Ukraine counter offensive

[ajohn]

Neither is going to survive long in the SAM festival of Ukraine.

Fair point. They seem to be old designs given an extended life.

Air overflying in Ukraine seems a bit odd to me. At times I have wondered who owns it. An early report from one of our military said that a lot of strikes were bomb drops and not missiles. Then there are air launched missiles and those have been used. Subs and ship launches too also surface.

Russia has modified SAMs in some way to hit stuff like power stations. Suggests they have plenty. When reporters were able to roam about more one found a Ukrainian long range launcher that had been damages enough to make it useless. It's supply truck was totally burnt out. Same launcher that Russia uses. Made me think drones. Turns out that much to Zekensky's disgust Israel had sold them some and they were being used. Russian strike zones are a bit of an unknown. Thought to be more work in progress than usable.

 

[charliegolf]

Wouldn’t the AC130 be more appropriate? A10 is a tank buster.

Fair point, but a 30mm cannon is a day spoiler. Apache helicopters fit the bill too. My original point was that if the Ukes had some good aircraft they could deliver a serious beating on a retreating force; and sterilise the east bank for an easy (er) crossing. Do that before the snow, and the Russkies are in trouble. They don't have it.

 

[ajohn]

What is required is some US stealth
Jets ??

Tupolev PAK DA - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[ajohn]

Fair point, but a 30mm cannon is a day spoiler. Apache helicopters fit the bill too.

They are easy meat for hand launch hence the USA giving Mr Bin loads of stingers and some channels showing picture of him shouldering them. At that time he was a western hero. Sadam had a similar period.

 

[Charlie George]

This sums up what Ukraine is fighting for

https://twitter.com/x/status/1591473417617907713

 

[IT Minion]

Fair point, but a 30mm cannon is a day spoiler. Apache helicopters fit the bill too. My original point was that if the Ukes had some good aircraft they could deliver a serious beating on a retreating force; and sterilise the east bank for an easy (er) crossing. Do that before the snow, and the Russkies are in trouble. They don't have it.

If they were up against US or NATO jets then it could be messy for Russia, see Iraq. But they lack the guided weapons and stealth bombers that western doctrine relies on.

Having said that, Ukraine has retrofitted Anti Radar missiles onto some of their planes so they might start doing similar for Mavericks/Hellfires.

 

[ajohn]

It seems Russia has taken out all Kherson critical infrastructure before leaving. Some shelling Russia's dropped off around Kherson.

AlJ reporting other things that they can't verify and pointed out that the media is bing more closely controlled. Not even being allowed access in some cases. Fits in some ways. Some of the more interesting reports have been verbal based on what the reporters have seen. They can't always use a camera.

Fighting it seems is most intense in the east - reported as being pretty fierce.

 

[Justin Passing]

One of the Russian military complained that they were "fighting NATO". No, they're fighting a little bit of NATO but it must be hurting for him to say so. That would be what - long range, precision missiles and probably satellite intel.

Ah good, that sounds like Russia could be backed away. OK... One thing I don't think we've seen yet though, is Russia shelling Ukraine from within mother Russia (excluding Crimea). Russia might feel it has to do that so it can either discourage hits from Ukraine, or react violently if there are any.

 

[ajohn]

One of the Russian military complained that they were "fighting NATO"

Good propaganda for his population - it's them again and they are making it difficult.

One thing I don't think we've seen yet though, is Russia shelling Ukraine from within mother Russia

There have been repeated reports of shelling across the state boarder in the north east.. Only really from war in ukraine but he keeps mentioning it - pass. It's probably likely. Russia may and will have advanced across some parts of it.

The withdrawal across the water may turn out to be their best move rather than propaganda from holding Kherson. Ukraine need to cross it to advance, The news of the retreat could stir up people in Russia the wrong way from our point of view as well.

There is another area where they could retreat across a river. Don't think they will be keen on that though. Maybe not much of a river - pass I don't know. They would loose some Luhansk maybe,. war in ukraine's maps aren't that clear

Russian shelling Kherson dropped off. AlJ man shrugged his shoulders and said maybe they are settling in. As he can;t even go in he wont know anyway.

Kyiv video released very recently. Love in a war zone type thing. People getting married in Kyiv.

 

[noseall]

Those who are anti US should bare that in mind

There is a lot of anti-Ukraine in the US presently and it's all coming from the right wingers. No surprise there. Putin was one of Trumps campaign heroes.

 

[Odds]

There is a lot of anti-Ukraine in the US presently and it's all coming from the right wingers. No surprise there. Putin was one of Trumps campaign heroes.

Biden's Administration will continue to support Ukraine and they can't do diddly-squat about it for two more years.

 

[motorbiking]

One of the Russian military complained that they were "fighting NATO". No, they're fighting a little bit of NATO but it must be hurting for him to say so. That would be what - long range, precision missiles and probably satellite intel.

Ah good, that sounds like Russia could be backed away. OK... One thing I don't think we've seen yet though, is Russia shelling Ukraine from within mother Russia (excluding Crimea). Russia might feel it has to do that so it can either discourage hits from Ukraine, or react violently if there are any.

That could make the locations legitimate targets? Better for Russia to mess up someone else's country, which they seem to be doing a good job of.

 

[IT Minion]

Russia is too far away from any worthwhile targets in Ukraine for conventional tube artillery.

They have launched plenty of missiles and drones from Russian soil, as well as from Ukrainian soil, the black sea and Belarus airspace, and maybe from Belarus on the ground too, I'm not sure.

Ukraine has hit targets in Russia, but they haven't done it often and aren't using Western arms to do so.

 

[carmanmemoranda]

There is a lot of anti-Ukraine in the US presently and it's all coming from the right wingers. No surprise there. Putin was one of Trumps campaign heroes.

Trump has a lot to answer for. Home and abroad.

thankfully it looks like USA is beginning to recognise it.

 

[transam]

There is a lot of anti-Ukraine in the US presently and it's all coming from the right wingers. No surprise there. Putin was one of Trumps campaign heroes.

Be that as it may ( in the US)

But there are plenty of anti US in the UK

For example Corbyn was / is

Why should Americans send there sons and daughters to die in Europe ??

With out the US Nato does not amount to a bag of beans

With out the US Ukraine would have a bigger problem than they already have

Trump is a fruit cake