Gpig

There have been some real outside the box discussions on ways to change the situation on the ground so it favours Ukraine. Tactics, equipment, training etc. Have there been, or is there some on-going/parallel outside-the-box thinking on ways to change the situation off the battlefield? Not just the usual Sanctions. I would hope there are different economic, diplomatic (not-so diplomatic) groups/organizations and governments breaking their heads open trying change the calculus in Ukraine's favour. I realize Putin is not going to negotiate, at all. But what has been tried so far is only kinda working (it seems). Or might have an effect, in the long term. In the meantime, I hate to see more Ukrainians dying. Feels like there should be a diplomatic special-forces equivalent group that is authorized to try other non-military solutions to amp up the pressure on Russia so they'll crumble sooner. I'm sure there must be constant efforts in this direction, but its frustrating to watch and not know.

Looks like the whole crew survived. Lucky for them. You guys think it was a Javelin?

. . . And failed on all counts.

Railgun needed

I suppose it could be a Leopard . . . If this grainy FLIR silhouette is compared to a Leapord there is is some resemblance in silhouette, and those white plumes could be exhaust (rather than void space beneath a tractor) if the helicopters POV is from behind the tank

It's a good question, as the video is quite pixelated. But if you frame by frame it (earlier, before the plane or bombs are in view), something box-like and smallish in the lower left of frame pops out in/over a few frames, parked on the grass where the second bomb lands. Could be a vehicle I suppose. But impossible to tell, really.

Before or after he gets lightly incinerated in a smoky plane wreck? After I’m flattened and scorched by the Alien meteor, you can both feast on my well done, gammy leg. Har!

Definitely a meteor

In the pics You can see the dirt tracks left behind from some other tracked vehicle on the top deck of the front hull of the damaged tank. Something rolled right up and knocked into the turret barrel was likely impacted in that same collision

I think you can see all three crewmembers survived that T80 getting nuked. (Javelin?)

Seem to recall reading about German 1st parachute division in Ortona teaching us that trick back in the day. the victims of that tactic usually complained how boobytrapping buildings were an outrageous act, as if the tactic wasn’t considered fighting fair or some such. But it seems like a relatively common tactic.

Those beavers could be dropped from drones to gnaw through the Russian blindages. Just have to teach them how to toss a frag . . .

On the lighter side, MITSI studio did a nice little animation on how countries fight their wars. The last one is a great tribute to Ukraine basically smashing RFs. Moskva skinking, turret tossing and drone mastery. Youtube Mitsi Studios Also, check out their Battle of the Atlantic video

Does it seem strange to anyone else that there's all this audio accompanying the long-distance drone video that includes the sound of foot-falls and dirt/debris sliding etc. Seems like it's been dubbed overtop. Unless they've got a microphone on the treeline or something . . . I think I've seen something like that before where the sounds of the artillery shells detonating happen at the exact same time as the visual, even though it's being filmed from over a kilometre away (or more). The sound of the artillery shell sounds like a canned SF/X. Neither here nor there, but the post-production on some of these clips (w/music and atmospheric winds etc.), are definitely pushing a kind of information warfare)

when The_Capt arrives, I think St. Peter would stay buttoned up.

Behind paywall

Having seen some regular posters step away from this thread for mental health reasons (including myself), it makes me wonder about the supports allowed and/or provided for the leaders of Ukraines armed forces. How their outlook and perspective on their situation might shift or be skewed by stress and sleeplessness / weight of responsibility etc. I recall reading more than a few examples in history books (eg., Eisenhower’s biography on WWII, or No Holding Back, operation Totalize, etc) of leaders being consumed by the never ending pressures of command, etc. ending in a tailspin that typically led to a horrible miscalculation of some kind. how do modern western armies mitigate those conditions within a command, and do we know if Ukraine might benefit from something similar? Or is it naive to think there would even be time or luxury to consider that kind protection afforded decision makers in a fight for survival?

I suspect the long training period has more to do with how to fight the tanks in a troop/squadron/battalion level engagement. I think some others more knowledgeable than myself have said previously, these Western tanks might be a bit more capable in certain comparables, but individually, they are still just a tank. It is the Western way of fighting with these tanks as part of an integrated combined arms force that makes them particularly nasty for the opposition (and explains the longer training period). Using the car-as-tank analogy, now imagine the tank as a grand prix race car. Much more training time required to operate on the racetrack with all the other cars (not to mention the support team and logistics to help make them successful)

I understand what you are saying. However, I feel that sometimes there is a need for action that can transcend "the favourite lofty goal" and be recognized as a worthy (if rare) departure from the rule-based order. Ukraine needs some of that kind of exception.

Based solely on what is available visually, it is clear that a group of Russians 'surrendered' and were following the directions of the UA troops. One of the Russians did not surrender, and instead came out shooting. Next images we see is a all of the Russians dead (shooter and surrendered). I would argue there is no disinformation in those images. But it isn't at all clear what happened during those moments NOT captured on film. And it is into those gaps where the disinformation will flow. I think it's clear that the UA did capture those Russians, but were interrupted. One of the worst things about war is that it drags everyone down with it.

Probably never had a clue from which direction the fire was incoming

I feel like that can already be simulated in CM, when units are out of connection with their CO (and why I always try so hard to keep my units in command, because they are notably less able when out of command). Though you may be asking for a higher degree of dysfunction?

How did the West push Ukraine to go to war with Russia? This is a new one to me. And this other one about Ukraine seeking Nuclear weapons? Seriously? Desperation reeks

seems staged to me. Guy doesn't move like an authentic drunk. That first pedestrian's dodge feels like over acting, etc.

Wolves in the forest. So spooky! Especially with that Raven call in the distance.