The Russian-Ukrainian War Thread

vikingatespam

Well-Known Member
Russia should have plenty of vehicles in storage. The question is how long it will take to get those vehicles overhauled and into service. How many BTRs out of storage have even seen? Almost none? For 1950s armor on the front lines, can you provide an example? BMP-1s are out of the late 60s, and BTR-50s haven't been seen on the front lines yet (in fact we've seen one train with them, and one shot of one up close in some sort of garage). The T-62 was introduced in '61 but the T-62Ms we're seeing are an upgrade out of the 80s. And again production of armored vehicles in Russia is still ongoing including apparently MRAPs, as well as traditional IFVs, APCs, and improvised armored trucks.
S-60 and ZSU-23 guns are from the 50's. Time will tell if the BTR-50 show up on the front.
 

Dex

Member
Russia should have plenty of vehicles in storage. The question is how long it will take to get those vehicles overhauled and into service. How many BTRs out of storage have even seen? Almost none? For 1950s armor on the front lines, can you provide an example? BMP-1s are out of the late 60s, and BTR-50s haven't been seen on the front lines yet (in fact we've seen one train with them, and one shot of one up close in some sort of garage). The T-62 was introduced in '61 but the T-62Ms we're seeing are an upgrade out of the 80s. And again production of armored vehicles in Russia is still ongoing including apparently MRAPs, as well as traditional IFVs, APCs, and improvised armored trucks.
The UK is saying that Russia is using equipment from the 50s and 60s.


 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
The UK is saying that Russia is using equipment from the 50s and 60s.


It would be lovely if we knew how they know it was spotted in Ukraine. So far it looked like it was the very early stage of them being pulled from storage and into overhaul. Of course it's possible we missed it... not everything gets photographed.

S-60 and ZSU-23 guns are from the 50's. Time will tell if the BTR-50 show up on the front.
So distinctly not armor. Unless you mean the ZSU-23-4, which is from the 1960s.
 
Anyway, basically I wrote what you said. As well, moving west and south makes a lot more sense for the RU for a few reasons. One being cutting the supplies and encircling Toretsk area, like you said. Another, moving further west in that direction would likely spoil a Zaporozhye offensive, if there is one coming. And, of course, the land bridge actually has a hell of a lot of strategic value over anything else.

If one believes the liveuamap, there appears to have been some, though little, development in Avdiivka area in the past day or two. The RU look to be in control of the Konstantinovka highway now.
Indeed it looks like Avdiivka is in risk of encirclement, if the Russians capture it and secure the highway they'll be able to attack along it all the way to Konstantinovka enveloping it from the south and west while at the same time if they capture Chasiv Yar they'll get to it from the east and possibly north depending on the bridgehead size in which case they'll be able to cut the road to Kramatorsk. It is vital for Ukrainians to maintain either Avdiivka or Chasiv Yar, if both are lost I don't think they will be able to hold Konstantinovka.

One thing I will note, even though I said I was not going to point out any unsubstantiated claims. Note the claim from Wallace where he said “that 97 percent of Russia’s army was already deployed in Ukraine” being reported as fact. This is nuts, for obvious reasons, but an average reader is led to believe that pretty much the entire Russian army is fighting in Ukraine. This reminds me that I was going to post on the subject of media in the other thread and I forgot.
Following this war has been a challenge since the beginning and I think I wrote about that on this forum several months ago. I have seen some extraordinary claims from the very beginning up until today, of which some were accepted as fact even though they were far-fetched to say the least. Although I understand why these things were done, it's one thing to try to stir up support for the war among the general population (both in Ukraine and in the west) quite another to have your reporting become almost comical. If we follow the reports we are led to believe that the Russian army has run out of ammunition months ago, that their soldiers have no training and are equipped with shovels and howitzers while using Korean war era vehicles and are basically recreating Brusilov offensive by attacking in human waves against the well prepared Ukrainian positions, and to top it all off they are outnumbered 3-1 they are taking 5-1 casualties and yet somehow they, although slowly, keep advancing.

Joking aside it is going to take us a lot of time to figure out what was really going on, and i cant wait some years from now to read a book on the conflict comparing it to what i thought at the time seeing how far off i was.
 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Guys, this thread is for discussion of the war. Discussions of the geostrategic situation between Russia and the West belong in the aptly named relevant thread. Please put your posts in the correct place.
 

swerve

Super Moderator
They're having to spend money to increase capacity to produce more, instead of just running off some more from an active line. And some of the inputs have gone up in price. Higher energy prices will be reflected in the price of casings, for example.
 

StobieWan

Super Moderator
Staff member
That's the sort of thing, the driver really should be spraying his face with silver paint and yelling "witness me!" as he drives into battle.

This was has thrown up a number of really intriguing technical solutions to problems. I'm leaning into this not being one of them :)
 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Update. Feb 8th-10th

Kherson-Nikolaev-Odessa-Krivoy Rog.

Russian incendiary strikes in Kherson.


Russian unmanned vessel with explosives struck the Ukrainian bridge in Zatoka, Odessa region.


Russian strike landing in Odessa.


Battle damage after a Russian strike in Krivoy Rog against the local power plant.


Russian tank operations in Kherson region. We see many of the now less common T-72B3s, complete with roof cages.


Ukrainian mobilization efforts in Odessa.


The West.

Russian strikes landing in Khmel'nitskiy region. Reportedly the local power plant got hit.


Reportedly as a result of Russian strike, one block of the Khmel'nitskaya NPP had to be stopped.


Zaporozhye-Dnepropetrovsk.

Russian tank fires against Ukrainian infantry, Zaporozhye area.


Ukrainian 138th air defense brigade downing a Shahed-136.


Russian strikes in Malinovka, Zaporozhye region.


Reportedly a Ukrainian HIMARS strike against Melitopol' was intercepted but missile fragments rained down on civilian houses.


Russian air defenses firing in Melitopol'.


Russian strikes in Dnepropetrovsk.


Fires burn after a Russian strike in Dnepropetrovsk.


A substation near Dneproges got hit.


Russian security forces have arrested a Russian Chechen and Ossetian national criminal organization operating in Zaporozhye, using their ties with Russian irregular formations as cover for their criminal activities.


The North.

Reportedly Russia struck two industrial objects in Chernigov area.


A storage facility in Kiev next to a factory exploded. Allegedly a faulty gas storage tank.


Russian strikes in Kiev.


TES-5 in Kiev got hit again.


A Gepard hiding underground somewhere near Kiev. Lack of this SHORAD on the front lines might be responsible for increased Russian strikes in Avdeevka recently.

 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Oskol Front.

Russian artillery fires in the woods near Kremennaya.


Russian T-90M with mine trawl and T-80BVM knocked out near Kremennaya.


Ukrainian BTR (80?) destroyed near Novoselkovskoe.


Battle damage from a Russian strike to the Kharkov aviation plant.


Russian strikes landing in Kharkov.


Russian forces have reportedly taken Dvurechnoye village in Kharkov region. Russian forces here are slowly inching their way towards Kupyansk. The town itself will likely be on the front line relatively soon.


Brand new Russian BMP-3M near Kremennaya. Note the additional armor. The type also has thermals.


LDNR Front.


Ukrainian infantry engaged on the outskirts of Artemovsk/Bakhmut.


Foreign fighters while trying to evacuate wounded from one destroyed car are hit by an ATGM.


Ukrainian Novator armored car reportedly damaged by a Russian loitering munition near Artemovsk/Bakhmut. We are consistently seeing this, where coupled with valuable targets like enemy artillery, or even SAMs, loitering munitions are expended against light armor cars, or even regular cars/trucks. This continues to suggest that Russian troops are being given quantities of loitering munitions to be expended not in a purposeful manner, but over a period of time. And if valuable targets do not present themselves, they use them against targets of opportunity. This is both wasteful and problematic. It would be much wiser to accumulate unneeded munitions to be used at a better time.


Ukrainian PzH-2000 fires near Artemovsk/Bakhmut.


Ukrainian L119A3 operations near Artemovsk/Bakhmut.


Ukrainian Bureviy Uragan variants near Artemovsk/Bakhmut.


Ukrainian soldiers leaving Artemovsk/Bakhmut, packed into a civilian car.


Destroyed Russian BMP-2s after a failed attack near Avdeevka. I count at least 6.


Sparta btln quadcopter munition drops near Vodyanoe.


Russian tankers, probably 150th MRD, in Mar'inka.


Russian 5th Bde Giatsint-B and T-72B fires in Mar'inka.


Ukrainian infantry being pushed back by Russian tank fires, Mar'inka.


A Russian loitering munition near miss on an M-777. It's possible the howitzer was damaged by shrapnel.


Russian Mi-24 (or 35) landed due to either fire or a technical malfunction near Ugledar and was destroyed subsequently by artillery. The crew was evacuated by a rescue team on an Mi-8.


Allegedly a Ukrainian counter-attack at Ugledar getting hit.


Russian column from the 155th Marines near Ugledar getting hit. The MBT looks like a T-90M.


Russian assault column before moving out near Ugledar. Note we've already seen one of these BMPs destroyed so the footage is old.


114th Brigade, 1st Corps, former DNR 11th Rgt, night fires for tanks and artillery.


Russia.

Recruitment of convicts into Wagner group has stopped. It's possibly part of internal political struggles.


Russian mobilized personnel from Tula heading to Ukraine, likely part of the 106th VDV.


Misc.

Russian D-20 and Msta-S getting hit, possibly Excalibur strikes. Location unclear.


Ukrainian Msta-S getting hit by a Russian loitering munition.


Ukraine helo ops, low altitude. Location unclear.


Ukrainian troops using captured Krasnopol' guided rounds out of a 2S3. It's unclear whether they are able to paint targets for them or they're just using them as unguided rounds.


A Ukrainian soldier setting the fuse on a 105mm shell.


A Ukrainian FPV munition drone crashed without detonating. Location unclear. The reliability of these improvised systems, being actively used by both sides, isn't great. But they are an effective tool nonetheless.


Two Russian T-80BVM versions seen in Ukraine at once, one with a Sosna, one the simplified variant with the new thermals and the 1G42 sight.


Apparently Russia has modified the warheads on Shahed-131 drones to be more effective.


New Russian VOG-25 and 25MP grenades have been spotted in Ukraine along with new GP-30M and GP-34 under-barrel grenade launchers.


A Russian T-90M with Nakidka and camouflage.


Russian Orlan operations in Ukraine. Despite being over a decade old, this fairly simple and relatively effective UAV remains a staple, not because Russia can't produce better but because after the initial impetus to bring modern UAS into the armed forces under Serdyukov, these efforts drastically slowed. Consequently Russia still doesn't have enough UAVs today, and much of what they use is sub-optimal even considering Russian technology levels.


Russian 3BM60 Svinets-2 sabot rounds have shown up in Ukraine. This is the tungsten variant (Svinets-1 iirc is the DU-uranium one). While the type is behind the latest in American APSFDS rounds, it's a serious threat to anything Ukraine currently fields. It's an open question whether Russian can mass-produce the type.


Ukrainian mobilization efforts.


The World.

Germany will be providing 7 more Gepards to Ukraine, of which 2 are already being delivered. Also being prepared are 5 more Biber bridgelayers, and 5 Dachs engineering vehicles.


Czech Mi-24Vs in Ukraine's 18th Aviation Bde.


Estonian RK-14 directional land mines have shown up in Ukraine.


Belorussian border guards downed a Ukrainian quadcopter.


Norwegian national guard training Ukrainian soldiers in the UK.

 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Ukraine has launched a series of what appear to be probing attacks at the positions of the 291st MRRgt in Zaporozhye. This is the same location where Russia advanced recently taking a few villages around the small town of Orekhov. So far the attacks appear to have failed, Ukraine has lost a number of vehicles, and personnel, in once case losing two IFVs, and possibly two MBTs, in another losing 4 M113s. In the 7th link you can see one of the APCs burning, and Ukrainian infantry pulling back while laying down fire. In at least one video the Russian soldier filming claims the artillery striking Ukrainian forces isn't Russian and is instead a friendly fire incident. Warning footage of corpses in the 5th link.

In all likelihood these probing attacks are recon by force of Russian defenses in preparation for a bigger strike. So while Russian sources are celebrating successfully repelling these attacks, the real offensive is yet to come. It's also plausible that Ukrainian forces believe the Russian defenses are weaker in an area Russia took relatively weaker then elsewhere. If my assessment is correct, we should see more of these probing attacks, followed by a massive blow delivered in several locations at once, intended to paralyze Russia's ability to move forces around. It will then depend on Russia to have sufficient reserves to counter-attack or reinforce. Unlike Kharkov region, Russia doesn't have the natural borders in the form of rivers to fall back to, or the depth.

 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Update. Feb 11th-12th

Kherson-Nikolaev-Odessa.

Ukrainian FPV drone attacking a Russian electronic LP/OP near the Kahovskaya dam.


Russia reportedly struck Zmeiniy island with 4 bombs, and the Odessa port with 3 Oniks missiles.


Battle damage from the recent Russian strike against the bridge in Zatoka.


Russian forces operating a captured T-72M1 on the Kherson axis.


The West.

L'vov region, a local resort, Ukrainian mobilization efforts.


The North.

IRIS-T fragments in Kiev.


Ukrainian anti-UAV teams in Kiev region.


Ukrainian forces training in Rovno region near the Belorussian border.


Zaporozhye-Dnepropetrovsk.

Russian Uragan operations, in the Zaporozhye area.


Oskol Front.

Russian strikes against Gryanikovka, near Kupyansk.


Ukrainian forces in the woods near Kremennaya coming under TOS-1 fires while allegedly regrouping after a failed attack.


Old footage of a burning Ukrainian vehicle. Note the MBT next to it with the green paint blotch and the very characteristic side-skirt. This is a captured Russian tank, either T-72B3 mod'16 or a T-80BVM.


Ukrainian wounded trying to cross an open field near Balka Zhuravka, Kremennaya area.


Russian strikes landing in Kharkov.


One of the strikes in Kharkov hit the Novaya Pochta delivery service.


Reportedly Russian forces have pushed back Ukrainian forces 1-2 kms across the entire front near Kremennaya. Previously Ukrainian forces were as close as 400ms to the town.


Russian T-72B3 mod'16 operating on the Svatovo-Kremennaya area.


Russian recon unit somewhere on the Svatovo-Kremennaya line.


Ukrainian mobilization efforts in Kharkov, in public transportation.

 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
LDNR Front.

Footage of a destroyed bridge between Artemovsk/Bakhmut and Konstantinovka.


Wagner forces in Krasnaya Gora.


A Wagner btln commander shows off a captured 60mm mortar as well as assorted small arms.


Russian Su-25s over Donetsk. Considering the context, they're probably striking Avdeevka.


Ukrainian BS-3 getting taken out near Donetsk.


Russian 150th Motor-Rifles in Mar'inka infantry assault teams supported by BTR-82As.


Russian 150th Motor-Rifle, recon unit, using the 23mm autocannon we've seen before.


Russian forces near Ugledar hitting landmines. The lack of mine-clearing efforts is absolutely staggering. Not too far away in Kherson region wonderful T-90-based BMR-3Ms are working in the rear to clear old Ukrainian minefields. Why these MBT-armored vehicles are not on the front lines here is beyond me.


Russian MBTs near Ugledar, one gets knocked out by artillery, the other one takes a near miss, but keeps moving.


Russian Marines assault teams in Ugledar, BMP-3s laying down suppressing fire, after which assault teams disembark.


Russian loitering munition strike against a Ukrainian MBT in Ugledar.


Russian Krasnopol' strike somewhere near Ugledar.


Russian guided missile strike against a tall point in Ugledar where Ukrainian forces allegedly set up an LP/OP and a counter-battery fire radar. The missile is likely an LMUR (izd.305).


Russian TOS-1 strikes in Ugledar.


Russian vehicles, a burning T-80BV, a knocked out T-80 (BV?) and a BMP-3 knocked out. Ugledar area.


A Russian soldier near Ugledar films destroyed Russian MBTs (T-72s) near a tree line.


58th SpN (former DNR 3rd SpN) btln firing an ATGM at allegedly a Ukrainian MBT based on muzzle flash.


Shelling of Donetsk continues.


Reportedly Russia is turning destroyed building into crumble to use for road construction in Mariupol'.


Russia.

Ukrainian FPV drone striking a Russian FSB border monitoring tower.


Shebekino in Belgorod region was shelled again. Considering the utter lack of military targets in any footage of this town, these shellings look rather despicable.


Russian SpN operating near the Ukrainian border.


Misc.

Russian Krasnopol' strike against a Ukrainian car.


An extremely lucky Russian Kamaz armored truck carrying a 2B9 mortar in the back gets hit by a hand grenade from a Ukrainian quadcopter, but the munitions don't cook off and it drives off.


Russia allegedly striking a Ukrainian bunker and causing the ammo stored inside to go off.


A destroyed T-72, allegedly Ukrainian, location and context unclear.


Ukraine shot down a Russian cruise missile with MANPADS only for it to turn out to be a dud. Russia has been using dud missiles to try and scout out flight paths for some time now.


A damaged Ukrainain Zuzana or Dana (allegedly Zuzana) howitzer. Location and context unclear.


A crashed Russian R-37 missile, somewhere in Ukraine.


Russian 2B9 Vasilek as an improvised SP mortar, on an MT-LB. Another example of why Russia needs a proper SP btln mortar.


Russian Marines posing with a T-90M. Recently the 155th Marines and 810th Marines have been receiving the type.


Ukrainian T-72M1 uparmored, location and context unclear.


Ukrainian M777 covered by an anti-loitering munition net.


Ukrainian forces show off a new UAV-munition (I don't think this can be classified as a loitering munition due to the lack of camera, in point of fact it looks like an analogue to the Shaheds used by Russia). It looks like a copy of the Iranian Arash-2, but is likely based on the RZ-60 practice target drone.


South African M32 Milkor grenade launcher in Ukrainian hands.


The World.


Ukraine is receiving a batch of L-70 40mm Bofors AA guns.


US M70/73 RAAMS mines have been spotted in Ukraine.


Iranian flights to Russia continue.


First sighting of a German Fennek armored recon vehicle in Ukraine.


Reportedly Russia has received6 Mojaher-6, 12 Shahed-129, and Shahed-191 UAVs from Iran.

 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
It appears Russia's assault on Avdeevka has begun. Mirroring the approach to Artemovsk/Bakhmut, there is a Russian element pressuring the town itself, and another element moving in a salient north and now north-north-west of the town. Reportedly after the fall of Krasnogorovka, Russian forces have entered Petrovskoe which is contested by a Ukrainian counter-attack. In the east of the town Russian troops have entered Kamenka which is now contested. And in the south-west they've entered the 9th Quarter of Avdeevka proper.

From a military strategy stand point, this doesn't matter much, but for Russia pushing the front line back from Donetsk is important. Ukraine has indiscriminately struck the center of the town with Grad missiles on several occasions, and having a major city in easy artillery range of the enemy is a problem.

 
Today the EU announced an 18 country coalition to create / provide Ukraine with 1 million rounds of artillery ammunition (mostly 155mm and 152mm ammunition) over the next 12 months. The total package is will cost 2 Billion Euros. The 18 countries include 17 members of the EU and Norway. The USA, Britain, France and Australia have separate plans in place to provide Ukraine with ammunition.

Below are the 18 countries that signed the agreement.
- Germany
- Austria
- Belgium
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Norway
- Finland
- France
- Greece
- Luxembourg
- Sweden
- Netherlands
- Malta
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Estonia

https://eda.europa.eu/news-and-even...ountries-for-common-procurement-of-ammunition
 

ngatimozart

Super Moderator
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
It appears Russia's assault on Avdeevka has begun. Mirroring the approach to Artemovsk/Bakhmut, there is a Russian element pressuring the town itself, and another element moving in a salient north and now north-north-west of the town. Reportedly after the fall of Krasnogorovka, Russian forces have entered Petrovskoe which is contested by a Ukrainian counter-attack. In the east of the town Russian troops have entered Kamenka which is now contested. And in the south-west they've entered the 9th Quarter of Avdeevka proper.

From a military strategy stand point, this doesn't matter much, but for Russia pushing the front line back from Donetsk is important. Ukraine has indiscriminately struck the center of the town with Grad missiles on several occasions, and having a major city in easy artillery range of the enemy is a problem.

Ukrainian based video supporting your assumption. It's map based and he's good at explaining things.

The Ukrainians have been using 155mm MAAR shells to mine areas behind Russian lines etc.

The tactic has been to lay the MAAR mines in front of Russian columns and then mine the area behind them. Whilst they are trapped the artillery finishes them off. It appears that the Russians have been a tad lax using their anti-mine warfare capabilities.

Cappy @ Task & Purpose video on the impacts that foreign fighters on both sides are having on the war.

And his take on continued Russian army mistakes.
 

KipPotapych

Well-Known Member
Quoting myself for substance and continuation:

Here is an interesting article from Washington Post today: Ukraine Short of Skilled Troops and Munitions as Losses, Pessimism Grow.

Behind a paywall, so I will paste some parts here. Some unsubstantiated claims as, it seems, in most of the reports presently, but I am not going to point them out.

“The most valuable thing in war is combat experience,” said a battalion commander in the 46th Air Assault Brigade, who is being identified only by his call sign, Kupol, in keeping with Ukrainian military protocol. “A soldier who has survived six months of combat and a soldier who came from a firing range are two different soldiers. It’s heaven and earth.”

“And there are only a few soldiers with combat experience,” Kupol added. “Unfortunately, they are all already dead or wounded.”[…]
It looks like commander Kupol has been demoted and removed from the front for the interview to the WP article quoted above:


It is paywalled, so here is some copy and paste:

A Ukrainian battalion commander who gave an interview to The Washington Post describing how ill-trained troops were weakening Ukraine’s position on the battlefield quit his post this week, after his superiors demoted him because of his remarks, he said.[…]

He said that he decided to speak out, despite the risks, hoping the United States would ensure better training for Ukrainian soldiers, including some who have gone into battle without knowing how to throw a grenade or handle their weapons. Some abandoned their positions while under Russian fire, he said in the interview.[…]

“These are exactly the kind of people we need at the front,” Oleksiy Goncharenko, a member of Ukraine’s parliament, wrote on his Telegram channel about Kupol. “He emphasized in the interview that the soldiers should be trained even better. Of course, the better prepared a warrior is, the better he fights. What is wrong here? I believe that this story should be publicized.”

Another lawmaker, Volodymyr Ariev, wrote on Facebook: “This government wants to hear only what they want.”

Yuri Butusov, a prominent Ukrainian war reporter, said that Kupol’s troops are the ones who will suffer from his departure. Butusov expressed hope that Kupol would be reinstated and that the military leadership would be willing to hear hard truths.

“We have to defeat Russia both on the front and in our minds — and instead of shutting our mouths, we have to start thinking and acting to improve ourselves daily,” Butusov posted on Facebook.

About 100 of the 500 troops in Kupol’s battalion were killed over the last year, and 400 others were wounded, he said. The mass casualties left him responsible for new, inexperienced troops who were expected to deploy immediately despite an obvious lack of training.

In the interview, Kupol had acknowledged that his remarks could result in disciplinary measures. “As a patriot of my country, I’m worried about my country. That’s all,” he said.

“Do you know what the problem is with our commanders?” he added. “They have a narrow circle, which does not deliver bad news to them. They filter out the bad news.”


Saw another article at a Ukrainian site (can’t locate at the moment) that, referencing a Telegram post, stated that the troops that now used to be under Kupol’s command were asking to reinstate him and that everything he said in the interview was true and want him back.

I get that he wasn’t supposed to give any interviews that weren’t authorized and whatnot, but it appears that some things aren’t heard and acted upon otherwise. Unfortunate.
 

KipPotapych

Well-Known Member
It appears a bit of a change plans on Abrams in order to speed up the delivery:


The Pentagon is speeding up its delivery of Abrams tanks to Ukraine, opting to send a refurbished older model that can be ready faster, with the aim of getting the 70-ton battle powerhouses to the war zone in eight to 10 months, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.

The original plan was to send Ukraine 31 of the newer M1A2 Abrams, which could have taken a year or two to build and ship. But officials said the decision was made to send the older M1A1 version, which can be taken from Army stocks and could be there before the end of the year. Officials said the M1A1 also will be easier for Ukrainian forces to learn to use and maintain as they fight Russia’s invasion.




Prigozhin says they control 70% of Bakhmut, but keeps insisting that Ukraine is planning counteroffensive in the city. He has been saying that for a couple of weeks now or longer. Also, this is from a week ago, but (via Google translate from Пригожин заявил о подготовке ВСУ контрнаступления в районе Артемовска)

Prigozhin said that at the moment PMC units are located near the city administration. He also noted that about 50,000 Ukrainian servicemen are constantly stationed in the Artemovsk area, of which 12-20 thousand are within the city.

He also wrote a letter to Shoigu the other day, talking about the planned Ukrainian large scale counteroffensive in Bakhmut. He made part of it public and indicated that the actual plan and ideas are enclosed for private reading. I read it at one of the Russian websites, but here is Reuters article talking about the same thing:


I am also trying to find but failing to do so at the moment a video I saw on one of the Ukrainian Telegram channels claiming equipment and men moving likely to the Bakhmut direction. Looked like a lot of equipment and “men” definitely didn’t look like “newbs”, definitely seasoned pros judging by their appearance. Maybe Feanor saw it as well as he seems to be on top of it.


And, as a side note, talking about using ancient equipment, as per dear UK MoD, lol, Ukes with a Maxim:



One would think the thing had to come from a museum or a private collection…

From: Russian casualties mount in Bakhmut, but tactics evolve - BBC News
 

vikingatespam

Well-Known Member
And, as a side note, talking about using ancient equipment, as per dear UK MoD, lol, Ukes with a Maxim:

[pic snipped]

One would think the thing had to come from a museum or a private collection…
While we all make fun of RU trotting out relics form the cold war, they are supposedly a 1st world power. The fact they sink to such depths (T-62, S-60, Mosin-N, etc) makes it fair game for mocking. UKR on the other hand is barely even a regional power and is fighting a battle for survival. Bringing out the maxim is an act of desperation, but still a wise act.
 

Stuart M

Well-Known Member
While we all make fun of RU trotting out relics form the cold war, they are supposedly a 1st world power. The fact they sink to such depths (T-62, S-60, Mosin-N, etc) makes it fair game for mocking. UKR on the other hand is barely even a regional power and is fighting a battle for survival. Bringing out the maxim is an act of desperation, but still a wise act.

Very wise indeed
Adding in handle bar moustaches and pith helmets not only gets you cool points, but potentially an empire.

Machine Gun — How Hiram Maxim’s Deadly Invention Changed History - MilitaryHistoryNow.com

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