It should be useless. Think of the recoil on the drone. At the end, you have a machine gun in the air firing at random locations. You are much better off mounting it on the ground and attaching a radar.
The War in the Ukraine
- Thread starter SampanViking
- Start date
Liberation of Kherson is about to begin and Sergey knows there's nothing they can do about it....
...well can't do anything about it conventionally at least.
Looks like Kherson is emptying out
...well can't do anything about it conventionally at least.
Looks like Kherson is emptying out
Notes of interview with Commander of Joint Group of Troops (Forces) in special military operation area General of the Army S.Surovikin (18 October 2022)
Good afternoon, Mr. Surovikin! You were appointed the Commander of the Joint Group of Troops in the area of the special military operation by a decree of the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation. A lot of Russian citizens are concerned about the current situation.
The situation in the area of the special military operation can generally be described as tense.
The enemy does not leave attempts to attack the positions of Russian troops. First of all, it concerns Kupyansk, Krasny Liman and Nikolayev–Krivoy Rog direction. Our enemy is the criminal regime that pushes Ukrainian citizens to death. The Ukrainians and we are one people and we wish Ukraine to be a friendly State for Russia, independent on the West and NATO.
Ukrainian regime indends to break our defence. With this purpose, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are bringing all their reserve forces available to the frontline. These are usually territorial defence units that have not been completely trained.
Ukrainian leadership is actually condemn them to death. This kind of units usually have low morale. To prevent desertions from the frontline, Ukrainian authorities involve blocking detachments manned by nationalists who shoot everyone who tries to abandon the battlefield.
The enemy suffers everyday casualties from 600 to 1,000 people.
We follow a different strategy. It has already been mentioned by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. We do not seek high rates of advance, but save every soldier and methodically 'grind down' the attacking enemy. Not only do we minimise our casualties this way, but also considerably reduce the number of victims among civilians.
The Joint Group of Troops is currently taking measures to increase the combat and numerical strength in units and formations, to create additional reserve forces, to prepare defence lines and positions along all the line of contact.
We continue launching attacks with high-precision armament at the military and infrastructure facilities that influence on the combat effectiveness of Ukrainian troops.
Several days ago, the interim governor of Kherson region Vladimir Saldo stated that the authorities had decided to organise the possibility to leave the region to other parts of the Russian Federation for recreation or studying. It primarily concerns the right shore. The head of the region stated that these measures were taken to provide safery of civilians amid frequent attacks of the AFU. How would you comment on this decision?
There is a difficult situation at the abovementioned direction. The enemy launches deliberate attacks at infrastructure facilities and residential buildings located in Kherson. Impacts of HIMARS rockets have damaged Antonovka bridge and the dyke of Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant where the traffic is currently stopped.
It has resulted in impeding alimentation deliveries; certain problems have been recorded in supplying water and electricity. All of these not only complicates the residents' everyday life, but also poses a direct threat to their lives.
NATO leadership that leads the Armed Forces of Ukraine has long demanded the Kiev regime to conduct offensive operations towards Kherson, regardless of any casualties: neither in the AFU, nor among the civilian population.
We have got data on the possible use of prohibited methods of war by the Kiev regime near Kherson, on the preparation of a massive missile attack at the barrage of Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, as well as launching a massive indiscriminate missile and artillery attack at the city.
This action can lead to the destruction of the infrastructure of a large industrial centre and high casualties among civilians.
In these conditions, our primary task is to save lives and health of civilians. That is why, first of all, the Russian army will provide safe departure of the population according to the resettlement programme that is currently being prepared by the Russian Government.
Our further plans and action regarding the city of Kherson itself will depend on the military and tactical situation.
I repeat: has already become very difficult.
Anyway, as I have already said, we will procees from the necessity to maximally save the lives of civilians and our personnel.
We will operate consciously, promptly, not excluding to take difficult decisions.
Good afternoon, Mr. Surovikin! You were appointed the Commander of the Joint Group of Troops in the area of the special military operation by a decree of the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation. A lot of Russian citizens are concerned about the current situation.
The situation in the area of the special military operation can generally be described as tense.
The enemy does not leave attempts to attack the positions of Russian troops. First of all, it concerns Kupyansk, Krasny Liman and Nikolayev–Krivoy Rog direction. Our enemy is the criminal regime that pushes Ukrainian citizens to death. The Ukrainians and we are one people and we wish Ukraine to be a friendly State for Russia, independent on the West and NATO.
Ukrainian regime indends to break our defence. With this purpose, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are bringing all their reserve forces available to the frontline. These are usually territorial defence units that have not been completely trained.
Ukrainian leadership is actually condemn them to death. This kind of units usually have low morale. To prevent desertions from the frontline, Ukrainian authorities involve blocking detachments manned by nationalists who shoot everyone who tries to abandon the battlefield.
The enemy suffers everyday casualties from 600 to 1,000 people.
We follow a different strategy. It has already been mentioned by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. We do not seek high rates of advance, but save every soldier and methodically 'grind down' the attacking enemy. Not only do we minimise our casualties this way, but also considerably reduce the number of victims among civilians.
The Joint Group of Troops is currently taking measures to increase the combat and numerical strength in units and formations, to create additional reserve forces, to prepare defence lines and positions along all the line of contact.
We continue launching attacks with high-precision armament at the military and infrastructure facilities that influence on the combat effectiveness of Ukrainian troops.
Several days ago, the interim governor of Kherson region Vladimir Saldo stated that the authorities had decided to organise the possibility to leave the region to other parts of the Russian Federation for recreation or studying. It primarily concerns the right shore. The head of the region stated that these measures were taken to provide safery of civilians amid frequent attacks of the AFU. How would you comment on this decision?
There is a difficult situation at the abovementioned direction. The enemy launches deliberate attacks at infrastructure facilities and residential buildings located in Kherson. Impacts of HIMARS rockets have damaged Antonovka bridge and the dyke of Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant where the traffic is currently stopped.
It has resulted in impeding alimentation deliveries; certain problems have been recorded in supplying water and electricity. All of these not only complicates the residents' everyday life, but also poses a direct threat to their lives.
NATO leadership that leads the Armed Forces of Ukraine has long demanded the Kiev regime to conduct offensive operations towards Kherson, regardless of any casualties: neither in the AFU, nor among the civilian population.
We have got data on the possible use of prohibited methods of war by the Kiev regime near Kherson, on the preparation of a massive missile attack at the barrage of Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, as well as launching a massive indiscriminate missile and artillery attack at the city.
This action can lead to the destruction of the infrastructure of a large industrial centre and high casualties among civilians.
In these conditions, our primary task is to save lives and health of civilians. That is why, first of all, the Russian army will provide safe departure of the population according to the resettlement programme that is currently being prepared by the Russian Government.
Our further plans and action regarding the city of Kherson itself will depend on the military and tactical situation.
I repeat: has already become very difficult.
Anyway, as I have already said, we will procees from the necessity to maximally save the lives of civilians and our personnel.
We will operate consciously, promptly, not excluding to take difficult decisions.
Apparently not wanting to use the civilians of Kherson as human shields is a bad thing and a sign they are about to lose.
Funny how things gets twisted depending on who publishes it.
Funny how things gets twisted depending on who publishes it.
Listening to Surovikin it seems like there is a real possibility that they would lose Kherson. If that indeed happens it's gonna be quite emabarasing and demoralising not just for the military but also for Russia as a nation, because remember Russia officially considers Kherson to be Russian land yet they will run away from it. if that happens I wonder, will Putin even be able to show his face to his nation? all of that hype due to the Shahed drone attacks will go away if they lose Kherson.
They could change the general a thousand times and that still won't make a difference, because the issue is the commander in chief who has shackled his military to a rediculous degree and only recently removed some of the shackles with the bombing of the energy infrastructure.
You know it's like how in school when in a classroom a bunch of students start eating in the class and they talk loudly not paying attention to the teacher while he has his back turned on them writing something on the choakboard pretending to not be aware of the chaos behind him, which only emboldens the students to be even more chaotic and disrespectful of him till after several months the teacher all of a sudden lashes out at them excessively because he is overflowing with all of that pent up anger. In other words if the teacher had shown from the very beginning a strong enough character to his student then the situation wouldn't have gotten this bad from the beginning to the point where he has to lash out.
From the beginning Putin greatly held his military back because he wanted to preserve Ukrainian civilian lives.
But mark my words Putin will eventually end up killing far many more Ukrainians than is needed for the war and he will do that while losing many more Russian soldiers than what was needed to win the war.
They could change the general a thousand times and that still won't make a difference, because the issue is the commander in chief who has shackled his military to a rediculous degree and only recently removed some of the shackles with the bombing of the energy infrastructure.
You know it's like how in school when in a classroom a bunch of students start eating in the class and they talk loudly not paying attention to the teacher while he has his back turned on them writing something on the choakboard pretending to not be aware of the chaos behind him, which only emboldens the students to be even more chaotic and disrespectful of him till after several months the teacher all of a sudden lashes out at them excessively because he is overflowing with all of that pent up anger. In other words if the teacher had shown from the very beginning a strong enough character to his student then the situation wouldn't have gotten this bad from the beginning to the point where he has to lash out.
From the beginning Putin greatly held his military back because he wanted to preserve Ukrainian civilian lives.
But mark my words Putin will eventually end up killing far many more Ukrainians than is needed for the war and he will do that while losing many more Russian soldiers than what was needed to win the war.
Well at least he says it as it is. The previous guy would probably just keep spinning with the old "everything under control, just blew up an ammo depo there, doing great" thing
Btw his comments were mostly about concerns about civilians not the military situation.
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This is the correct strategy. Save lives and give up territory is worth, since the land is going nowhere. Give up lives for territory and you eventually lose both.
If they don't have to deal with civilians, they can bomb whatever they like to defend and push back Ukrainian forces. It open a large spectrum of possibilities for defending or attacking. Even pile up ammonium nitrate to create giant mine in buildings on the path of enemy forces and blow them when they pass through. Winter is coming anyway, if they cannot keep the civilians with energy and water supply, better for them to go elsewhere for a while.
In purely military tactics terms you are right. However in politics, how are you going to win a war without gaining territory against an endless stream of conscripts?
So while people are indeed more important than territory in an operation where you have limited manpower, this doesn't mean that territory is meaningless.
Sometime in the future Russia will want to get back these areas and you can be certain that they will pay x times more casualties than they did on the first time they took that territory.
Its all about finding a balance (leaning towards preserving lives/manpower). If territory isn't important then they could simply just pack up their things and return to their pre-war borders, which obviously they aren't going to do, which means that (strategic) territory is actually quite important for them
The Russians haven't tried to go do a counteroffensive in most areas overran by Ukraine, though, so we don't know if Russia can't or can take it back. We don't even know if the Ukrainians can even hold the ground with technicals and MRAPs.
What is true is that the Russians have been slowly degrading Ukraines medium and long range air defenses in the area, which will keep exposing the Ukrainians and their softbodied vehicles to drones and helicopters which might complicate things when it comes to holding ground.
What is true is that the Russians have been slowly degrading Ukraines medium and long range air defenses in the area, which will keep exposing the Ukrainians and their softbodied vehicles to drones and helicopters which might complicate things when it comes to holding ground.