Russian invasion of Ukraine

[Corvus]

So assuming it was Ukraine that hit those airfields...you have Ukraine capable of doing what appears to be notable damage 1K+ KM into Russian territory, actually hitting strategic targets.

Vs.

Russia who seem to just lob missiles around at largely civilian targets, for those that aren't shot down

Is that about the right of it?

Technically russia is hitting what they want to hit - civilian infrastructure like power plants. They just seem incapable of hitting major military targets.

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russian sources are saying that there will be a new but covert wave of mobilisation at the start of next year - and in classic russian blame shifting, the mobilisation offices can't refuse orders to undertake mobilisation, but all blame for problems in the process will be shifted to them.

[Iphie]

The russia is claiming that it was ancient 1970s soviet drones that hit the airfields, and that they shot them all down but falling debris caused the damage. Sure, sure. The fact that they couldn't spot an ancient drone flying 1000km into their territory to hit their most significant heavy bomber base says a lot about their air defence.

In reply they launched another wave of 70 missiles, of which few seemed to have hit any targets. A lot got shot down, including by a Gepard Flakpanzer. The russia is saying 2 tu-95s suffered light skin damage. However, other sources are talking of 6-8 being damaged and there is also this; that is a tu-22, not a tu-95.. That is a little more than light skin damage as well. And it was already loaded up - you can see a missile under its wing. Ukraine pre-emptively hit them just as they were about to launch another wave of missile strikes.

I think part of the downplaying here is also keeping escalation under control, by their own doctrine this could be cause for gross escalation: Nuclear weapons capabilities have been hit. But yes, it is of course a ridiculous excuse.

[Slant]

Technically russia is hitting what they want to hit - civilian infrastructure like power plants. They just seem incapable of hitting major military targets.

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russian sources are saying that there will be a new but covert wave of mobilisation at the start of next year - and in classic russian blame shifting, the mobilisation offices can't refuse orders to undertake mobilisation, but all blame for problems in the process will be shifted to them.

Amazing, it's almost Trumpesque how well they managed to keep that one covert and secret. Astounding that they haven't won the war, yet...

/s for the brainwashed.

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I think part of the downplaying here is also keeping escalation under control, by their own doctrine this could be cause for gross escalation: Nuclear weapons capabilities have been hit. But yes, it is of course a ridiculous excuse.

Are you again getting a hardon for nukes? You need to think about something else man, it's not healthy.

[Iphie]

Are you again getting a hardon for nukes? You need to think about something else man, it's not healthy.

Fail on your part, I'm not YUPPIE, and I don't get a hard on for Nukes, I'm just saying that this IS a thing they could technically use. I expect better from you next time Slant.

[Santti]

Fail on your part, I'm not YUPPIE, and I don't get a hard on for Nukes, I'm just saying that this IS a thing they could technically use. I expect better from you next time Slant.

It's not much, as that has always been something they could "technically" use.

They're still not going to.

[enigma77]

did someone say nooooks?

do you wish to summon HIM?

[Kallisto]

did someone say nooooks?

do you wish to summon HIM?

It's ok, he's banned for now.

[Iphie]

It's not much, as that has always been something they could "technically" use.

They're still not going to.

I don't think so either but being aware that these incidents can be used is not a bad thing. I was watching a YouTuber earlier today who had made a video about it and his conclusion was, "Nah, not going to happen." There's a few good channels dedicated to reporting about the war.

[Corvus]

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

[zealo]

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

Those people are completely delusional.

[Slant]

Fail on your part, I'm not YUPPIE, and I don't get a hard on for Nukes, I'm just saying that this IS a thing they could technically use. I expect better from you next time Slant.

Oops, my bad. Sorry.

[zorkuus]

Those people are completely delusional.

No, evil is the word you're looking for. They know what they're doing.

[zealo]

No, evil is the word you're looking for. They know what they're doing.

The two are not mutually exclusive.

[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.

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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.