Yeah, look like you are correct, there is at least some ABM capability in S-300 and 400's. I would certainly think they would have at least one of those somewhere near a major air base in Crimea.
Of course... maybe that is a good use for the HARMS they have now.... or at least the threat of them is keeping the Russians a bit cautious about keeping them on.
It would be interesting to know if there where any western ELINT aircraft wandering around at the time of the attack.
Let's revisit this picture. Besides the fact that is some pretty even spacing on these three craters, what was in the buildings that were obliterated? (Right red arrow and left red arrow) Pilots and maintenance crews perhaps? Or was that where the machine/tool shops for servicing the planes were... And also. anyone have any idea what the center crater used to be?
And other random news. There is a shortage of neon currently. Prices are up 5000%.
It seems the two biggest suppliers of neon are Ukraine and Russia because back during the cold war, Soviet Russia thought it needed neon for lasers and built the infrastructure to produce it.
And yet more, but I do not recall where I heard about it. Russia's high equipment losses in Ukraine could cause Russia to break contracts to other countries to supply those countries with Russian military equipment.
Interesting, all the other things that are affected by this war.
In reply to Noddaz :
Giant craters could represent a munitions bunker that was lit off?
Let's look at a pre-strike image pulled from Google Maps:
I've pointed out the four POIs as they appear on the post-strike photo shown earlier. Two seem to coincide with structures, but two clearly do not. Given the uniformity of size and depth, and roughly even spacing, I suspect the craters were the direct result of exploding ordnance, not secondary explosions of the targets.
Apparently they took out the Kherson bridge this morning. Shutting down supply and escape routes.
I think that may be the bridge north of Kherson (which I thought was on top of a dam!). Still, apparently the only functioning heavy equipment bridge in the area.
- Russian forces conducted ground attacks east of Siversk and northeast and southeast of Bakhmut.
- Russian forces conducted ground attacks southwest and northwest of Donetsk City.
- Ukrainian forces destroyed the last functioning bridge Russian forces used to transport military equipment near the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant.
- Ukrainian officials confirmed additional Ukrainian strikes on Russian ammunition depots and a logistics point in Kherson Oblast.
- Russian regional officials may be misrepresenting percentage fill of newly formed volunteer battalions.
- Ukrainian partisans are likely targeting Russian occupation officials and Ukrainian collaborators who are preparing for the sham annexation referenda to disrupt the Russian annexation of occupied Ukraine.
Looks like the bridge is built right next to the dam? The upper right road appears to be the dam access road, but I wonder if that could be used. Destroying that would almost certainly damage the dam and I suspect the Ukrainians don't want to do that.
(scroll to the lower right in the link above to see the inlet to the canal that feeds water Crimea)
Ignoring Ukraine setbacks, Putin touts 'superior' Russian weapons exports
I guess they are so good they don't even give them to their own army.
BBC reports the Luhansk headquarters of the Wagner group were shelled by Ukrainian artillery
In reply to 06HHR (Forum Supporter) :
Perfect example of making use of open-source intelligence. For those that haven't read the article, the address of the Wagner HQ was inadvertently revealed in a propaganda photo posted on social media by a pro-Russian journalist (who is probably not having a very good day).
Bwahaha even less things to launch now!
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/16/europe/crimea-explosion-ammunition-depot-tuesday-intl/index.html
Looks like they're not only running out of things to launch, but also people to launch things:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/18/europe/putin-mother-heroine-award-decree-intl/index.html
GameboyRMH said:Looks like they're not only running out of things to launch, but also people to launch things:
https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/18/europe/putin-mother-heroine-award-decree-intl/index.html
Animal Hero, First Class
I've been watching Madam Secratery from about 2013 that covered the whole war in Ukraine.
Eerily similar to what is actually happening
I found this to be pretty excellent journalism.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/interactive/2022/ukraine-road-to-war/?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
An update:
Russian military leadership is likely increasingly losing confidence in the security of Crimea following recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian military objects in Crimea. Russian sources reported on August 17 that Vice Admiral Viktor Sokolov had replaced Admiral Igor Osipov as the commander of the Crimean-based Black Sea Fleet (BSF). The Russian information space, however, was evidently eager to maintain a high level of secrecy regarding Sokolov’s appointment due to the claimed threat of “terrorist danger” in Sevastopol. Recent Ukrainian strikes (associated with Ukrainian partisans and Ukrainian Armed Forces) on Russian military assets in Crimea, including the headquarters of the BSF in Sevastopol, have likely placed Russian forces on high alert and led to the restructuring of force composition, logistics, and leadership of the Russian grouping in Crimea in order to mitigate the impact of further strikes. Ukraine’s Main Military Intelligence Directorate, for example, reported that Russian forces are relocating dozens of fixed and rotary wing aircraft stationed in forward airfields in Crimea to areas deeper in the Crimean Peninsula and in mainland Russia.
In reply to tuna55 :
paywall
In Afghanistan, Russia (and the US) faced a foe with low technology (SAMs not withstanding) but infinite cover and capability to wear an occupying force down. In this case, concealment isn't as big a factor as technology and information is. And like the Afghan war, barring something crazy it's looking like a long war of attrition. Russia's hopes depend on the West tiring of sending their money and their weapons to Ukraine. Ukraine lacks the conventional forces to push Russia out, so their hopes depend on Russia losing their willingness to expend their resources and weather an ongoing recession. As much as I'd like to just hope for the removal of Putin, I think that A - he's not going to back down as long as he's alive, and B - he's got enough hawks in place that even in the case of his death it isn't a given that the occupation will end.
China could really help by removing their support for Russia, but their resource needs seem to keep that from hapening.
Like so many wars it's all about greed and ego. So stupid.
I love the future.
These are 3D printed fins on RKG-3 anti-tank grenades; grenades that were first introduced in 1950 in Soviet Russia. Why are they on there? Because the Ukranians are strapping them to drones and dropping them. They need the fins for stabilization.
In reply to Mr_Asa :
There's a video out there from one of these drones dropping the grenade right through the open hatch of a tank.
Edit - maybe not the same munition but still pretty cool.
In reply to tuna55 :
Indeed it was.
adam525i said:In reply to Mr_Asa :
There's a video out there from one of these drones dropping the grenade right through the open hatch of a tank.
There's multiple videos of drones dropping these to take out armor and personnel. NY Times did an article on the production of the modifications.
Investing hit on the russian propagandist's daughter with rumors that it was assumed Putin may be traveling with her.
I was just think of how effective (if terrifying) drones with INS, a little AI to identify tanks and military vehicles, and a predefined kill box would be. Drop two of these and return to base for a battery swap and rearming.
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