Harmon Rabb
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Posts posted by Harmon Rabb
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2 minutes ago, Battlefront.com said:
Let's keep the Israeli-Hamas war out of this thread. Nothing good will come from it.
Steve
Two locked threads related to that topic attest to that.
This thread needs to stay open, as it is the damn source for following this war on the internet.
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The German MoD has raised its prediction for the German deliveries of 155 mm artillery ammunition to #Ukraine. More than 230,000 shells will be delivered this year (previous figure was 200,000 shells). With more than 80 Leopard 1 A5 and 450 protected vehicles, precise figures were also given for these systems.
Das ist gut.
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27 minutes ago, Carolus said:
Supposedly the Russian list of passengers with Ukrainian PoWs is faked.
I'm surprised Russia has not claimed that the Il-76 the Ukrainians shot down was full of puppies.
But seriously, I know we should stay objective and look at all the facts but even if what Russia is saying is true which I really doubt.
Russian officials are like the boy who cried wolf at this point, between CIA funded biolabs creating supersoldiers, British PMCs selling children to the Coca-Cola company and Ukrainians creating an ecological catastrophe in their own country by destroying the Kakhovka Dam.
Frankly I just don't believe a damn word they say at this point, when they make claims like this.
EDIT: Footage appears reportedly showing the crash site.
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AFU FPV drone in action.
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13 hours ago, Battlefront.com said:
Holy crap! I can't believe I missed this post. Our old buddy Scott Ritter is making it clear he's a paid Russian shill. That's fun! What next, Douglas Macgregor showing up in Uralvagonzavod to cheer on Russian workers?
Steve
Scott Ritter is a perfect example of how low a once respected military officer can sink in life.
A shame how he uses his background as a Marine Officer to promote his rubbish. A lot of people don't bother looking into his background and just trust him because of the uniform he used to wear. Guessing him being placed on a sex offender registry limited his ability to find respectable work like he used to have.
Here is another shameful place one can unfortunately find Ritter's face besides Kadyrov's rallies, for those who maybe don't know.
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Never mind the tweet itself. A lot of the kit which is mentioned in this tweet is already promised or sent over. Well maybe not in the numbers that we wanted like ATACMS and Abrams tanks.
But is it a good sign that Mike Johnson is saying the right weapons are not being sent? Suggesting he is open to supporting Ukraine with more military aid as long as they gets the right weapons?
Would be interested in hearing from folks who really follow D.C. politics. @billbindc
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6 hours ago, Haiduk said:
Heroical crew of one of two Bradleys, who disabled Russian T-90M
As somebody joked - "after such free advertisment, Bradley manufacturer has to give at least a dozen vehicles for us"
An Interview with the brave Ukrainian knights behind the Bradley IFV armor.
Obviously happy about slaying that
dragon... I mean T-90M.
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It is Friday, wanted to post something a little fun.
Always enjoyed Pilsner Urquell due to its taste and place in beer history. Now i have another reason to buy it this year.
Hey this is a wargaming forum, and everyone knows wargamers love their beer and pretzels sometimes.
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Hey this forum is a lot bigger than I thought it was.
Speaking as someone who played CMBS for a few hours total. Personally what I would like instead of any content for a game which features a fictional war in Ukraine like CMBS. What I would like is a when this war becomes just an unpleasant part of history like the many wars before it, is a game be made about the actual 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
After spending as much time as I did on the famous "hot thread" and speaking with the man who runs this company. @Battlefront.com.
I'm convinced that they could make the the most realistic wargame featuring this conflict while handling the subject matter with the respect it deserves.
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NATO Admiral: The outcome of the war in Ukraine will determine the fate of the world.
“Ukraine will have our support for every day that is to come,” assured Admiral Rob Bauer, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, opening the meeting in Brussels on Wednesday, January 17.
According to Bauer, this war has never been about any real security threat to Russia coming from either Ukraine or NATO.
“This war is about Russia fearing something much more powerful than any physical weapon on earth: democracy. If people in Ukraine can have democratic rights, then people in Russia will soon crave them too,” said the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.
At the same time, he believes that the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian army are defending democracy in a way the world has never seen before. «In the darkness of war, they are a beacon of light that shows the world what it means to fight for what you believe in,” Bauer said.
I could not agree more with Admiral Bauer. I also firmly believe that the outcome of this war is incredibility important for not only Ukraine but for the whole world.
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With English subtitles.
German journalists interview an AFU Leopard 2 crew. They said they were hit with a 120 mm shell but survived because of the tank, which will be repaired in Lithuania.
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46 minutes ago, Beleg85 said:
* Btw. I am not Eastern European.
I am Central one- that was formated by Latin culture and republicanism, very distinct from mix of orthodoxy and despotism that influenced (or was imposed on) terrains of modern Belarus, partly Ukraine and Balts...and Russia itself- the region we can correctly call Eastern Europe. This is common habit of throwing everyone east of Oder river into one sack "former Warsaw Pact". But historically, it isn't real.
I did always find it kinda peculiar how a country like Slovenia which literally borders Italy and Croatia which practically borders Italy are sometimes called eastern Europe.
Heck, Yugoslavia was not even in the Warsaw Pact.
But what all of this reminds me is why when I post here I try not to speak of a western, central or eastern Europe. I just say Europe. I always felt like everyone has a different definition of what countries really represent those regions.
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I remember there was some interest in in the spillover of this war into Africa last year. Interesting video of General Budanov's birthday being celebrated in Sudan. Guessing this is related to Ukrainians helping them take care of their Wagner problem.
I know it is a few days late but I would also like to wish General Budanov a happy belated birthday.
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Germany's latest military-aid delivery to Ukraine has been reported and it has interesting newcomers. Here are the following items:
- 1x Skynex air defense system with ammunition
- 10x Marder 1A3 IFV
- 2x Hensoldt TRML-4D air surveillance radar units
- Undisclosed number of IRIS-T SLM Missiles
- Undisclosed number of Leopard 2 ammunition
- 9,080x artillery ammunition (155mm)
- 2x "Wisent 1" Mine-clearing vehicle
- 1x "Biber" Bridge-layer vehicle
- 10x ground surveillance radars GO12
- 30x drone detection systems
- 3,350x helmets
- 10x Zetros trucks
- 3x truck tractor trains 8x8 HX81 and an additional semi-trailer
- 34x various vehicles (trucks, minibuses, all-terrain vehicles)
- 305x assault rifles MK 556
- 750,000x small arms ammunition
- 1,152x winter camouflage nets
- 2,000x winter camouflage ponchos
In planning/execution:
- 4x IRIS-T SLM air defence systems
- 1x Skynex air defense system with ammunition
- 8,000x Anti-Tank mines
- 20x drone detection systems
- 41x Mercedes trucks
- 26,850x combat helmets
- 4,695x assault rifles MK 556
- 450,000 rounds for small arms
Good stuff.
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3 hours ago, The_Capt said:
Deep SOF actions are all about projecting uncertainty and creating negative decision pressures…and this is exactly what that looks like.
Totally.
I assume that RU air force has some sort of equivalent of the U.S. Air Force Security Forces. With the war in Ukraine I am curious just how well defended RU air force bases are deep inside Russia where Russians do not expect to be attacked. Really would not be surprised if at least some those guys are fighting in Ukraine right now. I mean we already have Russian sailors fighting on the ground in Ukraine.
Would be cool if the AFU can do more of these kind of actions deep inside Russia, and if it would force RU to spend more resources defending their bases inside Russia instead of having them in Ukraine itself, still good.
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1 hour ago, Haiduk said:
GUR agents performed diversion in deep Russian rear. Su-34 was set on fire on Shagol airfield near Cheliabinsk. 2nd mixed aviation regiment of 21st mixed aviation division is deployed here.
The video, officially issued by GUR. It's unknown how much damages inflicts to the jet this diversion.
Even if RU Air Force mechanics will be able to get this SU-34 running again. The idea that a Ukrainian "James Bondko" is running around in Russia setting fires to RU aircraft in Chelyabinsk of all places, while giving out heavy metal salutes will not help morale inside the RU Air Force at all. This is priceless.
For the record I had to look up where this part of Russia is. Wow you were not kidding that is deep Russia.
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With all the talk of F-16s and Abrams tanks, I for one still think Dana is a pretty girl.
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Ukrainian fighter pilots will begin their training in Denmark with Norwegian F-16`s (regjeringen.no)
QuoteDefence minister Bjørn Arild Gram visited the airfield in Bodø this week, where the remaining preparations for the F-16s are being conducted before a mission. Norway is presenting two F-16 fighter jets that will train and educate Ukrainian personnel in Denmark. Norway is also sending down ten instructors that will aid in the training and education.
The contribution of F-16 from the military sector is nothing more than impressive, states the defence minister.
The Norwegian government has decided that it will aid Ukraine in developing a modern air force, with the long term goal for Ukraine to establish a lasting defence without the need for international support. This will be of vital importance to European security and stability. This aid will happen trough different frames of international support lead by the US, Denmark and The Netherlands. Norway has decided to follow Denmark, Belgium and The Netherlands and will also be donating F-16s to Ukraine, and the training and education of pilots is an important part of the donation.
Ukrainian pilots have experience with a different fighter jet and will now be trained to use the F-16 systems. At the same time, Ukrainian technicians will be trained in Denmark, USA and Belgium. Allied partners and states will work day and night with the goal of establishing a lasting and modern air force for Ukraine, says Gram.
Training of pilots will be done in Denmark
The Norwegian Air Force has already presented instructors that will take part in the training, which will take place in Skyldstrup. This program is multinational and will be led by Denmark. - The span of this deployment to Denmark will be decided through dialog with the other partners of this program, says the defence minister.
Ukraine has for a considerable period requested support for the establishment of a modern air force. This is necessary for the country to ensure its own security. Such an independent Ukrainian capability will also be crucial for broader European stability and security.
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58 minutes ago, Beleg85 said:
It seems muscovites revived Smersh...or somebody just made a happening.
SMERSH in 2024? Good god, I wish Ian Fleming was around to see this.
Maybe we could get some new James Bond novels.
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For those of you who have never heard of this system before, lets read a description from RU propaganda source Sputnik. Reads like an advertisement for this thing.
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3 hours ago, Holien said:
Hi, just bombing the thread with YouTube links and no explanation puts you on my troll list.
So care to explain your POV?
Out of curiosity I checkout out his profile just to get a sense of where he is coming from, because besides two YouTube videos no context was provided.
He seems to have an axe to grind with the people who post in this topic.
QuoteIt is good place ( ukraine topic) where so called intelligent people think they know everything and it is also the place where you will not find many of them trust me haha just my observation
QuoteThey do not care . Just move on or join ukraine topic where everyone is military expert just ridiculous
But hey, if he wants to trust some YouTube vatniks over guys like @The_Capt and @Haiduk. Who I'm convinced have forgotten more about military matters, than most people will know in their life. The choice is his.
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3 hours ago, The_Capt said:
Comparisons with the Germans and occupied region formations during WW2 are not well aligned. In many cases people joined up with the Germans to fight the Soviet Union who had been more oppressive than the German regime - we had one in Parliament last year (whoops). These divisions were rarely (and I am struggling to find an example) fully formed and simply switched sides. For them war as personal against the Allies, Soviet Union and Stalin in particular. Others were driven by colonial and local impulses, such as the Balkans who really did not care who they worked for so long as they got to kill the right neighbour.
This will probably be my last post regarding this topic since I know how easily it is to distract folks with WW2 related stuff on this forum.
For example lets take a country like France. They did not go through the horrors of Stalinism. They were an established colonial power themselves. Despite going through not one but two bloody world wars with the Germans the Germans still managed to get some Frenchmen to wear German uniforms during the war.
Unfortunately I think that in the event of a total Russian occupation of Ukraine, Russia would probably be able to get people to serve it from all over Ukraine. Even from western Ukraine.
The reasons would be different. Some would do it for political reasons while others may just think they would look handsome in a military uniform. Some would just obey any authority figure even if that authority is a foreign power occupying their country.
Just so no Europeans think that I'm picking on them, I do not think this is an exclusively French or Ukrainian scenario. In an event of one of those fictional scenarios where the Germans or Soviets somehow managed to occupy parts of North America (lets not get into how plausible many of those scenarios are from a military standpoint
) I think we would also have people who would be willing to put on the occupiers uniform.
Picture related, two Frenchmen wearing German uniforms.
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23 minutes ago, The_Capt said:
So now you are doubling down and suggesting that "as soon as Ukraine loses this war it will gleefully turn on its former allies in the West and support a Russian invasion of the Baltics"?
Seriously...why are you still on this forum?
Not saying that I think Ukraine will fall but I think that if it did the sad reality is Russia would be able to find more Ukrainians willing to fight for them if they took the whole country even from places like Kyiv (I know not gonna happen). I think we have all heard stories of people from the occupied parts of Ukraine already being forced to fight.
Not sure how many. Even after this brutal war.
Don't think they would attack NATO. Most likely would have been used to occupy Ukraine.
During WW2, the Wehrmacht managed to get personnel from all sorts of countries that not that long ago were or still were actively fighting Germany in another brutal war in Europe.
Wehrmacht foreign volunteers and conscripts
QuoteAmong the approximately one million foreign volunteers and conscripts who served in the Wehrmacht during World War II were ethnic Belgians, Czechs, Dutch, Finns, Danes, French, Hungarians, Norwegians, Poles,[1] Portuguese, Swedes,[2] Swiss along with people from Great Britain, Ireland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the Balkans.[3] At least 47,000 Spaniards served in the Blue Division.[4]
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3 hours ago, Battlefront.com said:
Russia's collapse is really about the march of time against an autocratic state more than it is external stressors. Russia has been kicking so many cans down the road for so long that it's only a matter of time before they can't do it any longer. We saw that in 1991, we saw it in 1993, we saw it again with the two wars in the Caucuses. For a while Putin created a system that showed promise of keeping things going for a long time, but like so many before him that eroded into power for the sake of power. That is inherently unstable. The war in Ukraine has further stressed and destabilized the regime, but the war is the result of those stressors not the cause of them. So if the war goes away, the stress remains and it remains at a much higher level than it started at in 2022.
I agree with billbindc that the most likely scenario for Russia is a reshuffling of regional power where most of Russia stays together but with less central control and exploitation. Regions will keep more of the gains from natural resources, have more say in national policy, closer relations with China, etc. This would be a good thing if the regional governments were not as corrupt and autocratic as the center, but that's the likely outcome. Confederations don't tend to last, so I wouldn't think this will last either.
It won't likely be bloodless either. It's pretty clear that Chechnya, at a minimum, will break away completely. At least in all but name. Whether this will trigger a third Chechen war or not depends a lot on the circumstances, but Moscow's inclination is to not let Chechnya go quietly. I would expect violence there, however if Moscow has chewed up its ability to grab the weak and the poor for cannon fodder there's a possibility that they won't be able to do it (either at the start or after a short conflict).
Steve
think I posted this before but I think it is worth re-posting for this conversation. In the West we think of Chechnya when we think of a candidate to break away from Russia, because we remember the events that ironically enough helped Putin take power.
Another area to watch is Bashkortostan. I doubt most people in Europe or North America have even heard of this area. GTBT did an informative video covering this topic recently.
I am Central one- that was formated by Latin culture and republicanism, very distinct from mix of orthodoxy and despotism that influenced (or was imposed on) terrains of modern Belarus, partly Ukraine and Balts...and Russia itself- the region we can correctly call Eastern Europe. This is common habit of throwing everyone east of Oder river into one sack "former Warsaw Pact". But historically, it isn't real.
How Hot is Ukraine Gonna Get?
in Combat Mission Black Sea
Posted · Edited by Harmon Rabb
Croatian court rules to transfer seized yacht 'Royal Romance' belonging to Medvedchuk to Ukraine (odessa-journal.com)
Royal Romance, very nice name for a yacht Mr.Medvedchuk. Now she can be called more money for Ukraine. Don't think the Ukrainian Navy will be using her.
Also did find it kind of interesting that Ukraine has a government organization called ARMA, as this is a wargaming forum I doubt I need to explain why.
arma.gov.ua