Russia in the 21st Century [Superthread]

[Kirkhill]

Combat Team Commanders course FTX Wainwright October 2021.

If the Russians attack our tanks at close range with rifles and rations our new commanders will be prepared.

View attachment 67503

The infamous PB&J sticky bomb?

 

[Kirkhill]

The BMPT's ATAKA missile (4 per vehicle in ready to launch positions)

7.4 kg warhead
6 km range being extended to 10 km
SACLOS
15 seconds flight time to 6 km (25 seconds to 10 km?) estimates based on published 400 m/s average speed.

"The Ataka missile is stored in a glass reinforced plastic tube, which also acts as its launcher. The missile is reported to be considerably faster than the 9K114 Shturm, with longer range than the original version. It still uses radio command guidance, but the system has been improved when compared to the earlier 9K114 Shturm.

The system is carried by the multiple kinds of helicopters including the Mi-28 and Mi-35. It is also offered for ground vehicles like the BMPT and the 9P149.

There are three main missiles that are compatible with the launch system. The first is a two-stage anti-armour weapon that features a tandem warhead for dealing with add-on armor. The second variant of the missile – designated as 9M120F – has a thermobaric warhead for use against infantry positions and bunkers. The third variant of the 9M120 Ataka is the 9M220, which features a proximity fused expanding rod warhead, providing the missile with air-to-air capability against low- and slow-flying aircraft."

9M120 Ataka - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[The Bread Guy]

Bumping this one with an intriguing chart I found alleging all kindsa (at least alleged) Russian links/shenanigans re: various media outlets ...

source

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Say what you want about Russian influenced media, but ANNA produced some of the best Urban Combat footage yet made, particularly in regards to Armour in urban ops.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Say what you want about Russian influenced media, but ANNA produced some of the best Urban Combat footage yet made, particularly in regards to Armour in urban ops.

I found it too painful to watch the first Russian/Chechen war footage. Those poor conscripts didn't deserve what happened to them.

 

[Good2Golf]

I found it too painful to watch the first Russian/Chechen war footage. Those poor conscripts didn't deserve what happened to them.

You mean the Colombian Chechen neck-ties? Yeah, it wasn’t pretty.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

I found it too painful to watch the first Russian/Chechen war footage. Those poor conscripts didn't deserve what happened to them.

agreed, but i was referring to the Syrian footage.

 

[KevinB]

I found it too painful to watch the first Russian/Chechen war footage. Those poor conscripts didn't deserve what happened to them.

Having watched a lot of Afghanistan/Russian footage - there seems to be a theme.

My sympathies for Russian soldiers however are very thin.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Nice to see the old Soviet traditions (if the Suvorov books are to be believed, anyway) seem to carry on in the Russian army

'They Drink A Lot, Sell Their Fuel': Belarusians Give Low Marks To Russian Troops Deployed For Drills

Russian soldiers in southeastern Belarus "settled in the surrounding forests," one local resident said. "They drink a lot and sell a lot of their diesel fuel."

www.rferl.org

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

If it's not apparent to anyone yet that Russia has made up their mind that the West is no friend of Russia and is actively engaged in operations against us, perhaps this will remind them:

Why are French troops leaving Mali, and what will it mean for the region?

Will France's decision to remove 5,000 troops weaken the fight against Islamists in Africa's Sahel?

www.bbc.com

Diplomacy and Dividends: Who Really Controls the Wagner Group? - Foreign Policy Research Institute

Many expected the diplomatic relationship between the Russian Federation and the United States to fray when U.S. forces killed hundreds of Russians assaulting a U.S.-held Syrian outpost in early 2018. Yet, the Kremlin quickly distanced itself from the Russian bodies on the far-off Syrian...

www.fpri.org

I think it's pretty clear that the Russian State has made the decision that the relationship with the rest of Europe and the United States will be adversarial going forward.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Nice to see the old Soviet traditions (if the Suvorov books are to be believed, anyway) seem to carry on in the Russian army

'They Drink A Lot, Sell Their Fuel': Belarusians Give Low Marks To Russian Troops Deployed For Drills

Russian soldiers in southeastern Belarus "settled in the surrounding forests," one local resident said. "They drink a lot and sell a lot of their diesel fuel."

www.rferl.org

A more granular view, from this Tweeter

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1494655948912267264

 

[The Bread Guy]

An example from Baltic media of the tug of war caused by different interpretations of history in Latvia, especially regarding the USSR's "liberation" during WW2 ...

Public gatherings on 9 May, when Russia celebrates Victory Day, will be considered support of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, said Chief of Latvian State Police Armands Ruks in an interview to LTV programme Rīta panorāma on Thursday, 24 March.

He said it is in the hands of Riga City Council – permitting or banning public events at Victory Park. Ruks also allowed there may be people who will go to the park even if events are cancelled, since people have the freedom of movement and freedom of speech. The chief of State Police reminded that freedom of speech is not universal and cannot go against general interests.

«All kinds of scenarios are considered. We are preparing and planning accordingly. But I would like to invite people who come every year to commemorate the people who died in WWII, which is nothing bad in of itself, to understand that such gatherings and processions will be considered as support for Russia and Russian aggression,» said Ruks, adding that this may further fracture society ...

Another example: in Poland, a local council decided to "de-communize" by taking down a monument to Soviet war dead (Google English from Polish), but Russia is launching a criminal investigation into the issue (see attached).

 

[The Bread Guy]

Remember this?

Strange times -- RUS CBRN/NBC troops now appear to be disinfecting/sanitizing hot spots in Italy.

Attached photo caption: "A Russian Army specialist walks outside the Honegger nursing home where 35 people have died so far from coronavirus in Albino, Italy, on March 28, 2020, amid the spread of the COVID-19 (new coronavirus) pandemic. (Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP)" (source)

Well, Italy is now having second thoughts about Russia's help during COVID

Italian lawmakers probe Russian pandemic mission's motives

ROME (AP) — An Italian Parliament committee that deals with intelligence matters summoned former Premier Giuseppe Conte on Thursday over growing concerns that a Russian military and medical team sent to help Italy early in the COVID-19 pandemic was really on a spying mission.

apnews.com

 

[Altair]

A more granular view, from this Tweeter

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1494655948912267264

Shades of 1916, or rhyming with 1988?

 

[Altair]

If it's not apparent to anyone yet that Russia has made up their mind that the West is no friend of Russia and is actively engaged in operations against us, perhaps this will remind them:

Why are French troops leaving Mali, and what will it mean for the region?

Will France's decision to remove 5,000 troops weaken the fight against Islamists in Africa's Sahel?

www.bbc.com

Diplomacy and Dividends: Who Really Controls the Wagner Group? - Foreign Policy Research Institute

Many expected the diplomatic relationship between the Russian Federation and the United States to fray when U.S. forces killed hundreds of Russians assaulting a U.S.-held Syrian outpost in early 2018. Yet, the Kremlin quickly distanced itself from the Russian bodies on the far-off Syrian...

www.fpri.org

I think it's pretty clear that the Russian State has made the decision that the relationship with the rest of Europe and the United States will be adversarial going forward.

Is Cuba out of Russias orbit or stable enough to not need Wagner?

 

[The Bread Guy]

An example from Baltic media of the tug of war caused by different interpretations of history in Latvia, especially regarding the USSR's "liberation" during WW2 ...

Another example: in Poland, a local council decided to "de-communize" by taking down a monument to Soviet war dead (Google English from Polish), but Russia is launching a criminal investigation into the issue (see attached).

The other side of the same coin, this time for Latvia (where authorities are working towards dismantling a huge monument to, in their eyes, a former bad guy), who's miffed a Belgian community wants to take down a monument to the Latvian Legion. This bit was the most interestingly worded version of this sort of ... organization ...

... The monument has caused controversy in Belgium as the Latvian Legion was structurally part of the Waffen SS. Belgium suffered greatly during the period of Nazi occupation, though no units of the Latvian Legion were involved in Belgium. Following protests about the monument last summer, an international panel of historians deemed the monument inappropriate ...

That bit in red is critical, given the same can't be said of some other German foreign legions of the time.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Shame ...

Russian agent Kovtun, accused in spy poisoning, dead at 57

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian agent Dmitry Kovtun, who was accused by the U.K. authorities in the poisoning death of former spy Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006, has died at 57. Russian lawmaker Andrei Lugovoi, who also was accused by the U.K.

apnews.com

 

[McG]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1535652700209262593

 

[KevinB]

Replace 1471 with 2023...

 

[Spencer100]

Replace 1471 with 2023...

Funny.

Honest question. Why the hate for Russia? I get the Putin and team. And I get the historical hate of the USSR and Communism. But I think the West (for lack of a better term) needs a strong Russia something. There is a kingdom out there that does very much covet lands in Russia. Also Russia could be an ally dealing in the Muslim world and Middle East. I think that has been a great mistake of the last 20 years.

How do we get the current Russia to feel safe and secure in their current borders? The world would totally happy to see Russia just stay the size it is. The other options of a China pushing North and West, Turkey going Ottoman v2, and other Muslim area carved off is not a great situation for the world.