Ukraine Strikes Back
- Thread starter jack
- Start date
jack
The Legendary Troll Kingdom
Don’t Tell Putin: Ukraine Captured Russia’s Elite T-90M Tank
The video footage shows Ukrainian soldiers wearing full combat gear and holding guns, standing in front of the tank and raising their fists to suggest victory.
The video, which was shared on Telegram and later republished on Twitter by the English language war tracker account, Ukraine Weapons Tracker, is only seconds long but reveals how Russian forces are still losing equipment as they are forced to retreat in regions that Putin claimed to have annexed in September.
“Another example of the most advanced Russian tank deployed in Ukraine, the T-90M, was captured by the Ukrainian army in the East,” the account writes.
What is the T-90M?
The T-90M is one of Russia’s most advanced and modern tanks. The first model was publicly unveiled in 2017, with a number of major improvements over the original T-90 tank.
The upgraded version has improved armor protection, using Relikt Explosive Reactive Armor, which is designed to explode upon the impact of incoming missiles. The T-90M also has rubber side skirts fitted with armor plates, and the tank’s countermeasure system triggers smoke grenade dischargers when targeted by a laser beam.
Why Is Russia Deploying Advanced Tanks Again?
No information was given about when the video was filmed, and the only geographical information provided was a suggestion that the video was captured somewhere in the East.
However, if the video is now, it could suggest that Russian forces are finally deploying the remaining advanced weaponry in Russia’s stockpiles in a last-ditched effort to gain background lost to Ukrainian counter-offensives in the latter half of this year. Russia famously deployed tanks last used in the mid-20th century to Ukraine, many of which were not fully upgraded or fitted with modern protective equipment and armor. Videos published in September showed old Soviet tanks, which were taken out of storage, being transported via train to Ukraine. Ukrainian government adviser Anton Gerashchenko shared the video on Twitter and described the use of such old machinery, combined with new Russian conscripts not being given access to modern weapons, as a “perfect combination, doomed for success.”
Synaesthesia
Well-Known Member
The Russian forces, mercenaries and regular military alike, continue to take extremely heavy casualties on the ground. With the current rate of daily casualties, the Russian forces are set to lose more than 100,000 troops killed (and twice to thrice that number wounded and sick) before the year is out. Overall, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense claimed that as of Monday, Ukrainian forces have killed approximately 98,800 Russian troops (and wounded approximately twice to thrice that number), destroyed 281 fighter, attack, bomber, and transport jets, 264 attack and transport helicopters, 2,987 tanks, 1,948 artillery pieces, 5,963 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 410 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), 16 boats and cutters, 4,579 vehicles and fuel tanks, 211 anti-aircraft batteries, 1,649 tactical unmanned aerial systems, 174 special equipment platforms, such as bridging vehicles, and four mobile Iskander ballistic missile systems, and 653 cruise missiles shot down by the Ukrainian air defenses.
jack
The Legendary Troll Kingdom
How Wagner Group Operates
The infamous private military company Wagner Group has been playing an increasingly important role in the so-called Russian “special military operation” in Ukraine.The Wagner Group has been operating as a paramilitary organization in Ukraine, often taking the lead instead of the Russian military.
In the fight for the town of Bakhmut in the Donbas, in particular, the Wagner Group has been the leading Russian fighting force—though recently, it has been bolstered by mobilized Russian reservists.
According to British Military Intelligence, the Russian private military company has developed some “innovative” tactical approaches to incorporate the large numbers of poorly trained personnel, including prison convicts, it has recently recruited.
Wanger Group mercenaries are “likely issued a smart phone or tablet” with the grids of the individual troop’s objective and designated axis of advance overlaid on commercial satellite imagery. The mercenaries are then ordered to advance to their mission objective. According to the British Military Intelligence, Wagner Group “officers” over the platoon level “likely remain in cover” and order their troops forward through radio, using tactical unmanned aerial systems to monitor them in real-time on the battlefield.
“Individuals and sections are ordered to proceed on the preplanned route, often with fire-support, but less often alongside armoured vehicles. Wagner operatives who deviate from their assault routes without authorisation are likely being threatened with summary execution,” the British Military Intelligence assessed in its latest estimate of the war.
The Russian trooper in Ukraine today has to fear both the Ukrainians and his own commanders, a sure recipe for poor morale. “These brutal tactics aim to conserve Wagner’s rare assets of experienced commanders and armoured vehicles, at the expense of the more readily available convict-recruits, which the organisation assesses as expendable,” the British Military Intelligence added. The Russian war effort in Ukraine continues to falter. In the process, thousands of more men will get killed and all because Russian President Vladimir Putin’s grandiose plans that went terribly wrong.
jack
The Legendary Troll Kingdom
US to deliver Patriot missile systems to Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is due to meet US President Joe Biden on Wednesday on his first overseas trip since the beginning of Russia’s invasion on February 24. Zelenskiy is due to address Congress during his visit, where a vote is pending on a year-end spending package that includes some $45 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine. Washington is also preparing to provide Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to aid Ukraine’s defense.More sophisticated weapons systems to combat Moscow’s aerial onslaught on civilian targets in Ukraine has been one of Zelenskiy’s primary request from the Western allies, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has warned that further US arms provisions to Kyiv will “aggravate” the conflict. “This does not bode well at all for Ukraine,” Peskov said Wednesday.
jack
The Legendary Troll Kingdom
Overall, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense claimed that as of Saturday, Ukrainian forces have killed approximately 110,740 Russian troops (and wounded approximately twice to thrice that number).
Military equipment destroyed included 285 fighter, attack, bomber, and transport jets, 272 attack and transport helicopters, 3,066 tanks, 2,062 artillery pieces, 6,125 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 431 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), 16 boats and cutters, 4,798 vehicles and fuel tanks, 217 anti-aircraft batteries, 1,844 tactical unmanned aerial systems, 182 special equipment platforms, such as bridging vehicles, and four mobile Iskander ballistic missile systems, and 723 cruise missiles shot down by the Ukrainian air defenses.
Military equipment destroyed included 285 fighter, attack, bomber, and transport jets, 272 attack and transport helicopters, 3,066 tanks, 2,062 artillery pieces, 6,125 armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, 431 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), 16 boats and cutters, 4,798 vehicles and fuel tanks, 217 anti-aircraft batteries, 1,844 tactical unmanned aerial systems, 182 special equipment platforms, such as bridging vehicles, and four mobile Iskander ballistic missile systems, and 723 cruise missiles shot down by the Ukrainian air defenses.
jack
The Legendary Troll Kingdom
Russia has lost more than 111,000 troops since the war began on February 24, 2022, according to Ukrainian officials. That includes 430 in the last day and more than 10,000 over the last two weeks.
"They are afraid. You can feel it. And they are right to be afraid. Because they are losing. Drones, missiles, anything else will not help them. Because we are together. And they are together only with fear," Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Just one week ago, Zelensky said Russia has lost a lot in this war, but that Russian President Vladimir Putin will keep pressing forward.
"Russia has lost everything possible this year," Zelensky said the day after Christmas. "But [Putin] is trying to compensate for his losses with the cunning of his propagandists following missile strikes on our country, on our energy sector.
"There are a few days left in this year. We must be aware that our enemy will try to make this time dark and difficult for us," Zelensky said. "I know that the darkness will not prevent us from leading the occupiers to their new defeats, but we must be prepared for any scenario."
His Christmas message was a little more sobering, including saying there's a loss of hope.
"Our houses and streets can't be so bright. And Christmas bells can ring not so loudly and inspiringly. Through air raid sirens, or even worse – gunshots and explosions," Zelensky said.
"And all this together can pose a bigger threat. It is a disappointment. Of the higher forces and their power, of goodness and justice in the world. Loss of hope. Loss of love. Loss of myself ..."
"They are afraid. You can feel it. And they are right to be afraid. Because they are losing. Drones, missiles, anything else will not help them. Because we are together. And they are together only with fear," Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Just one week ago, Zelensky said Russia has lost a lot in this war, but that Russian President Vladimir Putin will keep pressing forward.
"Russia has lost everything possible this year," Zelensky said the day after Christmas. "But [Putin] is trying to compensate for his losses with the cunning of his propagandists following missile strikes on our country, on our energy sector.
"There are a few days left in this year. We must be aware that our enemy will try to make this time dark and difficult for us," Zelensky said. "I know that the darkness will not prevent us from leading the occupiers to their new defeats, but we must be prepared for any scenario."
His Christmas message was a little more sobering, including saying there's a loss of hope.
"Our houses and streets can't be so bright. And Christmas bells can ring not so loudly and inspiringly. Through air raid sirens, or even worse – gunshots and explosions," Zelensky said.
"And all this together can pose a bigger threat. It is a disappointment. Of the higher forces and their power, of goodness and justice in the world. Loss of hope. Loss of love. Loss of myself ..."
jack
The Legendary Troll Kingdom
November was one of the deadliest months of the 10-month war in Ukraine. In 30 days, the Russian military lost around 15,000 troops. That is more dead soldiers than the U.S. military suffered in more than 20 years in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is also more troops killed than the Soviet Union lost in its ten-year adventure in Afghanistan in the 1980s.