Russian Invasion of Ukraine Megathread

[LeChampion1992]

Russia has been actively modernizing, which means getting rid of random wankers off the street and forming armed, equipped, trained battalions, emulating the NATO model.
They progressively redid officer rankings, supply, and maintenance, but clearly fucked up on all levels. This is in the wake of Soviet armaments becoming decrepit and massive corruption, so the downsizing was very important to making their standing army affordable again. Regardless, without tapping the Russian navy, their standing army is only about 300,000 soldiers. Russia isn't dead set on not committing more Russian troops, it is staring down the barrel of instituting a draft for what is still officially "not a war."

The Ukraine invasion has been compared repeatedly to Desert Storm to highlight how hard Russia has fucked up, and how stacked Ukraine is with infantry anti-armor weaponry, but it is also a parallel in that Desert Storm "sold" the idea of the coalition so strongly that it was barely challenged for decades. That one operation went so smoothly and indomitably that it looked like no effort could repel it. This round in Ukraine was supposed to do that, and in 2014 Russia had success with their new tactics, but Ukraine adjusted appropriately over the past years and instead this war is becoming another Chechnya, another Georgia, etc.
No matter if Putin stays in or the oligarchs have him shoot himself in the back of the head and put in a new guy, the Russian army is going to undergo a fifth "modernization" in a few years. Presumably that effort will start with executing whoever has been embezzling the track and tire fund.

The main problems with the Russian army seems to be the command structure and it's corruption. NATO and the US are extremely corrupt. It's just NATOs corruption is more we fund and finance wars and the US we smuggle drugs and kids. Where the Russian Mafia essentially goes to Russian military bases and extorts the guys. Even in places like ft bliss if one of the cartels tried that you would very quickly see hundreds of dead cartel guys and a new and very bloody war declared on that particular cartel. In Russia the Mafia is higher on the pecking order then the army of all things.

 

[cistendered]

While western media coverage has been dominated by holohaux style atrocity propaganda, I notice they're starting to slip in these stories designed to manage the #PrayForUkraine crowd's expectations. When the rah rah hawkish press starts going from praising the plucky rebels for being so darn plucky and defeating evil Putler, to talking about a bloody and uncertain future for the AFU soldiers still in the Donbass, you know something's up.

I hope the stalwart defenders of Israel in the Azog battalion have been able to get in a good last couple of TikToks. Even if the AFU is sitting on a ton of gear, the reality is that Russia is probably bringing more troops, more vehicles, and more supplies than the remaining Ukrainian forces have. And the Russians own the skies in the east. But sure, the 100 switchblade drones the US is sending, which no Ukrainians in-theatre are trained to operate, are totally gonna turn the tide.

 

[MrJokerRager]

That latest hot takes from Colonel McGregor as well.

 

[Spicey McHaggis]

It is easy to have hundreds of thousands of troops, it is hard to support the maximum amount during an operation. You need to wait for them to die before you can add more once you hit logistical caps. Defenders get a clear advantage when it comes to this concept. China has millions of potential troops but can they afford to effectively support them all at the same time for any long stretches of time? probably not. Immense Manpower is an old concept that has been losing favor since WW1. Now funding and technology is what reigns supreme on the modern day battlefield.

Funding has always been the supreme driver in any war. You can go back and find roman historians talking about it.

 

[Disheveled Human]

Funding has always been the supreme driver in any war. You can go back and find roman historians talking about it.

Yeah but during the Roman Empire you could throw out untrained and unarmed men into a battle and they could make a difference meaning manpower was a big factor, now a days you cannot send someone who isn't equipped into battle.

 

[Spicey McHaggis]

Yeah but during the Roman Empire you could throw out untrained and unarmed men into a battle and they could make a difference meaning manpower was a big factor, now a days you cannot send someone who isn't equipped into battle.

Training was the backbone of the Roman legions. They inflicted massively disproportionate losses on any untrained foe stupid enough to engage them. Some legions probably trained even more than most modern armies.

 

[Lookie-lou]

The Copper Collector of Kiev.

A wise gopnik would sell on krokodil and buy into meth.

 

[mr.moon1488]

The original concept of using poachers was actually a pretty good one imo, they're going to have pretty good outdoorsman skills, which is a plus. It goes to shit when you just empty out an insane asylum and tell them to go crazy.

Here's how I'd probably do it if I were desperate for bodies to fill the ranks.

• Petty criminals get full pardons if they enlist and serve honorably
• Serious criminals (e.g. pedophiles, serial killers, cartel members) get executed (it's just best not to have these types above ground in a major crisis)
• Prison guards get shifted to civilian law enforcement roles
• Regular law enforcement gets shifted to reserve military units
• Criminals not willing to enlist get used as slave labor (there's plenty of bitch work to do in wars)

 

[The best and greatest]

Hope Russia has brushed up on their reverse engineering skills for those coming western "gifts".

It won't matter if Russia lacks the means to produce what they reverse engineer in any meaningful numbers.

Far more likely these items end up in the hands of the CCP as bargaining chips for aid.

 

[JambledUpWords]

 

[Gondola Enjoyer]

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The fact that you can passive-aggressively talk as much shit as you want, and you can use pretty much any slur as long as it isn't faggot or nigger, but motherfucking Orc/Ork gets you automatically permabanned is perfect. Any and all dnd, fantasy, or 40k subreddits on fucking suicide watch if it's true.

 

[Spicey McHaggis]

It won't matter if Russia lacks the means to produce what they reverse engineer in any meaningful numbers.

Far more likely these items end up in the hands of the CCP as bargaining chips for aid.

And realistically, China most likely has most of them already. We've had the javelin in service since 96, it was used throughout the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. I would be more surprised if China hadn't gotten their hands on at least a few by now.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

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Ork/orc? I don't get it. Why can't I talk about the Orcs Must Die games on Reddit?

 

[Spicey McHaggis]

Ork/orc? I don't get it. Why can't I talk about the Orcs Must Die games on Reddit?

Take the high class route and call them krorks

 

[Disheveled Human]

Training was the backbone of the Roman legions. They inflicted massively disproportionate losses on any untrained foe stupid enough to engage them. Some legions probably trained even more than most modern armies.

I think you are arguing with yourself at this point. I am talking about being able to support and supply an army, you are talking about training as if it has anything to do with it. Like are you insinuating well trained troops need less food and ammo or something because I am confused.

 

[Kane Lives]

And realistically, China most likely has most of them already. We've had the javelin in service since 96, it was used throughout the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. I would be more surprised if China hadn't gotten their hands on at least a few by now.

From what I understand, the Javelin has undergone several massive improvements since its debut, particularly in the field of tracking and electronics.

I'm sure they'd be most interested in taking those apart at the minimum.

 

[Spicey McHaggis]

From what I understand, the Javelin has undergone several massive improvements since its debut, particularly in the field of tracking and electronics.

I'm sure they'd be most interested in taking those apart at the minimum.

Oh without a doubt. They already have a similar weapon in service, I'm sure they'd like to see if they can improve it. It's just not the end of the world if they get their hands on some, it was always bound to happen.

 

[Gondola Enjoyer]

Oh without a doubt. They already have a similar weapon in service, I'm sure they'd like to see if they can improve it. It's just not the end of the world if they get their hands on some, it was always bound to happen.

They already did get their hands on a bunch of shit, there's those videos from a couple weeks ago of them managing to grab a truck full of NLAWs, Javelins, German RPGs and I think some stingers, all with detailed instructions and paperwork, because of the Kraut's genetic obsession with proper warehouse etiquette.

 

[mr.moon1488]

From what I understand, the Javelin has undergone several massive improvements since its debut, particularly in the field of tracking and electronics.

I'm sure they'd be most interested in taking those apart at the minimum.

What's funny to me though is that it almost seems like the British NLAW has been more effective than the Javelin despite being more simplistic. I think when the war is over and real damage assessments come in, it's going to be found that being able to fire safely from enclosed spaces is far more valuable for an AT weapon than what top attack capabilities are. You technically can fire a Javelin from inside a room, but it has to be a pretty large room, and it's still inadvisable.

 

[Spicey McHaggis]

What's funny to me though is that it almost seems like the British NLAW has been more effective than the Javelin despite being more simplistic. I think when the war is over and real damage assessments come in, it's going to be found that being able to fire safely from enclosed spaces is far more valuable for an AT weapon than what top attack capabilities are. You technically can fire a Javelin from inside a room, but it has to be a pretty large room, and it's still inadvisable.

I do miss those videos of assorted middle eastern fuckwits trying to fire rpgs in enclosed spaces. It was a simpler time.