Lyman direction pic.twitter.com/ZeXyvRl6DA

— IgorGirkin (@GirkinGirkin) April 26, 2024

West of Bakhmut, Ukraine continues to defend Chasiv Yar.

pic.twitter.com/ntzK5petWN

— fella brain dead psychological analysis (@eatlotacheese) April 26, 2024

More on Chasiv Yar:

Quote:

---

Russian aviation bombardment in Chasiv Yar and Kostiantynivka with guided bombs

---

https://liveuamap.com/en/2024/26-april-russian-aviation-bombardment-in-chasiv-yar-and-kostiantynivka

74OA said:

---

Ukraine is using iPads to control western weapons on its Russian fighters.

SMART

---

The more I look at those, it looks like maybe some kind of Garmin display...which would make a lot more sense.

The larger point is the ingenuity in cobbling together a way to employ modern US weapons loaded on antique ex-Soviet fighters.

74OA said:

---

The larger point is the ingenuity in cobbling together a way to employ modern US weapons loaded on antique ex-Soviet fighters.

---

Oh, I agree...whatever it is was not just a direct plug in - there had to be some interesting "engineering" going on to get that set up.

Switzerland provides 5 billion francs for Ukraine's infrastructure and reconstruction. It'd be better if it also did a more honest scrub of the Russian billions stashed in its banks.

AID

Correction: Kyslivka, not Klishciivka.

74OA said:

---

The larger point is the ingenuity in cobbling together a way to employ modern US weapons loaded on antique ex-Soviet fighters.

---

The Flankers that have been kept up to date are hardly antiques. The ones the Ukrainians are flying are older though, and they should be given all the credit in the link you quoted for managing to integrate western weapons without the integrated datalinks etc. that would normally be part of this work.

Another handful of patriots to be sent at some point to Ukraine:

⚡️Spain confirms plans to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine.

Madrid will provide Ukraine with Patriot anti-aircraft missiles, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles announced on April 26, without specifying the exact number.https://t.co/8VumpDVGdD

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) April 26, 2024

Will probably be a heavy bombardment overnight; I believe most of these strikes the past 6 months have not involved submarines (the most expensive possible way to launch a cruise missile at Ukraine) but this also is probably reflective of a shift as a consequence of the ISR capabilities we assist with and as well the loss of the Tu-22 last week:

Russia just launched three Kalibr missiles from submarine missile carriers in the Black Sea. The missile threat level is extremely high. pic.twitter.com/UFRxmZdtSK

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) April 26, 2024

I am skeptical this is really a big breakthrough;

“A day of bad news” - says one of Ukraine’s milblogging channels. Two villages reportedly lost on Avdiivka front and now Deep State reports a Russian breakthrough near Kislivka in the north.

— Leonid ХВ Ragozin (@leonidragozin) April 26, 2024

In addition to those sub-launched ones:

Quote:

---

At least 5 Tu-95MS bombers are airborne from Olenya airfield

---

https://liveuamap.com/en/2024/26-april-at-least-5-tu95ms-bombers-are-airborne-from-olenya

Russia Putin orcs turning up the heat a tad??

Just doing the same thing they've been doing for a while now--drone and missile strikes. They're also consolidating and pushing on weakened UA lines. The aid can't get there and distributed soon enough if Ukraine wants to stop the advances.

Russia targets infrastructure and cut part of Dnipro City's water supply as part of tonight's missile attack. Meanwhile, Ukraine attacked refineries across the Kerch Strait:

Quote:

---

Explosions were reported at the refinery in Slavyansk-na-Kubani of Krasnodar Krai

---

https://liveuamap.com/en/2024/27-april-explosions-were-reported-at-the-refinery-in-slavyansknakubani

Quote:

---

Water supply cut in several district of Dnipro city after explosions earlier

---

https://liveuamap.com/en/2024/27-april-water-supply-cut-in-several-district-of-dnipro-city

Quote:

---

The distillation column was damaged during an attack by Ukrainian drones on a refinery in the Krasnodar Territory, the head of the Slavyansky district of the region reported.

---

https://liveuamap.com/en/2024/27-april-the-distillation-column-was-damaged-during-an-attack

Quote:

---

Explosion at the refinery in Slavyansk-na-Kubani

---

https://liveuamap.com/en/2024/27-april-explosion-at-the-refinery-in-slavyansknakubani-

Quote:

---

Fire reported at Ilsky refinery as result of the drone attack

---

https://liveuamap.com/en/2024/27-april-fire-reported-at-ilsky-refinery-as-result-of-the

Quote:

---

Main processing unit damaged as result of drone attack at Ilskiy refinery in Slavyansk-na-Kubani and airfield in Kuschevskaya town

---

https://liveuamap.com/en/2024/27-april-main-processing-unit-damaged-as-result-of-drone

74OA said:

---

Switzerland provides 5 billion francs for Ukraine's infrastructure and reconstruction. It'd be better if it also did a more honest scrub of the Russian billions stashed in its banks.

AID

---

Perhaps it did...

74OA said:

---

The larger point is the ingenuity in cobbling together a way to employ modern US weapons loaded on antique ex-Soviet fighters.

---

I can tell you that we have retrofit Garmin avionics into Hind helicopters in the US, so seeing similar on modern aircraft doesn't surprise me.

nortex97 said:

---

74OA said:

---

The larger point is the ingenuity in cobbling together a way to employ modern US weapons loaded on antique ex-Soviet fighters.

---

The Flankers that have been kept up to date are hardly antiques. The ones the Ukrainians are flying are older though, and they should be given all the credit in the link you quoted for managing to integrate western weapons without the integrated datalinks etc. that would normally be part of this work.

Another handful of patriots to be sent at some point to Ukraine:

---

a) Can you only dump one X link per post? It makes it very hard to view it and respond to it. (I deleted them from my reply for better viewing)

b) That like compared Su-27s to F-15s. I've seen the Su-27 do the Cobra maneuver at 2 airshows. As an AERO, it's ****ing AWESOME. But in the practical world, the Su-27, even upgraded, is not in the same class as the F-15.

c) I don't know how it relates to the conflict in Ukraine...

Reported about 8 hours ago:

Quote:

---

Kamikaze drones hit a warehouse of control and correction modules for aerial bombs at the military airfield in the town of Kuschevskaya of Krasnodar Krai

---

https://liveuamap.com/en/2024/27-april-kamikaze-drones-hit-a-warehouse-of-control-and-correction

Closer look at Ukraine's conversion of light aircraft into long-range reusable drones.

BOMBER

I like that Ukraine is still going after Russia's refineries.

I guess the rumor about the Biden administration holding them back was just political bunk.

Waffledynamics said:

---

Reported about 8 hours ago:

Quote:

---

Kamikaze drones hit a warehouse of control and correction modules for aerial bombs at the military airfield in the town of Kuschevskaya of Krasnodar Krai

---

https://liveuamap.com/en/2024/27-april-kamikaze-drones-hit-a-warehouse-of-control-and-correction

---

BDA video

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/s/E6P7FSotcP

PJYoung said:

---

I like that Ukraine is still going after Russia's refineries.

I guess the rumor about the Biden administration holding them back was just political bunk.

---

Cope cages on storage tanks

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/s/e6tmzCJxTs

Quote:

---

a Top Golf is better protected from drones than this.

---

https://instagr.am/p/C6RYj6xLpBo

Wasn't a couple pages ago or maybe the Israel-Hamas thread where there was a discussion about bringing back propeller based fighters to deal with drones?

Ukraine is using yaks to test the theory out.

Russia continues to hammer Ukrainian energy infrastructure and other notes from the front.

UPDATES

Why exactly would those planes be more useful? Speed and expense?

Waffledynamics said:

---

Why exactly would those planes be more useful? Speed and expense?

---

Yes and yes. Especially against Shaheds. The Brits had multiple successes against V1s with their craft and the Shahed is less than half the speed of those. Repeated use of a war machine for pennies on the dollar in cost for operation. It's makes so much sense I am kicking myself for not having thought of it as an alternative.

Also helps the bleeding of their advanced AA missiles which we all know is an ever present issue.

I do not fully grasp why radar guided guns aren't being used. Slap 4 .50cal and have them placed near high value targets for close in defense. Won't do anything against ballistic missles but slow drones should be easy pickings.

The Russian offensive in Ocheretyne direction is worrying. Multiple villages have fallen in a rather short timeframe.

However, the overall advances are still limited mostly to a tactical level. Russians haven't achieved an actual breakthrough, but are certainly trying to. pic.twitter.com/qTCwyosfTh

— Emil Kastehelmi (@emilkastehelmi) April 27, 2024

Multiple Russian Shahed drones over Ukraine tonight pic.twitter.com/kgVgXo6kO4

— marqs (@MarQs__) April 27, 2024

Shaheds imply another strike wave.

AlaskanAg99 said:

---

I do not fully grasp why radar guided guns aren't being used. Slap 4 .50cal and have them placed near high value targets for close in defense. Won't do anything against ballistic missles but slow drones should be easy pickings.

---

They are. They have a few dozen German Gepard systems.

AtticusMatlock said:

---

AlaskanAg99 said:

---

I do not fully grasp why radar guided guns aren't being used. Slap 4 .50cal and have them placed near high value targets for close in defense. Won't do anything against ballistic missles but slow drones should be easy pickings.

---

They are. They have a few dozen German Gepard systems.

---

Need to be simpler. The Gepards fire expensive ammo. Need mass produced cheap rounds.

Should have around 50 by now. US bought and refurbished several dozen from Jordan, on top of repeated German tranches.

AlaskanAg99 said:

---

AtticusMatlock said:

---

AlaskanAg99 said:

---

I do not fully grasp why radar guided guns aren't being used. Slap 4 .50cal and have them placed near high value targets for close in defense. Won't do anything against ballistic missles but slow drones should be easy pickings.

---

They are. They have a few dozen German Gepard systems.

---

Need to be simpler. The Gepards fire expensive ammo. Need mass produced cheap rounds.

---

Its timed fragmentation rounds are what make Gepard so effective and allow it to service targets cost effectively.

74OA said:

---

AlaskanAg99 said:

---

AtticusMatlock said:

---

AlaskanAg99 said:

---

I do not fully grasp why radar guided guns aren't being used. Slap 4 .50cal and have them placed near high value targets for close in defense. Won't do anything against ballistic missles but slow drones should be easy pickings.

---

They are. They have a few dozen German Gepard systems.

---

Need to be simpler. The Gepards fire expensive ammo. Need mass produced cheap rounds.

---

Its timed fragmentation rounds are what make Gepard so effective and allow it to service targets cost effectively.

---

It's also key in urban areas. I know the job is protect the facility but I would be VERY hesitant to let a belt or two of .50 rip over an urban area if I were a gunner. There is no way I would be able to live with myself if I killed a fellow countryman over it. Shrapnel from airbusts is one thing (at least a few people have died this way over the years) but just spraying bullets is another.

They can fly much slower, cost much less to operate, can be kitted specifically for drone killing.

Makes sense in areas where one's not necessarily worried about AA.

Are discussions about the Shahed drones typically focused on a particular model, or are there variations depending on the target? I'm trying to Google it, but it's a bit confusing attempting to understand how they're deploying them against the Ukrainians specifically.