Thoughts and Comments on Current Russian,Ukrainian Conflict/War

[Peartree]

I have a question that some of you might have the answer to from personal experience. Could the 155mm Howitzer cluster bombs be used to de-mine a field?

I'm no expert, but from the photos that I've seen on line, it does not appear that the clusters fall closely enough together to reliably trigger implanted mines. It may also be that their size is not sufficient to give them enough explosive power/force to trigger the mines. The demining rockets used by US forces to clear a "lane" make a pretty big BOOM.

 

[WoShuGui]

All that making fun of the Russians for building fortifications 20 km behind the front lines last fall seems a little hubristic right now. With the war approaching half a million casualties, I really wish the West would stop with the half measures and get in it to win it (give Ukraine what it needs to win). Putin sure is.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/interactive/2023/ukraine-war-maps-progress-aid/

 

[Funkworks]

Time for a 10-min smelting break:

 

[rocket_troy]

All that making fun of the Russians for building fortifications 20 km behind the front lines last fall seems a little hubristic right now. With the war approaching half a million casualties, I really wish the West would stop with the half measures and get in it to win it (give Ukraine what it needs to win). Putin sure is.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/interactive/2023/ukraine-war-maps-progress-aid/

Making fun? When where? I can't believe anyone would've been doing that.

TP

 

[smstachwick]

Jesus, who the hell kills paramedics?

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/08/world/europe/russia-ukraine-pokrovsk-missiles.html

 

[boatgeek]

Jesus, who the hell kills paramedics?

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/08/world/europe/russia-ukraine-pokrovsk-missiles.html

That tactic is unfortunately common in a lot of conflicts. In this case, I'm not sure if it's Russia taking cues from ISIS or vice versa. Neither is especially good.

 

[smstachwick]

That tactic is unfortunately common in a lot of conflicts. In this case, I'm not sure if it's Russia taking cues from ISIS or vice versa. Neither is especially good.

No it’s not.

Occasionally I’ll do this in Grand Theft Auto and it makes me feel a bit dirty, which is saying quite a lot for a game with no conscience and no consequences.

 

[WoShuGui]

Making fun? When where? I can't believe anyone would've been doing that.

TP

Me neither, especially in hindsight. At the time there were a lot of comments like this…

23 October, 2022

It's a GOOD thing. Moscow should be encouraged to spend all it's diminishing resources fortifying all Russian areas in no danger whatsoever of invasion. I say let them ring every unthreatened region with vastly expensive Maginot Lines.

 

[rocket_troy]

Me neither, especially in hindsight. At the time there were a lot of comments like this…

23 October, 2022

It's a GOOD thing. Moscow should be encouraged to spend all it's diminishing resources fortifying all Russian areas in no danger whatsoever of invasion. I say let them ring every unthreatened region with vastly expensive Maginot Lines.

I don't know who said that, nor the context, but I think it's a fair bet they weren't referring to an area 20kms behind the front lines. It's probably a fair bet they weren't even referring to those trenches as most were dug by old 1950s BTM-3 machines that can dig trenches at speeds between 0.25 to 1.4 km/h depending on depth (hardly expensive).

TP

 

[Peartree]

No it’s not.

Occasionally I’ll do this in Grand Theft Auto and it makes me feel a bit dirty, which is saying quite a lot for a game with no conscience and no consequences.

It's not uncommon in places like Israel, Lebanon, Iraq, etc. Who does such things?

Terrorists.

Period.

 

[smstachwick]

It's not uncommon in places like Israel, Lebanon, Iraq, etc. Who does such things?

Terrorists.

Period.

…aaaand us, apparently. Wow.

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2017/4/18/deadly-us-air-strike-in-syria-hit-peaceful-mosque
Excerpt:

“US forces often use ‘double tap’ tactics when targeting al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and it would appear that they were operating on this premise in al-Jinah as well.

“‘We can’t say that they deliberately targeted civilians, but … nonetheless, they were civilians according to the information that we have,’ said [Ole] Solvang [of Human Rights Watch].”

 

[Peartree]

…aaaand us, apparently. Wow.

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2017/4/18/deadly-us-air-strike-in-syria-hit-peaceful-mosque

Specifically, we were talking about "double tap" attacks that are designed to kill first responders. While our example is tragic and worthy of further investigation, it is not an example of what was being discussed.

 

[smstachwick]

Specifically, we were talking about "double tap" attacks that are designed to kill first responders. While our example is tragic and worthy of further investigation, it is not an example of what was being discussed.

That strike actually was characterized as a double-tap, but that was still my error and not yours; I should have reproduced that bit for convenience. The posting is now edited to include it.

 

[86mustang408w]

I was paying attention to this last year quite a bit, but it has fallen out of the media spotlight. When Russia massed on the Ukranian border, I knew it was going down. It's going to be a long drawn out political war, I fear at this point. I was expecting WW3, still kind of feeling that. Even like history has shown. If you took Putin out, someone will take his spot. My heart goes out to the citizens, soldiers, and anyone helping. Especially when I see kids on tv, crying, without a home or loss of a family member or all of them. That makes me want to help, but I really can't in the way I would like too.

 

[smstachwick]

How long does it take to proficiently train a basic unit of combat pilots and support personnel? Anyone know?

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-approves-sending-f-16s-ukraine-denmark-netherlands-2023-08-17/

 

[Peartree]

How long does it take to proficiently train a basic unit of combat pilots and support personnel? Anyone know?

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-approves-sending-f-16s-ukraine-denmark-netherlands-2023-08-17/

I have no idea, but my guess is less than most people might expect since they aren't training anyone to be a pilot, or even to be a fighter pilot. These are already trained, combat experienced, fighter pilots who need to learn a new platform. I don't know how long that takes, but I'm sure it's a whole lot less than starting from scratch.

 

[cwbullet]

How long does it take to proficiently train a basic unit of combat pilots and support personnel? Anyone know?

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-approves-sending-f-16s-ukraine-denmark-netherlands-2023-08-17/

Define proficiently. Training a "proficient" jet pilot takes less time than Joe Q Public. It depends on what you start with.

 

[afadeev]

A bit of an insight into the pace of Ukrainian counter-offensive from two Americans fighting on Ukrainian side:

 

[NOLA_BAR]

Looks like Prigozhin has met his inevitable fate.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66599733.amp

 

[Antares JS]

Looks like Prigozhin has met his inevitable fate.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66599733.amp

The fact that he flew on any plane whatsoever after the stunt he pulled tells me he's not terribly bright on top of all the evil things he did.

 

[afadeev]

Looks like Prigozhin has met his inevitable fate.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66599733.amp

Well, that took longer than expected, but the outcome is highly not surprising.

 

[user 30299]

Wagner Boss bites the dust in a plane crash.

It was probably a massive bird strike, flock of geese. (drone swarm camouflaged as geese)

 

[Antares JS]

No idea how credible it is, but there are rumors from Wagner-related sources that Prigozhin's plane was actually shot down.

 

[tsmmiller]

No idea how credible it is, but there are rumors from Wagner-related sources that Prigozhin's plane was actually shot down.

I would not take that bet. Most probably true.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

I heard that right before the plane hit the ground, he fell out the window, landed on some bullets, and drowned in poison. Then the plane hit him and burst into flames due to a lighted cigarette. Oh, well. Accidents happen.

 

[rcktnut]

The way it looks in video either shot down or bomb on board, no control of plane and smoking on way down.

 

[afadeev]

It was probably a massive bird strike, flock of geese. (drone swarm camouflaged as geese)

Neah, he just slipped on a cigarette butt, and fell out of a window ... of a plane ... and took it down with him.
That's it, there is no foul play in mother Russia. Ever!

No idea how credible it is, but there are rumors from Wagner-related sources that Prigozhin's plane was actually shot down.

Well, if you believe the reported pictures from the crash site, there is clear physical evidence of external impact damage to the airframe (aka an anti-aircraft missile shrapnel hit the plane):


a

 

[Antares JS]

I'm mostly just surprised Russia would be that blatant. I would think sabotaging the plane would be more their MO.

 

[Peartree]

The last video I saw of him this week, he was in Africa. He was almost certainly safer there. Although the way things were shaping up, it looked like it might be the Wagner Group vs. the combined armies of East Africa... so maybe not.

 

[cls]

I heard that right before the plane hit the ground, he fell out the window, landed on some bullets, and drowned in poison. Then the plane hit him and burst into flames due to a lighted cigarette. Oh, well. Accidents happen.

I'll try to be more careful with cigarettes.