The Russian-Ukrainian War Thread

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Russia has now attacked 3 new cities: Lutsk, Ivano-Frankivsk and Dnipro.
You're mistaken. Ivano-Frankovsk was hit pretty early on. There's a unit of MiG-29s based there that got destroyed. Dnepropetrovsk isn't west at all, it's dead center. I believe Lutsk was also hit at least once before. All in all Russia is continuing to target military infrastructure across Ukraine to degrade overall capabilities.
 

Big_Zucchini

Well-Known Member
It seems it is going to be grinding war of attrition. Just like Russian did with Grozny. I suspect Russia then will try to get some local group supporters, which in the end will administrate the area. They're doing it in Chechya and in Georgia. Seems they're going to do it again in Ukraine.

This is just my personal opinion, when I saw Russian send old Soviet era equipment to the front, I don't see it like Western media talk of Russian already lost many equipment, thus resolt to using old ones.

There's more probable that they are preparing their kind War of Attrition, where they are keeping their main assets, and send those older Soviet era equipment to try exhausted Ukraine resources. It's a very costly strategy, but that's can be where Russia going to conduct their war of attrition work.
Sending in old equipment is not as straightforward as it seems. It is still no less than a strategic asset.

Many armed forces rely on mothballed equipment to act as their wartime reserves, which they can either send in as-is or upgrade and send in.
Since old equipment is less effective, obviously, the rate at which it's lost is much greater.

For Russia it's a double problem - those old pieces of equipment are not replaced by new ones every year. They are drawn out and upgraded. Good chunk of Russia's modern AFVs are actually upgraded old ones.

So it's questionable whether there is any more value to losing old equipment in masses than losing small quantities of new equipment.
 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Sending in old equipment is not as straightforward as it seems. It is still no less than a strategic asset.

Many armed forces rely on mothballed equipment to act as their wartime reserves, which they can either send in as-is or upgrade and send in.
Since old equipment is less effective, obviously, the rate at which it's lost is much greater.

For Russia it's a double problem - those old pieces of equipment are not replaced by new ones every year. They are drawn out and upgraded. Good chunk of Russia's modern AFVs are actually upgraded old ones.

So it's questionable whether there is any more value to losing old equipment in masses than losing small quantities of new equipment.
Yes and no. Russia purchases several hundred armored vehicles each year. Between Tigrs and Tayfuns, new-built BTR-82As (technically they're an upgraded BTR-80 design but the physical BTR-82A is new, unlike the upgraded BTR-82AM), BMP-3s (they've been purchasing 2-4 btlns a year) and BMD-4Ms (2 btlns a year for a while) they're doing quite a bit of shopping. It's just that Russian ground forces have ballooned since 2014, from ~40 brigades, to a much larger force. In my opinion that decision was a mistake, inertial thinking. Of course nobody asked me... :)

I would estimate ~400-500 new light-armor vehicles each year. And that's conservative. We're not counting things like armored ambulances (OKR Linza anyone?) or SP ATGM carriers (Khrizantema and Kornet-D1), or new armored support vehicles (BMR-3Ms have gotten inducted, BREM-1Ms are still purchased).

The flip side is... would there be any fewer BMP-3s lost then BMP-2s under similar conditions? I mean... the current BMP-3 variant does come with thermals, definitely has better optics, and there's some benefit to being able to throw 100mm HE FRAG. But neither will survive a direct RPG hit, nevermind an NLAW. There's a number of up-armored BMP-3s that can carry slat and ERA armor, but I've only seen them occasionally, and none in this conflict so far. The BTR-82A has a nearly identical protection level to the BTR-80 (anti-spall liner to reduce occupant casualties helps). There's the BTR-82AT which has extra armor panels, and slat-armor but again it's very rare and none have been sighted in this conflict. Otherwise the main advantage of the BTR-82A over the BTR-80 is the similar to the advantage the BMP-3 offers over the BMP-2; better sensors, more fire-power, better comms and navigation. Are any of these things conducive to reducing losses in the types of engagements they're facing? In other words... in the scenario above would a T-72A fare any worse then a T-90M? A BMP-3 mech column any better then a BMP-2?
 

GermanHerman

Active Member

Some footage of the initial landing at Hostomel, I thought it might be interesting as we get very little footage from the conventional russian troops so far.
 

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
Infantry operated ATGWs are a battalion asset but RPGs and LAW are section issues; obviously mostly effective at close ranges or restricted terrain.
Yes, like Malaysian infantry, Singapore’s ATGM platoon (armed with Spike LRs), is an infantry battalion asset — they will reach out and destroy tanks from a few km away.

The Spike SR is a company support anti-tank weapon (replacing the 84mm RR) and the Matador is a section level anti-armour weapon.
 
Last edited:

STURM

Well-Known Member
The Carl Gustav [despite its weight and 2 men crew] is still operated at Company level. It's valued because it tends to be more accurate than shoulder fired disposable types and can fire a variety of ammo including smoke [something also performed by the Milkors at section level and 60mm mortars; which also have AP [ball bearing] rounds.

Anyway apologies; that's me getting off topic; I'll stick to Russian/Ukrainian stuff.
 
Last edited:

STURM

Well-Known Member
informative vid of Nlaw ambush on Russian armored column
Thank you for the video. Some points/questions come to mind.

- The MBT LAW was fired only about 200 metres, more or less, away. Why did the Ukrainians pick an ambush position so close to the road? Even with MBT LAW's limited range they could,have positions themselves a bit further away. The open terrain certainly permitted a longer range engagement.

- Several of the crew were seen escaping. It's extraordinary that any one could have survived given the tank received a direct hit in the turret which penetrated.

- Why was the tank still moving after it had been abandoned? Was the driver dead and his foot still on the pedal? Unlikely he was killed given the round impacted the turret and the turret crew made it out.

- Will experience in the Ukraine lead to any changes with regards to Russian tank.development and even perhaps changes to Arnata?

- Are top attack missiles designed to specifically hit the turret area or do they also tend to hit the engine compartment?

- Given that almost every Russian tank is fitted with ERA and that it's ineffective [Im assuming it was Kontakt-5] against top attack missiles; there is an urgent need for a new generation ERA and for every tank to be fitted with a APS.

- I can't tell if the tanks were T-72s or
T-90s and I'm assuming the UAS was Ukrainian?

- Were the vehicles the lead elements or were they proceeded by a screening element which the ambush team allowed to past? Does Russian doctrine even call for armoured spearheads to always be screened by recce/scout units?

- Interesting to speculate as to what rounds were already loaded in the breech: KE rounds in expectation of meeting Ukrainian armour or HE rounds which would have been useful against an ambush team?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ukrainians used some inventive tactics in order to attack and allegedly sink the Russian patrol boat Vasily Bykov a few days ago by means of an shore based ambush with a Smerch like multiple rocket launcher. They apparently used some small boats to lure the ship into visual range from shore and then hit it with an unguided missile volley. The ship then apparently caught fire, burned down and sank the following morning.

Patrol ship Vasily Bykov attack
 
Last edited:

Big_Zucchini

Well-Known Member
Yes and no. Russia purchases several hundred armored vehicles each year. Between Tigrs and Tayfuns, new-built BTR-82As (technically they're an upgraded BTR-80 design but the physical BTR-82A is new, unlike the upgraded BTR-82AM), BMP-3s (they've been purchasing 2-4 btlns a year) and BMD-4Ms (2 btlns a year for a while) they're doing quite a bit of shopping. It's just that Russian ground forces have ballooned since 2014, from ~40 brigades, to a much larger force. In my opinion that decision was a mistake, inertial thinking. Of course nobody asked me... :)

I would estimate ~400-500 new light-armor vehicles each year. And that's conservative. We're not counting things like armored ambulances (OKR Linza anyone?) or SP ATGM carriers (Khrizantema and Kornet-D1), or new armored support vehicles (BMR-3Ms have gotten inducted, BREM-1Ms are still purchased).

The flip side is... would there be any fewer BMP-3s lost then BMP-2s under similar conditions? I mean... the current BMP-3 variant does come with thermals, definitely has better optics, and there's some benefit to being able to throw 100mm HE FRAG. But neither will survive a direct RPG hit, nevermind an NLAW. There's a number of up-armored BMP-3s that can carry slat and ERA armor, but I've only seen them occasionally, and none in this conflict so far. The BTR-82A has a nearly identical protection level to the BTR-80 (anti-spall liner to reduce occupant casualties helps). There's the BTR-82AT which has extra armor panels, and slat-armor but again it's very rare and none have been sighted in this conflict. Otherwise the main advantage of the BTR-82A over the BTR-80 is the similar to the advantage the BMP-3 offers over the BMP-2; better sensors, more fire-power, better comms and navigation. Are any of these things conducive to reducing losses in the types of engagements they're facing? In other words... in the scenario above would a T-72A fare any worse then a T-90M? A BMP-3 mech column any better then a BMP-2?
I think with some better equipment, their motivation and confidence would go up somewhat. Certainly doesn't help when troops entering think they're on equal grounds with someone, and that someone is well prepared in defensive posture.
But those new AFVs are hardly a step forward from the old ones. They are incremental upgrades. Take it one step forward in tech, e.g an American, German, or French unit, and I think they'd do much better as these better tools would give them more confidence in superiority and in their capabilities.
 

danonz

Member
Iv noticed Russians wearing what appears to reflective tape along there arms, I'm assuming its to avoid friendly fire and the reflective part possibly so attack helicopters can Identify friend or foe ?
capturing the Gostomel airfield near Kiev by helicopter assault forces on the first day of the special operation
 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Update.

A summary of missile launches by Russia against targets in Ukraine.


Around Kiev.

Russian UAV footage of Ukrainian forces moving supplies into a residential house, followed by a strike.


Fighting on the western edge of Kiev, near the Zhitomyr road.


Russian KUB loitering munition fell in Kiev. Presumably malfunctioning.


Satellite imagery of combat near Kiev.


Strikes against targets near Kiev seen from UAV, possibly Krasnopol' usage.


Vasilkovo airport got hit by a strike.


Battle damage in Brovary

Russian BMP-2 column somewhere near Kiev.


Russian VDV, Kiev region, time unclear.


Russian troops in a traffic jam moving towards Kiev.


Russian BTR-80 flying the Soviet flag somewhere near Kiev.


Russian troops delivering humanitarian aid, Vorzel', Kiev region.


Fresh satellite images show the giant column west of Kiev is gone.


Civilians evacuating Irpen'.


Kiev, alleged looter taped to a pole.


Ukrainian civilians in Kiev, hiding in the metro.


Two Turkish A-400Ms are apparently stuck at Borispol'.


The North.

Battle damage in Chernigov, a stadium and a hotel. Allegedly foreign fighters were staying at the hotel. I don't buy it, the city has been surrounded for a while. It would be pretty hard to get in.


Ukrainian T-64BV and Strela-10 abandoned near Chernigov.


Russian Forpost UAV shot down over Chernigov.


Russian A-50U over Gomel', Belarus.


Russian forces near Chernigov.


Kharkov-Sumy.

Russian BM-21 firing, Sumy area.


Russian National Guard posing with a Russian T-72B (B3, BA, or B mod'90), somewhere near Kharkov.


Ukrainian fighters burying their dead, Kharkov.


A rail bridge in Chuguev, near Kharkov, was blown up.


Light rail station in Kharkov, damaged by the fighting.


Krivoy Rog-Cherkasy.

Kanatovo airfield in central Ukraine was hit by strikes.


Kremenchug, someone taped to a pole.

 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Zaporozhye-Dnepropetrovsk.

Dnepropetrovsk got hit by strikes. Reportedly at least 3 explosions.


The mayor of Melitopol' was detained by MGB security forces from the LNR. It appears rebel forces are already in Melitopol'. He was detained for allegedly trying to destabilize the situation in the town.


A Ukrainian Tochka TEL being rescued from a ditch near Zaporozhye.


A protest against Russian occupation Melitopol', allegedly 200-400 people.


Russian humanitarian aid is heading to Melitopol', Energodar, Berdyansk.


Russian humanitarian aid from Chechnya in Melitopol'. The woman speaking at the end is the acting mayor of Melitopol', presumably because the actual mayor was taken away by rebel security forces.


Kherson-Nikolaev-Odessa.

Artillery exchanges around Nikolaev continue.


Mortars landing in Nikolaev, allegedly Ukrainian.


Battle damage in Ternovka village near Nikolaev.


Allegedly a Ukrainian Strizh Tu-141 shot down in Crimea.


A destroyed Ukrainian truck column and abandoned T-64BV mod'17 in Kherson area. Note, the column is old and is probably from the destroyed convoy that we've seen before. The tank may or may not be new.


Russian troops moving around Kherson.


Ukraine's Sapfir rescue vessel has been taken to Sevastopol.


Ukrainian refugees are entering Crimea.

 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Mariupol'.

Russian or rebel tank, outskirts of Mariupol', getting hit by something.


UAV footage of combat in Mariupol'. It's hard to tell what's happening, but the damage looks serious. You can make out military vehicles in some shots.


Fighting inside Mariupol', it's a Russian T-72B3 mod'16 variant firing (you can see a better photo of two of them in the same spot in the second link). Also a BTR-4 was destroyed in an artillery strike. It was parked between residential buildings, next to a school.


Rebel forces advancing through the outskirts of Mariupol'. Rebel forces are apparently using captured Javelins.


Rebel artillery firing, DNR area, near Mariupol'.


Battle damage in Mariupol'. Warning footage of corpses in the second link.


Rebel forces have taken Volnovakha. Footage from inside continues to come in. The town is in ruins, and the civilians are being evacuated. It appears Ukrainian positions were set up in a local school, among other places. Ukrainian forces lost at least 4 T-64s abandoned/damaged, a 5th one is unclear. It's parked near the T-34 monument and is marked with a Z and a rebel unit designation. However the post claims it was captured as a trophy and marked. They also lost a Varta armored car, a BTR (70? 80?) and a BMP-2. An AT-4 was also seen there, which suggests that western rocket-launchers made it to front-line units in the Donbass very quickly. Rebel forces are evacuating the locals to the nearby village of Bugas, due to the severe damage the town took during the fighting. Volnovakha was a major Ukrainian strongpoint and well defended, but a much smaller town. The scale of the destruction is telling, and it doesn't bode well for Ukrainian cities. I'm also curious how large the defending forces were and how many got away. Had any significant quantities surrendered, it's likely the rebels would have paraded them around on camera. Rebel sources claim a Ukrainian column tried to break out and lost vehicles, but some got away.


A Ukrainian anti-tank ambush was apparently wiped out in Novotroitskoe village near Volnovakha. At least one of the bodies is chained to a pole, the claim is that they were forced to stay and fight. I suspect it might be a fake, the location doesn't make any kind of sense, at least from the footage we have. What road were they trying to cover? The one 1-2 meters away from them? Warning footage of corpses.


Rebel reservists in Novotroitskoe, note the destroyed BRDM-2, Ukrainian, and another destroyed armored vehicle, unclear whose.


Ukrainian BMP-1 (BRM-1? that turret looks big) abandoned near Novotroitskoe. A GAZ bus being used for ammo-transport crashed into it.


Ukrainian BRDM-2 captured in Anadol', small village about halfway between Volnovakha and Mariupol'.


Battle damage in a village near Mariupol', now under rebel control, allegedly damaged by Ukrainian shelling, after they withdrew.


The Ukrainian Giatsint-B battery, their wheels being burned. It was recently captured by Russian forces near Berdyansk.


Rebel troop column exiting Volnovakha.


Rebel troops near Mariupol'.


Mangush, a small town west of Mariupol'. Rescue workers from the DNR reunited with their colleagues


Volodarskoe/Nikoslkoe village, allegedly west of Mariupol' (apparently it was renamed relatively recently by Ukrainian authorities but is now reverting back to the old name) where the local fire station has switched over to serving the DNR authorities.


A direct land route is now open from Russia through the DNR, Ukrainian occupied provinces, and to Crimea.


Ukrainian positions near Starognatovka, now in rebel hands, and even somewhat behind the front line.


Talakovka, north-east of Mariupol'. I can see one destroyed tank, presumably Ukrainian based on the paintjob, another tank intact, possibly captured.


Civilians who escaped Volnovakha. Note the Z on the car. Rebel forces have been marking civilian vehicles moving away from the front line with these markings to minimize changes of being shot by rebel forces.


Civilians receiving food, Volnovakha.


Interviews with locals in Sartana, near Mariupol'.


Ethnic Greeks in Sartana say that Russian troops are not killing civilians and instead are offering immediate aid.

 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
LDNR Front.

Russian helos over Lugansk.


Rebel forces have taken a working Javelin launcher among other trophies.


Rebel forces patrolling the streets in Starobel'sk.


Rebel forces are taking possession of Ukrainian vehicles to use in combat, and also NLAWs. Vehicles include some T-64s, T-80BVs, a ZSU-23-4, and a BREM-1.


Captured Ukrainain trucks and two T-64BVs mod'17 allegedly from the 53rd Mech Bde, location unknown. They also got an MT-LB with a ZU-23-2, and a BM-27 Uragan. I suspect the last photo is inaccurate, since it's unlikely a mech bde would operate BM-27s but it's hard to be sure.


Ukrainian Varta and Kozak armored cars being used by rebel forces.


Rebel forces captured a Humvee.


Things around Lisichansk-Severodonetsk have quieted down, locals are lining up to stock up at stores.


The West.

Explosions in Lutsk, Russian strikes.


Ivano-Frankovsk got hit again, allegedly the airfield.


Weapons being distributed to presumably territorial defense fighters, Ivano-Frankovsk.


Misc.

City fighting, Ukrainian forces, location unknown.


Alleged downed Bayraktar, location unknown.


Russian helos operating over Ukraine.


Russian ATGM technical firing, location unknown. They look like SOF. There's a photo of a similar looking technical parked next to a destroyed BTR-4.


Allegedly a Russian UAV striking targets, location unknown. Though it's hard to tell, it could be an artillery strike.


Ukrainian forces receiving Panzerfaust-3, location unknown. Note the pickup truck transporting it.


Ukraine admits to the loss of an Mi-24 from the 16th Aviation Bde, shot down on March 8th. Crew is dead.


Russian air-assault on an airport in Ukraine, presumably Gostomel'. Footage is from 02-24.


Chechen National Guard being airlifted, towards Ukraine.


Ukrainian forces have taken one of their own BRDM-2L1s (a Ukrainian upgrade variant) painted it with Zs, right over the Ukrainian camo, and are claiming it as a trophy. Location unknown. There is of course one other possibility. This is a Ukrainain BRDM-2 captured by the rebels, painted with Zs and then captured back by Ukrainian forces, but this seems unlikely at present.


Russian/rebel soldier filming a captured Humvee.


A home made rocket launcher, Ukraine, location unknown.


Abandoned Ukrainian MANPADS.


Another alleged Russian infiltrator, location unknown.


POWs.

A captured Ukrainian service member from the 132nd Recon Btln.


Ukrainian POW captured near Kharkov, from the 93rd Mech Bde.


Alleged Ukrainian POW calling on Ukrainian soldiers not to fight.


EU/NATO.

A Tu-141 Strizh UAV flew through all of Hungary and crashed in Zagreb, Croatia. Presumably the UAV is Ukrainian.


A NATO E-3 patrolling near Ukraine.

 

cdxbow

Well-Known Member
Article from Wired about the failure of the Russian disinformation campaign. The Spectacular Collapse of Putin’s Disinformation Machinery | WIRED I've got to say I really enjoyed looking the 'useful idiots' in the west squirming.

After reading this it got me thinking, this thread is misnamed and misleading. Is it Russian disinformation?
The thread needs to be named accurately something like 'The Russian Invasion of the Ukraine' or the 'Russian Ukraine War', anything less is misleading.
 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Article from Wired about the failure of the Russian disinformation campaign. The Spectacular Collapse of Putin’s Disinformation Machinery | WIRED I've got to say I really enjoyed looking the 'useful idiots' in the west squirming.

After reading this it got me thinking, this thread is misnamed and misleading. Is it Russian disinformation?
The thread needs to be named accurately something like 'The Russian Invasion of the Ukraine' or the 'Russian Ukraine War', anything less is misleading.
Yeah to be honest it's a legacy thread title I haven't gotten around to changing from when this was a war in the Donbass. I'll rename.
 

kato

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
With regard to non-disinformation campaigns, in one of the suburbs of the city i'm in with a sizable Russian population there's now "Z" graffiti popping up in quite a number of places...
 

cdxbow

Well-Known Member
With regard to non-disinformation campaigns, in one of the suburbs of the city i'm in with a sizable Russian population there's now "Z" graffiti popping up in quite a number of places...
Those 'Z' remind me of Swastika's. Put 2 overlying together , with one rotated 90 degrees, what do you get?
 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Those 'Z' remind me of Swastika's. Put 2 overlying together , with one rotated 90 degrees, what do you get?
It's an odd statement to make. There is one side in this conflict with self-professed right wing extremists in its ranks, and another side that uses the latin letter Z. But the one reminding you of swastikas is not the one wearing SS patches on their body armor, or taking group photos with Nazi flags. It's the one with the letter Z for a tactical symbol? We need to decouple the idea of aggressive territorial expansion from the idea of racist national-socialist ideology. It's completely possible to have one without the other and vice-versa. What Putin is engaging in has nothing to do with national-socialism, and is plain old-fashioned imperialism, no different from other imperialist nations historically. The fact that what he did here is both wrong and thoroughly mistaken (it will backfire on him, already has) doesn't make him a Nazi, and it certainly doesn't mean there aren't neo-Nazis in Ukraine, or that they haven't used this conflict (for the past 8 years) to infiltrate the armed forces. Don't let your understandable sympathies trick you into a good guys-bad guys narrative. Real life doesn't work that way. When Russian soldiers start scrawling anti-semitic slogans on the walls of Mariupol', then we can talk about how the Z reminds you of a swastika. And while we're at it, does this remind you of a swastika? Why or why not? https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...vg/220px-Emblem_of_the_Azov_Battalion.svg.png

Between S14, Right Sector, Azov, Aydar, and others, there is a pattern of people who should not be granted legitimacy by government military service being given uniforms and weapons, and then being turned loose. Some of them, like Tornado, just turn to organized crime. Some like Azov turn into full-blown right-wing extremists movements, right down to indoctrination camps for children, and some like Aydar don't limit their options and do both. Regardless of your take on Putin, the decision of the Ukrainian government to provide weapons and legitimacy to obvious right-wing extremists is plain wrong. We know they're a relatively small portion of the population. Are there so few regular Ukrainians willing to fight that this is the only way? I don't think so. But if it was true, it would be the single greatest legitimiser of Putin's invasion. If nobody but neo-Nazis wanted to fight Russia, then Putin's narrative would be essentially correct. It's not. So why are these groups getting the support? It's one thing in '14 when government forces were basically incapable of performing their functions. But it's been 8 years... plenty of time to correct the issue. Have any serious attempts been made?
 

cdxbow

Well-Known Member
It's an odd statement to make. There is one side in this conflict with self-professed right wing extremists in its ranks, and another side that uses the latin letter Z. But the one reminding you of swastikas is not the one wearing SS patches on their body armor, or taking group photos with Nazi flags. It's the one with the letter Z for a tactical symbol? We need to decouple the idea of aggressive territorial expansion from the idea of racist national-socialist ideology. It's completely possible to have one without the other and vice-versa. What Putin is engaging in has nothing to do with national-socialism, and is plain old-fashioned imperialism, no different from other imperialist nations historically. The fact that what he did here is both wrong and thoroughly mistaken (it will backfire on him, already has) doesn't make him a Nazi, and it certainly doesn't mean there aren't neo-Nazis in Ukraine, or that they haven't used this conflict (for the past 8 years) to infiltrate the armed forces. Don't let your understandable sympathies trick you into a good guys-bad guys narrative. Real life doesn't work that way. When Russian soldiers start scrawling anti-semitic slogans on the walls of Mariupol', then we can talk about how the Z reminds you of a swastika. And while we're at it, does this remind you of a swastika? Why or why not? https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...vg/220px-Emblem_of_the_Azov_Battalion.svg.png

Between S14, Right Sector, Azov, Aydar, and others, there is a pattern of people who should not be granted legitimacy by government military service being given uniforms and weapons, and then being turned loose. Some of them, like Tornado, just turn to organized crime. Some like Azov turn into full-blown right-wing extremists movements, right down to indoctrination camps for children, and some like Aydar don't limit their options and do both. Regardless of your take on Putin, the decision of the Ukrainian government to provide weapons and legitimacy to obvious right-wing extremists is plain wrong. We know they're a relatively small portion of the population. Are there so few regular Ukrainians willing to fight that this is the only way? I don't think so. But if it was true, it would be the single greatest legitimiser of Putin's invasion. If nobody but neo-Nazis wanted to fight Russia, then Putin's narrative would be essentially correct. It's not. So why are these groups getting the support? It's one thing in '14 when government forces were basically incapable of performing their functions. But it's been 8 years... plenty of time to correct the issue. Have any serious attempts been made?
Feanor, the visual similarity is staggering to me. Others have commented on this. Coincidence? Perhaps toxic ultranationalism always comes up with similar visual memes. Perhaps I'm a bit sensitive to it because one branch of my family are Polish Jews.

The second is Mr Putin's Russia now ticks most of the boxes for something very similar to mid-last century Fascism. Which is ironic given Mr Putin calls to rid Ukraine of fascists. I think this is one of the reasons Western Europe have reacted with unity and purpose, they recognise what Putin's Russia is becoming and are reacting to it at a visceral level.
 
Top