Arming Ukraine

There are reports circulating that these Australian armored vehicles are actually driving right over minefields—I wonder if they're somehow neutralizing them on the fly, but if this turns out to be true, it's quite an impressive feat; it would mean all that Russian mining was essentially for nothing.
Here is the detail:

Australia has also stepped up by announcing the shipment of heavier weaponry, specifically donating their Bushmaster light armored vehicles. These units are designed to protect against mines and small arms fire, and they have the capacity to transport up to ten soldiers at speeds of up to 62 miles/h.

[B says:
velvetbadger11;91882051 Apparently these Australian armored vehicles are just rolling right over mines... I mean, are they actually triggering them or what? If that’s legit, then all that Russian mining work was basically a waste of time. [/B]

Man, oh man...😁😵

https://twitter.com/EllieCKaufman/st...76961342439427

Looks like those weapons from that $800 million aid package are finally starting to roll in.

velvetbadger11 said:There are reports circulating that these Australian armored vehicles are actually driving right over minefields—I wonder if they're somehow neutralizing them on the fly, but if this turns out to be true, it's quite an impressive feat; it would mean all that Russian mining was essentially for nothing.
Here is the detail:

Australia has also stepped up by announcing the shipment of heavier weaponry, specifically donating their Bushmaster light armored vehicles. These units are designed to protect against mines and small arms fire, and they have the capacity to transport up to ten soldiers at speeds of up to 62 miles/h.

It’s not exactly a technological miracle. The whole point is just to bump up the odds of the crew surviving if they hit a mine. It isn't a 100% guarantee—usually, people still end up injured. You just lose the vehicle instead of the people inside.

It's not like you're planning to cruise through a minefield on purpose. It's more about minimizing casualties when you run into an ambush or stumble upon an unmarked mine by accident.

The first Bushmasters are ready to roll...
https://twitter.com/AndrewBGreene/st...48955954184193

Looks like we're getting similar news about armor from the Czech Republic
https://twitter.com/sentdefender/sta...31033902755844

Modern anti-armor and air defense systems are the top priority right now.

Equipping the ILTDU is absolutely critical.
Armor is necessary, sure, but it isn't the deciding factor.

The Ukrainian defense strategy relies heavily on "hit-and-run" tactics.
There is no need to get bogged down in long, drawn-out battles of attrition.
It might just be the guerrilla warfare element that keeps the Russians off balance...

It is quite evident that they simply don't stand a chance in an open field engagement; instead, they really need to leverage those Javelins and Stinger missiles to strike from the flanks, especially since the skies are no longer a safe haven for the Russians.

velvetbadger11 said:It is quite evident that they simply don't stand a chance in an open field engagement; instead, they really need to leverage those Javelins and Stinger missiles to strike from the flanks, especially since the skies are no longer a safe haven for the Russians.

That is how you get results.
Targeting Russian communications, hit their convoys, set up ambushes...
There is absolutely no reason to go head-to-head with their naval forces... Just let them move into predicted kill zones and shred them.

You could even deploy decoys. Once a Russian armored convoy rolls out with air support (like a Ka-50 or a Mi-24 Hind), let them fully deploy and think they're secure, then hit them with coordinated fire from multiple positions at once.
That’s all it takes.
Don't give them a single second of peace.

Hit, then relocate.
Never stay in the same spot twice.
The Russians lack maneuverable forces and they certainly don't have the individual willpower required to hunt down an attacker.
They are nothing more than a lumbering force backed by heavy artillery and rocket arsenals. That is the extent of it.

I honestly don't think we need to sweat the anti-tank weaponry too much; the supplies are moving and they aren't going to stop coming. I mean, Blinken was basically saying that soon enough, the Ukrainians will have ten anti-tank systems for every single Russian tank they face. Now, I wonder if those Switchblade 600 drones are factored into that math... but to me, it feels like the real priority right now has shifted toward air defense—stuff like NASAMS, Sky Sabre, or pretty much any old-school USSR-era system we can get our hands on and ship over. Plus, anything that acts as a force multiplier, like high-end night optics, is absolutely vital right now.
On top of the fact that the Czech Republic is already sending over T-72s, it looks like they're even teaming up with the Slovaks to look into letting the Ukrainians bring their gear over to be repaired locally (source behind the paywall).

Carl Lee27 said:I honestly don't think we need to sweat the anti-tank weaponry too much; the supplies are moving and they aren't going to stop coming. I mean, Blinken was basically saying that soon enough, the Ukrainians will have ten anti-tank systems for every single Russian tank they face. Now, I wonder if those Switchblade 600 drones are factored into that math... but to me, it feels like the real priority right now has shifted toward air defense—stuff like NASAMS, Sky Sabre, or pretty much any old-school USSR-era system we can get our hands on and ship over. Plus, anything that acts as a force multiplier, like high-end night optics, is absolutely vital right now.
On top of the fact that the Czech Republic is already sending over T-72s, it looks like they're even teaming up with the Slovaks to look into letting the Ukrainians bring their gear over to be repaired locally (source behind the paywall).

Moving at a snail's pace...
Given that this invasion kicked off over a month ago, this is an absolute failure on NATO's part.

The channels are open. Supply lines through the Carpathians are wide open.

Ryan Morales4 said:Moving at a snail's pace...
Given that this invasion kicked off over a month ago, this is an absolute failure on NATO's part.

The channels are open. Supply lines through the Carpathians are wide open.

I guess there’s just something incredibly depressing about the fact that some people aren't in any rush, probably because they're just waiting for the chance to make a killing on the reconstruction one day. 😢

Melissa Bailey5 said:I guess there’s just something incredibly depressing about the fact that some people aren't in any rush, probably because they're just waiting for the chance to make a killing on the reconstruction one day. 😢

Even the Ukrainians didn't see it coming—they had no idea the Russians would launch an invasion within just 40 days.

bluemason3 said:It’s not exactly a technological miracle. The whole point is just to bump up the odds of the crew surviving if they hit a mine. It isn't a 100% guarantee—usually, people still end up injured. You just lose the vehicle instead of the people inside.

It's not like you're planning to cruise through a minefield on purpose. It's more about minimizing casualties when you run into an ambush or stumble upon an unmarked mine by accident.

The vehicle has a specially designed chassis and undercarriage to redirect the force

Just look at how things work... a mine-clearing tank can push that roller attachment in front of it without any issues, and the crew stays safe. It sounds wild to me, but hey, if it works in the field, it works.

It's all about the blast wave and the pressure on the body or internal organs.

It feels like everywhere you look across America, people and organizations are stepping up to ship gear and weapons over to Ukraine. You’ve got police departments sending out body armor, gun shops and manufacturers cranking out rifles and ammo, and even regular folks chipping in through massive crowdfunding campaigns. I actually saw that the owner of NASCAR sent over a huge shipment of ammunition! And honestly, that’s just the heavy stuff—I’ve scrolled past dozens of posts lately about donated drones, high-end optics, night vision, thermal imaging... goodness knows what else is being sent.
Public support is really starting to snowball. The more advanced and serious the weaponry gets, the more

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-op...130000920.html

I honestly don't understand why there's such a delay in delivering equipment like MiG-29s, various types of former Soviet armor and artillery, new drones, anti-ship missiles, extra air defense systems, and hundreds of tons of infantry gear and ammo. All of this was needed yesterday just to give the Ukrainian military any real maneuverability. Otherwise, it’s only a matter of time before the Russians encircle the east and keep pushing south...

I’ve got this nagging feeling that, for better or worse, a huge chunk of what we’re seeing is driven by US geopolitics. Honestly, I don't think a lightning-fast end to this war is actually in their best interest. It feels like Ukrainians are being handed just enough gear to keep the Russians pinned down in a defensive crouch, but maybe not quite enough to secure a total victory. Beyond just making sure Russia bleeds, you have to look at the bigger picture—like pulling Germany away from Russian influence and really tightening the bonds within NATO. A quick resolution to the conflict might actually jeopardize those long-term strategic goals.

Joseph Clark37 said:I honestly don't understand why there's such a delay in delivering equipment like MiG-29s, various types of former Soviet armor and artillery, new drones, anti-ship missiles, extra air defense systems, and hundreds of tons of infantry gear and ammo. All of this was needed yesterday just to give the Ukrainian military any real maneuverability. Otherwise, it’s only a matter of time before the Russians encircle the east and keep pushing south...

Look, the F-16 is an air superiority fighter with pretty limited capability when it comes to hitting ground targets—and even then, they need a ground crew to mark those targets for them. Then you've got anti-ship missiles and air defense systems that are way more advanced than just basic MANPADS; those are complicated setups. It's not necessarily hard to fire them, but keeping them running is a whole other story. You have to train technicians for months, and they need to be maintaining this stuff around the clock. That’s probably why everyone is scrambling to find ex-USSR equipment from different countries and seeing who's willing to donate it, likely getting reimbursed later by the USA or NATO. For example, the Czech Republic is sending T-72s right now, and there's talk that maybe Slovakia or Greece might hand over their Patriot missile systems. Plus, the US Department of Defense already announced they're training Ukrainians outside the country on these more complex systems. It sucks, but unfortunately, that kind of training takes time.

Carl Lee27 said:I’ve got this nagging feeling that, for better or worse, a huge chunk of what we’re seeing is driven by US geopolitics. Honestly, I don't think a lightning-fast end to this war is actually in their best interest. It feels like Ukrainians are being handed just enough gear to keep the Russians pinned down in a defensive crouch, but maybe not quite enough to secure a total victory. Beyond just making sure Russia bleeds, you have to look at the bigger picture—like pulling Germany away from Russian influence and really tightening the bonds within NATO. A quick resolution to the conflict might actually jeopardize those long-term strategic goals.

It seems to me there’s a bit of an anti-American bias creeping into your reasoning—not that I'm judging, but it's worth keeping in mind. Think of it this way: for those cynical calculations you're describing to hold any water, there would have to be a tangible "danger" that this war ends too quickly. Given the current mindset, the institutional structure, and the general state of wartime fervor within Russia, do you honestly believe they would simply accept defeat and pack up, even if their current military capacity were decimated?

Furthermore, looking at the current distribution of forces, how quickly could we realistically expect the Ukrainian Armed Forces to actually defeat the Russians?

And one more thing: does the exhaustion of Russian resources benefit only the US, or does it serve Ukraine's interests as well? Who poses the greater threat to Ukraine? And who is the first target for a Russia that hasn't been depleted? Who feels the most pressure to "prove their strength"?

Try not to fall into the trap of viewing realistic assessments—like the American prediction that this will be a long haul, or even Oleksiy Arestovych's earlier forecast of two or three rounds—as mere wishful thinking. After all, people used that same label when Americans were warning that a war was imminent.

I honestly feel like we’re going to see a massive surge in aid sooner rather than later, just like I mentioned back in that prediction thread of mine. If it isn't for any other reason, it'll be because the public pressure in the West is getting too loud to ignore. At the end of the day, Ukraine is going to get exactly what they need to kick the Russians back. Still, I'm struggling to find a truly logical reason why the support isn't even bigger right this second—and honestly, I highly doubt it's all just about avoiding provoking Russia.
But hey, fair enough, I can admit that theory feels a bit like a stretch.