# 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:** 478
**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:** [October 13, 2022, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9621 "2022-10-13T14:16:43Z")
> The Russian military is reportedly set to receive some 800 refurbished and possibly upgraded [T-62 tanks](https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/russia-deploys-50-year-old-t-62-tanks-to-ukraine-front) in the next three years Three years? Might as well be three decades! At the rate they’re losing equipment, even three months would probably be too long to make much difference. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9622 "2022-10-13T14:24:28Z")
And by “update” they mean “try to get them running again.” I suppose thermal sights are within the realm of possibilities. The only armour “upgrades” seen on the recent spate of T-62M’s captured in the Kherson theatre are the so-called cope cages which pretend to provide defense against top-attack ATGMs. I believe their only real use is that you can grill up a steak on them after the tank catches fire. Given that there’ve been no less than 24 T-62’s captured in Kherson since the breakthroughs there a couple weeks ago, the Russians must already be fielding hundreds of T-62’s. This calls into question the operability of the claimed thousands of reserve T-72’s and T-80’s that are in storage. At this rate by spring the Russians will be fielding T-34’s pulled out of museums. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9623 "2022-10-13T14:32:42Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > And by “update” they mean “try to get them running again.” Yeah. Step 1 is probably “Replace all the copper wiring that was turned into booze and party money decades ago.” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9624 "2022-10-13T14:35:51Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Yeah. Step 1 is probably “Replace all the copper wiring that was turned into booze and party money decades ago.” Even if all the parts are there, tanks are made of steel, and steel rusts. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9625 "2022-10-13T14:56:09Z")
I’m wondering just how much ammo they have for the 115mm main gun on those things. Modern Russian tanks have a different caliber gun. Ammo degrades over time no matter how well it’s stored. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9626 "2022-10-13T15:00:43Z")
What ERA doing? 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 > ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9627 "2022-10-13T15:02:56Z")
Given how many the Ukrainians have been capturing vs destroying, they seem to be being used in Kherson mostly as an armoured transport to get to where you dismount and flee/surrender. Don’t need functional main gun ammo for that. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9628 "2022-10-13T15:11:22Z")
Early reviews of the newest batch of Russian conscripts sent to the front are starting to come in. Spoiler: it’s not looking like good news for the Russians. [The Latest Batch of Russian Conscripts Sure Are…Something - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plB0bydNd98) ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9629 "2022-10-13T15:21:13Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > At this rate by spring the Russians will be fielding T-34’s pulled out of museums. Even worse (better?) would be old Shermans sent to Stalin as part of lend lease. Even worse than that would be any leftover captured German Tigers / Panthers / Panzer IVs that were captured during WWII. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9630 "2022-10-13T15:29:09Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > What ERA doing? 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 Forget about the armor on that thing, whatever it is. I’d be concerned about the age of that gentleman. He looks like he could be a veteran of the Soviet-Afghan war. ---
**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:** [October 13, 2022, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9631 "2022-10-13T15:44:11Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > Putin is threatening WW3 if Ukraine joins NATO. As I recall it, Ukraine was making noises about joining NATO right after the breakup of the Soviet empire in 1992. That went quiet until 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea. Then Ukraine started putting out feelers again, but they didn’t get very far until the February invasion. So, Mr. Putin, if Ukraine seriously wants to join NATO now, just whose fault is that? ---
**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:** [October 13, 2022, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9632 "2022-10-13T15:45:22Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > What ERA doing? 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 Lots of ERA have been opened up and found to be empty. He’d probably achieve the same level of protection for his truck by using egg cartons instead. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9633 "2022-10-13T15:47:25Z")
OK, fill me in. What am I supposed to be getting from that photo? I just don’t understand. Soldier is old? What is ERA? Just looks like a guy with the victory sign (I think?) in front of a truck of some sort. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9634 "2022-10-13T15:49:22Z")
I want to see Abrams vs T-34 before the war ends ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9635 "2022-10-13T15:51:24Z")
I’m not sure what adjective to use to describe that at this point it seems like we’re more likely to see a T-34 in action than an Abrams. Bizarre? Ironic? Disturbing? The closest we’re likely to come is a T-90 vs. T-34, and even that is unlikely. But not as unlikely as Ukraine ever fielding an Abrams. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9636 "2022-10-13T15:51:55Z")
Explosive Reactive Armor? Which, whatever those things attached to his minibus are, they are not. ---
**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:** [October 13, 2022, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9637 "2022-10-13T15:52:19Z")
The little boxes one sees stuck all over Russian tanks is explosive reactive armor (ERA). > **[Reactive armour | Explosive reactive armour](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_armour#Explosive_reactive_armour)** > > An element of explosive reactive armour (ERA) is made out of a sheet or slab of high explosive sandwiched between two plates, typically metal, called the reactive or dynamic elements. On attack by a penetrating weapon, the explosive detonates, forcibly driving the metal plates apart to damage the penetrator. Against a shaped charge, the projected plates disrupt the metallic jet penetrator, effectively providing a greater path-length of material to be penetrated. Against a kinetic energy penetrato... ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9638 "2022-10-13T15:52:26Z")
[Explosive Reactive Armour](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_armour) is designed to defeat shape-charged warheads by, well, exploding and thereby disrupting the plasma jet generated by the shaped charge. The fact that it _explodes_ to do this means that if it is installed on things other than main battle tanks with massive underlying armour its explosion will take out whatever it’s mounted on. It’s like taping hand grenades to your chest in place of body armour. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9639 "2022-10-13T15:55:11Z")
Ah, so, um, bad idea on that type of vehicle, eh? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037/9640 "2022-10-13T15:57:28Z")
Just a little bit. Plus the fact that those things look like kitchen sponges spray-painted black. They certainly aren’t ERA. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037.md?page=477) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24-part-1/960037.md?page=479)