Sanctions against Russia

[onetrack]

That's the way to pummel the Rooskies. If you've never been around a 155mm gun firing, you would be awed at the massive recoil and compressive shock of the firing.

In SVN, we had the Yanks with a couple of tank-mounted 203mm (8") guns (M110's), and they fired regularly every afternoon into the Nui Dinh mountains, an NVA and VC stronghold.

They were situated about 500M away from our huts on the SW side of Nui Dat, but every time they fired, the walls of our huts shook!

Note the device like a dozer blade on the back that was lowered and dug into the ground, to counter the massive recoil forces.

 

 

 

[kgwilson]

That's a big gun. But then I remember the old battleships had 15 inch guns which is about 380mm & there were sometimes 3 of them in one gigantic turret. The noise and recoil must have been something else.

[willedoo]

I've always liked this photo of 'The Dictator', a 13 inch mortar in the American Civil War.

 

[willedoo]

This video on Twitter is worth a look. Ukrainians in the trenches; it's real WW1 stuff.

 

https://twitter.com/IAPonomarenko/status/1525556432959070208

[willedoo]

Another short video of the American/Australian/Canadian supplied  M777 howitzers in Ukraine. They might not be getting the Excalibur GPS guided shells; I read somewhere that the howitzers appear to have the Excalibur wiring and gear removed.

 

https://twitter.com/UAWeapons/status/1525527241676947456

Edited May 15, 2022 by willedoo

[willedoo]

British military intelligence is saying Russia has probably lost around a third of it's ground forces that were deployed to Ukraine. They're making some small advances in the east, but they seem to be close to stalling. As time drags on, it's looking less likely that Putin will get his master stroke that saves his bacon. If what they occupy now is all they ever get, he will have to convince his lot that it was all worth it. Surely it's just a matter of time before he's gone.

 

Retired Australian Major General Mick Ryan is following the war closely, and coming up with very interesting daily commentary and analysis. He's of the opinion that the Russian offensive in the east is close to culminating. He stressed that didn't mean defeat, but that the Russian forces very soon will lose the capability to go on the offensive and most likely will dig in to hold defensive positions. It could be a long war. For anyone interested, here's Mick Ryan's Twitter link: https://twitter.com/WarintheFuture

[willedoo]

[Jerry_Atrick]

1 hour ago, willedoo said:

This video on Twitter is worth a look. Ukrainians in the trenches; it's real WW1 stuff.

 

https://twitter.com/IAPonomarenko/status/1525556432959070208

Far canal!

[kgwilson]

There was some pretty serious firing going on but the 2 in the trench only fired a few shots. What were they lobbing with the assault rifle that had what looked like a silencer on the end. It was fired at about a 35 deg angle twice . Something happened to shut the noise up after he threw that grenade. Seemed like a prudent use of munitions when there were hundreds of rounds coming their way.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Another interesting interview.. Gotta feel for the pawns in this deadly and traumatic game.

 

[Old Koreelah]

For the poor buggers at the pointy end, the big difference from past wars is the instant mobile phone call to Mum- a heartening show of humanity by Ukrainian captors. Our grandmothers had wait months or years to get a letter via the Red Cross confirming their worst fears, or that hubby or son was alive in a prison camp.

[willedoo]

13 hours ago, kgwilson said:

What were they lobbing with the assault rifle that had what looked like a silencer on the end. It was fired at about a 35 deg angle twice .

 40mm grenade launcher attachment.

 

Edited May 16, 2022 by willedoo

[old man emu]

14 hours ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

Another interesting interview.

Don't you get the feeling that this young bloke won't last long after returning to Russia?

[willedoo]

29 minutes ago, old man emu said:

Don't you get the feeling that this young bloke won't last long after returning to Russia?

The FSB would no doubt be trawling through media and social media, using facial recognition and every means available to identify people. I think they were bringing in laws to make it a crime to say anything against the military and the war. Correction: 'special military operation', don't mention the war.

[rgmwa]

Don't think his mother will see his name on any Russian exchange lists after this interview. Probably just as well for his sake.

[willedoo]

When some relative peace and normality returns to Ukraine, expect to see a lot of Ukrainian eBay sellers selling war artifacts. There's a big market for that sort of thing, and it will supply a good financial sideline for a lot of people. Tank parts are a bit heavy for economical postage, but smaller items like switches, gauges and track link pins would sell like hot cakes.

 

With almost 400 aircraft, both fixed wing and rotary destroyed, there will be a few years supply of bits and pieces to sell. With most of it aluminium, parts are very viable to post internationally. Anything from switches, turbine blades, gauges, small panels and hatch covers, if fact, almost any bit from an aircraft will sell. A control stick complete with grip and buttons from a Mil-8, Su-25 or Su-27 would easily bring $500 USD. A stick from a Kamov Alligator would sell easily for 6 or 700 USD, possibly more.

[willedoo]

One of our Bushmasters photographed on the move in East Ukraine:

 

[onetrack]

5 hours ago, rgmwa said:

Don't think his mother will see his name on any Russian exchange lists after this interview. Probably just as well for his sake.

I was thinking the same thing, from the earlier interviews, such as the Russian Air Force Major. The Major seems to think he'll go back home and retire to a desk job or be invalided out of the AIr Force.

But a more likely scenario is he'll be sent to Siberia for losing a valuable military asset, for getting captured and "revealing information to the enemy", assisting in enemy propaganda, and generally be treated like a Ukrainian captive. Russia has a good track record of treating its "loser" soldiers in this manner.

Even with regard to new recruits, the Russians have refined "bastardisation" to a level, where, to a bastardised new recruit, joining up with the enemy must look like a worthwhile option.

 

https://www.hrw.org/report/2004/10/19/wrongs-passage/inhuman-and-degrading-treatment-new-recruits-russian-armed-forces

[onetrack]

The Russians have started using their latest high-tech tank, the T-90M, in the Ukraine. The T-90M boasts upgraded armour, automatic target tracking, greater accuracy, and the ability to fire missiles as well as shells and machine gun rounds. Each T-90M carries a crew of three - a commander, gunner and driver - and can travel up to 60km/h on roads with a range of 550km. 

The T-90M is protected with the latest Relikt explosive reactive armour, which is supposed to protect it against tandem warheads and armour-piercing sabot rounds.

If targeted by a laser beam, the T-90M can also discharge smoke grenades, to reduce the chances of being struck by anti-tank, semi-automatic guided weapons.

 

But Ukrainian forces have already taken out one T-90M, and there are unconfirmed reports they have also demolished a second T-90M. The Russians have only built 100 T-90M's - it looks like they might have to start building them like Model T Fords, if they want to keep their troops supplied with armour.

 

 

 

[willedoo]

Interesting report that as the Russian forces make a hasty retreat from around Kharkiv, they are broadcasting on regional radio calling on the Ukrainian forces to surrender and save themselves. Wishful thinking.

[willedoo]

50 minutes ago, onetrack said:

But Ukrainian forces have already taken out one T-90M, and there are unconfirmed reports they have also demolished a second T-90M. The Russians have only built 100 T-90M's - it looks like they might have to start building them like Model T Fords, if they want to keep their troops supplied with armour.

If the Russians don't rapidly learn to combine and coordinate their various fighting and support elements in a more intelligent and professional  way, all the flash gear in the world won't help them. They seem to be sending a lot of them off half-cocked and alone, like lambs to the slaughter.

 

The most obvious thing going against them from the start is poor command. It's been said that the Russian higher command rarely delegates authority to those further down the chain, and as a result, a lot don't get enough command experience that would be expected of their rank. Poor planning and logistical support; the list goes on.

 

The Ukrainians have fought smart right from the start. In the battles for Kiev and Kharkiv, they quickly withdrew to more difficult and easier to defend ground. It shortened their supply lines and lengthened the Russian supply lines. Add to that, the mud and poorly maintained Russian gear, low morale and motivation in the ranks, very little logistical planning etc,. I'd better stop now. You could write pages of criticism. Their whole army is f'd up.

[willedoo]

I wonder what the drive system is on their tanks. I saw one video of a Russian tank somewhere in Ukraine turning on to a sealed road. It was a jerky affair as if they had steering clutches and turning brakes. Certainly didn't look like hydrostatic drive. Maybe it was just a bad driver.

[nomadpete]

I had heard of the Magninsky act but didn't know the background. This gave me some insight into Putin and the Oligarcs.

 

 

[old man emu]

On 2 December 2021, the Australian Parliament passed the Autonomous Sanctions Amendment (Magnitsky-style and Other Thematic Sanctions) Act 2021 (Cth) (Act) which is partly based on the United States’ Magnitsky Act1, and similar laws already in place in the UK, Canada and the European Union. The Act is designed to sanction individuals and entities responsible for certain “thematic” categories of “egregious conduct”. The Act came into force on 7 December 2021.

 

I suppose that the vote on that bit of legislation was unanimous.

[willedoo]

The things we take for granted.

 

The Russians have been pushed back from around Kharkiv city, and in the north, Ukrainian troops have reached the border and planted a symbolic border marker post. So for the time being, the air raid sirens have gone silent in the city. Alexander K. spent three hours in the kitchen at 2.00am this morning cooking soup; the first chance to slow cook since the war began. Until now, it's been come up out of the basement, cook a quick meal, then take it back down to the basement.

 

He's not fighting on the front line and is doing volunteer work around town, feeding the elderly, running shuttles for people evacuating and a million other things. A lot of the younger people (women and children) have evacuated to the west, but a lot of the elderly have been left behind. Many are too infirm to travel, some are isolated and have no relatives, and others simply don't have the money to go anywhere else. That's where people like Alexander and his friends come into the picture.

 

He's used what he could of his own money to buy food and medicines for the old people, and now relies on donations from people through social media networks. During the day, he has been running the gauntlet driving around to the old people. When the shelling started in Kharkiv, Alexander and his wife were hosting several families in their basement come air raid shelter. High morale and strong spirit has got them through it so far. I was pleased to hear that his wife and little daughter were recently able to evacuate to the west, as they were there through a lot of the hostilities.

 

I'll think of them next time I make soup in my very peaceful kitchen. We are so lucky to live in a country like Australia.

P.S. it's mushroom and barley soup with goat cheese on top. It looks good; I'll have to get his recipe.

 

Edited May 17, 2022 by willedoo