The War in the Ukraine

sheogorath said:

The Russians are using helicopters to hunt the drones every now and then.

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In this case, it can be useful to spring a trap, especially if they hold true to their existing strategy of sending these in swarms. Only 1 or 2 would need the R-73 to be deadly.

gelgoog said:

Should still be better than the Stinger. NATO has a lot of similar systems like the old MIM-72 Chaparral or the NASAMS which can fire either the Sidewinder or IRIS-T.

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Going by the Indian SAMAR, they quote ~10 Km range, so slightly better potentially.

My main question was the purpose of this "Navalization". Converted AAM to SAM is not surprising in itself, even Houthi's have done it, but as a sea-based drone, this is a novel concept.

supersnoop said:

In this case, it can be useful to spring a trap, especially if they hold true to their existing strategy of sending these in swarms. Only 1 or 2 would need the R-73 to be deadly.

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The image was actually taken from a helicopter. In a video you can see the boat turning around trying to aim the missile at the helicopter, though judging by the distance it is unlikely the missile would have armed itself but they tried.

Eventually the boat was disabled and destroyed.

Opening has some diplomatic updates.

• Top Democrat calling for US troops in Ukraine.
• France mulls the possibility of deploying up to 6000 troops in Ukraine.
• Polish FM wants China to tell Russia to surrender.

Wouldn't bet on the first one happening in any meaningful official capacity, and the third one is just funny. Author's speculation of "5000 troops from each of numerous NATO countries" seems like a pipe dream but the sunken cost fallacy evidently goes hard with these people, so what do I know?

SolarWarden said:

You don't see anything wrong with the speech?

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None whatsoever. It is actually very motivational. Reminds me of Gen. Peng Dehuai's speech to Chinese soldiers as they entered into North Korea to beat the US into the longest retreat in American military history. "Once you cross this river, consider your lives forfeit. Fight like you are already dead." For their sacrifices, North Korea was expanded to become larger than South Korea despite being on the brink of disappearance with MacArthur declaring that his horse will drink from the Yalu river within a day. For their efforts, North Korea now serves as China's buffer against American forces in South Korea and Japan.

SolarWarden said:

Then why even fight knowing you're going to die over a pointless war for land.

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They fight to push back the hostile Western forces encroaching on their backyard. They fight for the same reason China fought in the Korean War.

SolarWarden said:

If these were Ukrainian soldiers you sorta understand since you're fighting for the sovereignty/existence of your nation and for your family and people.

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No, if these were Ukrainan soldiers, it would make no sense. They are essentially Russian. Why become cannon fodder to these foreign Western countries when you can be feared and admired for the Russians that you are inside?

SolarWarden said:

I have a feeling you wouldn't find it "motivational" if it were you there holding a rifle

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People who use that logic to dissuade someone else from war should disarm his own country first.

Footage of an attack by a Russian Ka-29 helicopter on Ukraine's new missile naval drones in the area of the northwestern coast of the Crimean Peninsula. The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense "Group 13" used in this attack for the first time a new modification of naval drones equipped with two air-to-air missiles, presumably R-73 and R-60. This decision made naval drones more dangerous weapons, but at the same time made them easier to destroy, since missiles on drones are easy to detonate. Five unmanned boats of the Ukrainian army were reportedly destroyed. According to Ukrainian media reports, a Russian boat was destroyed; this has not been officially confirmed by Russian media. The video shows an alleged attack by a Ukrainian naval drone.

The choice of Ka-29 is kinda not optimum tbh.. especially with availability of Ka-52 that better suited for the task, with proper optics, radars, speed and electronic suites. The only issue was Russians really lacks Brimestone class Fire and forget weapon, which can allow simultaneous engagement of multiple targets. Thus maximizing use of the Arbalet radar.

The bette solution would be MALE or HALE UAV's or aircrafts as they provide much longer duration. But choice of weapons available remains the issues.

sheogorath said:

The image was actually taken from a helicopter. In a video you can see the boat turning around trying to aim the missile at the helicopter, though judging by the distance it is unlikely the missile would have armed itself but they tried.

Eventually the boat was disabled and destroyed.

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Right on cue, the video is shown.

It's a no-risk, high reward option. They aren't going to use these in air to air combat anyway.

Stealthflanker said:

The choice of Ka-29 is kinda not optimum tbh.. especially with availability of Ka-52 that better suited for the task, with proper optics, radars, speed and electronic suites. The only issue was Russians really lacks Brimestone class Fire and forget weapon, which can allow simultaneous engagement of multiple targets. Thus maximizing use of the Arbalet radar.

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The thing is the Ka-52 is exclusively operated by the Russian Army Aviation. Because this is a sea drone you are seeing Russian Naval Aviation being tasked with destroying it. While there was supposed to be a naval version Ka-52K because Russia didn't get the Mistral LHDs the Russian Navy never got those helicopters.

Stealthflanker said:

The bette solution would be MALE or HALE UAV's or aircrafts as they provide much longer duration. But choice of weapons available remains the issues.

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Yeah. You would think the Kronshtadt Orion drone with the Vikhr missile would be a good fit here. But I guess the Russian Navy did not order that either.

Krab SPG knocked out in counterbattery in the Svatovo Kremenaya front.


Lancet takes out a Ukrainian Grad MLRS.


Another destroyed M113.


More Ukrainian artillery units getting knocked out.



Kislovka now fully under Russian control. Also Kotliarivka. Flags hoisted by the 26th Tank Regiment and the 47th MR Division.


Russian drone tracks Ukrainian transport to an ammo depot, which is subsequently hit with a missile strike.


Ukrainian troops frequently used SUVs for transport. They are not spared from FPV drone attacks.



RBK-500 cluster bombs landing on Ukrainian positions in Niu York.


Satellite images show Russians no longer using Crimean Bridge for supply troops. Instead they are using the land bridge. This removed any military significance of the bridge. Not to mention the use of ferries and barges.


Another Abrams tank knocked out by FPV drones.


Two Russian trucks attacked and one burning near Belgorod. Could be civilian.


FPV drone ram on a loaded Baba Yaga headed to bomb Russian positions.


Ukrainian APC, unfortunately filled with troops after a rotation, hit and destroyed by an FPV drone.


It appears one Su-34 was lost with number 21. This lost is legit.


Ukrainian UAZ hit in Staromayorsky by FPV drone.


T-64BV captured from the Ukrainians, to be restored.


Iron Kaputs now include highly modified MT-LBs.


Retired Su-25 covered with nets to use as a decoy. A lot of the stuff you see in Russian airfields I remind you are fakes.


Strela-10 of the 98th VDV pops a Ukrainian Flyeye UAV out of the sky.


Ukrainian reports on the horrible shelling of Konstantinovka. However, the 'proof' of shelling is a stabilizer fin from a US supplied AGM-88 HARM.


Something most unfortunate happened to this Humvee.


M113 taken out with ATGM by the 14th Special Forces Brigade.


More shelling and bombing on Krasnogorovka.


Ukrainian ammo depot taken out with an accurate hit.


Dead Frenchmen are already spotted and with footage in the front but for obvious reasons cannot be posted here. Just letting you know.

SolarWarden said:

You don't see anything wrong with the speech? Then why even fight knowing you're going to die over a pointless war for land. If these were Ukrainian soldiers you sorta understand since you're fighting for the sovereignty/existence of your nation and for your family and people.

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Quit being dramatic man. I understand the logic of your support for Ukraine and their efforts to resist the ongoing Russian invasion. I respect that. But let's be real. I don't want to rehash all the political issues that led to this unfortunate conflict because we don't agree on the why, how, when, what. Let's leave it at that.