followers.

 

  • Popular Post
#82710
The Ukrainian General Staff issued the statement that - aside from a S-400 air defense battery - the Russian Improved-Kilo-Class submarine "Rostov-na-Donu" (B-237) has been destroyed in the port of Russian-occupied Sevastopol.Satellite pictures released by the TG channel…— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar)

The Ukrainian General Staff issued the statement that - aside from a S-400 air defense battery - the Russian Improved-Kilo-Class submarine "Rostov-na-Donu" (B-237)  has been destroyed in the port of Russian-occupied Sevastopol.

Satellite pictures released by the TG channel "DniproOfficial" show that the cover of docking area, where the Rostov was recently docked, is littered with burn marks.

This submarine was struck last year in September by Ukrainian missiles and was heavily damaged. Russians have been trying to repair that submarine since then.

Source: Telegram / GeneralStaffZSU and DniproOfficial

Stephen Fry tells a joke to President Zelenskyy."If Putin and Medvedev were to fall, who would hit the ground first?"📹: Planet Fry / YouTube.

 

Edited by KYHorn

#82712
3 hours ago, KYHorn said:

Major drone attack by Ukraine last night. This airfield supposedly housed the SU-34s that have been destroying Ukrainian positions with glide bombs 

UAVs struck the airfield in Morozovsk, Rostov Region, in Russia. According to the source, the fuel tanks and warehouses were hit. The fire and explosions are massive.Source: Telegram / Rostov_Glavniy— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar)
https://t.co/MW2ub5KiUp
The Morozovsk airbase in Russia is glowing like a Christmas tree on the NASA Firms map. It seems that the entire facility is compromised by the explosions.— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar)
The area burning:

 Potentially a lot of planes there: 

IMG_20240803_092542.thumb.jpg.5b9fbd9cfbd6dd6beb13eb513c0a268f.jpg

Additional footage of an absolutely massive secondary detonation at Russia’s Morozovsk Airbase after a successful Ukrainian drone attack overnight. Likely bombs/rockets going up.

 

Woah. That base is fucked. 

  • Popular Post
#82714

https://www.threads.net/@ghostoflviv_/post/C-NvpjFPzXW?xmt=AQGz4Gn9jow9XzTnVL-KmNDs9MeJVIKVx6eS7RqaoH-y5g

Ukrainian defense forces successfully attacked the B-237 "Rostov-na-Donu" attack submarine in Sevastopol's port. As a result of the attack, the submarine sank.
 

^They legit sunk a submarine (it was already basically destroyed back in 2023, but still pretty funny)

 

#82716
2 hours ago, MillerEP said:

https://www.threads.net/@ghostoflviv_/post/C-NvpjFPzXW?xmt=AQGz4Gn9jow9XzTnVL-KmNDs9MeJVIKVx6eS7RqaoH-y5g

Ukrainian defense forces successfully attacked the B-237 "Rostov-na-Donu" attack submarine in Sevastopol's port. As a result of the attack, the submarine sank.
 

^They legit sunk a submarine (it was already basically destroyed back in 2023, but still pretty funny)

So cue the Red October clip, only this time, he says, "You've lost the SAME submarine?"

#82717
10 hours ago, KYHorn said:
The Ukrainian General Staff issued the statement that - aside from a S-400 air defense battery - the Russian Improved-Kilo-Class submarine "Rostov-na-Donu" (B-237) has been destroyed in the port of Russian-occupied Sevastopol.Satellite pictures released by the TG channel…— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar)

The Ukrainian General Staff issued the statement that - aside from a S-400 air defense battery - the Russian Improved-Kilo-Class submarine "Rostov-na-Donu" (B-237)  has been destroyed in the port of Russian-occupied Sevastopol.

Satellite pictures released by the TG channel "DniproOfficial" show that the cover of docking area, where the Rostov was recently docked, is littered with burn marks.

This submarine was struck last year in September by Ukrainian missiles and was heavily damaged. Russians have been trying to repair that submarine since then.

Source: Telegram / GeneralStaffZSU and DniproOfficial

Stephen Fry tells a joke to President Zelenskyy."If Putin and Medvedev were to fall, who would hit the ground first?"📹: Planet Fry / YouTube.

 

 

IMG_1477.jpeg

  • Popular Post
#82718

Well this is new (I think, haven't seen anything like this before)

Ukraine's "hydrogen bomb" forces Russians from key position in VovchanskUkrainian military employs a land drone carrying a car's hydrogen fuel cell and plastic explosives to decisively disrupt a Russian position in Vovchansk, forcing a retreat. https://t.co/pzKnrLvola

 

#82719
A fire in #Mariupol near the occupants' military unit 🔥🔥🔥

Nothing from the more reliable accounts yet

#82720
The first ever public footage of Su-24M(R) of UkrAF 7th BrTA dropping Storm Shadow 😌

 

  • Popular Post
#82721

https://www.threads.net/@nickmelnick.osint/post/C-QPEnao9Ox/?xmt=AQGzSb9925vAPGlAJtcTwqnp3t56HBZtoA4vldPhuUtdPw

[emoji298]️Zelenskyy displayed the first Ukrainian F-16 equipped with AIM-9M and AMRAAM 120C air-to-air missiles.

[emoji1666]He also thanked the USA, Denmark, the Netherlands, and everyone else involved in the transfer of these fighter jets.

#82723

https://www.threads.net/@maks_24_ua/post/C-QbbSYqDCp/?xmt=AQGzuJCDeQOxA5LaYLTwdWcLG4NIiy7Y7azfRXM4lvJKxA

[emoji57][emoji91] Aviation weapons warehouse destroyed by drones at Morozovsk airfield.

https://www.threads.net/@philo_of_alexan/post/C-QJ3aXJwRH/?xmt=AQGzYx7eP5QnHXMLb4WPRbBPzlGRN1A-xq_pJ9TzsVUPLA

Tsk tsk, more careless Russian smokers? [emoji57]

In the Rostov region in Russia, another lubricants storage facility is on fire. Initially, grass caught fire but spread to a nearby plant and lubricants storage.

#82724
12 hours ago, MillerEP said:

https://www.threads.net/@nickmelnick.osint/post/C-QPEnao9Ox/?xmt=AQGzSb9925vAPGlAJtcTwqnp3t56HBZtoA4vldPhuUtdPw

emoji298.png️Zelenskyy displayed the first Ukrainian F-16 equipped with AIM-9M and AMRAAM 120C air-to-air missiles.

emoji1666.pngHe also thanked the USA, Denmark, the Netherlands, and everyone else involved in the transfer of these fighter jets.

It may be dated, and it sure as shit ain't stealthy, but got dam the Viper/Fighting Falcon is still a beautiful bird.

maxresdefault.jpg

(NOTE: This is a rendering, but I love the newer variant with the leading edge flaps and the mottled camo livery.)

Edited by Braff Zacklin

#82725
57 minutes ago, InkaUtexas said:

And we told the allies, F-35's for Everybody! Just call this number and place your order.

...and we'll check your credit and get back to you.

  • Popular Post
#82726

8712debe-848e-436d-989b-caf35674a0f7.jpg

Ukraine took home the country’s first gold medal of the Paris Olympics on Saturday with a win from the women’s saber fencing team, providing a moment of catharsis during an emotional Games.

South Korea took home silver and Japan won bronze in the competition.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky celebrated the win with a post on social media. “I thank them for the result, for the spirit, for showing that Ukrainians win!” Zelensky wrote on X. “We cheer for our athletes and support them as a nation. Ukraine knows how to inspire both at the Olympic Games and times like these!”

Some background: Ukraine sent a team of more than 100 athletes to Paris, and — though that’s fewer than the country had in Tokyo three years ago — their participation will likely feel more significant.

Ukrainian athletes competing at the games have endured a myriad of challenges since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country, including their athletic facilities being destroyed, friends and relatives being killed, and uncertainty about what the future might hold for their nation.

According to Ukraine’s Sports Ministry, about 3,000 athletes – from Olympic and non-Olympic sports – have served for the country’s military, either voluntarily or by being drafted, and 479 have been killed while serving or in civilian life. 

1722711433-3887-large.webp

https://unn.ua/en/news/ukraines-womens-sabre-fencing-team-wins-gold-at-the-2024-olympic-games-in-paris

Edited by atomheartbevo

  • Popular Post
#82728
2 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

8712debe-848e-436d-989b-caf35674a0f7.jpg

Ukraine took home the country’s first gold medal of the Paris Olympics on Saturday with a win from the women’s saber fencing team, providing a moment of catharsis during an emotional Games.

South Korea took home silver and Japan won bronze in the competition.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky celebrated the win with a post on social media. “I thank them for the result, for the spirit, for showing that Ukrainians win!” Zelensky wrote on X. “We cheer for our athletes and support them as a nation. Ukraine knows how to inspire both at the Olympic Games and times like these!”

Some background: Ukraine sent a team of more than 100 athletes to Paris, and — though that’s fewer than the country had in Tokyo three years ago — their participation will likely feel more significant.

Ukrainian athletes competing at the games have endured a myriad of challenges since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country, including their athletic facilities being destroyed, friends and relatives being killed, and uncertainty about what the future might hold for their nation.

According to Ukraine’s Sports Ministry, about 3,000 athletes – from Olympic and non-Olympic sports – have served for the country’s military, either voluntarily or by being drafted, and 479 have been killed while serving or in civilian life. 

1722711433-3887-large.webp

https://unn.ua/en/news/ukraines-womens-sabre-fencing-team-wins-gold-at-the-2024-olympic-games-in-paris

I'll admit I teared up watching them sing their anthem on tv last night

Because all our TVs just broadcast their own national anthems😀 - just in case you missed it, this one (as we've all come to know it) is a goosebump moment Ukraine gets its first Paris gold - in women's saber fencing team event, in the magnificent Grand Palais 👇Frissons👏🇺🇦

 

  • Popular Post
#82729
On 8/3/2024 at 9:21 AM, KYHorn said:
The Ukrainian General Staff issued the statement that - aside from a S-400 air defense battery - the Russian Improved-Kilo-Class submarine "Rostov-na-Donu" (B-237) has been destroyed in the port of Russian-occupied Sevastopol.Satellite pictures released by the TG channel…— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar)

The Ukrainian General Staff issued the statement that - aside from a S-400 air defense battery - the Russian Improved-Kilo-Class submarine "Rostov-na-Donu" (B-237)  has been destroyed in the port of Russian-occupied Sevastopol.

Satellite pictures released by the TG channel "DniproOfficial" show that the cover of docking area, where the Rostov was recently docked, is littered with burn marks.

This submarine was struck last year in September by Ukrainian missiles and was heavily damaged. Russians have been trying to repair that submarine since then.

Source: Telegram / GeneralStaffZSU and DniproOfficial

Stephen Fry tells a joke to President Zelenskyy."If Putin and Medvedev were to fall, who would hit the ground first?"📹: Planet Fry / YouTube.

 

From the link ...

Somebody leaked footages of the Russian submarine “Rostov on Don”, which got hit by Ukrainian missiles (likely Stormshadow). The bow of the submarine received a direct hit. Additionally, there is an impact at the starboard side. You can strike this ship from the list.

Yeah, I know, "it'll buff out."

image.png.6afda4bee7f00f0d99215a9fbb1c6807.pngimage.png.c7855461b5326a7eca8851c898cde977.png   

On 8/3/2024 at 8:21 AM, KYHorn said:

Major drone attack by Ukraine last night. This airfield supposedly housed the SU-34s that have been destroying Ukrainian positions with glide bombs 

UAVs struck the airfield in Morozovsk, Rostov Region, in Russia. According to the source, the fuel tanks and warehouses were hit. The fire and explosions are massive.Source: Telegram / Rostov_Glavniy— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar)
https://t.co/MW2ub5KiUp
The Morozovsk airbase in Russia is glowing like a Christmas tree on the NASA Firms map. It seems that the entire facility is compromised by the explosions.— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar)
The area burning:

 Potentially a lot of planes there: 

IMG_20240803_092542.thumb.jpg.5b9fbd9cfbd6dd6beb13eb513c0a268f.jpg

Additional footage of an absolutely massive secondary detonation at Russia’s Morozovsk Airbase after a successful Ukrainian drone attack overnight. Likely bombs/rockets going up.

 

It looks like the Russkie's like to store their ordinance where it's convenient ... , for them and Ukraine.

image.thumb.png.db5d61c79cd4ad4ea4945a91f6b1b5e0.png

Care to offer an opinion on what those tubes are, or were?

image.png.9b403b1a57222a1b306f4a30d3fd32c7.png

 

#82730
12 minutes ago, PTINS said:

From the link ...

Somebody leaked footages of the Russian submarine “Rostov on Don”, which got hit by Ukrainian missiles (likely Stormshadow). The bow of the submarine received a direct hit. Additionally, there is an impact at the starboard side. You can strike this ship from the list.

Yeah, I know, "it'll buff out."

image.png.6afda4bee7f00f0d99215a9fbb1c6807.pngimage.png.c7855461b5326a7eca8851c898cde977.png   

It looks like the Russkie's like to store their ordinance where it's convenient ... , for them and Ukraine.

image.thumb.png.db5d61c79cd4ad4ea4945a91f6b1b5e0.png

Care to offer an opinion on what those tubes are, or were?

image.png.9b403b1a57222a1b306f4a30d3fd32c7.png

 

Perhaps those are their JDAM equivalents?  Assuming they aren't bombs, which I don't think they are, that might make some sense.  They attach those pre-flight, tow them to ordinance, and then take off?  

It still seems beyond stupid they just park their strategic bombers out in the open for commercial satellites to take GPS photos of them, but hey, keep it up Russia.  

Edited by BamaATL

#82732
21 hours ago, BamaATL said:

Well this is new (I think, haven't seen anything like this before)

Ukraine's "hydrogen bomb" forces Russians from key position in VovchanskUkrainian military employs a land drone carrying a car's hydrogen fuel cell and plastic explosives to decisively disrupt a Russian position in Vovchansk, forcing a retreat. https://t.co/pzKnrLvola

 

So basically a DIY thermobaric bomb?

#82733
1 minute ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

So basically a DIY thermobaric bomb?

Pretty much.  It's a good idea, at least to me, because you are taking two very stable things, plastic explosives and a hydrogen fuel cell, and combining them to make one hell of a bomb.  Basically, it's pretty safe to make for all involved, it's the shits for anyone on the receiving end.  

#82734

In looking at this video and comparing to what we see on the ground next to the bombers, these do in fact appear to be the glide bomb kits.

 

  • Popular Post
#82735
Ukrainian Air Command West just released the first images of a German-supplied Skynex air defense system in Ukrainian service.Seen below, the core component of the Skynex, a 35mm Oerlikon Revolver Cannon

 

Low pass by a pair of Danish-supplied Ukrainian Air Force F-16AM Fighting Falcons, each armed with 2x AIM-120B AMRAAMs and 2x AIM-9L/M sidewinders.

 

#82736
"The head of the Russian military’s clothing and food supplier Voentorg was arrested on fraud charges, law enforcement officials said Thursday."https://t.co/20Gm7rJNqh

 

Video of a Bradley from Ukraine’s 47th Mechanized Brigade firing at Russian positions. https://t.co/x8UWJcC540

 

#82737

I just kind of can't let this go.   How does a country that runs a fairly sophisticated network of spies that use seemingly somewhat effective trade craft do something this stupid?  Is it sheer arrogance or sheer stupidity?  Are they so accustomed to shit not working that they are surprised our stuff does work?  Complicated and sophisticated social media and political influence campaigns, check, inability to understand a satellite schedule, check.  The Ukrainians are actively being bombed by these bombers, and yet locating them is as simple as looking at publicly available photos, never mind what our black satellites would know.  They don't even need any of that apparently.  It's truly baffling.  

I'm glad they are this stupid or arrogant, but it's amazing nonetheless.  

  • Popular Post
#82738
14 minutes ago, BamaATL said:

  Is it sheer arrogance or sheer stupidity?  Are they so accustomed to shit not working that they are surprised our stuff does work? 

It's a couple of things, but arrogance is probably at the top - they believed they'd be in Kiev within a month.

Since the Cold War ended, they knew that unless they attacked us, they would never have to actually fight a near-peer - China and NATO aren't going to fuck around and invade, because nukes. As a result, they never felt the need to build up airfield protection like we do when we deploy overseas (or even have many of their strategic airfields located in the middle of the country like the US does).  

If you know NATO won't attack you without cause, and you used to rule over the neighboring countries and you kept them down (and took their nukes), it's pretty easy to get a superiority complex and feel pretty infallible when it comes to your neighbors- after all, what kind of threat does an ant present to you?  

And somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they never built up the kind of air-to-air refueling system the US did (or rather the quantity), so it's not that easy for them to cycle aircraft in and out of the theater from airbases in the middle of Russia - some pretty long distances are involved if they were bombing from Siberia.  Given their corruption issues, they probably have a lot fewer tankers in the air than what's listed on paper. We think nothing of staging aircraft out of Diego Garcia and attacking places in Iraq and Afghanistan, and if we were to fight Mexico, we aren't going to need to station our aircraft near the border (nor would we be that ignorant)- we have plenty of bases deep in the US (Nevada/Utah over to North Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, etc.) because we have a system to keep them refueled on their way to and from the targets in Mexico.

Jump back to corruption - even if they allocated money for better airfield construction, we know they skimped at some point because it's Russia - if money was allocated for concrete revetments, you know they used dirt, etc.  If money was allocated for 10 air defense systems around an airfield, they probably got 5-6 systems, etc.

Finally, prior to 2022, Ukraine had nothing that could wreck their air defenses and leave them vulnerable, and then hit those airfields. Outside of the drones from Iran, and the golfcarts from Ali Babba, Russia is still fighting with the same army it had in 2022, just with a massive loss of institutional knowledge due to deaths and officer and NCO shortages.

 

#82739
7 hours ago, BamaATL said:

I just kind of can't let this go.   How does a country that runs a fairly sophisticated network of spies that use seemingly somewhat effective trade craft do something this stupid?  Is it sheer arrogance or sheer stupidity?  Are they so accustomed to shit not working that they are surprised our stuff does work?  Complicated and sophisticated social media and political influence campaigns, check, inability to understand a satellite schedule, check.  The Ukrainians are actively being bombed by these bombers, and yet locating them is as simple as looking at publicly available photos, never mind what our black satellites would know.  They don't even need any of that apparently.  It's truly baffling.  

I'm glad they are this stupid or arrogant, but it's amazing nonetheless.  

I don't know the actual reasons, but one thing I'd point out is that what is rewarded in the military is staying in your lane, not showing too much initiative, and being ruthless. The FSB is not considered the same kind of potential threat to Putin's rule as the military. Not that people in the FSB and associated secret services are exempt from being culled, but it's possible to be promoted when conducting aspects of hybrid warfare in ways that initiative in the military is not. It is much safer to do what you're told and then be capable in finding a scapegoat when things go wrong than it is to change doctrine or advocate for a different plan of action because of serious concerns about capabilities - in this case the capability of defending the air field. 

The dynamics for handling the military change drastically when they're constantly seen as the greatest threat to the ruler's power. It's something we take for granted in this country in ways we really shouldn't. 

#82740
Ukraine’s GUR posted satellite photos of the aftermath of the strike on Russia’s Morozovsk airfield. They say a Su-34 was destroyed and two more were likely damaged. Ammunition storage facilities were also destroyed and other buildings and hangars were damaged.…
#82741
7 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

It's a couple of things, but arrogance is probably at the top - they believed they'd be in Kiev within a month.

Since the Cold War ended, they knew that unless they attacked us, they would never have to actually fight a near-peer - China and NATO aren't going to fuck around and invade, because nukes. As a result, they never felt the need to build up airfield protection like we do when we deploy overseas (or even have many of their strategic airfields located in the middle of the country like the US does).  

If you know NATO won't attack you without cause, and you used to rule over the neighboring countries and you kept them down (and took their nukes), it's pretty easy to get a superiority complex and feel pretty infallible when it comes to your neighbors- after all, what kind of threat does an ant present to you?  

And somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they never built up the kind of air-to-air refueling system the US did (or rather the quantity), so it's not that easy for them to cycle aircraft in and out of the theater from airbases in the middle of Russia - some pretty long distances are involved if they were bombing from Siberia.  Given their corruption issues, they probably have a lot fewer tankers in the air than what's listed on paper. We think nothing of staging aircraft out of Diego Garcia and attacking places in Iraq and Afghanistan, and if we were to fight Mexico, we aren't going to need to station our aircraft near the border (nor would we be that ignorant)- we have plenty of bases deep in the US (Nevada/Utah over to North Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, etc.) because we have a system to keep them refueled on their way to and from the targets in Mexico.

Jump back to corruption - even if they allocated money for better airfield construction, we know they skimped at some point because it's Russia - if money was allocated for concrete revetments, you know they used dirt, etc.  If money was allocated for 10 air defense systems around an airfield, they probably got 5-6 systems, etc.

Finally, prior to 2022, Ukraine had nothing that could wreck their air defenses and leave them vulnerable, and then hit those airfields. Outside of the drones from Iran, and the golfcarts from Ali Babba, Russia is still fighting with the same army it had in 2022, just with a massive loss of institutional knowledge due to deaths and officer and NCO shortages.

 

The Soviet Union always had issues with any element of projection of power. Their biggest source was communist revolutionaries battling against incumbent, often western facing, authoritarian leadership of one kind or another. Mostly colonial occupation, but not necessarily. Their navy always had serious issues projecting competent power even at the height of the Soviet military. Their air force was designed for Eastern Europe, not projection to far away places. They heavily relied on multiple warhead ICBMs, in large part because of the cost effectiveness. Their ability to attack the continental United States with bombers was always virtually nonexistent. Their biggest successes in projecting power were the rise of Castro in Cuba, the support for various movements in Africa, the establishment of a naval support center in Syria (later upgraded to a base), and then, of course, the dominance of Eastern Europe following WWII. The biggest threat from the USSR militarily always came in the form of a massive invasion of Europe. There wasn't another theater where they were ever any real threat. 

Something similar could be said about China. I don't know if that changes. They're trying to change it. But I don't think it's changed, yet. 

#82742
Ukrainian ground drone helps transport timber
Don’t be surprised to see a Ukrainian dog digging a trench.

And to bring these 2 posts together: 

A dog looking ground drone from the 28th Mechanized's Kurt's company.

Pretty sure it's a Boston a Dynamics robot I saw on 60 minutes.

Edited by KYHorn

  • Popular Post
#82744
8 hours ago, BamaATL said:

I just kind of can't let this go.   How does a country that runs a fairly sophisticated network of spies that use seemingly somewhat effective trade craft do something this stupid?  Is it sheer arrogance or sheer stupidity?  Are they so accustomed to shit not working that they are surprised our stuff does work?  Complicated and sophisticated social media and political influence campaigns, check, inability to understand a satellite schedule, check.  The Ukrainians are actively being bombed by these bombers, and yet locating them is as simple as looking at publicly available photos, never mind what our black satellites would know.  They don't even need any of that apparently.  It's truly baffling.  

I'm glad they are this stupid or arrogant, but it's amazing nonetheless.  

8 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

It's a couple of things, but arrogance is probably at the top - they believed they'd be in Kiev within a month.

Since the Cold War ended, they knew that unless they attacked us, .... As a result, they never felt the need to build up airfield protection like we do when we deploy overseas (or even have many of their strategic airfields located in the middle of the country like the US does).  

And somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe they never built up the kind of air-to-air refueling system the US did (or rather the quantity), so it's not that easy for them to cycle aircraft in and out of the theater from airbases in the middle of Russia - some pretty long distances are involved if they were bombing from Siberia.  Given their corruption issues, they probably have a lot fewer tankers in the air than what's listed on paper. We think nothing of staging aircraft out of Diego Garcia and attacking places in Iraq and Afghanistan, and if we were to fight Mexico, we aren't going to need to station our aircraft near the border (nor would we be that ignorant)- we have plenty of bases deep in the US (Nevada/Utah over to North Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, etc.) because we have a system to keep them refueled on their way to and from the targets in Mexico.

Jump back to corruption - even if they allocated money for better airfield construction, we know they skimped at some point because it's Russia - if money was allocated for concrete revetments, you know they used dirt, etc.  If money was allocated for 10 air defense systems around an airfield, they probably got 5-6 systems, etc.

Finally, prior to 2022, Ukraine had nothing that could wreck their air defenses and leave them vulnerable, and then hit those airfields. Outside of the drones from Iran, and the golfcarts from Ali Babba, Russia is still fighting with the same army it had in 2022, just with a massive loss of institutional knowledge due to deaths and officer and NCO shortages.

 

47 minutes ago, SL Xpress said:

The Soviet Union always had issues with any element of projection of power. Their biggest source was communist revolutionaries battling against incumbent, often western facing, authoritarian leadership of one kind or another. Mostly colonial occupation, but not necessarily. Their navy always had serious issues projecting competent power even at the height of the Soviet military. Their air force was designed for Eastern Europe, not projection to far away places. They heavily relied on multiple warhead ICBMs, in large part because of the cost effectiveness. Their ability to attack the continental United States with bombers was always virtually nonexistent. Their biggest successes in projecting power were the rise of Castro in Cuba, the support for various movements in Africa, the establishment of a naval support center in Syria (later upgraded to a base), and then, of course, the dominance of Eastern Europe following WWII. The biggest threat from the USSR militarily always came in the form of a massive invasion of Europe. There wasn't another theater where they were ever any real threat. 

Something similar could be said about China. I don't know if that changes. They're trying to change it. But I don't think it's changed, yet. 

Thank you all again for the information and insights you bring.

Russia being Russia

I think it's a combination of corruption and arrogance, and reality.  The corruption and the differences in budgeted and built are well known. Their arrogance gave them a false sense of air defense capabilities.  We mirrored similar beliefs in those capabilities until ~ 892 days ago).  It still boggles my mind how much we (the Royal 'we") overvalued Russia's military capabilities until 2022.

The reality is that the military facilities are mainly steel and concrete. While the planes can be moved ("The damn things have wheels" - FDR), the infrastructure is static. When Google Earth first came out, I located all the Air Force Bases I lived at, had seen, or knew about. I also located all the O&G processing facilities I came across in 40 years. Cool stuff, right?

I remember the first time I went to Mont Belvieu in 1980, the largest concentration of Natural Gas Liquids processing and underground storage in the world.  (Think about downtown Houston, turn it upside down so the building are square holes in the ground, and fill them up with propane;  that approximates MB NGL storage capacity).  There used to be a confluence of NGL-Pet Chem pipelines called "Xxxxxxx - Xxxxxxx". Enough about that... The only calming influence I have now is that I live 200 miles away and I don't work in that industry anymore.

The reality of life in 2024; with GPS data, drones, and ordinance, you could give a nine year old a game controller and a monitor and he could do in a few hours (flight time) what would have been impossible not too long ago.

It is what it is. The new reality is scary for many reasons.

Most US Air Bases also have their planes in the open, with the normal parking places well known.  The biggest difference in that the daily threats to the US bases and infinitesimal compared to the Russian bases.

A lot of the pictures we see of the US hardened aircraft shelters are at foreign locations with a higher threat exposure, or an areas with extreme weather conditions.

Russian Air Bases and Air Assets

I agree that the US mindset is totally different than Russia's.  Nobody is invading the US.

Of the Russian Air Bases I've looked at over the past 2 1/2 years, I only recall seeing one that I would characterize as a "refueling wing". There may be others, or not?

By comparison, the US has ~ 400 Air refueling aircraft in inventory. Russia only built 53 Ilyushin Il-78 4 engine aircraft. I only looked at jet engine powered aircraft, not prop driven, 🙂.

The US tends to collocate the refueling aircraft with the bigger bombers, with smallish ratios. At Russia's Engels Air Base, the public photo's only show 1 or 2 tankers for the bomber fleet. The Engels mini air museum does not have an Il-78 airplane.

If Russia only had a very small number of their AWACS equivalents, I imagine the air refueling assets are also somewhat limited. 

#82745
On 8/3/2024 at 10:18 AM, Chad Fuck said:

 

On 8/3/2024 at 12:23 PM, Dahobbs said:

Woah. That base is fucked. 

 

4 hours ago, Schulz2.0 said:
Ukraine’s GUR posted satellite photos of the aftermath of the strike on Russia’s Morozovsk airfield. They say a Su-34 was destroyed and two more were likely damaged. Ammunition storage facilities were also destroyed and other buildings and hangars were damaged.…

I'd say that was effective

Photo of a destroyed Russian aviation ammunition storage on the Morozovsk airbase. https://t.co/jnqaNDOPd1 https://t.co/B5LvRrwAA2

 

#82746
Here are geolocated RU positions for the last 90 days. I think it's clear they have been pushed back.

 

#82748
3 hours ago, PTINS said:

Their arrogance gave them a false sense of air defense capabilities.  We mirrored similar beliefs in those capabilities until ~ 892 days ago).  It still boggles my mind how much we (the Royal 'we") overvalued Russia's military capabilities until 2022.

 

*raises hand*

Guilty as charged.

#82750
Russian Secretary of the Security Council Sergei Shoigu met with Iran's Chief of General Staff and announced full cooperation between Russia and Iran on current regional issues, according to Fars News. Additionally, Israeli media reported that Russia transferred Iskander missile…

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