"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (4 Viewers)

[Thumpalumpacus]

RIGA, March 9 (Reuters) - Latvia began seizing cars from heavily drunk drivers this year, and as hundreds of vehicles began overfilling impound lots, decided to send them to Ukrainian military and hospitals.

Seven cars were driven in a snowstorm onto a trailer and out of a state impound lot on Wednesday, destined for Ukraine.

Two hundred cars were taken from drivers found with blood alcohol levels over 0.15% in two months in the Baltic nation of 1.9 million people.


"It's actually very scary when you realise how many cars are driving around with drunk drivers," said Reinis Poznaks, founder of the NGO known as Twitter Convoy which has been tasked by the government to deliver the vehicles to Ukraine.

The two-dozen confiscated cars the state has promised to hand him each week to send to Ukraine will test the limits of his largely volunteer operation, Poznaks said.

[...]

Twitter Convoy has already dispatched about 1,200 vehicles, after announcing a plea for donations on Twitter days after the Russia's invasion started on Feb. 24 last year. It raised 2 million euros ($2.1 million) for vehicle purchases, renovations, and logistics in 2022.


Latvian Finance Minister Arvils Aseradens said the government was inspired by the success of the NGO to drop attempts to auction the vehicles: "We said, well, you can take those cars ... and (Poznak) says, 'Oh, that's very good!'"

"We are ready to do practically anything to support Ukrainians."

Latvia donates drunk drivers' cars to Ukraine's war effort

Latvia began seizing cars from heavily drunk drivers this year, and as hundreds of vehicles began overfilling impound lots, decided to send them to Ukrainian military and hospitals.

www.reuters.com

 

[Admiral Beez]

Aren't they all draft dodgers?

They were presumably willing to support or at least acquiesce to Putin's regime and its brutal attack on Ukraine since Feb 2022, until the draft was called. Neither sort, the active supporter or passive enabler of Putin should be welcomed in any country. The only way Putin is going to be overthrown is through domestic uprising, and by giving an easy escape to Russians once the going got tough does the world and Russia no favours.

Look at Ukraine, their men aren't allowed to leave, and instead are, if necessary pressganged into service. The Russians in Ukraine should have also been denied a free exit.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xnw2Abqmu64

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin announced on March 8 that Russian forces captured all of eastern Bakhmut, a claim consistent with available visual evidence.[1] ISW assessed on March 7 that Ukrainian forces completed a controlled withdrawal from eastern Bakhmut across the Bakhmutka River.[2] A prominent Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces control between 45 to 52 percent of Bakhmut as of March 7.[3] This figure is reasonable; ISW assesses that Russian forces now occupy at least 50 percent of Bakhmut as of March 8. Russian forces will likely intensify attacks in northwestern and southwestern Bakhmut (north from Opytne and south from Yahidne, respectively) to circumnavigate the Bakhmutka River.

Russian forces remain unlikely to rapidly exploit a breakthrough beyond Bakhmut if Russian forces capture the city. Prigozhin implied on March 8 that the Russian Ministry of Defense used the Wagner Group to bear the brunt of high-intensity attritional urban warfare in Bakhmut and may discard the Wagner Group after capturing Bakhmut so conventional Russian units can continue to attack.[4] Prigozhin did not provide an assessment of the likelihood of success of future Russian offensive operations beyond Bakhmut. ISW has not observed any indicators that the Russian military has a well-equipped and prepared reserve force to advance beyond Bakhmut. Most observed Russian units in Donbas are already engaged in offensive operations, including Russian airborne (VDV) elements that joined the Russian offensive in Bakhmut in January 2023.[5] ISW continues to assess that the Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine will shortly culminate if Russian forces capture Bakhmut, as the Russian military does not have the combat power or reinforcements necessary to exploit a breakthrough near Bakhmut.[6]
[...]
German and Polish officials announced that Germany and Poland will deliver 28 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine in March 2023, which will bolster Ukraine's capabilities to conduct a counteroffensive amidst high Russian tank losses. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced on March 8 that Germany will deliver 18 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine by the end of March, and Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak announced that Poland will deliver 10 more tanks by the end of the week.[19] These tanks, though below the quantities that the Ukrainian military needs, will augment Ukraine's capabilities to conduct counteroffensive operations, particularly due to the degraded state of Russian armored units.

Institute for the Study of War

This page collects ISW and CTP's updates on the conflict in Ukraine. In late February 2022, ISW began publishing daily synthetic products covering key events related to renewed Russian aggression against Ukraine.

www.understandingwar.org

 

[Admiral Beez]

German and Polish officials announced that Germany and Poland will deliver 28 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine in March 2023, which will bolster Ukraine's capabilities to conduct a counteroffensive amidst high Russian tank losses. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced on March 8 that Germany will deliver 18 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine by the end of March, and Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak announced that Poland will deliver 10 more tanks by the end of the week.

Any estimates on the total number of Leopard 2 tanks that will be in Ukrainian hands by the end of March? Wikipedia says 71 have been pledged.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_equipment_of_the_Armed_Forces_of_Ukraine#Combat_vehicles

8 tanks pledged by Canada.[266][267]
18 tanks pledged by Germany.[268]
14 tanks pledged by Poland.[269]
3 pledged by Portugal.[270]
8 pledged by Norway.[271]
10 pledged by Spain.[272]
10 pledged by Sweden.[273]

 

[GTX]

Canada may give Ukraine 300 FLIR SkyRanger R70 drones that can search for chemical weapons and track smartphones

The Ukrainian Armed Forces may receive new drones in the near future. There is a possibility that Canada will send FLIR SkyRanger R70 drones.

gagadget.com

 

[GTX]

Cardboard drones drop bombs in Ukraine

Drones made of cardboard and rubber bands are helping the Ukrainians to fight their Russian invaders.At least 100 flat-packed drones are being sent each month

www.thetimes.co.uk

 

[GTX]

Identification of Russian soldier looter from Bucha by stolen AirPods

The Molfar OSINT community has identified a Russian serviceman who robbed a civilian's house in Bucha during the temporary occupation of the city by Russian troops in March 2022. The offender was identified by analyzing his movements using the location tracking service of a stolen Apple gadget.

www.molfar.global

 

[Admiral Beez]

Cardboard drones drop bombs in Ukraine

Drones made of cardboard and rubber bands are helping the Ukrainians to fight their Russian invaders.At least 100 flat-packed drones are being sent each month

www.thetimes.co.uk

Blocked me. Here's paywall free version https://archive.is/yjQ8c

 

[RogerdeLluria]

Cardboard drones drop bombs in Ukraine

Drones made of cardboard and rubber bands are helping the Ukrainians to fight their Russian invaders.At least 100 flat-packed drones are being sent each month

www.thetimes.co.uk

Also dubbed the "Origami of death"
I'm amazed that such a thing can have a range of 120 Km

Ukraine Uses 'Cardboard Drones' To Attack Russia; 'Origami Of Death' Is Assembled Using Glue, Rubber Bands

Ukrainian armed forces are using drones made out of cardboard and rubber bands to fight the Russian Army. At least 100 of these cheap drones, produced by an Australian company SYPAQ, are being supplied to Ukraine monthly in flatpack form. ‘Bodyguard’ To NGAD, F-35 Stealth Jets & B-21 Raiders, US...

eurasiantimes.com

An advantage that I overlooked the first time I read about them is that they are transported disassembled and can be assembled on the field.
"The flatpack design makes it very easy to deliver these drones, with 24 of them packed in pizza-size boxes fitted on a pallet. These boxes also contain the drones' assembly materials, tools, motors, and batteries."

 

[Admiral Beez]

Nice to see Canada play a role.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtawNwACOv8

 

[RogerdeLluria]

In Ukraine fight, integrated air defense has made many aircraft 'worthless': US Air Force general - Breaking Defense

Highly adept Ukrainian and Russian air defenses have mutually denied air superiority, a problem particularly acute for close air support missions. “Both of their integrated air and missile defense, especially when you're talking about going against aircraft, have been very effective,” Gen. James...

breakingdefense.com

 

[GTX]

In Ukraine fight, integrated air defense has made many aircraft 'worthless': US Air Force general - Breaking Defense

Highly adept Ukrainian and Russian air defenses have mutually denied air superiority, a problem particularly acute for close air support missions. “Both of their integrated air and missile defense, especially when you're talking about going against aircraft, have been very effective,” Gen. James...

breakingdefense.com

Something for those who rant on about sending A-10s to Ukraine should keep in mind.

 

[GrauGeist]

Need to keep in mind that the A-10 was designed to fight Soviet equipment in a compact, highly contested battlefield scenario.

Sort of like what's going on in Ukraine at the moment.

Add to that, the long list of upgrades the A-10 has gone through since it was first put in service that enhances survivability.

 

[GTX]

Need to keep in mind that the A-10 was designed to fight Soviet equipment in a compact, highly contested battlefield scenario.

It was designed to fight in an era pre many of the air defence systems available today - remember the A-10 comes from the 1970s/80s some 40 - 50yrs ago. It was also designed to fight as part of a combined team thus with EW, SEAD, Air Superiority, AWACS etc etc. Unless one incorporates all of that you can not claim it is facing the same threat.

Add to that, the long list of upgrades the A-10 has gone through since it was first put in service that enhances survivability.

Upgrades will get you only so far.

I will post this once again - I appreciate it may upset/trigger some but it has to be accepted that the A-10 has passed its usefulness and is, IMHO, being only kept/supported because people have some sort of weird (some may say phallic given the constant references to its big gun) obsession with it.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Any estimates on the total number of Leopard 2 tanks that will be in Ukrainian hands by the end of March? Wikipedia says 71 have been pledged.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_equipment_of_the_Armed_Forces_of_Ukraine#Combat_vehicles

8 tanks pledged by Canada.[266][267]
18 tanks pledged by Germany.[268]
14 tanks pledged by Poland.[269]
3 pledged by Portugal.[270]
8 pledged by Norway.[271]
10 pledged by Spain.[272]
10 pledged by Sweden.[273]

Totals? No idea, and certainly not enough info to gainsay even Wiki on the matter. If their number of 71 is accurate, I'm happy -- that's a brigade, plus a battalion, plus seven spares, if the Ukrainians use 16 tanks/btn. I confess not knowing the Ukrainian TOE, but in any event 71 Leo IIs is a good deal of hurt.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Also dubbed the "Origami of death"
I'm amazed that such a thing can have a range of 120 Km

Ukraine Uses 'Cardboard Drones' To Attack Russia; 'Origami Of Death' Is Assembled Using Glue, Rubber Bands

Ukrainian armed forces are using drones made out of cardboard and rubber bands to fight the Russian Army. At least 100 of these cheap drones, produced by an Australian company SYPAQ, are being supplied to Ukraine monthly in flatpack form. ‘Bodyguard’ To NGAD, F-35 Stealth Jets & B-21 Raiders, US...

eurasiantimes.com

An advantage that I overlooked the first time I read about them is that they are transported disassembled and can be assembled on the field.
"The flatpack design makes it very easy to deliver these drones, with 24 of them packed in pizza-size boxes fitted on a pallet. These boxes also contain the drones' assembly materials, tools, motors, and batteries."

One problem that springs to mind immediately is its susceptibility to moisture. That will limit its use in the rain.

 

[Admiral Beez]

It was designed to fight in an era pre many of the air defence systems available today - remember the A-10 comes from the 1970s/80s some 40 - 50yrs ago. It was also designed to fight as part of a combined team thus with EW, SEAD, Air Superiority, AWACS etc etc. Unless one incorporates all of that you can not claim it is facing the same threat.

So, if it's hopelessly obsolete over any contested early/mid-21st century battlefield, why is the A-10 still in service?

 

[Jabberwocky]

So, if it's hopelessly obsolete over any contested early/mid-21st century battlefield, why is the A-10 still in service?

Because:
It has uses outside of that environment;
USAF SEAD doctrine and capability is the best in the world, meaning an A-10 in US service will face a reduced SAM/G2A threat;
It still fills an element of the overall USAF concept of operations.

 

[SplitRz]

They were presumably willing to support or at least acquiesce to Putin's regime and its brutal attack on Ukraine since Feb 2022, until the draft was called.

Neither sort, the active supporter or passive enabler of Putin should be welcomed in any country. The only way Putin is going to be overthrown is through domestic uprising, and by giving an easy escape to Russians once the going got tough does the world and Russia no favours.

Look at Ukraine, their men aren't allowed to leave, and instead are, if necessary pressganged into service. The Russians in Ukraine should have also been denied a free exit.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xnw2Abqmu64

Hmmm...

"They were presumably willing to support or at least acquiesce to Putin's regime and its brutal attack on Ukraine since Feb 2022, until the draft was called"
Is there evidence of that presumption? Its very easy to glibly assume from the safety of a non authoritarian regime that resistance or even criticism is something one can easily perform - or that by not, you are a de facto supporter of it. Critics resisting Putin's government are clearly being beaten, arrested, poisoned or imprisoned. Their families also stand the very real risk of being victimised and persecuted. Many Russians have little or restricted access to free media and little confidence in the faux democratic system being operated there. They are also surrounded by nationalists in a culture with a long history of authoritarianism and the fear of being denounced by friends, neighbours of even family. The corollary of what you are suggesting seems o be akin to saying that those who escaped the Nazis and were offered sanctuary across Europe and beyond should have been turned back at the borders. Surely not?!

Every Russian man who's defected is one less under-trained conscript to be fed into the sausage machine from their side. And given that many are going to be the best informed, most moral and intelligent of their generation, even better. A larger 'free Russian' diaspora outside of the nation is also going to create a source of connection and information with the outside world. Let it grow. Let ever more Russians see the reality of the world outside. I have a suspicion that in years to come, the next Russian president may very well be one of those young people who've refused to be conscripted into a corrupt war.

"Look at Ukraine, their men aren't allowed to leave, and instead are, if necessary pressganged into service."

"Conscripted into service. But Ukraine is a smaller, less populace country - though even now, as I understand it, the vast majority of those in the front line are volunteers. And a country in which the war is recognised as such - not something passed off as a 'special military operation'. They know that this is about national survival. No different than the UK in 1939.

The harder the draft eats into the Russian populace, the ever clearer it will become to the greater Russian populace that this *is* a war. And a war that as every month passes, it become clearer that they aren't - and ultimately cannot - win. Only when that penny drops will the seeds be there for a regime change.

 

[GrauGeist]

It was designed to fight in an era pre many of the air defence systems available today - remember the A-10 comes from the 1970s/80s some 40 - 50yrs ago. It was also designed to fight as part of a combined team thus with EW, SEAD, Air Superiority, AWACS etc etc. Unless one incorporates all of that you can not claim it is facing the same threat.



Upgrades will get you only so far.

I will post this once again - I appreciate it may upset/trigger some but it has to be accepted that the A-10 has passed its usefulness and is, IMHO, being only kept/supported because people have some sort of weird (some may say phallic given the constant references to its big gun) obsession with it.

View attachment 710432

Interesting meme, but it misses the fact that the A-10 pilots go through a Basic Fighter Maneuvers (BFM) class at least once a year while qualified for the A-10, the same class regular fighter pilots attend.

Also the A-10 carries two AIM-9 missiles for self defense, regardless of what else is loaded on the other hard points.

I appreciate the attempts to play down it's capabilities, but the A-10C is an exceptionally capable machine.