Russian Invasion of Ukraine Megathread

[Penis Drager]

That infographic spread around in the early days is incorrect. There is no "A" or "X". [Z] doesn't mean Crimea. "V" isn't marines. "O" doesn't mean Belorussian based. It's total bullshit. This video straightens it all out.

There is more to it. The letter corresponds to army groups and attached units. But that it is region-based is the gist.

Thanks!
So if I'm not mistaken: the symbols are primarily used to prevent friendly fire and they are largely specific to whatever region they happen to be operating in?

 

[Narcotics]

Part of it seems to be doctrine, it seems that Russia isn't running many dedicated SEAD operations or at least didn't run them at the start of the war where they would have the greatest success rate. Since NATO doctrine heavily leans into not only air superiority, but air supremacy. they run SEAD operations for days if not weeks before focusing more on CAS and bombing operations.

i feel the whole hypersonic missile is russia sending a message to nato "don't intervene or these will rain over you" AND at the same time russia testing how effective these things are in actual combat.

 

[Spicey McHaggis]

i feel the whole hypersonic missile is russia sending a message to nato "don't intervene or these will rain over you" AND at the same time russia testing how effective these things are in actual combat.

The real question is how many they have. Was this one of a very small handful of in testing weapons, or something they have decent amounts of?

 

[Observotron]

i feel the whole hypersonic missile is russia sending a message to nato "don't intervene or these will rain over you" AND at the same time russia testing how effective these things are in actual combat.

I'm far from an expert, but I feel like there's definitely a multitude of reasons.

- As you said, to send a message.

-I believe they were trying to hit what they considered a 'high value target' - which was a bunker containing weapons/ war resources. A target they didn't want to chance 'failing' to destroy.

-As previously stated - there's definitely more value in testing out new technology in the field than in a 'lab'.

-And if you believe the rumors that they've started producing missiles 'around the clock' they may actually be running out of 'smart' bombs, and the bunker was far into Ukrainian territory.

Overall it's actually one of the most interesting events in the past week or so. The usage of what is still considered an experiential weapon in a practical war raises more questions that provides answers I think.

 

[Super-Chevy454]

Turkiye is making unconvincing peacemaking noises.

View attachment 3087590

I think there might be more than meet the eyes, if some folks claimed Ukraine or Russia had put mines in the Black Sea, Erdogan won't be happy about it.

If hypocrisy was a war crime every nation would be at Nuremberg right now.

I could imagine someone shouting if there any nation who never committed a war crime, throw the first stone.

 

[ColtWalker1847]

Thanks!
So if I'm not mistaken: the symbols are primarily used to prevent friendly fire and they are largely specific to whatever region they happen to be operating in?

Correct. V is Kyiv area west of the river. O is the NE of the country on the other side of the river. [Z] is Kharkiv. Z, the largest one, is the south.

It is a handy way to identify both IFF and what area it is happening in. One note though. "O" tends to put markings only on roofs and cannot be easily identified as the others. Sometimes you have to get into details like unit identifiers or Ukr/Rus specific vehicle variants to tell which is which.

 

[Penis Drager]

Correct. V is Kyiv area west of the river. O is the NE of the country on the other side of the river. [Z] is Kharkiv. Z, the largest one, is the south.

It is a handy way to identify both IFF and what area it is happening in. One note though. "O" tends to put markings only on roofs and cannot be easily identified as the others. Sometimes you have to get into details like unit identifiers or Ukr/Rus specific vehicle variants to tell which is which.

My assumption, as far as the "O" thing goes, is that they don't expect a cluttered battlefield where ground forces are likely to get confused.
The markings are for the benefit of their air support teams.

 

[JosephStalin]

I'm far from an expert, but I feel like there's definitely a multitude of reasons.

- As you said, to send a message.

-I believe they were trying to hit what they considered a 'high value target' - which was a bunker containing weapons/ war resources. A target they didn't want to chance 'failing' to destroy.

-As previously stated - there's definitely more value in testing out new technology in the field than in a 'lab'.

-And if you believe the rumors that they've started producing missiles 'around the clock' they may actually be running out of 'smart' bombs, and the bunker was far into Ukrainian territory.

Overall it's actually one of the most interesting events in the past week or so. The usage of what is still considered an experiential weapon in a practical war raises more questions that provides answers I think.

If that missile's warhead hadn't exploded, rest assured every piece of the missile that could be found would be on its' way out of the country, destination USA. Could happen later, has already happened with a warhead for another type of missile.

Added; The Soviets/Russians provided their "monkey-models" of equipment/weapons to foreign countries. They kept the fully-capable versions for themselves. Was surprised to see them use the hypersonic missile in a non-existential (for them) war. I wouldn't have used the missile, but then again I wouldn't have invaded Ukraine, or if I had I would have had a workable logistics plan, or a workable plan, period.

 

[White_N]

Taken from the press release of the LPR, but for the most part, only civilians speak, so it's probably true.
both from the city of Rubezhnoye on March 19 , 2022



Residents of Rubezhny talk about the crimes of the Ukrainian troops.
The Ukrainian soldiers are being blamed for hiding inside civilian apartments, using mortars, and taking sniper positions on the roofs of living houses.

Ukrainian troops fired on the civilian population of Rubezhnoye during the evacuation
Civilians with children are hiding in the basement of the school which the Ukrainian artillery started firing as the LPR troops began to approach this position.

 

[Spicey McHaggis]

If that missile's warhead hadn't exploded, rest assured every piece of the missile that could be found would be on its' way out of the country, destination USA. Could happen later, has already happened with a warhead for another type of missile.

I imagine a few of those captured SAMs and other various items have already found their way across the polish border. We'd be nuts to not try and get the ukies to at least bring us a few in exchange for all the aid.

 

[Observotron]

If that missile's warhead hadn't exploded, rest assured every piece of the missile that could be found would be on its' way out of the country, destination USA. Could happen later, has already happened with a warhead for another type of missile.

Oh, I wouldn't be surprised if any salvage was on it's way to Area 51 or something.

It could be total bullshit (because this war is already gay mind games) but I saw a report stating that the US was able to track the launch/deployment of the missile. Not that it's going to give any world shattering revelations, but it's still intel nonetheless. (Not that I don't fully believe the US is capable of creating said missile in private.)

That's why I think it's such an interesting development. There's so many questions raised about its usage.

 

[Spicey McHaggis]

OH, I wouldn't be surprised if any salvage wasn't already on it's way to Area 51 or something.

It could be total bullshit (because this war is already gay mind games) but I saw a report stating that the US was able to track the launch of the missile. Not that it's going to give any world shattering revelations, but it's still intel nonetheless. (Not that I don't fully believe the US is capable of creating said missile in private.)

The US has been working for some time on hypersonic stuff. What do you think that X34 space plane thing was?

 

[Fougaro]

 

[DumbDude42]

Basically a pre-2014 Putin. Kek.

yeah
the sad part is that if american glowies hadn't couped yanukovich out of ukraine then putin would probably have remained the mostly peaceful ruler he was back then. crimea and donbas would still be under ukrainian control, sevastopol would still be a lease to russia, there would be no european war right now, and both russia and ukraine would be a lot better off overall.

 

[A_Callow_Youth]

I'm far from an expert, but I feel like there's definitely a multitude of reasons.

- As you said, to send a message.

-I believe they were trying to hit what they considered a 'high value target' - which was a bunker containing weapons/ war resources. A target they didn't want to chance 'failing' to destroy.

-As previously stated - there's definitely more value in testing out new technology in the field than in a 'lab'.

-And if you believe the rumors that they've started producing missiles 'around the clock' they may actually be running out of 'smart' bombs, and the bunker was far into Ukrainian territory.

Overall it's actually one of the most interesting events in the past week or so. The usage of what is still considered an experiential weapon in a practical war raises more questions that provides answers I think.

The really telling thing is going to be if this is a one-off, or if we start seeing more of these being used. If the former, then it's likely just a field test with a side of saber rattling at NATO. If the latter, then it indicates that Russia is having one of two serious problems: a severe shortage of guided munitions and/or a fear of Ukrainian AA that is compelling them to switch over to standoff weapons.

 

[LatinasAreTheFuture]

I’m rootin for Putin! Death to the bankers! Death to worldwide Jewish Communism! Death to globohomo!

 

[Reddit Gold]

The major issue with Russian logistics is the overreliance on trains, if they can't gain control of the tracks in a region, or if the tracks they do control are destroyed by partisans, they are fucked. If Ukraine blows up a convoy and it results in that road is blocked, they need to bring a vehicle to clear the road because any vehicle that goes offroad sinks in the swamp known as Ukraine in the Spring and Fall.

It's kind of hilarious because if they decided to delay the invasion until late May or early June, they wouldn't have half of the logistics issues they currently do because their vehicles could actually go off road.

I feel that the issue of Russian logistics goes deeper than just being reliant on trains, the systemic corruption that cripples its efficiency, or unlikely partisans materialising in flatlands. Rather the main issue is that logistics were disregarded almost entirely by Putin's tunnel-visioned Blitzkrieg. The Russian army has spent the last week retroactively creating supply lines for a military operation that had assumed that Ukraine would collapse within days. It's lead to a kind of traffic jam ripe for harassments and excess casualties. The problem is that Russia appears to have managed to consolidate their seized lands, are beginning to pocket an exhausted Ukrainian military, and are increasingly less likely to fight with due diligence to avoid civilian casualties. Considering the Russian military doctrine, Putin's zero-sum mentality and the stakes of this conflict, the Russian Federation would sooner employ nukes than cede any of the seized territories. I don't see any kind of victory for Ukraine atm, though its victory would be have been preferable even for Russia in the long run.

 

[Toolbox]

The war is being fought with refurbished cold war gear by both sides. It is about how quickly depots can repair light damage and put stored reserve equipment back into service to replace losses. They don't have the time to build from scratch or do complete overhauls to new standards.

The fate of a steel plant is irrelevant.

You don't think having control over manufacturing within Ukraine's borders will have long term effects?

 

[hooboy]

I’m rootin for Putin! Death to the bankers! Death to worldwide Jewish Communism! Death to globohomo!

hmm ok

 

[White_N]

March 18, Kherson
Locals protest against Russian troops and sing the anthem of the united Ukraine. Russian troops took out the speakers and turned on the anthem of the Soviet Union. I won't lie, this is a pretty funny response.