Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Slant]

You really can't make this stuff up. The russia's fsb wants Ukraine's vice PM 'arrested in absentia' for 'violating the russia's territorial integrity' and has put her on an international arrest list.

https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/202...egrity-en-news

That's funny. Like what crime would be violated here? There's a reason you can't just criminally charge people for "territorial invasion". It's like home invasion/burglary but on a massive scale? Ah, why do I ask, Russians make up shit every day. I'm sure there is now a law forbidding any country called Ukraine and its political representatives from shooting a missile at Russian airbases. Or some other idiocy.

[Breccia]

While the news of what seems to be a Ukraine drone strike on Russia is huge, it is worth noting that Russia has drones too.

Or, wait, spoke too soon.

Russia has stopped using its Iranian suicide drones because they don't work in the cold, Ukraine says

Now I will of course agree, garbage tech is garbage. The exact issue is a little surprising. One, Iran's warm, sure, but it gets down to freezing in Tehran over the winter. Two, Iran has mountains. Like, a lot of them. But mostly three, if you were Iran making weapons for Russia, why wouldn't you take the cold into consideration?

But all of that is because I have no idea how aerotech works. It's way more complicated than I thought, as many things are.v

Yevgeny Silkin, of the Joint Forces Command for Strategic Communications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that Russia had stopped using the Iranian drones, which are made of plastic and other materials that are not frost resistant, according to Ukrainian news agency UNIAN.

The outlet said that the drones have not been used in Ukraine since November 17, which was also the first day that it snowed in Ukraine this year.

Winters in Ukraine can be cold, with mean temperatures often below freezing between December and March.

Russia started to use the Iranian drones in October, as part of a new playbook that targeted power distribution and other critical infrastructure from afar. Ukrainian civilians have also been killed by drone strikes.

Iran and Russia have denied any cooperation on weapons, but Iran later admitted that it had sent Russia weapons, adding that this was before Russia's invasion of Ukraine started.

Multiple reports and Western intelligence assessments have contradicted this.

So, I guess Iran only knew how to make drones out of plastic that ices up, freezes or shatters, doesn't protect the insides, or in some other way is insufficient for Ukraine winters. Considering Russia bought them in October, you'd think they'd be mad.

How long until the headline "Iran found dead, suicide by firing squad"?

[Kralljin]

Now I will of course agree, garbage tech is garbage. The exact issue is a little surprising. One, Iran's warm, sure, but it gets down to freezing in Tehran over the winter. Two, Iran has mountains. Like, a lot of them. But mostly three, if you were Iran making weapons for Russia, why wouldn't you take the cold into consideration?

Not sure if Iran made them on Russia's request but simply bought what Iran has available.
Like, if you buy Summer tires in October, you can't blame it on the tire dealer, i wouldn't outrule it that Russia just bought whatever Iran had in stock, even if those drones struggle in cold enviroments.
Whether Russia / Iran knew about it and bought / sold them regardless is another story.

Another factor is that cold does not equal cold, humidity is a factor and especially when the weather keeps swapping between snow and rain, humidity is pretty high.
Whereas it just being cold because you're high up in the mountains doesn't mean it's going to be humid.

Cold weather on its own is very dealable for both machine and humans, but cold + humidity means maintenance required to keep things running increases by a lot.

[Gabriel]

It could be something as simple as the batteries in the drones not working in below zero temperatures.

Some commercial drones (like the DJI drones used by Ukrainians) made for wide distribution solve this particular issue by having batteries that keep themselves warm.

Drone propellers also get covered in ice ridiculously fast if you try to fly them in cloudy weather when it is below zero weather. My DJI drone fell out of the sky after less than 30 seconds of taking off in -3 degrees Celsius weather with mist/low hanging clouds because the propellers were icing up immediately.

[Breccia]

Not sure if Iran made them on Russia's request but simply bought what Iran has available.

Neither am I, but that article I quoted suggested Russia bought the blueprints as well as the drones, suggesting they thought it was good tech. I guess they could always try to upgrade it.

[Kralljin]

suggesting they thought it was good tech. I guess they could always try to upgrade it.

That's possible, but also could be explained by increased desperation and those were the only ones Russia is capable of producing themselves (or at least produce spare parts).

I can't outrule that Iran sold them junk out of malice or incompetence, but there's no point in buying solid Tech if you cannot maintain, let alone reproduce it.

[Xyonai]

That's possible, but also could be explained by increased desperation and those were the only ones Russia is capable of producing themselves (or at least produce spare parts).

I can't outrule that Iran sold them junk out of malice or incompetence, but there's no point in buying solid Tech if you cannot maintain, let alone reproduce it.

And, for all we know, maybe the drones can perform in cold weather but Russia's just poorly maintained/housed them so they got buggered by the elements.

- - - Updated - - -

Or the drones don't exist in Russia anymore and we're going to see some Iranian drones mysteriously turn up in places they shouldn't be after they got sold off for Vodka money.

[Makabreska]

And, for all we know, maybe the drones can perform in cold weather but Russia's just poorly maintained/housed them so they got buggered by the elements.

Or they did the usual, which is stealing parts.

[Levelfive]

Neither am I, but that article I quoted suggested Russia bought the blueprints as well as the drones, suggesting they thought it was good tech. I guess they could always try to upgrade it.

Immediately made me think of this: https://twitter.com/ReciteSocial/sta...F1J2MI1Kp5EKXg

"The video in question shows a Ukrainian soldier dismantling an Orlan-10 drone utilized by Russian forces. The drone appears to have been cobbled together from various civilian technologies, such as a handheld Canon DSLR serving as the drone's camera. The video also shows access to the drone's fuel tank in the form of the top of a water bottle and its lid.

Visible across the surface of the drone are also large swathes of duct tape. Despite drones constituting a significant portion of military operations, in this case surveillance, but also in delivering deadly payloads, it seems some of the drones in use are not as sophisticated as one might think."

https://www.tweaktown.com/news/85701...ine/index.html (video of a Russian drone

[Breccia]

It could be something as simple as the batteries in the drones not working in below zero temperatures.

Some commercial drones (like the DJI drones used by Ukrainians) made for wide distribution solve this particular issue by having batteries that keep themselves warm.

Drone propellers also get covered in ice ridiculously fast if you try to fly them in cloudy weather when it is below zero weather. My DJI drone fell out of the sky after less than 30 seconds of taking off in -3 degrees Celsius weather with mist/low hanging clouds because the propellers were icing up immediately.

All valid points. Aviation is a complex science indeed.

increased desperation

Let's not undersell this point, either.

[Yunru]

All valid points. Aviation is a complex science indeed.



Let's not undersell this point, either.

They use this engine:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotax_914

https://www.technology.org/2022/10/2...trian-engines/

Probaly something in engine frezzes and prevents those drones from flying. Russans are probaly not protecting them from cold.

[Flarelaine]

A touch on some cultural aspects of this conflict.

[Forogil]

Immediately made me think of this: https://twitter.com/ReciteSocial/sta...F1J2MI1Kp5EKXg

"The video in question shows a Ukrainian soldier dismantling an Orlan-10 drone utilized by Russian forces. The drone appears to have been cobbled together from various civilian technologies, such as a handheld Canon DSLR serving as the drone's camera. The video also shows access to the drone's fuel tank in the form of the top of a water bottle and its lid.

Visible across the surface of the drone are also large swathes of duct tape. Despite drones constituting a significant portion of military operations, in this case surveillance, but also in delivering deadly payloads, it seems some of the drones in use are not as sophisticated as one might think."

https://www.tweaktown.com/news/85701...ine/index.html (video of a Russian drone

Note that the drones suffer rapid attrition in the war, https://static.rusi.org/359-SR-Ukrai...-web-final.pdf (RUSI is Royal United Services Institute ... in the UK).

The average life expectancy of a quadcopter remained around three flights. The average life expectancy of a fixed-wing UAV was around six flights....In aggregate, only around a third of UAV missions can be said to have been successful.

Basically, Russia have run out of most of the good drones, and there's a shift towards cheap and expendable drones for both sides (well, and one Global Hawk just doing its thing).

[Deus Mortis]

Note that the drones suffer rapid attrition in the war, https://static.rusi.org/359-SR-Ukrai...-web-final.pdf (RUSI is Royal United Services Institute ... in the UK).

Basically, Russia have run out of most of the good drones, and there's a shift towards cheap and expendable drones for both sides (well, and one Global Hawk just doing its thing).

It always surprises me how big the Global Hawk actually is.

[Poopymonster]

It always surprises me how big the Global Hawk actually is.

Name misleading. It maybe somewhat "hawk" shaped but it is not shaped like a global, nor is it's wingspan "global" in length.
1/10, Stretched Armstrong would have been better.

[Gabriel]

Name misleading. It maybe somewhat "hawk" shaped but it is not shaped like a global, nor is it's wingspan "global" in length.
1/10, Stretched Armstrong would have been better.

I was thinking Bladed Xenomorph.

[jonnysensible]

Note that the drones suffer rapid attrition in the war, https://static.rusi.org/359-SR-Ukrai...-web-final.pdf (RUSI is Royal United Services Institute ... in the UK).

Basically, Russia have run out of most of the good drones, and there's a shift towards cheap and expendable drones for both sides (well, and one Global Hawk just doing its thing).

hey cheap drones are the future, the future of terrorism as well

[Corvus]

The US DoD has put in a slightly large order for ammunition stocks, including 864K 155mm rounds, 12k Excalibur 155m rounds, 28k Javelins, 700 more HIMARs, plus 1700 ATACMS and 106K GMLRS rockets for them, and a whole bunch of air, sea and ground missiles. They are stocking up.

[Shadowferal]

Griner: Russia frees US basketball star in swap with arms dealer Bout

US and Russia have exchanged jailed US basketball star Brittney Griner for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, held in an American prison for 12 years.

The swap was approved by President Joe Biden in recent days, sources told CBS.

[YUPPIE]

Unsurprisingly, everyone is slamming this trade deal. Knowing what Griner did, people were just content to let her rot after a while and there was little sympathy left.

This will probably destroy any goodwill left for Biden considering the person traded isn't just some hoodlum, but a high-profile arms dealer terrorist right into Russia's hands. Also, the fact he's bargaining or dealing with Russia at all, compromising America's motto of not negotiating with terrorists.