They may have sufficient rounds to do the trick. One shot probably stuns the tank crew, repeated hits disable it? Or at least the crew reassess their desire to fight and die for this.

Agthatbuilds said:

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The Russia-Ukraine war so far has had both heroic and horrific episodes.

This is perhaps the strangest of them: the story of how a Russian riot police convoy went to conquer Kyiv on its own. pic.twitter.com/mWYWjIKkwj

— CIT (en) (@CITeam_en) February 26, 2022

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Reading that story

it seems like the Jessica Lynch story from Iraq in 2003 when the MPs were supposed to take a turn to the left

and instead turned to the right and drove right into a jihadi ambush on their own

buzzardb267 said:

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I am still blown away by their failure to take out the air force. Where are they refueling and landing these planes? Could ruskies not have taken out virtually all landing strips with cruise missiles and rockets? Were they thinking they could take them early and easily and use them to resupply and reinforce?

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Cruise missiles would be used for strategic military targets imo. The platforms in the Black Sea include 6 Kilo class subs and a Slav class cruiser that can shoot cruise missiles. I wasn't to say that those platforms would have likely exhausted their compliment of cruise missiles on the first night. Russia also has some land based launch platforms that they used as well.

Russia has air bases near the Black Sea, north and east of the Sea of Azov, and we saw them building up assets at the bases. Some bases on the border are also left over Cold War/Soviet bases that were largely vacant and were occupied by helicopters prior to the invasion. Crimea was also a major staging point for helicopters as well.

As to the question on the airports, I assume that Russia would like to hold an airport in Kyiv so he can make a grand entrance in his mind. Many of the air bases were struck. However, my genera impression that the Russians are basically trying to use the airports as drop zones, to their peril.

I honestly don't know how Ukraine still has fighters flying combat air patrols and striking convoys as recent as yesterday reportedly. We obviously told them the Russians were making a move and they should get assets off the ground. I did mention in an earlier post that I'm surprised that we haven't see more Russian fixed wing assets. Seen lots of rotary wing, downed transport craft, and Su-25's though.

That's awesome.

Ag In Ok said:

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They may have sufficient rounds to do the trick. One shot probably stuns the tank crew, repeated hits disable it? Or at least the crew reassess their desire to fight and die for this.

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Go for disabling the tracks. They're not reinforced like the tanks shell.

CharlieBrown17 said:

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buzzardb267 said:

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I am still blown away by their failure to take out the air force. Where are they refueling and landing these planes? Could ruskies not have taken out virtually all landing strips with cruise missiles and rockets? Were they thinking they could take them early and easily and use them to resupply and reinforce?

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I don't know why they didn't focus on military runways away from Kiev.

If the plan was to airdrop and occupy airports around Kiev leaving those intact makes sense.

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certainly if you believe you can't control the air space, you find highways and forests to use to get your planes into the air.

It's been done before.

perhaps the Ukes are using a deserted stretch of road somewhere as the landing position and then putting up camouflage

2wealfth Man said:

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Would the Russians really use the thermobaric warheads. Serious escalation if so.

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YIKES!

The Russians are getting themselves in quite a predicament.

So what do they do now? More AT and AA weapons are flowing in - it will only get harder to gain air superiority and get their heavy tanks into action.

If they just say **** it and start shelling the cities they will lose ALL hope of having any sort of Russian friendly government take over (assuming they can even take Kiev). That would result in something even worse than Afghanistan.

So they will have to take higher losses than wanted and send in more forces than they wanted - and doing that may take time. Time which they really don't have.

They could pull back everywhere except for the Donbas then push from a more concentrated front. But that allows still more time and weapons to poor into the defense. They could try to make a deal for the Donbas in exchange for pulling out everywhere else - but Putin would lose face doing that at this point.

I think their only choice is to pour everything they have in theater at Ukraine now with high losses and then put them under an iron thumb. It'll still take reinforcements to hold - reinforcements Russia probably didn't plan on needing to commit. Again, more time and money to do so.

Putin literally in a no win situation now, even if he still takes Kiev in the next day or two.

2wealfth Man said:

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Would the Russians really use the thermobaric warheads. Serious escalation if so.

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There's been enough video evidence from air strikes over the last night in Ukraine to suggest that imo. We already know that TOS-1's, which Russians claimed they didn't use the thermobarics in 2014/2015, running around can employ those weapons.

OSINT is live.

https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1vOxwyeEyprGB?s=20

jabberwalkie09 said:

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buzzardb267 said:

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I am still blown away by their failure to take out the air force. Where are they refueling and landing these planes? Could ruskies not have taken out virtually all landing strips with cruise missiles and rockets? Were they thinking they could take them early and easily and use them to resupply and reinforce?

---

Cruise missiles would be used for strategic military targets imo. The platforms in the Black Sea include 6 Kilo class subs and a Slav class cruiser that can shoot cruise missiles. I wasn't to say that those platforms would have likely exhausted their compliment of cruise missiles on the first night. Russia also has some land based launch platforms that they used as well.

Russia has air bases near the Black Sea, north and east of the Sea of Azov, and we saw them building up assets at the bases. Some bases on the border are also left over Cold War/Soviet bases that were largely vacant and were occupied by helicopters prior to the invasion. Crimea was also a major staging point for helicopters as well.

As to the question on the airports, I assume that Russia would like to hold an airport in Kyiv so he can make a grand entrance in his mind. Many of the air bases were struck. However, my genera impression that the Russians are basically trying to use the airports as drop zones, to their peril.

I honestly don't know how Ukraine still has fighters flying combat air patrols and striking convoys as recent as yesterday reportedly. We obviously told them the Russians were making a move and they should get assets off the ground. I did mention in an earlier post that I'm surprised that we haven't see more Russian fixed wing assets. Seen lots of rotary wing, downed transport craft, and Su-25's though.

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I saw a clip with a Tu-160 flying over Ukraine as if in a demonstration show flanked by Migs or Sukhois on the first day

Red Pear Realty said:

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The #Ukrainian army is ready to meet Kadyrov's thugs pic.twitter.com/SctOP0N9Lq

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 26, 2022

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do the Chechens have armor or just light infantry?

I have always seen them more as infantry in Syria

He's leaving Crimea open for attack.

Build It said:

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He's leaving Crimea open for attack.

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The longer this goes on, I'm more confident that the assets in the Black Sea are specifically for the defense of Crimea.

LMCane said:

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Oligarch Roman Abramovich just gave over control of chelsea to other ownership

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Roman Abramovic hands over Chelsea to Trustees of Chelsea foundation following sanctions on Russian businesses as a result of the Ukraine crisis.

“I am today giving trustees of Chelsea’s charitable Foundation the stewardship and care of Chelsea FC.” pic.twitter.com/A6qAjnOMLc

— Juliet Bawuah (@julietbawuah) February 26, 2022

You could be right, how many battle fronts can he be on? Will be interesting to see what happens in Crimea. Lots of nato ships nearby.

Heres to hoping they run out gas on the way

JobSecurity said:

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#BREAKING: adviser to ukraine's interior minister says that #Russian troops are approaching Zaporizhzhiya nuclear power plant.

This is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. #Ukraine

— Wars on the Brink (@WarsontheBrink) February 26, 2022

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buzzardb267 said:

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I am still blown away by their failure to take out the air force. Where are they refueling and landing these planes? Could ruskies not have taken out virtually all landing strips with cruise missiles and rockets? Were they thinking they could take them early and easily and use them to resupply and reinforce?

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I think a lot of folks are getting a little ahead of themselves about how well this is going for Ukraine and how poorly it's going for Russia, because it's early days, but IMO the biggest concrete sign of it going poorly for Russia is them not having completely neutralized Ukrainian air. Pretty sure the US would have done that within the first 3 hours of invasion.

DTP02 said:

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buzzardb267 said:

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I am still blown away by their failure to take out the air force. Where are they refueling and landing these planes? Could ruskies not have taken out virtually all landing strips with cruise missiles and rockets? Were they thinking they could take them early and easily and use them to resupply and reinforce?

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I think a lot of folks are getting ahead of themselves about how well this is going for Ukraine and how poorly it's going for Russia, but IMO the biggest concrete sign of it going poorly for Russia is them not having completely neutralized Ukrainian air. Pretty sure the US would have done that within the first 3 hours of invasion.

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Yeah it's actually shocking that they haven't neutralized Ukrainian Air Force and air defenses. Should have happened before anything else

They need to drop Molotov cocktails down the barrel of the tanks and try to blow out the bores

Irish 2.0 said:

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They need to drop Molotov cocktails down the barrel of the tanks and blow up the bores

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Tank barrels are built to withstand incredible heat and pressure. Gotta get the inflammables inside the tank cab or its engine compartment.

⚡️Kyiv central railway station goes dark.

Ukrzaliznytsya decided on halting electricity supplies to Kyiv’s Central Railway Station due to shelling close to the building. Passengers and personnel were evacuated to a shelter.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 26, 2022

I agree, Ukrainian Americans should take over every business and piece of real estate he owns in America. Throw the oligarchs out on the street. Not welcome here.

docb said:

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74OA said:

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Ukrainians stopping Russian tanks with their bare hands. I have never felt this much love pic.twitter.com/10CWLcOKUX

— Anastasiia Lapatina (@lapatina_) February 26, 2022

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Certainly is a strange war. In WW2 I know what would of happened to that man.

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What do you think would happen if a civilian just opened up fire or though a molotov cocktail on one of those tank drivers?
Unfortunately that's what really needs to start happening to keep these tanks from staying in line with each other and just strolling through the country like they own the place.

IDaggie06 said:

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docb said:

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74OA said:

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Ukrainians stopping Russian tanks with their bare hands. I have never felt this much love pic.twitter.com/10CWLcOKUX

— Anastasiia Lapatina (@lapatina_) February 26, 2022

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Certainly is a strange war. In WW2 I know what would of happened to that man.

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What do you think would happen if a civilian just opened up fire or though a molotov cocktail on one of those tank drivers?
Unfortunately that's what really needs to start happening to keep these tanks from staying in line with each other and just strolling through the country like they own the place.

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Yes but they would need to be willing to die at that spot if they aren't going to organize better.

LMCane said:

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CharlieBrown17 said:

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buzzardb267 said:

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I am still blown away by their failure to take out the air force. Where are they refueling and landing these planes? Could ruskies not have taken out virtually all landing strips with cruise missiles and rockets? Were they thinking they could take them early and easily and use them to resupply and reinforce?

---

I don't know why they didn't focus on military runways away from Kiev.

If the plan was to airdrop and occupy airports around Kiev leaving those intact makes sense.

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certainly if you believe you can't control the air space, you find highways and forests to use to get your planes into the air.

It's been done before.

perhaps the Ukes are using a deserted stretch of road somewhere as the landing position and then putting up camouflage

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Iirc the Finns, Swedes, Polish, and Swiss all practice roadway operations. I believe the Polish do it annually. That's one reason the Germans built the autobahn. If the Ukrainians are using highways for operations, I'd imagine they picked a location on the western most portion of the country near Poland. They would have had to preposition equipment for this type of scenario.

Without knowing where their air base are, I think it's possible with the Western most portion of the country not seeing as much conflict that there's a possibility that a base on that side of the country is still in operation.