# What new weapons/weapons tactics have the Russians so far introduced in Ukraine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Tags:** ukraine-invasion\ **Created:** [February 27, 2022, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204 "2022-02-27T23:26:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2022, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/121 "2022-03-05T20:04:39Z")
Good video. I think it’s well grounded and the guy is trying to keep things realistic. I do think a lot of folks have let their enthusiasm and their expectations really soar, but the reality is still that Russia is slowly grinding its way to meeting its objectives and encircling key strategic points and cities in eastern Ukraine, as well as the capital. Like the guy in the video, I want to see Ukrainians hurt the Russias and would love to see them toss Russia out, but the reality is what it is. All along I think it’s been said…if Russia is willing to pay the price, they are going to win this thing. So far, it seems Russia is willing to pay the price. The parts about Russia doctrine wrt convoy movement really cleared up some of the questions I had. That’s not the way the US does things, for sure, and it’s been a bit strange to see how they are progressing, as it really exposes them to fire that usually the US tries to mitigate. But, if that’s their doctrine, then they are following it. And something I’ve suspected since the beginning is that the initial attacks were the Russian conscripts and second (or even third) stringers. Again, completely different than how the US does things, where we usually use our elite forces for the initial, lighting strikes and our reserves for clean up, flank support and security of taken objectives. Anyway, thanks for the video. This isn’t a channel I subscribe to, but I’ll be checking him out going forward. That map he’s using is the same one I have been following…at this point, probably everyone is, as it seems to be the best tool for the overall strategic situation. ---
**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:** [March 5, 2022, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/122 "2022-03-05T20:41:02Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > There are many videos of Russian ground vehicles with white Vs as well as Zs. I don’t know what the significance of the markings is – perhaps different army groups. I’ve been curious about this as well since there’s no Cyrillic character in the Russian alphabet that looks particularly like a Z. There’s also been a recurrent snippet of some AVVs with a circle on the roof. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2022, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/123 "2022-03-06T14:45:38Z")
Here is an interesting article about the use of air power. Of course it’s conjecture based on analysis from afar but it’s well thought out. > **[Is the Russian Air Force Actually Incapable of Complex Air Operations?](https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/rusi-defence-systems/russian-air-force-actually-incapable-complex-air-operations/)** > > More than a week into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Air Force has yet to commence large-scale operations. Inactivity in the first few days could be ascribed to various factors, but the continued absence of major air operations now... ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2022, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/124 "2022-03-06T15:05:23Z")
Here’s excellent and comprehensive video on the same subject, with a long segment in it by the author of the above article. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_WGcfkqzUI4/maxresdefault.jpg "Reasons for Failure? Russian Air Force in Ukraine") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WGcfkqzUI4) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2022, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/125 "2022-03-08T01:04:18Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > There are many videos of Russian ground vehicles with white Vs as well as Zs. I don’t know what the significance of the markings is – perhaps different army groups. [https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/07/europe/russia-z-symbol-ukraine-war-cmd-intl/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/07/europe/russia-z-symbol-ukraine-war-cmd-intl/index.html) > But in the days since Moscow ordered the bloody assault on Ukraine, what started as a mysterious military symbol has become a sign of popular support for the war in Russia, and what analysts describe as the unfurling of a chilling new nationalist movement. > > Russians have daubed the “Z” on their cars, sported black hoodies emblazoned with the symbol, and fashioned makeshift “Z” brooches on lapels – a sign that there is some popular support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his efforts to expand Moscow’s sphere of influence by seizing parts of Ukraine. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/126 "2022-03-15T15:33:06Z")
> **[Ukraine invasion has revealed a previously unknown Russian weapon system: report](https://www.rawstory.com/decoys-helping-russian-missiles-evade-ukrainian-air-defense-systems-report/)** > > Russia is using a never-before seen electronic jamming device to help its missiles evade Ukraine's sophisticated air-defense systems.The New York Times reports that American intelligence officials have discovered that the barrage of ballistic... ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/127 "2022-03-15T16:56:25Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > I wonder if they will use the foreign volunteers as an excuse to go all out. > _we are liberating them from the clutches of the criminals and their hired foreign guns_ ? By using Syrian troops to do it. I guess the Russian people won’t hear about the foreign troops that Russia is using. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2022, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/128 "2022-03-15T22:02:02Z")
Russia has requested aid from China. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/129 "2022-03-19T21:46:30Z")
> **[Russia claims first use of hypersonic Kinzhal missile in Ukraine](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60806151)** > > Russia says it fired a Kinzhal missile at a Ukrainian arms depot, in an apparent change of strategy. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2022, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/130 "2022-03-19T22:24:20Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Russia has requested aid from China. and help from Syria … that seems to be a FIRST … ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/131 "2022-03-20T05:47:30Z")
Hypersonic claim is mostly bullshit from the update to this story. > **[We Have Questions About Russia's Claimed Kinzhal Hypersonic Missile Use In...](https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/44840/we-have-questions-about-russias-claimed-kinzhal-hypersonic-missile-use-in-ukraine)** > > The apparent first use of Russia's air-launched hypersonic ballistic missile against a target in Ukraine doesn't all add up. Target wasn’t what they [russians] said it was; more like an already damaged barn. Also “target” was at complete opposite end of Ukraine. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/132 "2022-03-20T16:24:03Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Target wasn’t what they [russians] said it was; more like an already damaged barn. Also “target” was at complete opposite end of Ukraine. So what was this bullshit claim by the Russians supposed to accomplish? They must have known it would be exposed as false pretty quickly. I bet NATO intelligence knew the claim was bullshit within the first hour or less. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/133 "2022-03-20T19:12:32Z")
> [@XT](#): > > I’ve suspected since the beginning is that the initial attacks were the Russian conscripts and second (or even third) stringers. I know this post if 15 days old, but the video itself repeats this claim. I find it completely insane. If this is your strategy, all you’re really doing in this case is providing free on-the-job training for your opposing military. They get good at using weapons and tactics, and then your more experienced troops have a harder time when they eventually show up. That kind of strategy might work if there is an extreme difference in power and capability, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here. In fact, it seems that the Ukrainians can bring more material and men to bear at important points, and don’t seem to be running out of supplies. If they were actually trading those lives and machines for actionable goals, then I could maybe see a point. Given the current situation, if that’s their actual doctrine, they deserve to lose. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/134 "2022-03-20T19:34:21Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > They must have known… I think a lesson to take from this cluster is that what the Russians knew and what they must have known are two very different things. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/135 "2022-03-20T19:51:41Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Target wasn’t what they [russians] said it was; more like an already damaged barn. Also “target” was at complete opposite end of Ukraine. To me, the hypersonic missile usage scans as training/demonstration. Its ideal use case is for hitting mission-critical assets like aircraft carriers or ballistic missile warning radars. There are few such targets in Ukraine. But if you’re saber-rattling with NATO, it’s good to let them know you can hit EIS in Poland, or Fylingdales in England, aircraft carrier or airbases anywhere around Europe, with little or no warning. By hitting the early warning sites, NATO is half blind in a nuclear confrontation, and thus might hesitate to threaten or escalate further. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/136 "2022-03-20T20:02:55Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > So what was this bullshit claim by the Russians supposed to accomplish? They must have known it would be exposed as false pretty quickly. I bet NATO intelligence knew the claim was bullshit within the first hour or less. just like the downed helicopter gunship video… where they claimed it flew a tactic mission to drive out Ukr. … with all the alarms w/in the copter going of, spewing chaff as much as possible and still being hit … it’s just “action-cinema” for the 9 o’clock news in a state dominated media space, I guess… ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/137 "2022-03-20T20:53:53Z")
back on topic: a more innovative aspect of warefare can be seen here - the Ukr. backing up the Irpin river, converting the northwestern suburbs of kiev into a non-negotiable swamp for the russians [\*\* interesting twitter-pics here \*\*](https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1505227149225205764) very smart and resourceful warefare by the Ukr … (overall, but here particularly note-worthy) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/138 "2022-03-20T21:01:30Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > So what was this bullshit claim by the Russians supposed to accomplish? I’d be curious why they would want to use a hypersonic missile against Ukraine at all. Unless it was a test to just see how well they do I can’t imagine why they would bother. AFAIK Ukraine has no advanced missile defenses and regular rockets and artillery work just fine against them. No need to shoot a hyper-expensive missile at them. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2022, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/139 "2022-03-20T21:08:33Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > No need to shoot a hyper-expensive missile at them. Unless they’re running out of other long range missiles they can throw. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204/140 "2022-03-21T03:11:46Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I’d be curious why they would want to use a hypersonic missile against Ukraine at all. Unless it was a test to just see how well they do I can’t imagine why they would bother. AFAIK Ukraine has no advanced missile defenses and regular rockets and artillery work just fine against them. > > No need to shoot a hyper-expensive missile at them. > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Unless they’re running out of other long range missiles they can throw. This was what I was wondering… Testing their toy? Running out of things to throw? One hyper-sonic missile has to be pretty expensive. And how many would they have anyway? You would think that it would be reserved for high value targets. Twitter suggested they were targeting the barn of the farmer who towed away one of their tanks - an anti-tractor missile… The Ukrainians do have passable air defense systems. (Which is why the Russians still don’t have total air superiority) News showed one apartment building where the top floors burned because it was hit by a missile shot down by air defense systems. Plus, the USA has promised to start sending more anti-aircraft systems to help defend against high-flying bombers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-new-weapons-weapons-tactics-have-the-russians-so-far-introduced-in-ukraine/960204.md?page=8)