Analysis of Russian AFV combat losses in Chechnya MOUT

[John Kettler]

Found this while trying to find the minimum explosive charge needed to break a WW II tank track. It's a most interesting analysis, based on Russian sources, of how the Chechens effectively countered Russian armor, how their antiarmor teams were organized and equipped, where and from what angles the various AFVs were lost, and what measures the Russians adopted in response to the deadly threat. this article is from 1997, but is still, in my view, useful.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/rusav.htm

Regards,

John Kettler

[Erwin]

Awful tragedy in that area and Ingushetia.

After 9/11 they went from "Freedom Fighters" to "terrorists" almost overnight as the west tried to get global support for a "war on terror".

[Kuderian]

I hope I am not getting too political but both Chechen rebels and the current pro-Russian Chechen government are notorious for their human rights abuses, not to say the Russians are/were any better.

So perhaps 'Freedom fighters' and 'Terrorists' can be one and the same?

On a side note, when I was a 12 year old schoolboy, the US ambassador came to my school to give a talk. At the time I was a bit of a ideological 'Red under the bed' and I challenged him why his government was supporting Mujaheddin 'terrorists' against the 'legitimate' Afghan government. Needless to say he slapped me down, saying something along the lines of supporting 'freedom' against evil commie bastards. Obviously when you are young everything is much more black & white.

Has anyone read 'Afghantsy' by Rodric Braithwaite? It gives a much more balanced perspective without all that Cold War BS and I would recommend it to anyone interested in that period.

[JonS]

So perhaps 'Freedom fighters' and 'Terrorists' can be one and the same?

Of course they can be - they always are. the label only depends whether they're "our" sons of bitches, or someone else's.

Needless to say he slapped me down, saying something along the lines of supporting 'freedom' against evil commie bastards. Obviously when you are young everything is much more black & white.

Sounds like the ambasador had no problem seeing the world in childish black and white either

[LongLeftFlank]

I suspect Kuderian is doing a little paraphrasing here. I remember I once had a polite argument with some leftists in a dormitory lounge long ago over the "Nuclear Freeze" stuff, and the fifth hand account that got back to me weeks later was that I began screaming "We must have More Bombs! More Bombs!" with spittle flowing from my mouth. Ideologues of all stripes hear only what they want to hear.

[ZPB II]

It's a good link, yet again reinforcing the thinking that it is favorable to adapt to changing conditions instead of following strict and obsolete tactics. It would be interesting to read about the military intelligence and political shenanigans leading to the unfortunate situation. I found the illustrations slightly amusing in a morbid sense.

"Vehicles are vulnerable if hit in vulnerable locations." And boy, if there isn't an awful many of those on the lighter transporters. The BMP-2 looked, felt and smelled like a death trap. Did not do taste sampling. The paint is probably highly toxic. There's so much video footage from Syria illustrating the various ways a BMP can blow up and many times I wish I hadn't looked.

But that is the besserwisser cynic in me doing the thinking.

And, LLF, it is indeed that some of the hard left atmosphere in university circles stems from the fact that it is a dastardly lot easier to get intimately acquinted with nubile women studying, for example, female studies, political sciences or theatre if you lean a bit. Wouldn't want to ruin a good game with boring stuff like proper debating.

And to not risk being misinterpreted, here is a smiling face.

[Saferight]

the skills and tactics of the mujhaideen in the north caucasus always seemed to me to be a cut above the rest of jihadi militants elsewhere. these guys do their share of those ieds but they never seemed scared to get up close an to ambush with small arms.