Topic: Putin does not seem to achieve Air Superiority and land movements seems a mess (Read 88 times)

I think that he wants to achieve the objectives with minimal losses including civilians, but he is not hesitating on bombarding densely populated cities and my take is that it will get worse. Blanket bombing, fuel-air massive bombardments,... Ukraine is going to pay a heavy price for their freedom to choose their own future, but if they prevail the blow will hit Putin badly and he may face insurrections in other territories.

This is starting to look Grozny.


These are both decent systems. The Javelin in particular costs 100k USD each and can pretty much disable any main battle tank, realistically, at 600m. The stinger unfortunately has a limited altitude (realistically 5000 m) range and, while very effective against helicopters, is no so much against modern fighters and has zero use for high altitude drones or bombers.

These usually are defensive weapons, they would not enable a counter-attack. They could allow a guerrilla warfare, but still Europe and US need to send air defence systems, tanks, planes,.. the "good stuff".

A very simple tool that could be very effective due to the composition of Putin's invading army are the smaller, cheaper yet effective for medium and light armour RPGs and German anti-tanks.

I’m not sure about Crimea, but Ukraine has seen a supply of the missiles below.  They won’t stop the overall result, but initially, even in relatively unskilled hands, it looks like they are slowing the pace of the destruction, and causing the Putainians to think.

Stinger missiles:

Quote from

https://www.indiatoday.in/world/russia-ukraine-war/story/stinger-missiles-us-sent-ukraine-all-you-need-know-1920200-2022-03-03

 “Weighing about 10 kg, it has a range of about 8 km and can target low flying aircraft, helicopters and UAVs. It can hit targets flying up to 11,000 feet. The recent upgrades have meant it is effective against small drones as well.”

Javelin missiles:

Quote From

https://www.al.com/news/2022/03/roll-ukraine-roll-alabama-made-javelin-missiles-flying-russian-tanks-frying.html

“The missile can hit tanks, armored vehicles, fortifications, and even helicopters at ranges of up to 2,733 yards.  The Javelin missile speeds towards its target, zeroing in by constantly comparing its field of view to the original image of the tank it locked onto. The missile is entirely self-homing—a “fire and forget” system that allows the missile crew to displace to a new firing position while the missile is in the air. Javelin can engage an enemy tank at eye level or using a “top attack” mode in which it flies upward and then streaks back down, smashing down into the thinly armored spaces on a tank’s turret roof and top of the hull. Javelin has two warheads, a smaller one to detonate a tank’s explosive reactive armor and a larger one to follow up and punch through the armor itself.”

*2733 yards is about .83 km
*11,000 feet  in height is about 3.35 km

I think Putis is trying to minimize the number of civilian casualties during this war. Otherwise he could have covered every centimeter with bombs and only then send infantry.

Or he is just creating a thread, waiting for Ukraine to surrender and accept independent republics. He just wait, fire missiles, throw bunch of troops and vehicles, and wait. Hit and wait tactics. Otherwise he would have sent strategic bombers and in hours there will be a burned land everywhere.

It's harder than they anticipated, or the commanders are inept, or the equipment is poor. Maybe a combination of all three.

I do wonder what effect 2014 has on this. I mean, to some extent the Russians must think "Well, we waltzed into Crimea in 2014 no problem, no real opposition. So now in 2022 let's do the same again, but on a larger scale". One big difference being that the 2022 Ukranians have been hardened by 8 years of battle against Russian invaders, and are no longer the same proposition they were in 2014. Is it easier to beat an enemy who is unprepared, or an enemy that has spent the best part of a decade building itself up specifically to defend against you? I'm sure this is a part of the reason for the Russian difficulties this time around - their expectation of Ukrainian capacity to resist is 8 years out of date.

Thanks for the trolling. Now... do you have anything to add in terms of  this post, about tactics and strategy?

well putin thought the west is about human rights, and that the ukranians would gladly see their regime being imprisioned he didn't expect the west and ukranians population to defend their genocidal population.

al the current ukranian ressistance was unexpected by putin.

ukranians now will basically act like the nazis denying the initial genocide in donbass.

it will never be possible to undo the issue the western elite will get hunted down by donbass eternally until it is on its knee, even if they remove putin, silence all russian media, it will not stop. the issue has been made.

In theory, Putin's army is supposed to have a large number of technologically updated warplanes and Ukraine, while having a reasonable army, could not really stop them in the air. Air superiority / supremacy should be easy to achieve for Putin, but it does not seem to be happening.

Also, the movement of a large number of troops north of Kyiv would put to shame even the most incompetent of the Second Word war generals. These troops seem like a sitting duck (should I say a sitting snail?) just waiting for a rain of "Javelins".

What do you think of the abilities that, until now, Putin's generals have shown?

I am not discussing the general principle: Pin Ukrainians army in Kiev with several columns and by threating the government, while taking the Black sea coast and Donbas (primary real objective). Plus use disinformation about wanting to depose the government (which may be true as well) to ensure that the resources that should be defending Odessa are used in the north. I am discussing what looks like a poor execution for an invasion that was years in the planning.