# Russia invades Ukraine {2022-02-24} (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** ukraine-invasion, breaking-news\ **Created:** [February 24, 2022, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037 "2022-02-24T08:30:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 329
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6625 "2022-07-16T11:59:51Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Latest fires activity shows a dramatic drop in Russian artillery activity - lots of ammunition storage has prematurely detonated. Now _that’s_ a good euphemism! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6626 "2022-07-16T13:51:31Z")
8 min video on why Russia is having trouble shooting down HIMARS. Short version, the radar software sees the missile, but can’t reliably identify it. Ryan claims inferior Ukrainian Grad rockets look the same as HIMARS. Wasting expensive anti aircraft missiles on a cheap unguided Grad rocket isn’t a good choice for a air defense operator. The air defense operators will learn and adapt. It may require a software upgrade before Russia fixes the problem. This is probably over simplified but it gives people an idea how air defense works. It’s interesting that the decision making by the radar operators is a key part of air defense. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ceskPbDtTzY/hqdefault.jpg "HIMARS on Russian Radar - how does it get through?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceskPbDtTzY) ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6627 "2022-07-16T13:59:33Z")
The M270 is less mobile than the HIMARS - the ‘HIM’ in HIMARS stands for ‘High Mobility’. The M270 entered service in 1983, while the M142 HIMARS entered service in 2010. They both use the same ammunition, but the HIMARS carries/fires only half as much as the M270. From what I can tell, the other main difference is that the M270 is a tracked vehicle, while the HIMARS is wheeled. The wheeled vehicle will be faster on the roads - 64 km/h (39.8 mph) for M270 vs 85 km/h (53 mph) for HIMARS - while the tracked vehicle will be more capable off-road. So the HIMARS is likely better for “shoot and scoot” operations. Additionally, tracked vehicles are transported by train or mounted on a wheeled trailer for longer distances to avoid wear and tear. The wheeled HIMARS can probably drive itself to different parts of the country. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6628 "2022-07-16T14:35:40Z")
So you’d obviously want a mix of the two. Thanks for answering my question. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6629 "2022-07-16T15:21:48Z")
There was a huge hit on a Russian ammunition and rocket depot at Nova Kakhovka. The Iranian drones are being brought in to hunt down and target the HIMARS systems. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qZKqLSsPBhw/maxresdefault.jpg "Ukraine War: HIMARS rocket system used to strike Russian ammunition depots") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZKqLSsPBhw) > **[With massive blast, Ukrainian army destroys Russian ammunition depot in...](https://news.yahoo.com/ukrainian-army-destroys-russian-ammunition-080700901.html)** > > Russian-occupied Nova Kakhovka in Kherson Oblast was rocked by a massive explosion late on July 11 as the Ukrainian army destroyed an enemy ammunition depot. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6630 "2022-07-16T15:30:46Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Recruits are not required to have prior military service and will undergo only 30 days of training before deployment to Ukraine. > [@aceplace57](#): > > The battalions apparently will consist of roughly 400 men each aged between 18 and 60. These are both nuts. These people are going to be totally useless. > [@aceplace57](#): > > Salaries generally start at roughly $3,000 per month per soldier I wonder if this is right. This is more than the base pay for a US recruit with a hell of a lot more training. Unless they are expecting them to be killed before they have to pay them. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6631 "2022-07-16T16:09:48Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > Now _that’s_ a good euphemism! Right up there with “kinetic disassembly” when a rocket explodes. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6632 "2022-07-16T17:17:04Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > Unless they are expecting them to be killed before they have to pay them. The average soldier in the battalion will be paid $500 at the end of the first month. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6633 "2022-07-16T18:32:02Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > The average soldier in the battalion will be paid $500 at the end of the first month. That seems more in line with what I expected it to be. Did I miss that in the article above or did you see it elsewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6634 "2022-07-16T19:04:57Z")
It’s a dumb math joke about the number of soldiers who won’t be paid because they no longer exist. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6635 "2022-07-16T19:06:56Z")
How embarrassing! I’m just going to pretend I never asked that question. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6636 "2022-07-16T19:59:55Z")
It whooshed me, too. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2022, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6637 "2022-07-16T23:44:07Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > > [@aceplace57](#): > > > > Salaries generally start at roughly $3,000 per month per soldier > > I wonder if this is right. This is more than the base pay for a US recruit with a hell of a lot more training. Unless they are expecting them to be killed before they have to pay them. It also depends on the ruble-\>U.S. dollar conversion factor they’re using. I believe the Russians are keeping their official exchange rate artificially high to allow them to keep more foreign exchange currency than if the rate floated. If they did the translation using the official currency conversion factor, that would make the salaries of Russian soldiers - all Russians, really - look higher than the actual demand for their currency would suggest. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6638 "2022-07-17T00:01:40Z")
The new uniforms are probably red. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6639 "2022-07-17T00:13:37Z")
What colour are the trousers? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6640 "2022-07-17T00:34:18Z")
> [@mordecaiB](#): > > These are both nuts. These people are going to be totally useless. I think they’ll try to use them as occupation forces and shift those currently behind the lines into combat. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6641 "2022-07-17T04:08:45Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > What colour are the trousers? Brown, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6642 "2022-07-17T04:31:40Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > What colour are the trousers? Star Trek black ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6643 "2022-07-17T13:04:38Z")
This is a bid odd. A Ukrainian cargo plane explodes in Greece? But supposedly it’s not connected to the war? The cargo would have been quite useful to Ukraine. Blowing it up is something you’d expect from the Russians. > **[Greece plane crash: Cargo aircraft was carrying weapons to Bangladesh - minister](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62195005?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA)** > > People within a two kilometre radius of the scene of the plane crash are warned to stay indoors. Another Source Cite: [Eight crew members killed in Ukraine cargo plane crash in northern Greece | Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/cargo-plane-crashes-near-greeces-northern-city-kavala-2022-07-16/) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/6644 "2022-07-17T13:24:07Z")
I and DesertDog were thinking of the same joke. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037.md?page=328) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037.md?page=330)