Russia - threadbanned users in OP

Yes, but the big difference between the Russians and the US leaving Afghanistan was that the Russian's were kicked out by the Afghan's and told in no uncertain terms not to return, but when the Americans left, most of Afghanistan wanted to leave with them

Germany needed the courage and didn't have to ask permission of anyone. It wasn't until the UK offered the 12 challengers and then the US the 30 Abrams that things started moving. And you can stop being so condescending.

And talk of Russia's relatively large population becomes irrelevant in the face of those kinds of losses. People talk about Russian disregard for life in their military doctrine, but that remains mostly on the part commanders. The actual soldiers and their families aren't going to be that gung ho about getting slaughtered if they can help it, and it's telling that Wagner have apparently favoured the use of prisoners for this human wave offensive - fewer will miss that type of man. That becomes more and more of a problem as the prisoners diminish and Russian command is forced to pull more and more from the regular population for its zombie horde. And even the furthest flung villages will at some point notice that few, if any, of their sons are coming back. This is where 140 million really starts to look like a much smaller number.

Equally it could be the case that these things happen more often than we thought. And we're only being exposed to it now as a result of the relatively new mass drone footage from this war.

Hi folks.

I'm back, after my absence. What did I miss? I was in the "land of the free" doing in one week, what would take two months to do here in the Wesht!

Just noticed this big chap doing a 180, with transponder first off, then back on again, out over the sea. An airdrop over the water off the coast, maybe?

It's pretty quiet, but I've obviously heard about the relocation of air assets to the borders. In the States, the argument against sending jets is pretty strong, recommending an effective air-defence system instead. I would tend to agree. There is a lot, and I do mean a lot, of work involved in keeping combat aircraft flying, never mind the training involved. ( any Irish Aer Corps pilot will tell you this even with our humble PC'9s). An air-defence system across the country would be far, far more cost-effective and more damaging to the Russians.

Most Americans I spoke to :

1. Don't know where Ukraine is, on a map.

2. Expect Poland to be dragged into the fight. ( I fact, they're already in the fight). I'm certain Poland expects this too. Something about unfinished business...

3. Believe the US should be doing a lot more to help the Ukraine.

4. Think Europe is a Country.

5. Belive that there are many Ukranian personell being trained, on the QT, with certain skills, at bases in the US. I find this difficult to believe.

Anyway. Hope you're all well. Any regulars still here?

Here's that wandering C-17...

Balloons again...

UKRAINE HAS SAID its aerial defence units had detected half a dozen balloons, apparently launched by Russia, over the capital Kyiv and shot most of them down. Kyiv authorities said the balloons could carry reconnaissance equipment and were launched to “detect and exhaust our air defence forces.”

https://www.thejournal.ie/kyiv-russian-balloons-zelenskyy-troops-bakhmut-5996711-Feb2023/

A clever idea though. If they could launch hundreds of balloons over Ukraine it would use up a huge amount of Ukrainian resources shooting them down.

Thanks. I now have an image of Russian soldiers looting shops for gas tanks, party balloons and disposable cameras.

When you say "...being trained in ceratin skills..." ?

The Russian ATGM are a two man operation,wire guided and require specialist operators. They are not deployed at squad level.

The UA got 5k+ Javelins but they also got 100k LAWS. If that was a UA position they would probably have a couple LAWS in the trenches.

The UA T72/T90 tanks are upgraded compared to the Russian tanks. You would need the more modern RPG missiles to stop them. The RPG is very effective......against stationary targets but will only hit 50% of slow moving targets it would be pretty useless against that fast moving targets.

Most of the legendary status of the RPG is made up of it ability to hit stationary targets or its ability to bring down hovering helicopters.

Basically the average Russian squad have f@@kall to stop a tank.

I think the tank was sent in as drones had assessed the position and the area around it had nothing capable off stoppage tank. Why waste soldiers lives. That is why the tank was moving fast. Probably has backup a km back.

VPNs are probably new inventions to poor russian bots, they haven't realised many ordinary internet user use them as another layer of security in the west

The Russian army do not use RPG-7, it has long been replaced by a number of more powerful variants like the RPG-29, which while not as potent as something like a Kornet ATGM, is still powerful in its own right.

As for the RPG-7's "legendary" status, its more that its just cheap and widely available, particularly for insurgencies and terrorist groups. The Ak-47 of explosive weapons. Its reputation is little to do with it packing any kind of punch.

Javelin use in Ukraine seems to have sharply dropped, very little footage of their use as of late. Not clear if thats just less videos of events, less opportunity to use them, or low stocks.

How would drones have spotted any portable anti-tank weapons that may be lying in trenches or other positions? You are vastly overestimating what drone operators would pick up on in a reasonable amount of time. Also a lone tank is a prime target for artillery strikes too - no matter what way you cut it its a huge risk putting a tank out on its own like that. There is a reason its not considered doctrine anywhere to do that kind of thing.

40,000 dead since mid December when it reached 100,000

That's their Whataboutery policy in action, big time.