Kiev Is Burning

[JamesR]

8 minutes ago, Roman Alymov said:

In fact, it seems to me that neither British analysts nor even the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine understand that the Russian army is not even fighting at half strength right now.

 

Not sure what you (or that commentator) are reading/watching... but everything "western" that Ive been reading, to include British and U.S. have been saying that.

 

All kinds of speculation from "American analyst" from day1 as to why:

Yes.. they have said to reduce civilian casualties and damage.

They have talked about "phases", probing, learning where Ukrainian forces are concentrated. 

It's getting harder to explain "why" as the days go on (read believe explanations).

I suspect its at least partly related to logistics.  

 

[futon]

I wonder a little if the Russian forces have also experienced some cyber or electronic warfare effects on their comms that hampered offensive coordination.

[Yama]

12 minutes ago, JamesR said:

They have talked about "phases", probing, learning where Ukrainian forces are concentrated. 

It's getting harder to explain "why" as the days go on (read believe explanations).

I suspect its at least partly related to logistics.  

It's not really anything strange. Committing full force from Day 1 would only clog the good roads, and leave no reserve if Ukrainan maneuver units do some unexpected counter-offensive.

[Laser Shark]

19 minutes ago, Roman Alymov said:

It is up to you. At least one my distant relative is now in Ukrainian Army.

That is often a reality when neighbouring peoples or broderfolk ("brother peoples") wage war on each other. I wish your relative the best and hope he pulls through this safe and sound.

Edited February 28, 2022 by Laser Shark

[Jaguar]

16 minutes ago, Yama said:

NATO MiG-29's are however early generation examples with only modest modernization, and weak BVR missiles. Their combat value is pretty low. Su-25 I see a possibility, Su-22 not so much. According to Wikipedia, Ukraine retired Su-17 already in 2004.

Polish Su-22's are basically kept around as an excuse to maintain extra squadron before F-35 arrives.

More than the quality (or lack theroff) is the fact that those planes must fly from somewhere with someone at the controls, not one of us know how is the current state of Ukrainian Air Force or its infrastructure.

 

Not to say that those hypotetical transfer flights might not go unopposed. 

[txtree99]

Here Are The Options For The EU’s Initiative To Restock Ukraine With Fighter Jets
 

 

 

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/44476/here-are-the-options-for-the-eus-initiative-to-restock-ukraine-with-fighter-jets

 

 

[Yama]

22 minutes ago, Roman Alymov said:

It is up to you. At least one my distant relative is now in Ukrainian Army.

I know families where half of the siblings consider themselves Saami, and other half do not. When I was small, I considered myself a Swede because we lived in Sweden. I spoke almost no Swedish, of course...

Ethnic groups self-identify: calling some group "well they are not really Ukrainan/Kurds/Palestinan, it's a made up ethnicity" is not very productive.

[Stefan Kotsch]

What Putin really thinks.  Published and deleted again.  But the www never forgets.

https://web.archive.org/web/20220226051137/https://ria.ru/20220225/stolknoveniya-1775126908.html

[Yama]

4 minutes ago, txtree99 said:

Here Are The Options For The EU’s Initiative To Restock Ukraine With Fighter Jets

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/44476/here-are-the-options-for-the-eus-initiative-to-restock-ukraine-with-fighter-jets

Croatian MiGs? Seriously? I thought the point was to help Ukraine... 

[Jaguar]

 

"When you invade a sovereign nation we support, that is a war crime." That would be the hidden truth, lofty speeches are just for public comsunption.

 

[Nobu]

Apart from repainting aircraft and disavowable EU/NATO pilots wearing UKAF uniforms while "volunteering" against the Federation in the skies over Ukraine (like the Russians did in Korea), restocking the UKAF is probably going to generate more headlines than effectiveness.

Restocking Ukraine with good MANPADS on the other hand...

[Jaguar]

7 minutes ago, Nobu said:

Apart from repainting aircraft and disavowable EU/NATO pilots wearing UKAF uniforms while "volunteering" against the Federation in the skies over Ukraine (like the Russians did in Korea), restocking the UKAF is probably going to generate more headlines than effectiveness.

Restocking Ukraine with good MANPADS on the other hand...

Exactly! But MANPADS and anti tank missiles doesn´t make the same headlines.

Edited February 28, 2022 by Jaguar

[Jaguar]

 

[crazyinsane105]

1 hour ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

After the first day of Desert Storm, the only flying the Iraqis did was run away. 

where did you get that figure from?

Well, Saddam grounded the air force and prevented them from flying against the Coalition. More because he was actually afraid of his own Air Force targeting him. He was a delusional Arab dictator that didn't trust a huge chunk of his own military, hence severely handicapping Iraq against the coalition in 1991.

[crazyinsane105]

47 minutes ago, Jaguar said:

Exactly! But MANPADS and anti tank missiles doesn´t make the same headlines.

How effective have the MANPADs been? For all the number of helicopters that have been shot down by the Ukrainians, or at least claimed...I'm not seeing much in terms of video footage or photographs of the wreckage. The same goes for the aircraft shootdowns they are boasting about. Still days on end, and no photos from anywhere? Not even from satellites that can easily spot aircraft wreckage?

Hell, within a day of the shootdown of the accidental shootdown of the jetliner in Iran a few years back, we had satellite photos of the wreckage along with the remains of the Tor-M1 missiles. I'm questioning as to why none of this is being provided by the West at this point. For example...the shootdowns of the two IL-76...still no photos? 

I'm not at all on the Russian side, but I'm questioning the Ukrainian claims a lot as well.

[futon]

4 minutes ago, crazyinsane105 said:

How effective have the MANPADs been? For all the number of helicopters that have been shot down by the Ukrainians, or at least claimed...I'm not seeing much in terms of video footage or photographs of the wreckage. The same goes for the aircraft shootdowns they are boasting about. Still days on end, and no photos from anywhere? Not even from satellites that can easily spot aircraft wreckage?

 

There could be a lack of MANPADs. The helicopters have flare defense. More MANPADs would exhaust the flares for a shot to hit. ISTR that the bulk of Ukraine forces are east of Kyiv and not fully engaged yet. If so, the bulk of limited MANPADs may be there as well.

[Simon Tan]

Finishing touches are being made to Kyiv in Metaverse. 

[Dark_Falcon]

6 hours ago, Stuart Galbraith said:

That is the commanders job. If he doesn't have his heat out on road marches, isn't that suggestive of a certain lack of confidence?

I'm reminded of 3rd Armoured division whose commanders hatches were rusted open, because Patton said he would court marshal anyone with it closed.

4th Armored Division, actually.  The 3rd Armored served in 1st and 9th Armies but never in 3rd Army.

[Perun]

6 hours ago, Roman Alymov said:

Our MoD is very shy even on victory reports - no correspondents moving with advancing troops, npo even mention of this advance. I am reading a lot of information on Russian-language forums and channels (mostly pro-Russian and very sceptical on official propaganda created in fact by pro-Western liberals who only pretend to be patriotic). Losses are very high among pro-Russian militia of Donbass (relative to their number and previous level of half a dozen per month) as they were grinding their way through positions fortified and prepared for 8 years, while mobile troops are more or less low on losses. Current unoficial estimation of Russian Army losses is about 300 KIA - high figure but almost nothing for that scale and speed of advance. But we will not know untill dust settles down.

Please could you post links for those sites

[Perun]

5 hours ago, Red Ant said:

Much like the Soviet Union itself, until their buddy Adolf stabbed them in the back, of course.

They were newer allies, they only signed non-agression pact and that is only becouse UK and France didnt want to be allies with Soviet Union

[Dark_Falcon]

The upgraded ERA of the T-72B3 clearly increases its survivability, but a lucky shot such as in this case can still blow one apart:

 

Close up image of the impact:

To be clear I'm not trying to gloat. Three men likely died when this happened and I don't like that it happened.

[Jaguar]

17 minutes ago, crazyinsane105 said:

How effective have the MANPADs been? For all the number of helicopters that have been shot down by the Ukrainians, or at least claimed...I'm not seeing much in terms of video footage or photographs of the wreckage. The same goes for the aircraft shootdowns they are boasting about. Still days on end, and no photos from anywhere? Not even from satellites that can easily spot aircraft wreckage?

Hell, within a day of the shootdown of the accidental shootdown of the jetliner in Iran a few years back, we had satellite photos of the wreckage along with the remains of the Tor-M1 missiles. I'm questioning as to why none of this is being provided by the West at this point. For example...the shootdowns of the two IL-76...still no photos? 

I'm not at all on the Russian side, but I'm questioning the Ukrainian claims a lot as well.

Yep, I was just saying that MANPADS would be more usefull than planes. Besides, more low profile than planes, whose supply will play well with the narrative of the western menace against Russia (Euroasia). Nobody here, and very few elsewhere, are paying attention to India and China´s reactions amidst all these "Ukraine strong" and freedom x absolutism (and as you I´m not at all on the rus side).

If one is to believe in the Western(Ukraine) media, one has the clear impression the Russian military is on the verge of complete defeat, and regime change is on the horizon. 

[Simon Tan]

It is. Like Snake Island and the Ghost Ace.

[Perun]

4 hours ago, Roman Alymov said:

Congratulations, "as brave as Nazis". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Budapest

As I said, he and his ridiculous  statements

[Simon Tan]

He is the godfather of the Kyiv.