spooky lynx

Some boxes on a trailer? Oh that truly horrible!

EU delays entry into force of free trade pact with Ukraine New maidan with shootings and molotovs starts in 3... 2... 1... or doesn't start?

French ones were geniuses comparing with current Ukrainian ones. Where can you get a good military commander if all they did since 1991 is selling former Soviet stuff abroad?

All engineering equipment is included organically into any motorised infantry detachment and easily deployed if needed. You don't have to combine ARVs or similar stuff from one brigade and attach it to another. Everything is already put together. As for the spotting - by what it will be done? CCTV? Recon patrols? Satellites? Aerial recon? Combine it with usual bribes, otkat, constant price raising etc. and you'll get the price 10x bigger than in Germany. Just as it goes with any road construction there. What this "Great Ukrainian wall" really can is only prevent starving and freezing Ukrainians from fleeing to Russia.

With modern engineer stuff army has 'stopping' is too loud word. Especially if the construction is so well PRed. Advancing troops will be simply ready for crossing it and bring some bridges or fascines. Slowing down for some minutes isn't worth of that huge amount of money that may be spent. Moreover such simple ditch enforced with concrete, unequipped with modern CCTV, sensors and fast-reacting patrol groups is nothing but waste of efforts. It never will stop any illegal crossings as bridge can be made very fast. And no simple ditch itself ever helped to spot any planned invasion. Much better way to improve the situation is paying those 1000 grivnas daily to soldiers, as Poroshenko promised. While those who took part in the ATO cannot even receive proper medical treatment because they formally never been in the battle (according to their official documents) and relatives of fallen have to pay for burial themselves no ditch or even complete fence will help.

BTW such wall would stop not Russian but Ukrainian army. From fleeing to Russia:) Translate: Chelyabinsk meteor - few seconds of flight had been recorded by tens of phones, cameras and dashcams. Russian army - that SOBs drive across the Ukraine for months already and remain invisible for all kinds of gadgets.

I'd say the same in other manner: why the struggle and attacks of Hamas (and other groups) aren't effective at all for so many years and hadn't led to full-scale guerilla war? What I see is only some gunfight, suicide bombers sometimes and some kind of rockets launched with the effectiveness similar to salute. Where are full-scale ambushes? Where is massive use of RPGs and ATGMs, MANPADS? Where are 120-mm mortar and Grad strikes that can easily make an average house turn into a pile of trash after hit? Where is all that? What I see is only ineffective skirmishes that lead only to full-scale retaliation and excuse for Israel to use all kinds of weapons and moan about evil terrorists. This makes me think that some Palestinian groups fight for everything except Palestinian freedom. And their actions bring more good to Israel but not to Palestine. So the question is - are they really fight for Palestine? Or maybe they are like modern Yevno Azef?

This. That's the main reason of its construction. I suppose that contract for development and construction will be signed with the ventures either held by oligarchs currently ruling the country or affiliated with them. So everybody are happy. Average Mikola gets another patriotic picture, Kolomoisky & Co gets another billion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFYY9V1ZNWA Insurgents made first combat sortie on former Ukrainian Su-25. They managed to repair it.

What about current situation with shot down Malaysian Boeing? Seems that hysteria came down and now nobody says a single word about evil Putin that ate the children. Some other opinions are brought... Well, gents, your opinion?

There were also Ossetians and Abhasians, also with BTRs. What detachments do they represent?

Care to show me official Russian MoD statement admitting that it's truly Russian soldiers?

How could batallion that had been disbanded at 8.11.2008 appear in Ukraine in 2014?;) Time machine? Or another dumb propaganda piece made by totally incompetent people who even aren't able to read wiki article about things they want to post?

You know, the same was during wars on post-Soviet wars. So it's not the first time that militarymen prefer to take arms while being free from service. It's often only legal way to take part in the fighting. BTW first T-64BM Bulat was captured by DPR insurgents: Actual Russian soldiers after battle: http://sd.uploads.ru/4gbER.jpg (278 kB) ---------- Post added at 22:51 ---------- Previous post was at 22:46 ---------- Paratroopers that don't have any signs at uniforms (BTW their uniform is not one that is currently issued but rather commercial one) and don't know that Chuvashian republic that 'must not exist' is already existing as federation region? Paratroopers that must be of ten persons (as stated) but only nine were shown? Paratroopers whose amount does not match with any detachment of current ToE? Another stupid UA fake.

One little mention: serviceman being on vacation is able to do whatever he wants. So those who are not at service now don't need any HQ permit to go to Donbass. This was said by Zaharchenko. BTW such things aren't rare.

Modern RA gear isn't in my priority, but if I'll get some extra money - I'll get it. Where did I get it? At local shop.

VSS was produced since 1987 as weapon for special forces. It was fielded in a number of detachments before USSR collapse. And 'T-90' like ERA Kontakt-5 is fitted since late 80's on T-72B and T-80U/UD. T-72Bs with such ERA took first battles in Karabakh (Azeris had some left by Soviet army) and were used in first Chechen war. And Kontakt-5'style kits are produced... in Ukraine. Here's a pic of T-72 modified by Kiev armor repairment facility. You may clearly see the same look of ERA bricks as on 'captured Russian' tank. So it may be one of those made for export customers but requisitioned for UA army (as some of UA-made BTRs). Oh and I'd recommend to you a good analysis of that video by one tank specialist, Meng models consultant Alexey Khlopotov aka Gur Khan. According to his words that tank has simple TPN-3-49 gunner's scope and V-84 engine, so this may be ole good T-72B1 that was produced widely since 80's and slightly modified with K-5 ERA and DVE-BS wind sensor (which was fitted on T-72s approx. since 1991). I know why UA crew tries to show Russian agression so desperately. It's much more honorable to be defeated by much more mighty enemy that admit defeat from the local insurgents, yesterday miners, workers and other average Ivans.

You see, Vilas, Ukraine was granted with giant weapon stocks of Soviet army and armed with mostly up-to-date detachments. So yes, there are plenty of different T-72s (and T-80s) there. And other stuff as RPG-26, Metis ATGM, Konkurs ATGM, Igla MANPADS. The only thing I've noticed from really Russian-made stuff is MTLB with BTR-80 turret and BTR-82M. Other weapons are of Soviet origin so you can't say for sure what place had they come from. BTW, newest Russian uniform:

Sure thing, I am, being in half-a-day of travelling from that places by car and having relatives who live there, telling stories far from reality;) Europeans know better for sure... It reminds me moans about hordes of Russian paratroopers attacking brave Georgian army in Abhasia during 08.08.08:) I've tried to do my best but hadn't find any horde there, although pics of it would be very nice addition to my collection. So comparison of TV and internet news and the reality outside the flat I've hired there made me laugh. The same things I see now. Hordes of Russian paratroopers intervening and other stuff. At least western media outlets hadn't repeated their errors and hadn't shown UA advancing T-64s as Russian ones... If you watch it precisely you'll spot the black bat at the flag (may be unofficial sign of some kind of naval special forces), and ole good T-72B with first gen Kontakt-1 ERA, which are in large numbers at Ukrainian warestocks and were widely sold from there. Edit: single T-72B with K-5 goes later, @1:52. IMHO they were among other stuff left by Soviet army just like T-80s.

There won't be any long war between us and Ukraine. Just remember how many Ukrainian assets decided not to resist but to raise Russian flags and join Russian army. Now remains of UA forces are beaten by volunteers that have less manpower and armor/artillery in Donbass, they abandon tens of vehicles and artillery pieces. What will be when Russian army really step in? I suppose there will be the same as in Crimea. If you look at the fighting in Donbass, you'll see that UA army is good at shelling lightly armed or even unarmed separatists from long distances or shelling just at cities and villages. When it comes to serious battle with more or less equally equipped enemy - they often lose. Their morale is somewhere near the ground and often those who bravely posed with arms, shouted "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to heroes! Glory to nation! Death to enemies! Let's crush the seps! Kill'em all!" behave like little crying girl after being captured and moan that they are definitely not nazis, they were definitely forced to join military and they didn't know that they fight against the same people as themselves but not some 'Russian mercs' or 'terrorists'.

Mariupol is surrounded by a number of recon groups, some of which seized Novoazovsk. This became possible because of few UA detachments left for guarding that cities. Despite this separatists have not enough forces to seize Mariupol yet. Main forces were busy in the battles near Donetsk and Lugansk. So raid of small groups was successful. Also this was possible because of huge losses taken by UA troops at the main bettle places - a number of brigades had been encircled and demolished by artillery and tank fire together with infantry attacks. So separatists could manage to send some free forces to UA rearward after a number of victories over UA troops near Donetsk and Lugansk. They re-captured Saur-mogila and a number of towns.

I'll correct myself, few UA vehicles were painted with some kind of pixelated camo - But there are few of them with such paint scheme - mainly some airborne armor such as BMDs and BTRDs and some new types of UA-developed BTRs such as BTR-3. Other types are similar to Russian ones (this scheme was developed even in late 80's in USSR) - - UA one http://bastion-opk.ru/kartinki/BMD-2M_TM-2012_04.JPG (427 kB) - Russian one Now you can identify UA vehicles with two white stripes painted like cross. Sanctions? No. Nothing changed in my life and life of most of people, maybe some hipsters that preferred only EU-made food were affected. So most of locals just laugh when the talk goes about sanctions. Much of banned things can be replaced, it's a matter of time. Opinions? They are different. Some don't give a poo about Ukraine, some (like me) have relatives living in battle area and are afraid of them being killed by UA artillery shells or shot by some far-right armed groups. Some even are pro-UA govt. It's quite uneasy task to inform all the groups and coordinate them. And don't forget about Murphy's law: if some group may be misinformed, it will be. And hit such tank with ATGM or PRGs immediately. Ukrainians almost finished pro-Russians? But who had been surrounded Mariupol and demolished 30th and other brigades then?:) According to my sources advance of separatists is going for a couple of days already and it's quite successful. Yesterday they captured first four Msta SPGs with ammo and HQ vehicle. BTW nice pic of UA Tochka-U missile remains: http://voicesevas.ru/img/d1016fd8a8751508f17519a110bb972c.PNG (1156 kB)

In Crimea our troops used the same gear as friendly side (or friendly side used the same camo as our troops:)). But what's the point of using the signs of enemy, especially in the area full of friendly but independent troops that are very potent in the terms of anti-armor warfare? The chance of being burned by separatists is very high, so why possible Russian tankers should use enemy camo in this case? That's too risky, I think. Especially when separatists have their own command and communications independent from Russian army. ---------- Post added at 02:25 ---------- Previous post was at 02:16 ---------- There's no only standard paint scheme of the vehicles across all post-Soviet armies, but several standard and non-standard (some are even of USSR origin). Also they differ because of the various paints available in workshops (their colors may differ from each other much). So yes, Russian and Ukrainian vehicles look the same in many times. And you can not say that some paint scheme is Russian-only/Ukrainian-only.

Sure, Russian tankers are so dumb that they paint the same white stripes as on UA vehicles;) Are you sure there had been no weapon that was used by KGB troops and produced since late 80's? Especially if one of USSR Alfa detachment was left to Ukraine with the whole equipment. VDV does not use MTLB. At all. Naval and regular infantry does. @All: Guys, I beg you to post at least high quality propaganda, please don't drag every stupid UA-made fake here. I'm already sick of that tons of dumbest UA BS spread across the whole Ru-net, please be so kind to provide me with good anti-Russian material.