Russia's War Against Ukraine

[Pete Dero]

So those drafted protestors had no military training background, even the minimal stuff mentioned in the article?

I ask because 'drafting protestors asap, mua ha ha' and 'calling up reservists with problematic levels of military training' are not mutually exclusive categories.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62992365

A 26-year-old PhD student and lecturer at a prominent Russian university, he was expecting a delivery of groceries the night before the Putin address when the doorbell rang. Instead, he was faced with two men in civilian clothes who handed him military papers and asked him to sign.

The BBC has a copy of these documents, asking him to attend a draft centre on Thursday.

he Kremlin said only people who had done their military service and had special skills and combat experience would be called up. But Sergei has no military experience and his stepfather is worried, as dodging the draft is a criminal offence in Russia.

The stepfather works in a state oil company and hours later he was asked to provide a list of staff who had a legal exemption from military service.


Thousands of Russians attended anti-war protests in cities across Russia on Wednesday night. Many said they were handed call-up papers either in the street or later in police detention.

Human rights organisation OVD-Info listed up to 10 police stations in Moscow alone where protesters were given their papers. At least one man in Moscow's Vernadsky district refused to sign and was threatened with a criminal case.

[GDS_Starfury]

its 1917 all over again ladies.  L:-)

[SirAndrewD]

At this rate the first T-55s will hit the frontlines in approximately three month's time.

Way earlier than that.  Ukraine just bought Slovenia's stock of the M-55S.  It'll be in combat pretty quickly I imagine.

[GDS_Starfury]

theyve already been slated for less demanding sectors of the front from what Ive read.

[Pete Dero]

There are rumors that they are recruiting athletes. These can run away even faster  >:D.


Translated from a local newspaper :


In his televised address on Wednesday, Vladimir Putin spoke of "reservists" being called up. It would be about 300,000 Russians who have already served in the army and therefore have the necessary experience.

But Novaya Gazeta, an independent Russian newspaper, quotes an unnamed Putin government official as saying the real plan is to call up 1 million people.

The government source informed the newspaper about a "secret seventh paragraph" of Putin's mobilization decree. "The figure has been adjusted several times," the source says, "and it ended up being one million."

According to The Guardian's Moscow correspondent, Andrew Roth, 20 convocations have already been distributed, including to several in their fifties, in a small Siberian village of 450 inhabitants. If 20 people are mobilized in a village of 450 people, this will result in much more than 300,000 conscriptions across Russia, the British newspaper concludes.

[GDS_Starfury]

they do like their secret clauses dont they.

[ArizonaTank]

Some recent news tidbits:

The following countries voted against letting Zelensky address the UN by video.  I guess this is now "Team Russia":
Belarus, Cuba, Eritrea, North Korea, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria

North Korea has denied US State Department claims that the country was preparing to sell weapons to Russia.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ukraine-war-live-volodymyr-zelenskiy-lays-out-peace-formula-as-arrests-at-russia-anti-war-protests-pass-1-000/ar-AA123YJt?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=48a621841b1642e8d1ca89b90958b070

[ArizonaTank]

Thousands of Russians attended anti-war protests in cities across Russia on Wednesday night. Many said they were handed call-up papers either in the street or later in police detention.

Human rights organisation OVD-Info listed up to 10 police stations in Moscow alone where protesters were given their papers. At least one man in Moscow's Vernadsky district refused to sign and was threatened with a criminal case.[/i]

One "punishment" for protesters is that they will be immediately conscripted into the army.

Thats got to be a "motivated" group to send into combat.

But the Russians aren't probably worried about motivation. Those poor guys would receive minimal training. The Russians would probably just issue them a small stick and then send them off to clear minefields.

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-warns-protesters-will-drafted-military-1744983

[Gusington]

I'm not trying to be funny but I thought Eritrea was better than that. Nicaragua too. Guess I better read up.

[SirAndrewD]

I'm not trying to be funny but I thought Eritrea was better than that. Nicaragua too. Guess I better read up.

You shouldn't think that. 

Nicaragua is under Ortega, the Sandinista dictator from the 80's that was fought against by the US backed Contras.  The people of Nicaragua wanted him despite years of CIA funded wars to depose him.  He's very, very anti-American and pro Russia, the Soviets always supported him.

Eritrea is under Isaias.  Another dictatorship that is highly tied to Moscow.  Isaias has made a habit of eliminating his opposition brutally an and solidifying his regime.

[steve58]

Maybe Putin's actual plan is overwhelm Ukraine with Russian deserters and surrenderees??

[GDS_Starfury]

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/22/ukraine-requests-american-tanks-counteroffensive-00058303

[Gusington]

I am learning muchly in this thread.

[JasonPratt]

Hey, speaking of tanks: the first tank-on-tank battle film released in this war? (Not a joke video, btw.)

https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/xjh99a/footage_from_the_ukrainian_unit_terra_documents_a/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

Looks like at least one T-62?

[Skoop]

I'm not trying to be funny but I thought Eritrea was better than that. Nicaragua too. Guess I better read up.

You shouldn't think that. 

Nicaragua is under Ortega, the Sandinista dictator from the 80's that was fought against by the US backed Contras.  The people of Nicaragua wanted him despite years of CIA funded wars to depose him.  He's very, very anti-American and pro Russia, the Soviets always supported him.

Eritrea is under Isaias.  Another dictatorship that is highly tied to Moscow.  Isaias has made a habit of eliminating his opposition brutally an and solidifying his regime.

The Ortega thing really baffles me, because 10 to 15 years ago Nicaragua was on it's way to becoming the next costa rica.  Meaning, beach resort eutopia full of tourist dollars.  Some how it all went south,and they sunk back into oppression like Russia.  Glad I didn't buy a beach house there, it would have been a loss.

Lol, that team russia list is a motley list of nations, not one of them could even make a difference in Ukraine.