ATGMs can be transported a lot easier than bigger platforms, at the start of the war they were mostly being transported in civilian vehicles according to pictures being released.Let's not forget the supplies are not coming in a vacuum. At first, everyone was unsure how Russia would respond. Everyone was unsure if Ukraine would be able to hold on at all. There was no information as far as how effective logistics interdiction by the Russians would be.
Why send expensive equipment unless you know it can be moved to where it was needed without being blown up? Or if it provokes Russia into a war? OR if the Ukrainians are going to fold before the weapons can be deployed?
Javelins and NLAWs are far, far cheaper than AS-90s, Caesars and M-777s and if the Russians blew them up, well, lesson learned relatively cheaply.
Once Ukrainians shift over to larger transport vehicles, Russians may start targeting them, or the road/rail infrastructure. Or maybe they'll continue pussyfooting around.
Both self propelled. Probably filled with gas on the border with Poland and driven straight to the front line. If they make it brilliant, if not it was no loss for the Ukrainians. But it's one thing to get it to the frontline and another to maintain logistical supply lines to keep them fighting. Then again the life expectancy for Ukrainian tanks doesn't seem to be very long so maybe they have the right strategy.FWIW, large platforms are already fighting in the Donbas: the Zuzana 155mm and those T-72s.
IDK what numbers as yet. They should not have been difficult to have seen coming though.
Not sure what that implies for Russia.
Both self propelled. Probably filled with gas on the border with Poland and driven straight to the front line.
Then again the life expectancy for Ukrainian tanks doesn't seem to be very long so maybe they have the right strategy.
Don't need online data. Sending ancient eastern European tanks straight to the front line tells me everything I need to know about how Ukrainian tanks have fared so far.I don't think we have a lot of good data as the the life expectancy of Ukrainian tanks. All the data online is suspect so far.
Don't need online data. Sending ancient eastern European tanks straight to the front line tells me everything I need to know about how Ukrainian tanks have fared so far.
Czechia and Slovakia have volunteered to host the maintenance depots. So long as the equipment can be recovered and sent back, I'm not sure they'll have a problem.
Adding to the artillery being sent, the UK is sending 20 AS-90s and the Italians are sending at least some of their Panzerhaubitze 2ks. The number of artillery pieces and SPA being sent is getting to be VERY large. I think there's somewhere between 10 to 15 artillery battalions worth being sent/have been sent.
The Germans seem to be willing to send 100 tank transporters. Scholz may fret any second now though. Watch the logistics aspect: logistics trucks, etc. I think logistics will be far more important than anything. Whomever gets there with the fastest with the mostest wins, to use poor Americanism.
Raputitsa seems to be continuing at least for two more weeks based on the weather forecast. If the Ukrainians can move enough equipment east, shore up their flanks and then...a whole lot more becomes possible. Ukrainians really ought to be saying 'slava raputitsa!'
The inability of Russia to interdict from the West to Ukraine supplies has been more than shocking to me. But then, a lot of Russia's performance has been shocking to me. I should stop being shocked at some point. I hope.
At any rate, Russia's bluff, as far as willing to start a war with NATO over what NATO does in Ukraine, has been called. The West will provide the maintenance needed.
Actually, there are many Russian claims of successful interdiction and destruction of West to Ukraine supplies. Its constantly mentioned in their MOD reports mentioning specific targets and units destroyed.
The Russian MOD is as accurate as the Ukrainian, IMO.
IFF they provide photographic proof, then I'll say they are correct.
Also I look at strategic movements and positions. Who is taking who and occupying what. So far, despite having more battle tanks than the Russians, with Ukraine over 3200 at the start of the campaign, and still getting reinforcements, their inability to mount a credible large scale counteroffensive against the Donbass and Lunetsk regions, inability to rescue the Mariupol pocket, and so on, suggests to me that the Ukrainian position looks far worst. I am not asking that Ukraine should mount a tank offensive to Moscow, which by the way, the Germans did with far less tanks, but for goodness sakes, at least mount an armored offensive right in your own territory.