Machor

Ahmed Chalabi, anyone?
From Wikipedia:
"In the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Iraqi National Congress (INC), with the assistance of lobbying powerhouse BKSH & Associates, provided a major portion of the information on which U.S. Intelligence based its condemnation of the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, including reports of weapons of mass destruction and alleged ties to al-Qaeda. Most, if not all, of this information has turned out to be false and Chalabi has been called a fabricator. Along with this, Chalabi also subsequently boasted, in an interview with the British Sunday Telegraph, about the impact that their alleged falsifications had on American policy. These factors led to a falling out between him and the U.S. government. Furthermore, Chalabi was found guilty in the Petra Bank scandal in Jordan.
In January 2012, a French intelligence official stated that he believed Chalabi to be "acting on behalf of Iran"."

The news sburke linked to is now on BBC - it involves the looting tank Haiduk posted several pages back:
Ukraine war: Refugee from Popasna spots looted possessions on Russian tank
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61643533
"A Ukrainian refugee in the UK says she recognises items apparently looted from her house sitting on top of a Russian tank in a recent photo.
Alina Koreniuk says the box in the photo contains a new boiler she planned to install before the war started.
She and her children left Ukraine on 8 April and are staying with a British couple in Nottinghamshire.
The picture, taken in late May, shows the tank moving past bombed residential buildings in the town of Popasna."
"Apart from the boiler, other items on the tank include a tablecloth from the family's summer house, new Disney bedsheets for her children and a red blanket, she says."

"Last week the independent Russian news site Mediazona published a report suggesting that Russian troops had sent home 58 tonnes of looted goods from areas close to the Ukrainian borders with Russia and Belarus since the start of the invasion.
The packages are said to contain items such as sneakers, canned food, TVs, car tyres and tents."

I doubt 700 000 meant as "in the army", more likely this is all force structures - Armed Forces (Ground Forces, Air Forces, Naval Forces, Territorial Defense Command, Air-assault command), SOF + their volunteers, SBU special forces + their volunteers, National Guard, State Border Guard Service. Also very likely special police units like KORD. Or maybe even whole police. I have no clue where to place 700K in current army structure even with Reserve Corps deployed. 
Pre-war picture in artillery was much worse. Because of losses of 2014-2015 and exhausting of barrels life in 2016-2021, the number of artillery was significantly reduced. Mech. or tank brigade had 18 2S1 (3 batteries x 6 barrels), 12 2S3 (3 batteries x 4 barrels) and 12 Grad (3 batteries x 4 launchers). Maybe, when the war started, all "shortened" battalions got additional guns/launchers for 36/18 number, but I don't know.
Number in 17 brigades also not correct. We had 13 "heavy" brigades (tank, mech. and mountain-assault) +1 training center, which can consider as brigade or at least "large BTG". For this 13 brigades we should have 234 122 mm SP-howitzers and per 156 152 mm SP-howitzers and 122 mm MLRS launchers. OK, I will add per 18/12/12 for training center too. 
Next we had 4 "light" motorized infantry brigades, which should have the same brigade artillery group, but 152 mm towed D-20 howitzers insted 2S3. And probably because D-20 was enough quantity, they could have 18 howitzers in battalion. So +72/72/48
One yager infantry brigade. There is few info about it, but it 100 % had battalion of 2S1. +18 122 mm
Next, 4 Air-assault/airborne brigades: 2 battalions of 122 mm howitzers in each (D-30 and 2S1) + MLRS battalion (12 Grad), also one BTG in 80th brigade has own arty battalion (18 D-30), also separate artillery battalion of Air-Assault Command level (12 2S3), So +162/12/48
Next, 2 Marines brigades - each had 18 2S1 and 12 Grad-1. Also at least two separate battalions of theese brigades had own 2S1 batteies. So +48/0/24
National Guard. Among all units there are 5 x 122 mm battalions and one 122 mm battery = 96 x 122 mm (2S1, D-30)
So pre-war ground forces brigade level required 648 x 122 mm, 252 x 152 mm, 288 x 122 mm MLRS
Artillery brigades 5 in Ground Forces and one in Naval Forces. I assume they had reduced 4-barrel batteries too, so we should have 18 x 152 mm battalions (2S19, 2S5, 2A65, 2A36) with 212 barrels and 4 x 203 mm battalions (2S7) with 48 barrels.
MLRS brigades - 3 in Ground Forces and 1 in Naval Forces. Total 6 battalions of 220 mm Uragan per 8 in each = 48 launchers, and 11 battalions of 300 mm Smerch/Vil'kha per 4 in each = 44 launchers
Missile brigade:  4 battalions of Tochka-U = 12...16 launchers
Since the war began, Reserve Corps was depolyed 3 tank, 3 mech., 3 infantry/yager, 2 air-assault and 2 artillery brigades. This is potentially +234 x 122 mm howitzers, at least 108 x 152 mm howitzeres, 120 x 122 mm MLRS and 72 x 152 mm long-range howitzers (2A65)
Territorial defense brigades don't have artillery (except MT-12), looks like some of them received D-20, but this more exception, so I will not count them. 
So, totally we should have:
882 x 122 mm howitzers (147 batteries). I think, they still in service, because a lot of ammunition remained. But Air-assault and marines units probably will be betetr to re-arm on 105 mm caliber (35 batteries). Or to made one battalion on M777 and the second on L118. M777 is light and mobile howitzer, it should be in mobile units, I think, but because of its range, theese howitzers now first of all go to artillery brigades. 
360 x 152 mm howitzers (69 batteries). Or to reach all full-strenght batteries in 6 barrels we should have 486 x 152 mm howitzers. I see M109 or Krab, replacing 2S3/D-20
212 x 152 mm long-range guns/howitzers (53 battreies). Or 318 barrels for full-strength. Caesar, Pz2000 or our perspective Bohdana is our future in this class.
420 x 122 mm Grad-class MLRS (35 batteries). Or 630 launchers for full-strength battalions. I think, Grads can be taken from former Warsaw pact/Aisa/Africa stores. In future we are capable to close this class with own developments.
48 x 220 mm Uragan (6 batteries). This is dead end Soviet MLRS branch. After the war we should say goodbye to it. But Uragans can be substituted with M270 MLRS. 
44 x 300 mm Smerch (11 batteries). M270 ATACMS or HIMARS critically needs to this class! Or at least future modifications of our Vil'kha
16 x ballistic missile launchers. HIMARS ATACMS. Or our Hrim-2 in future.  
Of course for reserve and losses substitution we should have +20-30% more of each class. 
 
 

UKR soldiers on the video, where they are training on Wolfhounds, have chevrons of 46th air-assault brigade. Like 45th air-assault they are both "ghost" brigades, which were established in 2016-17, but almost hadn't own personnel, except HQs and some minimum of contractors in some units. They participated in JFO, but "leasing" personnel in other air-assault brigades. I think, both brigades were "brigades of cadre" and were fully deployed only after the war begun. Though, I didn't hear about their participation in the war. 
45th brigade dislocates in Bolgrad, Odesa oblast (Bessarabia), 46th - in  Poltava city.  

Ukrainian Mig-29 using its afterburner.

Members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine training using a British made Wolfhound.
 
A video showing the friendship between Poland and Ukraine through the power of great music.

Now this is standart for both RUS and UKR squads

Kadyrov's Praetorian gangstas have far more important things to do for Putin than fight Ukrainians....
 
 

A bunch of empty tough talk from a guy whose liver should clearly be added to @sburke's KIA list.
For a country renowned for mathematics and poetry, where chess is a spectator sport, this barfly rant is pretty pathetic really, from end to end.  But I guess that's what I expect from the Urûk Hai general emeritus.....
P.S. Follow the siege train.  Yet another way Ivan telegraphs his punches.
 

Amazing footage. Edit: Geolocated by twitter user in comments! 
 
 
 

Russian armour and truck in Ukrainian service; all go on the 1/35 bucket list:
BMD-2:

T-72B3:

KAMAZ:

And a critically endangered beast in the wild - T-84 Oplot:

Russian armour and truck in Ukrainian service; all go on the 1/35 bucket list:
BMD-2:

T-72B3:

KAMAZ:

And a critically endangered beast in the wild - T-84 Oplot:

Looks like this is not antimaterial rifle, but DSHKM-TK, popular crowdfund upgrade of DSHKM during positional war since 2016. Each fire support company in battalion has 6 such HMGs or mix of TK and usual DSHKM. This is some average between HMG and AM rifle, which shoot with short bursts. Mostly used against fortified positions, MG nests, light armor etc. Unlike ususal DSHKM, which just maintaned "density of fire", upgrades of DSHKM-TK allows it to fire with more accuracy and precision, so skilled gunner can use it like a sniper rifle. DSHKM-TK also can be equipped with thermal sight. Special trainings since 2016 were established for DSHKM-TK gunners, so the gunner could hit a "man" target from 800 m at least with one bullet from ten, usung usual mechanic sight.

Unfortunately, I have no idea, not having seen the interior of the vehicle and not knowing the Ukrainian radio systems. I do think a Digital Fire system was set up but how I have no idea. One of the previous articles implied that modifications had been made by Nexter (the manufacturer) and that contracts had been put in place. It would be a really big handicap if the latter wasn't implemented, which makes me 90% think they've found a way (which one I don't know).
The vehicle does not have a traditional aiming system, relying on the SIGMA-30N. It only has an LTD (Lunette de Tir Direct = direct fire sight) to be fitted only if necessary. Its usefulness would really be for the neutralization of fortifications because a CAESAR in the front line would really not be a good thing... It could also be for making an ambush on suddenly appearing tanks (but OMG, the silouhette is so high !).  I think that there was no degraded system put in place for the sake of lowering the cost already height of the vehicle and that it is intended in case of damage or anomaly to return to the base to be repaired (it is not a very armored vehicle, if one already considers that it is armored). Only the cabin is armored for protecting the crew.
From a more general point of view, the French doctrine of the Régiments d'Artillerie (US Artillery Battalion equivalent) is to combine 120mm RTF-1 and 155mm CAESAR mortars. The first is rustic, not digitized, towed by a VAB and is used for the short range (approx 0-13km) while the CAESAR covers the rest (approx 6-40km). The doctrine really emphasizes its long distance side which should not be engaged in the front line because it is the rustic 120mm RTF-1 which is there for that. Lower mortars (81mm) are distributed in infantry units. The 120mm was in infantry units before but is now exclusively in artillery units (since 1990-2000)

To sum up, the CAESAR relies solely on its technology. The software and sensors had flaws when the vehicle was introduced to the units, but I could see the improvement in reliability with my own eyes. It works well and I think the units can have confidence in it, as the first positive feedback also indicates. However, the vehicle remains fragile and requires a rear base available in case of repair. In theory, being quick to set up, to fire and to fold, it should not have to undergo counter-battery and therefore damage. The doctrine seems to me very coherent but as we all know, War = SNAFU
 

Looks like crisis of first days of Popasna breakthough passed, UKR troops got reinforcements and more 155 mm barrels, so in last two days we have seen Russian advance stalled. Initially they tried to attack from Popasna in several directions simultainously. In more critical night (two days ago, as I recall) Russians could reach the Bakhmut - Lysychansk road and set two chekpoints there with 50 men (likely VDV company). But at the morning UKR troops after artillery strike counter-attacked and pushed Russians away from the road, clearing the road again, though, Russians could shell it anyway.   
Yesterday UKR troops pushed Russians further from the road. Also, reportedly they recaptured Komyshuvakha village north from Popasna, which partially was captured by Russians in previous days. 
On this directions Russians already have a lack of manpower, throwing in the battle elements of 6th cossack motor-rifle regiment of LPR (regular unit) and probably LPR conscripts. During one attack cossacks lost almost all company. 
More northward LPR forces advanced from Toshkivka toward Ustynivka on 1,5 km. But Toshkivka still an arena of heavy clashes - today UKR froces again restored own positions in the part of this village, lost in previous day.
In Siverodonetsk Russians rejected from mass attacks, which cost them many personnel and involved special units, in particular Kadyrov's troops. Two days ago they could seize "Myr" hotel and bus station area on the NE outskirt of the city, all attempts of UKR troops to push them off were unsuccessfull, but enemy's attempts to avdance further inside the city also failed. 
Looks like Russians "plan D" to make a pocket between Siverodonetsk and Bakhmut is also failing so, Russians can claim "plan E" victory - to make three little pockets  - Avdiivka, Zolote and Siverodonetsk 

"Plan E" Left to right  - Siverodonetsk, Komyshuvakha - Zolote, Avdiivka

T-84 Oplot mod.2001 in action. Last known place of service of theese 5 tanks was 14th mech.brigade. Probably they involved on Popasna - Bakhmut axis
Single specimen of BM Oplot belongs to manufacturer and doesn't participate in combat. Or at least wasn't spotted yet

Russia has inflated the Autopilot!
  He actually looks more like Stan's dad from South Park.  
So Putin needs to fill THIS gap with new cannon fodder....
 
 

"Tachanka" of 110th TD brigade (Zaporizhzhia oblast) with Browning HMG. Unlike some unstable TD units, 110th fights tough on own defensive positions from Huliaypole to Velyka Novosilka

Some of these Ukrainian CAESAR pics had been posted before but I don't remember others, so I decided to post all here for @Taranis 




 

Some of these Ukrainian CAESAR pics had been posted before but I don't remember others, so I decided to post all here for @Taranis 




 

Some of these Ukrainian CAESAR pics had been posted before but I don't remember others, so I decided to post all here for @Taranis 




 

Thank you for this. [Can we have more likes please?] I think the document passes the sniff test - poorly worded and has typos  - but also because it has 'hidden' propaganda directed at the soldiers themselves as part of the instructions. I thought it worthwhile to translate some of the talking points, and I will bold the 'hidden' propaganda:
1. Instead of: "shot, liquidated, killed"
Say: "The problem was solved."
Explanation: Regarding domestic dogs, marauders, members of TD
Notes: Has a very negative effect on the local population.
2. Instead of: "Death to Ukrops"; "It's already Russia here, forget Ukraine."
Say: "The people will independently decide how to live and whom to elect."
Explanation: Regarding the question of who will rule, Ukraine or Russia.
Notes: Allows to shift the vector of responsibility from Russia to the local population.
3. If asked: "What are you doing here?"; "What do you want?"
Say: "We came for a humanitarian mission; we have brought food, since your government has abandoned you. Where's the government? Where's police?"
Explanation: No need to explain, that they [Ukraine] are bombarding people in Donbas, and that we came to solve this problem. The local population will not understand that.
Notes: Responding to a question with a question shifts the vector of answering to the opponent.
4. If asked: "Why are you armed?"; "We're scared."
Say: "Don't be afraid; we're temporarily replacing the police, who ran away. There are marauders and criminals on the loose, who were armed and set free by Zelensky (In Kiev alone they distributed 25000 assault rifles to all who wanted one.)
Explanation: We don't use the word 'war.' We don't answer questions about a war. We answer the question to which we have an answer: That the [Ukrainian] government and police ran away.
Notes: The chief goal is to encourage people to think that the Ukrainian government is weak, and that they were abandoned without food, pensions, and salaries.
6. If asked: "Are you Ukrainians or Russians?"
Say: "We're both Ukrainians and Russians, but the chief thing is we're all Orthodox Christians."
Explanation: Give examples of Gay Parades, the division of the Orthodox Church, the sale of land to foreigners, the biolabs.
Notes: In order to avoid confrontation, don't say "Yes, we're Russians!" 9 years of propaganda have equated the image of Russians to occupants. The image of Orthodoxy remains clean.
7. We do not blame 'Khokhols' or 'Ukraine' for everything.
Instead: We blame the puppets Poroshenko, Zelensky, and their master, the USA.
Explanation: Initially, until the formation of the state apparatus and legislative base, we will have to cope with the terms 'Ukraine', 'Ukrainian'.
Notes: You should categorically avoid conflict due to national identity.

Some of these Ukrainian CAESAR pics had been posted before but I don't remember others, so I decided to post all here for @Taranis 




 

Some of these Ukrainian CAESAR pics had been posted before but I don't remember others, so I decided to post all here for @Taranis