IMHO it’s time to consider supplying western weapons. Yes, give them those Soviet tanks and this MiG-29s (are they still sitting in Poland somewhere?), but also send some Abrams tanks, A-10 Warthogs, F-16s / F-18s / whatever the latest fighter jets we have, and work on getting the Ukrainian forces trained on using them.
I hope NATO gives Ukraine betfer weapons. Do something before all of Ukraine’s major cities are in ruins.
Russia’s scorched earth policy is a game changer, The West can’t sit back and allow genocide.
From an NPR story yesterday:
LANGFITT: … I bumped into Igor Kolsa (ph). He’s a musician who plays the trumpet. We were about a block from a statue of Vladimir Lenin, and I asked him whom he supported in the war across the border.
IGOR KOLSA: (Through translator) Yeah, for sure. I always support the Russian.
LANGFITT: Why?
KOLSA: (Through translator) Because they are honest and they are right.
LANGFITT: And what do you think is the best argument for the invasion?
KOLSA: (Through translator) To take out Nazism and fascism in Ukraine.
LANGFITT: Kolsa’s referring to President Putin’s false claim that his soldiers went to Ukraine to denazify by the country. He’s surprised that I don’t seem better-informed.
KOLSA: (Through translator) You don’t see on TV how the Nazis are dealing with the people, how they treat them?
LANGFITT: Give me some examples.
KOLSA: (Through translator) While they were manning the bomb shelters, they manning the roads, they didn’t let the people, you know, to get out of the war. And Russia does opposite. They’re bringing the humanitarian help.
LANGFITT: In fact, Russian artillery has hit civilian targets. This exchange, which I had with a number of people in Gagauzia, is a reminder of the power of Russian disinformation, as well as the complex politics in this small frontline state, and how support for Russia in this war can defy borders. Frank Langfitt, NPR News, Moldovan-controlled Transnistria.
I hope, after some positive resolution, the Russian population gets to or is forced to learn the real truth, and sees the wanton death and destruction their government caused, to the point that they actually believe and understand what happened. I can’t even imagine what that would do to your head.
They’d have to send western soldiers to operate them. The reason the West is sending Russian and Soviet weapons is because those are the ones Ukrainians know how to use. The Ukrainians are little too busy now to take time off for training.
The US did something similar after WWII. Showing Germans films of death camps.
ISTR people who lived near death camps being forced on in-person tours, or even to help with burial of victims, by Allied soldiers.
Yes I remember learning about that.
Fly C-17-loads of Muscovites to various Ukrainian cities for the same purposes would be good, but probably never possible, unfortunately.
There are things people don’t know and things people just don’t want to admit (even to themselves) knowing. I suspect most Germans in 1945 fell into the latter category. I think the same is probably true for most Russians today. Just like Germans under Nazism, they know what their government is capable of.
The Ukrainians are using smart tactics. One Ukrainian tank hid behind houses and had a line of fire at the road. Damaged several Russian tanks and armored personnel carrier.
Flags on the video identity the forces. The Ukrainian tank is in the lower left corner and shoots diagonally at the road. Tracer rounds from the Russians miss the tank. He lives to fight again.
I would give any Soviet tanks back to Russia. They’re death traps that block the road when hit.
I would think they could use more radar artillery that can trace the launch of enemy artillery and respond back.
And I would send them a large supply of the best anti-aircraft,anti-ship, and anti-missile systems available.
That’s a good idea. Give Ukraine plenty of self-propelled artillery and training in fighting a counterbattery battle. Sit back and watch Russia’s artillery corps, doing city demolition block by block, get attritted away by Ukrainian guns.
Of course, I’m probably thinking about things the old way. Maybe counterbattery would be done better these days by swarms of drones, some for recon and others to suicide-dive with a load of high explosive on any Russian howitzers they find.
The reality of politics in America has jaded made to the point that I don’t think this is even possible. No moreso than convincing the Q brigade that their dopey conspiracy theories are just that.
How do you come back from propaganda?
I’ve been thinking about posting on tactics and strategy, either here or in a new thread. (NB: I have zero military training.) But since you brought it up, I think Bayraktar drones, small, bomb-carrying drones, ‘suicide drones’, etc. would be more agile than artillery batteries. Of course, artillery batteries would also give the Russians a pounding. I’d like to see more MANPADS too, as well as larger missiles, to help claim air superiority.
Not quite. The Ukrainian People’s Republic was independent from 1917 to 1920 (or 1921, depending how you look at it. )
And when the UN was formed, the Soviet Union claimed Ukraine was a independent nation, and insisted they get their own seat in the UN.
But this is mostly quibbling, your post is solid.
Plus – as the Russkies learned – a whole logistical chain would have to be established, ammunition and parts, to say nothing of also having to train additional people to maintain the AFVs, people needed to carry a weapon.
bump
Come to find out they are sending TEN (10) measly one-time use Switchblade drones. Seems like we could offer more meaningful assistance than that.
It’s 10 of the larger tank killer drones, the S600. That’s in addition to 100 of the smaller version, the S300, that is capable of taking out anything else the Russians have including artillery pieces and light armored vehicles. It still seems like a small number, but I really don’t know what kind of inventory the US has for this kind of stuff. These S600s are coming straight from the factory.
ETA: Anyone else think the civilian death toll is way too low? About 1500 after five weeks of shelling cities seems really low. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Kyiv alone had more than that.