Russia's War Against Ukraine

[Jarhead0331]

Red Dawn

[SirAndrewD]

^ From what I've been seeing that's part of the attack on Hostomel Airport.   

Fog of War considered, some on the ground reporting on twitter has indicated that the airport has changed hands more than once, possibly indicating a successful Ukrainian counterattack.   Some sources are outright saying that, so it may be that the Russians got their first big bloody nose.

Taking that airport is important to any cutting off of Kyiv.

Also unconfirmed reports with some videos of a supposed joint Ukrainian military/partisan counterattack and victory in Sumy.

[Jarhead0331]

^The Russians are definitely losing aircraft. Of that, there is no doubt. I've also heard reports that an entire platoon from the 74th Motorized Brigade from Kemerovo surrendered to Ukrainian troops.

[al_infierno]

Also lots of reports of Russian tanks getting clobbered by ATGMs.

[MengJiao]

^ From what I've been seeing that's part of the attack on Hostomel Airport.   

Fog of War considered, some on the ground reporting on twitter has indicated that the airport has changed hands more than once, possibly indicating a successful Ukrainian counterattack.   Some sources are outright saying that, so it may be that the Russians got their first big bloody nose.

Taking that airport is important to any cutting off of Kyiv.

Also unconfirmed reports with some videos of a supposed joint Ukrainian military/partisan counterattack and victory in Sumy.

  The Russians are still close to Kiev and Kharkov though the big port of Maupol on the Azov seems to be holding on despite massive artillery barrages, but the Russians did take an island sacred to
Helen of Troy and that sounds like a big mythological problem.  The last time she was offended she blinded a Greek poet.

[Pete Dero]

Not confirmed but should be no surprise if true :

Google translate from this website  https://takiedela.ru/news/2022/02/24/komitet-soldatskikh-materey/

Russian soldiers from all across the country were deceived into heading to the Ukrainian border, and some were beaten if they resisted, according to the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers, a Russian non-governmental organization that works to expose human rights violations within the military.

The group is reportedly preparing a complaint for the Chief Military Prosecutor's Office alleging that their sons only recently joined the military as conscripts and were told they were going to the border with Ukraine for drills. But their statuses were then abruptly changed to contract soldiers— a role for those with more combat and training experience—and they were suddenly thrust into war.

"They are switching entire regiments to contract [soldiers,] although the guys did not submit any formal requests for this, and took no such initiative. There are instances of physical violence, and beatings of those who refuse to become contract soldiers. And after that it's completely unknown [what happens to them], because they take away their phones," Andrei Kurochkin, the deputy chairman of the group, told Takie Dela.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_the_Committees_of_Soldiers%27_Mothers_of_Russia

[Jarhead0331]

Not confirmed but should be no surprise if true :

Google translate from this website  https://takiedela.ru/news/2022/02/24/komitet-soldatskikh-materey/

Russian soldiers from all across the country were deceived into heading to the Ukrainian border, and some were beaten if they resisted, according to the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers, a Russian non-governmental organization that works to expose human rights violations within the military.

The group is reportedly preparing a complaint for the Chief Military Prosecutor's Office alleging that their sons only recently joined the military as conscripts and were told they were going to the border with Ukraine for drills. But their statuses were then abruptly changed to contract soldiers— a role for those with more combat and training experience—and they were suddenly thrust into war.

"They are switching entire regiments to contract [soldiers,] although the guys did not submit any formal requests for this, and took no such initiative. There are instances of physical violence, and beatings of those who refuse to become contract soldiers. And after that it's completely unknown [what happens to them], because they take away their phones," Andrei Kurochkin, the deputy chairman of the group, told Takie Dela.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_the_Committees_of_Soldiers%27_Mothers_of_Russia

That is interesting as it corroborates some of what the Russian platoon that surrendered claimed. Reports alleged that they surrendered because they were misled as to the nature of their mission and did not know that they would receive kill orders. 

[MengJiao]

Not confirmed but should be no surprise if true :

Google translate from this website  https://takiedela.ru/news/2022/02/24/komitet-soldatskikh-materey/

Russian soldiers from all across the country were deceived into heading to the Ukrainian border, and some were beaten if they resisted, according to the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers, a Russian non-governmental organization that works to expose human rights violations within the military.

The group is reportedly preparing a complaint for the Chief Military Prosecutor's Office alleging that their sons only recently joined the military as conscripts and were told they were going to the border with Ukraine for drills. But their statuses were then abruptly changed to contract soldiers— a role for those with more combat and training experience—and they were suddenly thrust into war.

"They are switching entire regiments to contract [soldiers,] although the guys did not submit any formal requests for this, and took no such initiative. There are instances of physical violence, and beatings of those who refuse to become contract soldiers. And after that it's completely unknown [what happens to them], because they take away their phones," Andrei Kurochkin, the deputy chairman of the group, told Takie Dela.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_of_the_Committees_of_Soldiers%27_Mothers_of_Russia

That is interesting as it corroborates some of what the Russian platoon that surrendered claimed. Reports alleged that they surrendered because they were misled as to the nature of their mission and did not know that they would receive kill orders.

  This is similar to some of the incidents in 1953 when the Russians cracked down on East Germany and some Russian soldiers were beaten to death.  Their remains were found eventually.

[Toonces]

I totally hear you on that low-level jet attack video, Jarhead.

I was like, "Bad aaasssss.....oh fuck, that's horrible..."

I don't know how to phrase this without it coming out wrong, but part of me is really enjoying seeing the Russian hardware as a wargamer and former military guy.  But obviously this whole thing is a terrible tragedy and I don't mean to make light of that.

[MengJiao]

I totally hear you on that low-level jet attack video, Jarhead.

I was like, "Bad aaasssss.....oh fuck, that's horrible..."

I don't know how to phrase this without it coming out wrong, but part of me is really enjoying seeing the Russian hardware as a wargamer and former military guy.  But obviously this whole thing is a terrible tragedy and I don't mean to make light of that.

  Some of the footage of the helicopters dropping flares and one of them getting blown out of the sky is pretty hypnotic in a weird way.  Other footage is just plain puzzling like the Russians sort of wandering around the outskirts of Kharkov and Kiev trying to remember to pick up all their bags, rockets, missiles and machine guns.  They seem pretty overloaded and sleep-deprived or just very tired.

[SirAndrewD]

I don't know how to phrase this without it coming out wrong, but part of me is really enjoying seeing the Russian hardware as a wargamer and former military guy.  But obviously this whole thing is a terrible tragedy and I don't mean to make light of that.

I occasionally be a Mr. Buzkillington when I take a moment to remind myself that when I play a wargame I'm gaming events that were someone's worst nightmare and possibly the last instant of their lives. 

I still do it, as a military history guy I can't get over my attachment to the subject and my interest in hardware both ancient and modern, but sometimes it's important to keep that in perspective.

[W8taminute]

Fascinating.  So you send in your newbs into a hotzone because:

1. You are saving your crack troops for something even more important or bigger than Ukraine
2. You really don't have a good army anymore and have to rely on inexperienced soldiers
3. You although you know you will easily win the war why waste good troops when you can use cannon fodder

Am I missing anything else that could be added to the list?

[Uberhaus]

All is not quiet on the Russian home front.  https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/russia-cracks-down-on-home-front-as-its-troops-invade-ukraine/ar-AAUgsfw?ocid=msedgntp
© Reuters/ANTON VAGANOV People participate in anti-war protest, in Saint Petersburg

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Police on Thursday detained more than 1,600 Russians who protested against Russia's multi-pronged military operation in Ukraine, while authorities threatened to block media reports that contain what Moscow described as "false information".

In acts of cautious, but unusual dissent, Russian pop stars, journalists, a television comedian and a footballer opposed the war online after President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday.

Even Navalny has managed to comment from jail: 

From jail where he appeared at a hearing, Navalny condemned the war as a attempt by the Kremlin to distract from domestic problems like poverty, though it was unclear if he understood the full scale of the invasion from behind bars.

"I'm against this war ... It was unleashed to conceal the robbery of Russia's citizens ... and this war will lead to an enormous number of victims from both sides, ruined lives and a continuation of the impoverishment of Russian citizens," the anti-corruption activist said in footage of the remarks aired by his spokesperson.

[SirAndrewD]

Fascinating.  So you send in your newbs into a hotzone because:

1. You are saving your crack troops for something even more important or bigger than Ukraine
2. You really don't have a good army anymore and have to rely on inexperienced soldiers
3. You although you know you will easily win the war why waste good troops when you can use cannon fodder

Am I missing anything else that could be added to the list?

A lot of it is to wear down the opposition with weaker forces and soak up the limited supply of western supplied weapons. 

You want the Ukrainians to waste their Javelins on C-D grade T-72's and older APCs rather than your front line T-80/90s.  You can send in the better formations in the second wave after the enemy has taken a lot of casualties and expended a lot of ordinance/exhaustion on the first.

[Gusington]

I've read many reports of the Ukrainians fighting back with skill. They are not rolling over, just as they promised.