Novorossiya Armed Forces (NAF)

Could be that they are just relying on using the reduced range on passive. There is an upgrade for the sights occuring that increases the range on passive, but it is for T-72 in India, and the only sight replacement for Russian T-72 is of course Sosna-U for B3 upgrade.

Besides some basic ammo, does any of the Novorussian regions produce any military hardware? Like assault rifles, grenades, artillery pieces, etc? Cause for an war of attrition, would be ideal for Novorussian territories to start up production of more basic military gear needed. Even increase mobility with basic production of wheeled units (basic vehicles or whatever). I know it would be hard and costly, but will be needed as Russia cannot blatantly provide all of this.

No, not any fighting hardware, just the explosive production facilities at Donetsk, and during Soviet times PMP were made at Lugansk.

Seeing how even terrorists start plants to produce explosives and makeshift artillery systems, I can't see why they haven't. Could help big time for attrition. Make recoiless launchers and such.

sepheronx wrote:Besides some basic ammo, does any of the Novorussian regions produce any military hardware?  Like assault rifles, grenades, artillery pieces, etc?  Cause for an war of attrition, would be ideal for Novorussian territories to start up production of more basic military gear needed.  Even increase mobility with basic production of wheeled units (basic vehicles or whatever).  I know it would be hard and costly, but will be needed as Russia cannot blatantly provide all of this.

While Russia has old weapons and expired or close to expire ammunition, I would expect a transference of it to Donbass. Light and towed weapons plus ammunition are likely to be moved. Both Novorrussia and Russia have a benefit. There are some reasons that lead to it:

- The old weapons and ammunition are to be used, even, are to be used first, in the short-term if needed.
- To produce new weapons and ammunition requires money, to destroy old weapons and ammunition also requires money. Both are more expensive than to use the stored ammunition. To keep storages also requires money.
- The weapons and ammunitions that can be transported hidden inside a vehicle (including even heavy pieces of towed artillery) give not too much trouble to be moved.

In fact this would not be a trouble for Russia, Surely Novorrussia will not consum weapons and ammunition at higher speed than the rythm of replacement of expired ammunition in Russia. It means that Novorrussia can keep this level of fight without spend in new productions and without create a need to change the current programs of replacement of weapons and ammunition of Russia.

It can be a worse problem for Ukraine, despite they will surely receive weapons and ammunition of the sovietic era from the countries to their west. This reserve is surely shorter and more expensive.

The trouble for Novorrussia can be more in the mobile warfare, that is bigger and more difficult to move hidden. Despite it I do not expect Novorrussia to begin to produce them.

I was thinking of armaments plants that already existed before 2014. But of course there are now weapons made in Donbass, for instance 82mm mortars at Tochmash, but such systems are not difficult to make. Production lines for AK or any type of HMG is another matter, but there is no shortages anyway. The main issue is shortage of SP artillery, and that needs major pre existing plants with trained workforce and huge amounts of materials, and there is unlikely to be anything capable of making more than ancient muzzle loading cannon before the war is won.

I was thinking if they can make recoiless rifles, as those would also be effective I imagine against Ukronazi's.

Grad "P" have been "home made", and perhaps better than recoiless rifle, even if not very accurate.

Novorussia have Topaz radioelectronic factory in Donetsk, which was producer of Kolchuga ELINT complex. Novorussia could produce their own communications as well as ELINT and jamming equipment. They could buy all needed components in Russia as well as new Ural or Kamaz trucks for larger complexes. They could build their own C4I and increase effectiveness of Novorussian army. It's true, that they capture a lot of Ukrainian command post vehicles, but they also need new more modern ones, that 404 could not interrupt their work.

If KRET allow them to build their own 1L122 portable radars to control air space, that would increase effectiveness of their air defense as well.

Lugansk V-Day parade

Are those guns at 3min M46 130mm? I didnt notced them during fights 2014-2015. Or i am wrong?

marat wrote:Are those guns at 3min M46 130mm? I didnt notced them during fights 2014-2015. Or i am wrong?

No, those are 2A65 “Msta-B”. But yes, M46 has been spotted more than once in Donbass though last 2 years as they were captured from UA.

Thanks for both clarifications.

Zakharchenko: Donetsk has up to 40 thousand skilled military in reserve.

Today the Ukrainian group in Donbass exceeds the number of the Armed Forces the People's Republics, but the enemy should know that Donetsk has in reserve up to 40 thousand skilled soldiers only on the territory of the DPR.

It was stated at a press conference by the Head of the DPR Alexander Zakharchenko, when he was commenting on the threat of offensive on the Ukrainian side.
According to him, the reserve is based on volunteers with combat experience. 'Concerning mobilization, if necessary, we will sure have it. The enemy exceeds us in the amount of troops, and considerably at that, it exceeds us in the number of military equipment and weapons. As for mobilization... I do not think it right to call 18-year-old boys, untrained and uneducated, to the army. I think wed will call volunteers. They can give us from 30 to 40 thousand only on our territory. These are people who have already fought. Well, if it is absolutely necessary, unbearably difficult, then we will announce mobilization,' said Zakharchenko.

So that is an additional 40K of reserves that can assist the current 35K in service of Donetsk, is this correct? What about Lugansk?

sepheronx wrote:So that is an additional 40K of reserves that can assist the current 35K in service of Donetsk, is this correct? What about Lugansk?

First of all the 35,000 is the Novorossiya Armed Forces, which is a combo of the Donetsk and the Luhansk militias. The 1st Army Corp (AK) is from Donetsk while the 2nd Army Corps is from Luhansk with the exception of the 7th Brigade, which is from Donetsk, but comes under the control of the 2nd Corps. This unit covers the border area between Donetsk and Luhansk centering at Debal'tseve.
Second question is that based on percentage and populations, Luhansk would have around 20,000 if Donetsk has 40,000 reservist.

So theory of all of Novorussia reserve units is ~60,000.

What is total population between both then? Cause that is a fairly decent size for two areas.

Then of course, there are the foreigners as well, are they counted as reserve or no? Because I imagine they could get a lot more volunteers.

sepheronx wrote:So theory of all of Novorussia reserve units is ~60,000.

What is total population between both then? Cause that is a fairly decent size for two areas.

Then of course, there are the foreigners as well, are they counted as reserve or no? Because I imagine they could get a lot more volunteers.

Now this is quite near to what we predict about the size of Novorussian army. 35.000 active plus ~60.000 give ~95.000 in total. If we count foreign volunteers and others, which will come in case of a new war, than Novorussian army actually have ~100.000 soldiers, what is practically equal to Ukrainian army on the front. Novorussian army is well trained with higher morale and better motivation and with competent commanders, who prove their skills in the battlefield. They have less tanks and artillery, but still the ratio is 1:2 for Ukraine at best.

Before war Donetsk and Lugansk oblast have 6,5 million people. I think majority of population is still in DNR and LNR and not that many people left in occupied territories.

Have heard combined figures of 2,700,000 to 3,300,00 living under the control of the two republics. This would be half or less from the old Ukrainian Oblasts. Which would be close to the physical division of the two territories between Republics and Ukrainian control.

Damn shame they couldn't take all of Donetsk and Lugansk then. Cause that would give Novorussia much better figures to work with especially on development/economics.

Oh well, shoulda/woulda/coulda.

but

Donetsk flag on the highest land of the world

sepheronx wrote:Damn shame they couldn't take all of Donetsk and Lugansk then.  Cause that would give Novorussia much better figures to work with especially on development/economics.

Oh well, shoulda/woulda/coulda.

And the rest.
Right now these two republics are not viable.

KiloGolf wrote:

sepheronx wrote:Damn shame they couldn't take all of Donetsk and Lugansk then.  Cause that would give Novorussia much better figures to work with especially on development/economics.

Oh well, shoulda/woulda/coulda.

And the rest.
Right now these two republics are not viable.

They are viable. Just look at Daraya. Surviving strong after many years of siege and battle. Look at Idlib province. Syria cannot even dream to take that. Novorossia is quite large at about 17,000 square kilometers. If Ukrainian army is as incompetent as Syrian army, Ukrainian army has no chance of conquering Novorossia

Novorossia is Russia's tool to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. Although IMO it don't matter. With or without Novorossia, Ukraine will join NATO if Ukraine wants to join NATO. Plus, even if Ukraine is not in NATO, American bases will be in Ukraine regardless.

These photos of modified VSN T-72B appeared in public

KMT-7 mineroller and with additional bricks attached on turret