Russia-Ukraine war and related tensions Megathread

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Crowdfunding campaign that apparently started (kind of) as a joke succeeded in fully funding the purchase of ~60 Spartan FV103 APCs, owned by private entities across the UK. They should be arriving by Christmas.

https://mobile.twitter.com/serhiyprytula/status/1588234887944933383

The Ukrainian MoD says "Tank you very much!"

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Crowdfunding campaign that apparently started (kind of) as a joke succeeded in fully funding the purchase of ~60 Spartan FV103 APCs, owned by private entities across the UK. They should be arriving by Christmas.

https://mobile.twitter.com/serhiyprytula/status/1588234887944933383
Not a very large APC, but then again it is designed more for recon and safe transport of specialist teams.

I have mixed feelings about these kinds of crowdfunding campaigns, military or otherwise. It’s great that people do it, but the governments of the countries supplying the aid almost inevitably take a victory lap despite not having done it themselves earlier (and having been in a better position to do so).

Edit: in this case, I am referring to the British government, not the Ukrainian one.

[Virginiá]

I have mixed feelings about these kinds of crowdfunding campaigns, military or otherwise. It’s great that people do it, but the governments of the countries supplying the aid almost inevitably take a victory lap despite not having done it themselves earlier (and having been in a better position to do so).

Edit: in this case, I am referring to the British government, not the Ukrainian one.

TBH I don't quite understand why the Brits didn't already acquire these. The cost was nothing compared to total support and was definitely something Ukraine wanted. This crowdfunding campaign could have put that money elsewhere.

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/War_Mapper/status/1588320633083269120?s=20&t=sWjNF_bI4VK...

[Kahane's Grave Is A Gender-Neutral Bathroom]

LOL the Russian trolls are now admitting that 'winning' includes being stuck in a cement plant and having Private Conscriptovich stealing weapons from dead mobiks.

[Woody]

Putin: 318,000 men mobilized. 49,000 already on combat tasks.

https://t.me/tass_agency/164451

[Silent Hunter]

I have mixed feelings about these kinds of crowdfunding campaigns, military or otherwise. It’s great that people do it, but the governments of the countries supplying the aid almost inevitably take a victory lap despite not having done it themselves earlier (and having been in a better position to do so).

Edit: in this case, I am referring to the British government, not the Ukrainian one.

TBH I don't quite understand why the Brits didn't already acquire these. The cost was nothing compared to total support and was definitely something Ukraine wanted. This crowdfunding campaign could have put that money elsewhere.

Those Spartans are demilitarised I believe, but that consists of rendering the gun unusable and cutting some holes in the armour. Reversible with time.

[Hindsight was 2020]

https://mobile.twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1588481082231775233
Another tankie talking point down the toilet

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/francis_scarr/status/1588425861224878081?s=20&t=DSwvAxSA...

[Badger]

Duma bill of "Five Year Penalty for Evading Mobilization" gets withdrawn by the "United Russia" Party.

The deputies are going to submit to the State Duma a bill that provides for criminal liability for evading the call for mobilization. This was reported to Interfax by one of the authors of the amendments, United Russia deputy Ernest Valeev.

The bill provides for fines from 200 to 500 thousand rubles, forced labor or imprisonment for up to 5 years for evading mobilization, said Valeev. According to him, criminal liability may apply to citizens who evade after they have officially received a summons to the military registration and enlistment office.

Later, the press service of United Russia assured that the initiative had "lost its relevance" and was considered at the beginning of the mobilization. “To date, partial mobilization has been completed. This initiative has lost its relevance. It is not being considered by the State Duma, ”the chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, Andrei Kartapolov, and the chairman of the Security Committee, Vasily Piskarev, said in a statement.

https://zona.media/news/2022/11/01/proekt

Rather surprising. Anyone want to try reading the tea leaves here?

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/UAWeapons/status/1588434914256781313?s=20&t=DSwvAxSAT5zg...

[Badger]

Putin: 318,000 men mobilized. 49,000 already on combat tasks.

https://t.me/tass_agency/164451

Imagine being such a spineless Putin boot licker to take anything that man says with any credibility whatsoever.

[Badger]

https://mobile.twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1588481082231775233
Another tankie talking point down the toilet

"Like you trust The Pentagon, sheeple?? "

[Hindsight was 2020]

According to Ukraine’s defense report Russia has lost almost 1k soldiers a day this week 😱
https://mobile.twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1588452710697046018

[CumbrianLefty]

That would fit with their apparently sustained attempts to take ground in the Donetsk area.

[Logical]

Amis man from Hualien County, Taiwan killed in Luhansk. First Taiwanese casualty in the war I believe.
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202211045006.aspx

[Logical]

The US is finally sending tanks to Ukraine!

Spoiler alert! Click Show to show the content.

Show

but they're T-72s

 
https://twitter.com/idreesali114/status/1588555669279772674

[Antonio the Sixth]

Refurbished T-72s still sound better than the kind of tanks Russia has been fielding lately tbf.

[Virginiá]

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3210297/400-million-in-additional-security-assistance-for-ukraine/

Full list of aid items. Note that these are not PDA. US is contracting these, so delivery times will vary.

• Funding to refurbish HAWK air defense missiles for inclusion in future Presidential Drawdown packages;
• 45 Refurbished T-72B Tanks with advanced optics, communications, and armor packages;
• 1,100 Phoenix Ghost Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems;
• 40 Armored Riverine Boats;
• Funding to refurbish 250 M1117 Armored Security Vehicles;
• Tactical secure communications systems and surveillance systems; and
• Funding for training, maintenance, and sustainment.

Also, Netherlands is paying for an additional 45 T-72B tanks to be modernized as well. 90 total!

I'd expect the first tanks to start being delivered within a couple months of the contract finalization, give or take. The Phoenix Ghost loitering munitions are in constant production now so those will probably come in batches relatively soon. Not surprised with regards to the HAWK systems.. Those have been sitting in storage for 20 years.

[Logical]

I'd expect the first tanks to start being delivered within a couple months of the contract finalization, give or take. The Phoenix Ghost loitering munitions are in constant production now so those will probably come in batches relatively soon. Not surprised with regards to the HAWK systems.. Those have been sitting in storage for 20 years.

Even sooner than that. The first tanks will arrive before the end of the year.
https://twitter.com/laraseligman/status/1588557807355580416

[Virginiá]

Even sooner than that. The first tanks will arrive before the end of the year.
https://twitter.com/laraseligman/status/1588557807355580416

Oh wow, impressive. They must have had some ready (or almost ready) to go.

Hopefully the other tanks, and really, the other vehicles/weapons in this package aren't held up by the brutally slow process DoD procurement can sometimes create. I know in a previous USAI aid package, some of those weapon systems, like the VAMPIRE anti-drone system, still haven't had contracts finalized months after the announcement.

[Virginiá]

Follow-up: 26 of the modernized T-72s will arrive within the next 30 days:

https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1588567378077814785?t=DXyuyRHJNEc0zw4Ytj...

Also, would like a more official source on this, but it does fit with the news from months ago that Ukraine was building an ammunition factory with an unnamed European country:

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1588591995517214721

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Also, would like a more official source on this, but it does fit with the news from months ago that Ukraine was building an ammunition factory with an unnamed European country:

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1588591995517214721

This source implies that, while production has already been financed by Ukraine in other countries, it's being re-established or stepped up in Ukraine.

https://mil.in.ua/en/news/ukroboronprom-establishes-the-production-of-122-mm-and-152-mm-shells/

Domestic industry is at risk of being targeted, but other production lines (such as the production of their explosive drone boats) seem to have survived relatively unmolested, and there is undeniably a lot of value in maintaining their own defence industry.

[Virginiá]

Moving a large portion of the manufacturing process underground and in an area under the protection of IRIS-T/NASAMS may help them keep production online. Particularly if they can decentralize some of it as well.

With all the outside support Ukraine has, and the introduction of modern air defenses, reestablishing some level of production was likely inevitable.

edit:

This was from September:

https://kyivindependent.com/uncategorized/ukroboronprom-says-its-building-ammunition-factory-together-with-nato-member-state

I still do feel like this is NOT in Ukraine if they partnered with another country. I suppose you could assume the other country helped them establish the machinery and other tools, but it makes more sense to build it out of the country to avoid being subjected not only to potential missile strikes but also energy supply issues due to the country's energy grid problems.

[CanadianDemocrat]

Refurbished T-72s still sound better than the kind of tanks Russia has been fielding lately tbf.

I would rather take a Czech or Polish T-72 then a captured Russian T-72. Russian doesn't properly maintain their tanks and sends old rusted tanks which have spent over 30 years in reserve.

Poland has also sent PT-91 tanks to Ukraine, they have 230 of them. They are waiting for US and South Korean tanks to arrive, then they will send the rest of the PT-91's.