Russian Invasion of Ukraine Megathread

[Ponzo]

Another Uke unit just wants to go home. Looks like all the equipment in the world won't save them

Russian troops have raised the DPR flag over the city administrative building in Lyman. This video has been geolocated to (48.9798601, 37.8170570) in the center of the city.

The results of barrages from the TOS-1A thermobaric MLRS

Assault on Ukrainian stronghold on the way to the "29th checkpoint" by the forces of the reconnaissance platoon of the 1st motorized rifle battalion of the 4th separate motorized rifle brigade of the NM LPR.1

Bonus vids

 

[ProfessionalRookie]

Interesting.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/putins-elite-soldiers-getting-wiped-out-as-russia-makes-mistakes%e2%80%94uk/ar-AAXKtuR?li=BBnbfcL

https://archive.ph/l1yJY

While the VDV has suffered terrible and humiliating losses, this article is an insult on basic human intelligence.

It cites:
- the Ukrainians, who skipped learning numbers in elementary school.
- The UK MoD, which is one of the biggest bank rollers of Ukraine. It took them one month to realize/accept that Kherson was fully in Russian hands.
- The ISW (in itself a neocon cesspool) which publishes pieces with 3/4 sources being Ukraine's General Staff's posts on FB.

I could slam my dick on my keyboard and manage to type a more realistic piece than these articles.

 

[Givi]

The VDV didn't even perform badly at Hostomel Airport. They did poorly in the subsequent city assaults (using a light force to assault cities, lol). By all accounts, they managed to land on the airport, gain a foothold, beat back attacks from the UA Special Forces and regulars, and by the next day other Russian forces had linked up with them and they were still in control of the airport.

It was a confusing few days and MANY conflicting reports came out (including many that said the UA gained control and lost it soon after) but the fact remains that the morning after the initial assault, there were Russian troops patrolling the outskirts of the airport and civilians were quite surprised they weren't Ukrainian. We'll only know the full truth long after this war is over but I'm inclined to believe they only started doing really poorly once they where thrust into a job they weren't at all equipped to do.

 

[Su-27 Flanker-B]

But what is the point of these articles? What are they trying to gain with them?

 

[kuuu]

But what is the point of these articles? What are they trying to gain with them?

To uphold the narrative.

vidunrelated.

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Officers will not be able to legally shoot their troops for disobeying orders.
That change to the law got cancelled.

https://itd.rada.gov.ua/billInfo/Bills/Card/39562

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"A colonel just came and started telling us how the trenches are wrong, positions are incorrectly placed, blyat. He dislikes everything: uniform is wrong, someone doesn't have it cleaned, blyat. Then why doesn't this fucking thing catch anyone's attention? We've got a fucking Maxim machine gun on out position in the year 2022."

 

[DumbDude42]

The VDV didn't even perform badly at Hostomel Airport. They did poorly in the subsequent city assaults (using a light force to assault cities, lol). By all accounts, they managed to land on the airport, gain a foothold, beat back attacks from the UA Special Forces and regulars, and by the next day other Russian forces had linked up with them and they were still in control of the airport.

It was a confusing few days and MANY conflicting reports came out (including many that said the UA gained control and lost it soon after) but the fact remains that the morning after the initial assault, there were Russian troops patrolling the outskirts of the airport and civilians were quite surprised they weren't Ukrainian. We'll only know the full truth long after this war is over but I'm inclined to believe they only started doing really poorly once they where thrust into a job they weren't at all equipped to do.

i think VDV failures can't really be blamed on VDV men themselves. from what i've seen they were thrown into impossible situations, forced to fight unwinnable battles, so of course they got shit on.

like, when your general staff drafts up a ridiculous "3 days to kev" war plan that involves throwing unsupported paratroopers deep behind enemy lines, and then the plan collapses and fails over the course of a month, it's not really the paratroopers fault.

 

[The Ugly One]

i think VDV failures can't really be blamed on VDV men themselves. from what i've seen they were thrown into impossible situations, forced to fight unwinnable battles, so of course they got shit on.

like, when your general staff drafts up a ridiculous "3 days to kev" war plan that involves throwing unsupported paratroopers deep behind enemy lines, and then the plan collapses and fails over the course of a month, it's not really the paratroopers fault.

Maybe this sounds retarded, but I'm much more effective at using paratroopers now in a war strategy game I'm playing because of this. I used to throw them behind enemy lines and hope they would take stuff, and they'd get creamed 50% of the time. After reading people criticize how Russia used the VDV, I started dropping behind an enemy I'm currently engaging to take an airfield and try to quickly link them up with regular infantry and armor. It's far more effective.

 

[SneedEyeMitch]

>The Russian war has taught me how to be a better RTS player.

It looks retarded but it's actually not.

 

[Su-27 Flanker-B]

Maybe this sounds retarded, but I'm much more effective at using paratroopers now in a war strategy game I'm playing because of this. I used to throw them behind enemy lines and hope they would take stuff, and they'd get creamed 50% of the time. After reading people criticize how Russia used the VDV, I started dropping behind an enemy I'm currently engaging to take an airfield and try to quickly link them up with regular infantry and armor. It's far more effective.

Multiple times in history paratroopers failed miserably when given tasks of regular infantry. Germans did win in Crete, but took insane losses, something akin to 50% (including irreplaceable planes). Market Garden failed because paratroopers were not only dropped in waves, they also had to hold a massive chunk of territory while also fighting tanks.... while having barely any reliable AT weaponry. They DID perform well when doing task airborne was designed for, like holding crossroads and roads during overlord, or when germans assaulted Eben Emael.

ETA there is more to market garden but this talks specifically about paratroopers.

 

[kuuu]

Notable.

http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/68486

Telephone conversation with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi
At the initiative of the Italian side, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, Mario Draghi.

Vladimir Putin stressed that the Russian Federation is ready to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the export of grain and fertilizers, provided that politically motivated restrictions from the West are lifted.

Spoiler: Full text

The situation in Ukraine was discussed. In particular, Vladimir Putin informed about the ongoing work to establish peaceful life in the liberated cities of Donbass. He spoke in detail about the steps being taken to ensure the safety of navigation, including humanitarian corridors being opened daily for civilian vessels to leave the ports of the Azov and Black Seas, which the Ukrainian side hinders. The principal assessments of the negotiation process frozen by Kiev are also given.

The state of affairs in the field of global food security is thoroughly considered. Noting the groundlessness of Russia's accusations of problems with the supply of agricultural products to world markets, Vladimir Putin drew attention to the fact that the difficulties encountered were connected, among other things, with failures in the operation of production and logistics chains, as well as the financial policies of Western countries during the coronavirus pandemic. The situation has worsened due to anti-Russian restrictions imposed by the United States and the European Union.

Vladimir Putin stressed that the Russian Federation is ready to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the export of grain and fertilizers, provided that politically motivated restrictions from the West are lifted.

When discussing the issues of energy security, the Russian side confirmed its intention to continue to ensure uninterrupted supplies of natural gas to Italy at the prices fixed in the contracts.

 

[Aidan]

Notable.

http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/68486

Telephone conversation with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi
At the initiative of the Italian side, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, Mario Draghi.

Spoiler: Full text

The situation in Ukraine was discussed. In particular, Vladimir Putin informed about the ongoing work to establish peaceful life in the liberated cities of Donbass. He spoke in detail about the steps being taken to ensure the safety of navigation, including humanitarian corridors being opened daily for civilian vessels to leave the ports of the Azov and Black Seas, which the Ukrainian side hinders. The principal assessments of the negotiation process frozen by Kiev are also given.

The state of affairs in the field of global food security is thoroughly considered. Noting the groundlessness of Russia's accusations of problems with the supply of agricultural products to world markets, Vladimir Putin drew attention to the fact that the difficulties encountered were connected, among other things, with failures in the operation of production and logistics chains, as well as the financial policies of Western countries during the coronavirus pandemic. The situation has worsened due to anti-Russian restrictions imposed by the United States and the European Union.

Vladimir Putin stressed that the Russian Federation is ready to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the export of grain and fertilizers, provided that politically motivated restrictions from the West are lifted.

When discussing the issues of energy security, the Russian side confirmed its intention to continue to ensure uninterrupted supplies of natural gas to Italy at the prices fixed in the contracts.

It wouldn't surprise me if the US said they'd cover all food shortages too, as absurd as it is. "No no no WE will handle any food shortages." *domestic issues in the US worsen*

 

[White_N]

Maybe this sounds retarded, but I'm much more effective at using paratroopers now in a war strategy game I'm playing because of this. I used to throw them behind enemy lines and hope they would take stuff, and they'd get creamed 50% of the time. After reading people criticize how Russia used the VDV, I started dropping behind an enemy I'm currently engaging to take an airfield and try to quickly link them up with regular infantry and armor. It's far more effective.

>The Russian war has taught me how to be a better RTS player.

It looks retarded but it's actually not.

We literally became armchair generals.

Thanks VDV

 

[SneedEyeMitch]

We literally became armchair generals.

Thanks VDV

VDV is responsible for GG.

 

[Aidan]

"A colonel just came and started telling us how the trenches are wrong, positions are incorrectly placed, blyat. He dislikes everything: uniform is wrong, someone doesn't have it cleaned, blyat. Then why doesn't this fucking thing catch anyone's attention? We've got a fucking Maxim machine gun on out position in the year 2022."
View attachment 3322880

This sounds like something an NCO would bitch about, not a colonel. I know their military culture and structure isn't quite the same but didn't the US in particular dedicate a lot to building Ukraine's military up? A strong NCO corps is a major part of the US military that they try to impart onto others they train, though it rarely seems to stick.
Anyway, this guy should be slapped for throwing a fit on social media. He's right but this video isn't helping.

 

[kuuu]

This sounds like something an NCO would bitch about, not a colonel. I know their military culture and structure isn't quite the same but didn't the US in particular dedicate a lot to building Ukraine's military up? A strong NCO corps is a major part of the US military that they try to impart onto others they train, though it rarely seems to stick.
Anyway, this guy should be slapped for throwing a fit on social media. He's right but this video isn't helping.

It's pretty typical here in Russia to fuck lower ranked officers for what would seem minuscule and petty shit in the name of discipline. And just because they can.
But hey, that vid is from Ukrainians and they are all about them NATO standards and shit.

 

[White_N]

POV: you are an AFU soldier on the front line.

 

[kuuu]

POV: you are an AFU soldier on the front line.

View attachment 3323061

With the footage that we have, this is one thing you don't want to do — show yourself out of the trenches like that. There might be UAVs observing everything and artillery getting calibrated on your face.
And this is exactly what it is, some extra lighting for drones to work with. Smh.

 

[DumbDude42]

POV: you are an AFU soldier on the front line.

View attachment 3323061

the fuck is that? looks like those burning flares that aircraft throw out to distract heat seeking missiles. why are thousands of flares falling from the sky?

 

[White_N]

the fuck is that? looks like those burning flares that aircraft throw out to distract heat seeking missiles. why are thousands of flares falling from the sky?

Firestorm
incendiary projectiles MZ-21 (9M22S)
They have already been used just not in such quantity

View attachment 3107103

 

[JosephStalin]

We literally became armchair generals.

Thanks VDV

Some of us became armchair generals, some of us are actually retired senior officers.