Newer updates seem to indicate that Ukraine is going to be opening a front across the dnipro river. Evacuation of villages and unconfirmed reports of troops gathering in the area seem to indicate that Ukraine may choose to launch some tentative offensive to free the territory in a less costly fashion.
Zelensky can evacuate all of Ukraine; it won’t help him take Tokmak before the cold weather, not to mention Melitopol and Berdyansk.The entire result of the months-long Ukrainian counter-offensive is two completely destroyed villages of 500 people, Rabotino and Kleshcheevka. Moreover, to control Kleshcheevka, Ukraine will still have to try.
That's ok. If the front does not collapse to Tokmak, see you there next year. However, I wonder why is the RF army building more fortifications precisely around Tokmak. Maybe they are not as well informed as you are.
Unconfirmed - pro-Ruzzian sources are speaking of an evacuation by Ukraine of nearly all villages along the dnipro river ; during winter, the river will be covered by a 1 foot thick layer of solid ice; There's no "Surovikin" line in the shores of the rives. Make of it what you want.
Also (unconfirmed rumour), UK has sent to Ukraine a drone capable of carrying and launching an anti-air missile. The compensation for job risk may raise quite fast for Ruzzian helicopter pilots.
edited to add:
[irrelevant image too big for my taste]
Hydra 400 - This can be carried in the back of a truck and be ready to fly in a few minutes. My guess, UK is going to "combat test-it" in Ruzzian helicopters. I think sales will be good in the future.
Also (unconfirmed rumour), UK has sent to Ukraine a drone capable of carrying and launching an anti-air missile. The compensation for job risk may raise quite fast for Ruzzian helicopter pilots.
edited to add:
[irrelevant image too big for my taste]
Hydra 400 - This can be carried in the back of a truck and be ready to fly in a few minutes. My guess, UK is going to "combat test-it" in Ruzzian helicopters. I think sales will be good in the future.
Well lets see, in Kherson coldest month is January with Average High:1.4C, Average low:-4.4C, Daily mean:-1.6C so a foot thick layer of solid ice on a river with moving water without a dam you say? A light car *might* be able to drive through if it gets extra cold, but forget about tanks. So sending soldiers in without heavy armor where they're backed into a river and all of the resupply lines and retreat would go over ice? You must be some kind of general, what could possibly go wrong with such plan? How many thousands of soldier lives should they try this ingenious plan with?
Can you stop these silly propaganda rumors? I'm still not sure if you're spreading this hopium for yourself, or you actually believe that you are convincing anyone that some miracle game changer weapon that can change the outcome of the war is just right around the corner? Anyone with half a brain would laugh at these "rumors". Deja vu
The latest shipment of weapons from US to Ukraine includes a significant number of "switchblade" drones (technically "munitions" as they are single use).
This is how they look:
As you can see, they look like a crap taken from a "Five below" shop, uh? And that is not that far from the truth to be honest. This costs around 6000 USD and comes in two flavours - tank destroyer and ant-personnel. It works like this - your average Joe McSoldier carries a tube that is not too heavy and requires 10 minutes to get ready. This happens well away the front line and well away the usual artillery range. You do not need an exceptional IQ to use this.
The drone is launched and can roam around for 40 mins or so and cover a few tens of miles. It carries sensors and the like and, once the operator decides there is an interesting target, it fixes on it and "kamikazes" onto it - be a tank, other vehicles or a platoon having tea.
Total cost of the operation:
Drone: 6000 USD
Infantry grunt: 30 USD per one hour of work.
Total loss for the enemy:
If hits a T-90: 2 million USDv + trained crew of 3
If hits a T-72: 0.6 million USD + trained crew of 5
If hits other stuff: 100 to 500k USD.
The big bingo is when you hit a S-400 anti-air system. We are talking millions USD.
Let's say the enemy shot's it down with a SAM:
Cost of a stinger or similar: 40k
If you are stupid and use a S-400: 10M USD
I am sure that most people in the forum understand that this is a game changer. Had Ukraine had 100 of these when the 40 mile long column was a sitting duck on the road to Kyiv, the war would have been quite different.
Remember, if you are a Russian soldier, you do not have to die for Putin. Sell your vehicle or aircraft to me or other honest buyers and see your family again some day or go west and relax all cool.
This is how they look:
As you can see, they look like a crap taken from a "Five below" shop, uh? And that is not that far from the truth to be honest. This costs around 6000 USD and comes in two flavours - tank destroyer and ant-personnel. It works like this - your average Joe McSoldier carries a tube that is not too heavy and requires 10 minutes to get ready. This happens well away the front line and well away the usual artillery range. You do not need an exceptional IQ to use this.
The drone is launched and can roam around for 40 mins or so and cover a few tens of miles. It carries sensors and the like and, once the operator decides there is an interesting target, it fixes on it and "kamikazes" onto it - be a tank, other vehicles or a platoon having tea.
Total cost of the operation:
Drone: 6000 USD
Infantry grunt: 30 USD per one hour of work.
Total loss for the enemy:
If hits a T-90: 2 million USDv + trained crew of 3
If hits a T-72: 0.6 million USD + trained crew of 5
If hits other stuff: 100 to 500k USD.
The big bingo is when you hit a S-400 anti-air system. We are talking millions USD.
Let's say the enemy shot's it down with a SAM:
Cost of a stinger or similar: 40k
If you are stupid and use a S-400: 10M USD
I am sure that most people in the forum understand that this is a game changer. Had Ukraine had 100 of these when the 40 mile long column was a sitting duck on the road to Kyiv, the war would have been quite different.
Remember, if you are a Russian soldier, you do not have to die for Putin. Sell your vehicle or aircraft to me or other honest buyers and see your family again some day or go west and relax all cool.
Please notice in bold my "make of it want you want" - I can see you have followed my instructions to the letter and start imagining a tank division running to Crimea through the ice. Good boy.
Re Switchblades, they have been used in the front, so as usual you are trying to attack ad-hominem (by questioning the veracity of something that is well documented to be true), which is usually as sign of having no argument.
The Hydra-400... you will need to tell me a bit more how this is not correct, because the vehicle exists, it has the capabilities I say and I clearly stated that is unconfirmed that these may be sent to Ukraine... so....maybe or maybe next year.
Furthermore, I would say that drones have certainly been a game changer in the war. Particularly the "suicide ones" like switchblade and many other. Just listen to a million testimonies from soldiers and view hours of footage. Not to mention the surveillance ones.