Russian-Ukrainian War: Combat Tactics & Strategy

YashG · Post by **YashG** » 10 Jun 2023 08:40

^^^Odessa, not anytime soon due to flooding.

Also these are early days of offensive. not more than 20% of raised combat power has surfaced on the front. More will come and we will see. Ukrainians will also shift tactic and russians will also do so I guess.

Ukrainians may have better night time sensors, so they will likely continue that pathway of attacking at nights. I hear russian helicopters and mines are doing most of the damage.

Im waiting to also hear some news of russians taking out some tanks/equipments before they even reach frontline. Russia should disable atleast 20-30% of ukrainian assets before they reach frontline - now that they have better air access.

Igorr · Post by **Igorr** » 10 Jun 2023 09:55

IndraD wrote:Leopard burning !
Proukrainian DeepStateUA confirms loss of Leopard 2A4 https://twitter.com/MikaelValterss1/sta ... 09729?s=20

Also at least two Leo 2A6 were confirmly hited, one was totally burned.

sohamn · Post by **sohamn** » 10 Jun 2023 10:10

Pratyush wrote:
IndraD wrote:
This appears to be fake news. Can't find it on Google.

yes, fake news. Can't find it anywhere.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 10 Jun 2023 16:20

Russia’s ‘New Age’ Aerial Warfare Blunts Ukrainian Counteroffensive; Russian Tech Batters Western Tech
https://eurasiantimes.com/russias-new-a ... ensiv/?amp

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 11 Jun 2023 11:19

I have a question a lot of discussion is on Himars, how come there is very little news on the Russian 300mm Smerch

Pratyush · Post by **Pratyush** » 11 Jun 2023 12:17

Aditya_V wrote:I have a question a lot of discussion is on Himars, how come there is very little news on the Russian 300mm Smerch

Because the coverage of weapon systems is dominated by the West.

Every phase of this war has had a heroic western system saving the day.

Deans · Post by **Deans** » 11 Jun 2023 13:20

Aditya_V wrote:I have a question a lot of discussion is on Himars, how come there is very little news on the Russian 300mm Smerch

Himars has more accuracy (GPS guided), whereas Smerch is an area weapon - you don't need pinpoint accuracy if you are saturating the whole area. Himars should really be compared to the Iskandar, which has similar accuracy, but with more range and a much larger warhead.
What the media isn't highlighting is that HIMARS signals are being jammed and more of those that aren't are being shot down, so its effectiveness has been greatly reduced.

Deans · Post by **Deans** » 11 Jun 2023 13:32

An interesting bit of info from Russian MoD - though I disregard a lot of their data, this one seems accurate.

The no of Russians volunteering to fight is averaging 20,000 per month in 2023, which is double of 2022.
2022 had 70,000 volunteers, in the 7 months since volunteers were called for, while 2023 has 117000 to date.
Its a sign that more Russians are seeing this as an existential battle for their country.

This number is in addition to reservists called up (300,000 last year).
Russia is losing about 6000 killed + seriously injured a month. Assuming that another 4000 have annual contracts and leave - i.e 10000 replacements each month needed, Russia has more than enough men for replacements and forming new units, even if a third of volunteers are unfit to serve.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 11 Jun 2023 13:56

Crimean Senator Sergei Tsekov called the conditions for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine:

Ukraine must transfer to Russia three more regions, Nikolaev, Odessa and Kharkov , only after that it is possible to sit down at the negotiating table.
https://twitter.com/Sprinter99880/statu ... 52225?s=20

meanwhile money is being funnelled into Ukr to no end: 2 B coming from US, 0.5 B from Canada in last 2 days alone.

Truedaue also ordered confiscation & transfer of Volga Dnieper AN-124 Ru plane Russian to Kiev. This plane delivered relief material for covid to Canada

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 11 Jun 2023 17:07

All volunteers in the Russian Federation from July 1 will be required to sign contracts with the Russian Armed Forces.

The corresponding order was signed by the Ministry of Defense Sergei Shoigu. It also applies to private military companies.

To date, various Russian PMCs, including PMC Wagner, are in the formal status of "volunteer formations."

looks like MoD Russia has decided to standardise Wagner & mercenaries https://twitter.com/Sprinter99880/statu ... 03361?s=20

Tanaji · Post by **Tanaji** » 11 Jun 2023 17:39

Perhaps that’s the reason why the Wagners boss has been mouthing off at Russian MoD lately. He probably knew this was in the offing as his role is now severely curtailed…

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 11 Jun 2023 22:29

"Ukraine should hand over three more regions - Nikolaev, Odessa and Kharkov - to Russia, and only then can we sit down at the negotiating table". - Peskov

on expected lines

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 12 Jun 2023 15:22

Ukraine asks Germany for more Leopard 2 tanks https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/06/12/7406423/

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 12 Jun 2023 15:24

Ukraine claims recapture of Donetsk villages in 'first results' of counter-offensive

Ukraine has said its soldiers have made territorial advances on three villages in its south-east, hoisting the national flag in the first liberated settlements Kyiv has reported since it launched its counter-offensive.

Ukrainian forces posted unverified videos showing soldiers raising the flag at a bombed-out building in the village of Blahodatne, in the breakaway enclave of Donetsk, and posing with their unit's flag in the neighbouring village of Neskuchne.

“We're seeing the first results of the counter-offensive actions – localised results,” said Valeryi Shershen, a Ukrainian military representative.

Hanna Maliar, Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister, also posted a photo on Monday, showing soldiers with the Ukrainian flag at what she said was the village of Storozheve in Donetsk.

Ms Maliar later said her country's forces had “deoccupied” Makarivka, immediately south of Storozheve, and advanced by between 300 and 1,500 metres in two directions on the southern front.

gakakkad · Post by **gakakkad** » 12 Jun 2023 16:59

It seems like those advancements were in the buffer zone and they haven't even made it to the first line of contact . And they've already lost 30% of the tanks .

VishnuS · Post by **VishnuS** » 12 Jun 2023 17:43

gakakkad wrote:It seems like those advancements were in the buffer zone and they haven't even made it to the first line of contact . And they've already lost 30% of the tanks .

30% is close to 90 tanks sirji.

I doubt Ukraine lost that many armoured vehicles, let alone tanks (since the start of offensive).

It'd be great if you can share the source.

YashG · Post by **YashG** » 12 Jun 2023 19:13

gakakkad wrote:It seems like those advancements were in the buffer zone and they haven't even made it to the first line of contact . And they've already lost 30% of the tanks .

The idea that first line of defence will be more formidable then the screening line is a dangerous assumption. There was some cascading of ukrainian wins. They went from taking (pardon spellings) neschunke, blahodantske to quickly taking 3 more villages in matter of a day.

Even ukraine has till now not brought bulk of its hoarded armor. I think only 30-40% armor has surfaced yet -so their push will also get more intense.

Russia will have to destroy some of that armor before it reaches frontline.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 12 Jun 2023 21:19

very difficult to quantify losses
CNN says US made vehicles lost (17) https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/12/europe/u ... index.html

In total, during the failed attack in the Zaporozhye axis, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost at least:

- 5 German tanks Leopard 2A6 and 2A4 (2 destroyed, 1 hit and abandoned, 3 abandoned)
- 6 American infantry fighting vehicles M2A2 Bradley ODS-SA (all hit and abandoned)
- 3 American MRAP M1224 MaxxPro (all hit and abandoned)
- 1 Dutch armored personnel carrier YPR-765 (hit and abandoned)
- 1 Czech T-72M1 (destroyed)
- 1 BMR-2 demining vehicle (hit and abandoned)
- 1 French VAB armored car (hit and abandoned).
- several burned out trucks

Source: milinfolive https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1 ... 77984?s=20 Dated 9 June

It must be much more than this number

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 12 Jun 2023 21:21

meanwhile bizzare clips of mobilisation from Ukraine https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1 ... 65792?s=20

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 12 Jun 2023 22:07

The Netherlands announces it has started training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets. https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1 ... 24352?s=20

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 13 Jun 2023 02:26

The Ukrainian military has refused to discuss tactics for the assaults, but the timing of the attacks on the villages suggests they have a tactical advantage after dark.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/ ... ussia-war/

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 13 Jun 2023 21:27

the U.S. Department of Defense is preparing to Approve the Transfer of M829 Armor-Piercing Depleted Uranium Shells to the Ukrainian Military alongside the arrival of M1A1 Abrams MBTs later this year; this comes after the United Kingdom announced in March that it will be providing Ukraine with Depleted Uranium Munitions for their Challenger 2 Tanks
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-set-to ... e-f6d98dcf

Deans · Post by **Deans** » 13 Jun 2023 21:49

IndraD wrote:very difficult to quantify losses
CNN says US made vehicles lost (17) https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/12/europe/u ... index.html

In total, during the failed attack in the Zaporozhye axis, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost at least:

- 5 German tanks Leopard 2A6 and 2A4 (2 destroyed, 1 hit and abandoned, 3 abandoned)
- 6 American infantry fighting vehicles M2A2 Bradley ODS-SA (all hit and abandoned)
- 3 American MRAP M1224 MaxxPro (all hit and abandoned)
- 1 Dutch armored personnel carrier YPR-765 (hit and abandoned)
- 1 Czech T-72M1 (destroyed)
- 1 BMR-2 demining vehicle (hit and abandoned)
- 1 French VAB armored car (hit and abandoned).
- several burned out trucks
It must be much more than this number

Ukraine's 47th Mech brigade was the spearhead of the counteroffensive. It is entirely NATO trained and equipped.
It has 30 Leopard 2 tanks and 99 Bradley IFVs.
Photographic evidence from 7th to 10th June: 7 Leopard-2 and 17 Bradley destroyed.
There must be a similar number damaged and not suitable for immediate combat, or destroyed and not photographed.

Deans · Post by **Deans** » 13 Jun 2023 21:51

IndraD wrote:The Ukrainian military has refused to discuss tactics for the assaults, but the timing of the attacks on the villages suggests they have a tactical advantage after dark.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/ ... ussia-war/

Airstrikes and drones are less effective in fog (which follows rain and is present in the night). Russia appears to have more drones and its airforce
are now flying large number of CAS missions (SU-25 and KA-52 helicopters).

Deans · Post by **Deans** » 14 Jun 2023 09:38

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBZF9LCTyqY&t=9684s

Lengthy, but a very good interview with Col. Scott Ritter. Talks about the Russian people (having lived there I agree) and a lot of hardcore
military detail about the counter offensive and what is going wrong.

One thing he didn't mention, but indirectly referred to - the sight of German tanks (with Wehrmacht style crosses and named after the same
cat family as WW2 tanks) will infuriate and unite the Russian population behind the war, to an extent that Putin did not achieve so far.

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 14 Jun 2023 14:19

He and many others referred to it from the start. Germany was not so keen on sending its tanks for the same reason but was forced by the US to send them. This is the most problematic thing with US actions for a long time. They have no sense of history (What the goras say about us) and how it affects the present-day actions of people and nations. Ironically, these people are supposed to be experts about Russia with degrees and fancy doctorates.

Haresh · Post by **Haresh** » 14 Jun 2023 15:40

Yagnasri wrote:He and many others referred to it from the start. Germany was not so keen on sending its tanks for the same reason but was forced by the US to send them. This is the most problematic thing with US actions for a long time. They have no sense of history (What the goras say about us) and how it affects the present-day actions of people and nations. Ironically, these people are supposed to be experts about Russia with degrees and fancy doctorates.

I work wit a Bulgarian guy. He says that even though Bulgaria is a NATO member and the people hated the old USSR/communism, they are not anti-Russian, because it was Russia which liberated them from the Turks.

Haresh · Post by **Haresh** » 14 Jun 2023 15:53

U.S.-led NATO faces anger in Bulgaria; Thousands tell Govt to adopt war neutrality

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFADiIKJaz0

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 14 Jun 2023 16:57

Deans wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBZF9LCTyqY&t=9684s

Lengthy, but a very good interview with Col. Scott Ritter. Talks about the Russian people (having lived there I agree) .........

Just as FYI, Scott's wife is Russian, as a result he spends an inordinate time in Russia, and he is fluent in Russian by profession.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 14 Jun 2023 19:28

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/be ... 023-06-14/

belarus is a nuclear power now

Cyrano · Post by **Cyrano** » 14 Jun 2023 21:21

NRao wrote:
Deans wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBZF9LCTyqY&t=9684s

Lengthy, but a very good interview with Col. Scott Ritter. Talks about the Russian people (having lived there I agree) .........

Just as FYI, Scott's wife is Russian, as a result he spends an inordinate time in Russia, and he is fluent in Russian by profession.

Actually she is from Georgia, former Soviet Republic. Scott served in the US Marines, has spent a lot of time in Russia, as a strategic arms reduction negotiator for the US, was a Desert Storm GW1 veteran, then as a weapons inspector in Iraq famously called out the WMD lies and propaganda of the US. He recently was in Russia despite threats from Ukr regime for his latest book tour. For anyone who has followed him over numerous webcasts since Feb 2022, there can be no doubt that he is a patriot, and that his intelligent head and kind heart are both in the right place.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 14 Jun 2023 22:16

The effect on EU economies will be catastrophic

Dmitry Medvedev@MedvedevRussiaE·6h

Based on the proof of western countries’ complicity in blowing up the Nord Stream pipelines, we have none, not even moral limitations left to refrain from destroying our enemies’ undersea communications cables

The EU will end up burning expensive and scarce fuel in their naval ships patrolling their undersea cables

Cyrano · Post by **Cyrano** » 14 Jun 2023 23:13

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 15 Jun 2023 21:47

IndraD wrote:Russia’s ‘New Age’ Aerial Warfare Blunts Ukrainian Counteroffensive; Russian Tech Batters Western Tech
https://eurasiantimes.com/russias-new-a ... ensiv/?amp

https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/stat ... 63073?s=20

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 15 Jun 2023 21:50

IndraD wrote:the U.S. Department of Defense is preparing to Approve the Transfer of M829 Armor-Piercing Depleted Uranium Shells to the Ukrainian Military alongside the arrival of M1A1 Abrams MBTs later this year; this comes after the United Kingdom announced in March that it will be providing Ukraine with Depleted Uranium Munitions for their Challenger 2 Tanks
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-set-to ... e-f6d98dcf

The Russian tanks are nowhere to be seen.
Most Ukrainian losses are from Lancet drones.

So what's the point of these useless killer weapons?

gakakkad · Post by **gakakkad** » 16 Jun 2023 04:50

There were some videos of T-90 in action in telegram.

I think the CO seems to have fizzled out by now.

Word on the street is That Israel is exporting Merkava tank to 2 countries including one in Europe. Unclear which the 2 countries are.

Broadly it seems that tanks may not be very relevant in the future?

in an ideal world we would just fight robots and a hacking war . would prevent people from dying..

Manish_P · Post by **Manish_P** » 16 Jun 2023 10:22

ramana wrote:
IndraD wrote:Russia’s ‘New Age’ Aerial Warfare Blunts Ukrainian Counteroffensive; Russian Tech Batters Western Tech
https://eurasiantimes.com/russias-new-a ... ensiv/?amp

https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/stat ... 63073?s=20

Some snooty western analysts derisively call these drones are glide artillery. They would rather have the uber-costly silver bullet excalibur rounds. Fine as long as you can print as many dollars as you want.

IMHO it will not be long before the Pakis get around to buying these types.. lots of them.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 17 Jun 2023 17:43

There is pretty much silence about changes in the frontlines any idea what happening?

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 17 Jun 2023 21:05

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2023/06/ ... lot-death/ Bloody idiots.

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 17 Jun 2023 21:09

Tanks are here to stay. The role we do not know. The precision strike capabilities reached unprecedented levels in this war with the arrival of drones. That is all. Now countermeasures will develop asap.

Tank is mobility, protection and firepower. Those features have been around for thousands of years in one form or another. I will not write off tanks yet.