Posted on 04/02/2022 12:24:00 PM PDT by Zhang Fei
When a Russian tank army swept southwest from the Russia-Belarus border region into northern Ukraine on the morning of Feb. 24, a single Ukrainian tank brigade stood between it and the eastern suburbs of Kyiv.
The Ukrainian army’s 1st Tank Brigade was outnumbered—not only by the 10 or so battalion tactical groups belonging to the Russian 41st Combined Arms Army, but also adjacent Russian formations.
Incredibly, the 1st Tank Brigade not only halted the larger Russian force in the first few days of Russia’s wider war in Ukraine, it swiftly transitioned to an active defense and, for the next five weeks, protected the city of Chernihiv, 60 miles northeast of Kyiv.
The Russians surrounded and cut off Chernihiv, but the 1st Tank Brigade and an assortment of reserve and territorial units held out. On Thursday, the Ukrainians retook the first of several main roads connecting Kyiv and Chernihiv, lifting a month-long siege and shifting the momentum along this front toward the Ukrainians for the first time since the Russians attacked.
The 1st Tank Brigade is one of the best of Ukraine’s 20 active brigades. It includes three tank battalions with the latest locally-produced T-64BM tanks as well as a mechanized infantry battalion with BMP fighting vehicles. Each battalion on paper includes 40 or 50 vehicles and around 400 troops.
The brigade’s supporting troops include three artillery battalions—one each with 2S1 and 2S3 self-propelled howitzers and BM-21 rocket-launchers—plus air-defense troops with Strela-10 and Tunguska tracked missile-launchers and guns.
Other units, including nearby air-defense and artillery brigades, provide additional firepower, including heavier rockets and howitzers and longer-range air-defense systems.
The 1st Tank Brigade, like many Ukrainian formations, once was part of the Soviet army—and fell into disarray following the Soviet collapse in 1991. The Ukrainian army reconstituted the brigade in September 2014.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Right, its the one thing the retreating Russians left.
What is next?
—
Giant asteroid strike in 2 weeks ELE?
Churchill 20 Jan 1940:
“Only Finland-superb, nay, sublime-in the jaws of peril-Finland shows what free men can do. The service rendered by Finland to mankind is magnificent. They have exposed, for all the world to see, the military incapacity of the Red Army and of the Red Air Force.
Many illusions about Soviet Russia have been dispelled in these few fierce weeks of fighting in the Arctic Circle. Everyone can see how Communism rots the soul of a nation; how it makes it abject and hungry in peace, and proves it base and abominable in war. We cannot tell what the fate of Finland may be, but no more mournful spectacle could be presented to what is left to civilized mankind than that this splendid Northern race should be at last worn down and reduced to servitude worse than death by the dull brutish force of overwhelming numbers. If the light of freedom which still burns so brightly in the frozen North should be finally quenched, it might well herald a return to the Dark Ages, when every vestige of human progress during two thousand years would be engulfed.”
[Both wars lasted more than a decade, and we escaped from rooftops in Vietnam, and the goat-humpers in Afghanistan drove us out of their country.
But does that mean Vietnam/Afghanistan won?]
Ukraine’s economy ($150b) is 1/10 the size of Russia’s ($1.5t). Its population is 1/3.
Saudi Arabia produces the same amount of oil as Russia. Saudi Arabia’s economy ($750b) is 1/2 the size of Russia’s. Assuming that Saudi oil production accounts (with multiplier effects) for its entire economic output, Russia’s economy is 5x Ukraine’s just as a result of oil production. Then there’s natural gas, gold, nickel, platinum, palladium, diamonds, tungsten, titanium, et al. This mineral wealth is why Putin has a $200b personal fortune.
If you take out natural resource extraction, Russia’s economy is probably the same size as Ukraine’s. Basically, Russia is a Christian Saudi Arabia, except you can grow crops in Russia, whereas the Saudi desert is literally barren.
I understand India might feel better off if Russia got bigger. Heck - Indians would probably prefer it if Russia conquered all of Europe. In fact, Indians might be better off if Putin conquered India and sent the existing Indian elites to Siberia - their misrule of a talented people is truly a story of missed opportunity after missed opportunity.
Me personally, I’m just not comfortable with Russian globalism. That’s why I think it’s vital that we help Ukrainian oligarchs ward off Russian globalists. Putin’s is the kind of globalism Alexander the Great set out to accomplish, and every “the Great” in Russian history (Vladimir, Ivan, Peter, Catherine) attempted to advance. With Russian globalism, you don’t go to Moscow. Moscow comes to you. In the old days, we used to call this imperialism or colonialism. But in the spirit of the times, the current neologism seems apt.
“I’m 50 miles from the Ukrainian border. The Ukrainians fighting are not oligarchs nor oligarch pawns. They are fighting for their homes”
The ones who rushed to attack the Donbass for the crime of opting out of the coup, and pounded them with artillery for 8 years, killing 14,000. What are they fighting for? To force Donbass to fall under the control of the coup? The ones with SS tattoos and SS logos on their helmets. The ones celebrating the Galician SS Division and celebrating Bandera, what are they fighting for?
I see a damaged truckload in a closely cropped, not a stockpile.
We had developed more than a dozen (revealed) joint training sites in UA, mostly developed under Trump and his EUCOM CDR’s General Scaparroti, and operations and training continued in earnest under Gen Wolters. Some of these sites existed before Trump, but were a total joke. Now they were involved with training with critical ISR interactivity with modern armor, artillery, and infantry.
This all changed because of Trump, as he was quickly “read-in” on a plathora of Russian and joint Russian/Chinese efforts and very real national threats, “read-in” on a largely “captured” NATO, and very significant penetration of the US on different levels.
As well, while NATO is led by the US, we revealed EU NATO actors as part of the effort to get rid of Trump, as well as literally working with Russia and other non-NATO foreign governments and actors and efforts to try and neutralize Trump.
Wolters may not be as conservative as Scaparroti, but he also worked well with Trump.
Both EUCOM CDR’s were really forced to proactively work around NATO, as the CDR’s were concerned with real threats, while NATO bureaucracy was leftist and political.
Trump was able to positively impact NATO command, but like some of our IC, it is made up of both EU and globalist American bureaucrats.
I cannot get into it all, but *Trump and his family were directly threatened by elements from within RU. (I know, this is Far from nearly all known information and accepted narratives)
Joint US/UA training was taken very seriously by Trump. This involved intensive joint EUCOM/NORTHCOM/UA focus on known and theoretical US/RU theater, and tactical operations. We intensively trained UA in all aspects of potential conflict with RU.
Among others, Trump worked with some of our most conservative Senators to bolster UA, including Senator Inhofe )a friend of mine), and Senator Blackburn (certainly a true patriot and political ally)
https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/newsroom/photos/inhofe-visits-oklahoma-soldiers-in-ukraine
(And we were all over their visits to UA as well. Both had significant interaction with UA’s CDR’s, and both have been involved with efforts to take down DNC/Kremlin DCM in UA as well)
However, Trump simultaneously was against UA joining NATO.
In other words, both the US and UA were walking a tightrope.
*In fact, there was one RU “training exercise”, involving both RU Southern and Western Military Districts, where RU had more actual firepower along the UA border than they did by 23 FEB 2022.
This specific RU “exercise” buildup followed the same characteristics we saw in JAN/FEB this year, and followed —
1. Earlier briefs/indoc given to Trump -
2. Followed Trump and his family being directly threatened by RU -
3. Involved strong communication with Gen Scaparroti (who really got along with Trump) -
4. FOLLOWED UP BY Trump sending a strong warning to Putin.
5. And involved UA’s Gen Shaptala visited the Pentagon and Northern VA for a week. (Gen Korniychuck oddly took a back seat, and was thought to possibly be compromised). NATO was near terminally penetrated, and justifiably deemed by most of us, and Trump, as “captured” (not alone, but primary problem - Germany)
What am I saying -
UA right now —
We are fundamentally talking about a direct US/RU scenario, where NATO is considered (at least temporarily), “captured”, with direct German NATO Command under both Schroder and recent Merlel working directly with Putin, including on military matters.)
At least two Eastern EU countries, and Israel, revealed RU’s attempted work through NATO, to literally take down Trump.
(No, I don’t do drugs)
More (2017) Background —
Trump was comprehensively briefed early on in the long term and deep ties, and even political pedigree and RU insertion into specific high profile Congressional, Senatorial, and Executive branch persons, actively working with Moscow and Beijing.
While on the same page, Trump was forced to take DCM much more seriously than did any previous administration, or the EU.
While we are NATO, we had very little real, or little to no involvement from the rest of NATO, except the highly divided Brits. Eastern block countries like Poland or Romania (the nations bordering Western Russia, are where some of our best HUMINT have derived.
Again, traditional NATO were/are considered “captured” by Moscow. So NATO is divided.
So the “rumble in the jungle” in UA really is both unavoidable, and whole not entirely, is truly more a direct RU/US than a “western eu” conflict.
Cannot say where this is all going, but very interesting...
Sounds like true patriots defending their homes from Northern invaders.
it will come from behind the Sun, giving only 3 weeks notice to evacuate the planet.
Putin made sure Trump was up to his eyeballs in alligators for the entire length of his tenure through the Russian collusion frame-up. Igor Danchenko, the guy who was arrested over his role in fabricating the Steele dossier, is Russian. He appears to be a Russian agent planted by Putin inside the Democratic party.
One of the classic ways you discredit your enemy is by planting evidence that suggests he is your paid agent. That was Danchenko’s assignment within the Democratic party - to help stick it to Trump.
Patriotfury's background on Trump's careful preparations for Ukraine's defense during his single term, despite his ongoing legal battles re the Putin-backed Dem attempt to paint him as Putin's marionette:
We had developed more than a dozen (revealed) joint training sites in UA, mostly developed under Trump and his EUCOM CDR’s General Scaparroti, and operations and training continued in earnest under Gen Wolters. Some of these sites existed before Trump, but were a total joke. Now they were involved with training with critical ISR interactivity with modern armor, artillery, and infantry.
This all changed because of Trump, as he was quickly “read-in” on a plathora of Russian and joint Russian/Chinese efforts and very real national threats, “read-in” on a largely “captured” NATO, and very significant penetration of the US on different levels.
As well, while NATO is led by the US, we revealed EU NATO actors as part of the effort to get rid of Trump, as well as literally working with Russia and other non-NATO foreign governments and actors and efforts to try and neutralize Trump.
Wolters may not be as conservative as Scaparroti, but he also worked well with Trump.
Both EUCOM CDR’s were really forced to proactively work around NATO, as the CDR’s were concerned with real threats, while NATO bureaucracy was leftist and political.
Trump was able to positively impact NATO command, but like some of our IC, it is made up of both EU and globalist American bureaucrats.
I cannot get into it all, but *Trump and his family were directly threatened by elements from within RU. (I know, this is Far from nearly all known information and accepted narratives)
Joint US/UA training was taken very seriously by Trump. This involved intensive joint EUCOM/NORTHCOM/UA focus on known and theoretical US/RU theater, and tactical operations. We intensively trained UA in all aspects of potential conflict with RU.
Among others, Trump worked with some of our most conservative Senators to bolster UA, including Senator Inhofe )a friend of mine), and Senator Blackburn (certainly a true patriot and political ally)
https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/newsroom/photos/inhofe-visits-oklahoma-soldiers-in-ukraine
https://www.clarksvilleonline.com/2019/03/26/senator-marsha-blackburn-visits-troops-in-poland-and-ukraine/
(And we were all over their visits to UA as well. Both had significant interaction with UA’s CDR’s, and both have been involved with efforts to take down DNC/Kremlin DCM in UA as well)
However, Trump simultaneously was against UA joining NATO.
In other words, both the US and UA were walking a tightrope.
*In fact, there was one RU “training exercise”, involving both RU Southern and Western Military Districts, where RU had more actual firepower along the UA border than they did by 23 FEB 2022.
This specific RU “exercise” buildup followed the same characteristics we saw in JAN/FEB this year, and followed —
1. Earlier briefs/indoc given to Trump -
2. Followed Trump and his family being directly threatened by RU -
3. Involved strong communication with Gen Scaparroti (who really got along with Trump) -
4. FOLLOWED UP BY Trump sending a strong warning to Putin.
5. And involved UA’s Gen Shaptala visited the Pentagon and Northern VA for a week. (Gen Korniychuck oddly took a back seat, and was thought to possibly be compromised). NATO was near terminally penetrated, and justifiably deemed by most of us, and Trump, as “captured” (not alone, but primary problem - Germany)What am I saying -
UA right now —
We are fundamentally talking about a direct US/RU scenario, where NATO is considered (at least temporarily), “captured”, with direct German NATO Command under both Schroder and recent Merlel working directly with Putin, including on military matters.)
At least two Eastern EU countries, and Israel, revealed RU’s attempted work through NATO, to literally take down Trump.
(No, I don’t do drugs)
More (2017) Background —
Trump was comprehensively briefed early on in the long term and deep ties, and even political pedigree and RU insertion into specific high profile Congressional, Senatorial, and Executive branch persons, actively working with Moscow and Beijing.
While on the same page, Trump was forced to take DCM much more seriously than did any previous administration, or the EU.
While we are NATO, we had very little real, or little to no involvement from the rest of NATO, except the highly divided Brits. Eastern block countries like Poland or Romania (the nations bordering Western Russia, are where some of our best HUMINT have derived.
Again, traditional NATO were/are considered “captured” by Moscow. So NATO is divided.
So the “rumble in the jungle” in UA really is both unavoidable, and whole not entirely, is truly more a direct RU/US than a “western eu” conflict.
Cannot say where this is all going, but very interesting...
If they get in a fight, I know which one I'm rooting for.
OK, that's a good one. A feint is when you fool the other side by looking like you are going to attack, but can subsequently re-direct your forces.
Getting your army mauled, losing hundreds of tanks, IFVs, and trucks, and ending up with piles of dead soldiers is called getting defeated, not a "classic feint".
You keep repeating that lie. I have repeatedly shown why that claim is incorrect, but you are just posting Putin's propaganda talking points.
There has been a war in the Donbass since 2014 when Russian backed separatists started the fighting. During that war both sides have fired at each other. The roughly 14,000 people killed are primarily soldiers serving either in the Ukrainian army or in the Russian/DNR/LPR armed forces.
Just about every shelling exchange goes both ways according to OSCE monitoring reports. Usually the Russian/DNR/LPR forces fire first and the Ukrainians respond.
“but I don’t think that Russia is going to leave the Kiev regime in place at this point.”
Putin is going to end up dangling by his feet from a lamp post.
L
Isn't that what the MSM called Trump supporters too?
Damn Nazis, they're everywhere! They're under our beds, hiding in our closets and creeping around the street corners...........OMG!
All this did not happen between Trump's election and swearing in. This was all building for years up under Obama. Most of us, myself included missed it.
AZOV forces ???? AZOV was one battalion within a much much larger Ukrainian force. They were not even the largest or best equipped unit in the Mariupol region. Realistically they were between 1500-2000 strong but you guys make them sound like they were a whole division. Believe it or not there is not AZOV hiding beneath every tree or under every Ukrainian bed. This AZOV fetish is getting ridiculously weird.
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