The Situation in the Ukraine. #22

Grads on the way to the fronline




http://novorossia.today/uaf-shelled-the-western-suburb-of-gorlovka-in-the-night/


on: November 15, 2015

Ukrainian fighters subjected to shelling the village Shirokaya Balka to the West from Gorlovka. Defence Department of the DPR reported to DAN.

‘Village Shirokaya Balka near Grlovka was shelled from the UA positions about 22.00 pm. They shelled about 30 minutes’, it was reported to the agency.

It was pointed out that the village was shelled by mines of 82 mm caliber, grenade launchers and small guns.

It was also added that during the night the Donetsk airport was subjected to fire many times, about 40 mines (bombs) of 82 and 120 mm caliber were launched by Ukrainian troops.



So far only small arms and mortars. Makes me wonder about the artillery, wether they are preparing a surprise bombardment for their attack, but maybe that is giving them too much credit, so far the Ukranian artillery has shown little technical skill.

More ominous signs.

http://novorossia.today/intelligence-of-the-dpr-revealed-2-tank-platoons-of-uaf-to-the-south-west-of-donetsk/

Intelligence of the DPR revealed 2 tank platoons of UAF to the south-west of Donetsk
on: November 15, 2015

Intelligence of the Donetsk People’s Republic fixed new facts Ukrainian armament projection close to the frontline. It was reported yesterday at the briefing in the press-center DAN by the deputy of the Command-In-Chief of the DPR Eduard Basurin.

‘In regard to the dates of our intelligence, the seating of 2 tank platoons was spotted in 6 km from the frontline in the settlement Novotroitskoe, and 12 units of armoured vehicles were revealed in 7 km to the north-west of Donetsk in the settlement Vodyanoe’, Basurin.

Why don't they implement Minsk? They signed it. They never implement it. DPR and LPR should have pressed Ukraine to implement it before the end of the year as scheduled rather than let Ukraine get away with it.

Wife spoke to a source, local time 17:45. Fighting could clearly be heard, Donetsk Oblast. Heavy arty and some small arms, I estimate about a klick away from the source. Source of course would say nothing about the situation or location, we just know source is in the aforementioned oblast. Source did say it had been all day, off and on but mainly on.

Source in Lughansk Oblast was not available today. Two days ago source stated arty could be heard from time to time in the far distance, source estimated five klicks away.

Afternoon evening reports:

1330 Multiple reports of GRAD rockets fired from Donetsk minutes ago (ukranian source, it could be ours, outgoing, or incoming, from them)

1500
Enrico Ivanov ‏North-western outskirts of Donetsk under Ukrainian shellings!
Fightings between Avdeevka and Peski

Heavy fightings with the use of mortars, rifles and machine guns in ShirokoyBalka Western suburbs of Gorlovka


1535. Donetsk.

North part of the city under heavy artillery fire: Avdeevka-Spartak, Airport, Putilovka, Peski-Oktyabr'skiy. o


1740. Donetsk.

In area Opytne-Airport, after a short pause, continued a intense battle with heavy artillery


1755 Gorlovka  being shelled with  2S19 Msta 152 mm self propelled howitzers


In my assessment this is not yet the big push. I was thinking this time that setting up the towed artillery would be both delayed by the rain, and the buildup in that scale would be noticed. Seems is just long range harassing from some self propelled artillery.

[quote="JohninMK"]Couple of items from Interfax today. First it looks like batches of the AN/TPQ-36 are arriving. Think this might be the second batch.

Two counter-battery radars are to be delivered from the United States to the city of Yavoriv in Ukraine's Lviv region this week, the U.S. Ambassador in Kyiv, Geoffrey Pyatt, has said. The U.S. has provided Ukraine with Humvee armored vehicles, counter-artillery radars, and now two counter-battery radars will be delivered to Yavoriv as early as this week, Pyatt said in an interview published on Friday.
Photo of these arriving on a C-17. Like most US operational gear, its in desert camo so first stop the paint shop.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1579192.html

Yandex says text says

As reported by the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt, 14 November 2015 at the Lviv airport American military transport aircraft Boeing C-17A (tail number USAF 97-0041) were delivered to two intended for transfer to the armed forces of Ukraine from the presence of the US army radar detection of artillery positions AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder. Stations are made on the trailers for the HMMWV. In the ceremony of "meeting" of the radar at the airport was attended by President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

JohninMK wrote:

JohninMK wrote:Couple of items from Interfax today. First it looks like batches of the AN/TPQ-36 are arriving. Think this might be the second batch.

Two counter-battery radars are to be delivered from the United States to the city of Yavoriv in Ukraine's Lviv region this week, the U.S. Ambassador in Kyiv, Geoffrey Pyatt, has said. The U.S. has provided Ukraine with Humvee armored vehicles, counter-artillery radars, and now two counter-battery radars will be delivered to Yavoriv as early as this week, Pyatt said in an interview published on Friday.
Photo of these arriving on a C-17. Like most US operational gear, its in desert camo so first stop the paint shop.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1579192.html

Yandex says text says

As reported by the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt, 14 November 2015 at the Lviv airport American military transport aircraft Boeing C-17A (tail number USAF 97-0041) were delivered to two intended for transfer to the armed forces of Ukraine from the presence of the US army radar detection of artillery positions AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder. Stations are made on the trailers for the HMMWV. In the ceremony of "meeting" of the radar at the airport was attended by President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

Those CBR's are on the same level than Zoopark. And they're 2. WTF?

You really have to wonder who writes his words, it can't surely be him? My highlights, terrorism is Russia's fault and what about the hatered for the Russian language in Ukraine?

"I have no doubt that the violation of security guarantees from States that stockpile nuclear weapons, the annexation of Crimea, the occupation of Donbas and the threat of force from the Kremlin have become a stimulus for global terrorism," he said.

The Prime Minister noted that the world community should unite around a few principles: unity, global solutions, alliance.

"Freedom and humanity are key features of the world we seek to protect. We have the reason and power to do everything possible to enforce freedom for humanity, before we are crushed by totalitarianism, xenophobia and hatred of another culture, faith or language", - said Yatsenyuk.

KoTeMoRe wrote:

JohninMK wrote:

JohninMK wrote:Couple of items from Interfax today. First it looks like batches of the AN/TPQ-36 are arriving. Think this might be the second batch.

Two counter-battery radars are to be delivered from the United States to the city of Yavoriv in Ukraine's Lviv region this week, the U.S. Ambassador in Kyiv, Geoffrey Pyatt, has said. The U.S. has provided Ukraine with Humvee armored vehicles, counter-artillery radars, and now two counter-battery radars will be delivered to Yavoriv as early as this week, Pyatt said in an interview published on Friday.
Photo of these arriving on a C-17. Like most US operational gear, its in desert camo so first stop the paint shop.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1579192.html

Yandex says text says

As reported by the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt, 14 November 2015 at the Lviv airport American military transport aircraft Boeing C-17A (tail number USAF 97-0041) were delivered to two intended for transfer to the armed forces of Ukraine from the presence of the US army radar detection of artillery positions AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder. Stations are made on the trailers for the HMMWV. In the ceremony of "meeting" of the radar at the airport was attended by President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

Those CBR's are on the same level than Zoopark. And they're 2. WTF?

Could you explain a little please?

These counter battery radars are a big deal. They pin point artillery out to say 50 km. That means Ukrainian soldiers immediately know exactly where NAF fire artillery from and send counter fire. AFAIK NAF does not have counter battery radars.

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine-abroad/united-states-hands-over-2-counter-battery-radar-systems-to-ukraine-402066.html

ultron wrote:These counter battery radars are a big deal. They pin point artillery out to say 50 km. That means Ukrainian soldiers immediately know exactly where NAF fire artillery from and send counter fire. AFAIK NAF does not have counter battery radars.

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine-abroad/united-states-hands-over-2-counter-battery-radar-systems-to-ukraine-402066.html

Thanks, but I know that, I was after the relevance of the mention by KoTeRoMe of Zoopark.

JohninMK wrote:

KoTeMoRe wrote:

JohninMK wrote:

JohninMK wrote:Couple of items from Interfax today. First it looks like batches of the AN/TPQ-36 are arriving. Think this might be the second batch.

Two counter-battery radars are to be delivered from the United States to the city of Yavoriv in Ukraine's Lviv region this week, the U.S. Ambassador in Kyiv, Geoffrey Pyatt, has said. The U.S. has provided Ukraine with Humvee armored vehicles, counter-artillery radars, and now two counter-battery radars will be delivered to Yavoriv as early as this week, Pyatt said in an interview published on Friday.
Photo of these arriving on a C-17. Like most US operational gear, its in desert camo so first stop the paint shop.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1579192.html

Yandex says text says

As reported by the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt, 14 November 2015 at the Lviv airport American military transport aircraft Boeing C-17A (tail number USAF 97-0041) were delivered to two intended for transfer to the armed forces of Ukraine from the presence of the US army radar detection of artillery positions AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder. Stations are made on the trailers for the HMMWV. In the ceremony of "meeting" of the radar at the airport was attended by President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

Those CBR's are on the same level than Zoopark. And they're 2. WTF?

Could you explain a little please?

The two CBR's are mid range assets, the real range isn't 50 km, closer to 30 with the overdrive and that's for a large calibre artillery rocket like a 220mm. For practical purpose it's around 20 km and that's on sequential mode. On automatic, you're looking at 15 km of 25/75m CEP. There's also a catch with the AN/TPQ, it has specific power signature. As the Ukrainians do not have Datalink compatible with the AN/TPQ there's no way to actually fire on automatic, so the crews will have to aim manually delaying the action. You're looking at 10/15 sec reaction at best.

ultron wrote:These counter battery radars are a big deal. They pin point artillery out to say 50 km. That means Ukrainian soldiers immediately know exactly where NAF fire artillery from and send counter fire. AFAIK NAF does not have counter battery radars.

http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine-abroad/united-states-hands-over-2-counter-battery-radar-systems-to-ukraine-402066.html

You're talking shit butthead. These are TPQ 36, the TPQ 37 is truck-trailer mounted system. And it's way bigger than this one.

Please stop talking BS.

BTW KoTeMoRe, didn't you mention you trained in the artillery corp. in the Albanian military?

magnumcromagnon wrote:BTW KoTeMoRe, didn't you mention you trained in the artillery corp. in the Albanian military?

Yup HQ in Vlora, detached in Tepelenë. Normal military service.

Troop buildup increasing

T-72 tanks seen in railway station at Kherson, on the way to Donbass

The type is significant. I fear they might have been provided by former Soviet bloc countries.










**

Latest sitrep, troop buildup detected on the front


http://novorossia.today/sitrep-of-the-militia-of-novorossia-for-the-last-24-hours-15th-november/

At 7.30 pm Ukrainian fighters opened fire at the village Staromihaylovka having used mortars of 82 mm caliber, grenade launchers, small arms. The information of wounded and damages has not got yet.

Report from the militiaman: ‘Ukrainian punitives fixed last night floading pontoons through the Kalmius river close to the village Orlovskoe to the southern front.

They transferred MRLS of different types all night through pontoons closer to our positions. We are ordered strangely not to open fire even from small arms’.

Column of tanks and trucks with armament and fighters entered Cossack village in Lugansk and Olhovskoe. These trucks, buses had signs ‘School’, and cars also have the same sign or ‘Children’.

Report from the LPR’s militia: In regard to the dates of the intelligence, groupings of Ukrainian Armed Forces are increasing. There are more than 9000 people in the Cossack village near Lugansk and 350 units of APC.

About 6200 fighters are close Schastie and 200 units of military equipment, 1000 of fighters and about 50 units of APC are in the Tryohizbenka region. 8000 fighters and 150 units of armoured vehicles are close to Popasnaya.

20.03, Report from the DPR’s militiaman:

Mortar duel between UAF and NAF started at 4 pm, later Ukies used artillery that was to be taken away and especially the howitzer MSTA with caliber 152 mm calibers. They stopped for a while and then the artillery duels restarted. Ukrainian part used also heavy artillery, self-propelled machines with the same caliber. It means that they are preparing to the attack.

5 mines of 82 mm caliber landed in suburbs of Staromihaylovka. Short firefights were in the area of Volvo-Center. At 8 pm. Petrovka hear loud explosions.

At 7 pm, firefight restarted in Shirokaya Balka of Gorlovka.

At 8 pm, Trudovskie also heard loud sounds.

At 3.35 pm northern suburbs of Donetsk were subjected to shelling by heavy artillery. Avdeevka-Spartak, Putilovka. Peski-Octyabriskiy were shelled by howitzer and micro district Abakumova was subjected to shooting by small arms, and several time was used heavy artillery.

At 9 pm we the Defence Ministry of received the information of the shelling village Sahanka to the South of the Republic. The shelling lasted about 1 hour’, it was said to the Donetsk News Agency. It was added that the hostility opened fire from the demilitarized zone Shirokino, they used mortars of 82 mm caliber, grenade launchers. Altogether 15 mines were launched.



Translated by Nataliya Sinyavskaya

Ispan wrote:Troop buildup increasing

T-72 tanks seen in railway station at Kherson, on the way to Donbass

The type is significant. I fear they might have been provided by former Soviet bloc countries.










**

Not 72,s but T 80.

I hope those T-80 tanks won't be used in battle, because another Soviet tank's reputation and legacy will be destroyed.

I am still not convinced about actual ground offensive in the future, harassing fire seems all they will do, make life miserable for population.

SturmGuard wrote:I hope those T-80 tanks won't be used in battle, because another Soviet tank's reputation and legacy will be destroyed.

I am still not convinced about actual ground offensive in the future, harassing fire seems all they will do, make life miserable for population.

What reputation? Russians hated the SOB in Chechnya. This needs a whole other logistical chain than Country 404. They're good tanks as long as their crews have a plan with them. Plus these are (old) BV tanks them being undone by ATGM's, artillery and rockets isn't going to be that much of a dismay. Abroomz got laid by weapons that GDLS advertized as unable to penetrate and destroy its creation.

We're living in a different world now.

By the way a word of explanation when it comes to radar signature. Most legacy systems the Ukrainian have on battaltion level are 30kW processing. These two have a sub 30kW processing. It will be very easy to PID the sources as well US CBR's. It's like sending whitle people in Africa, they're going to stand out.

I have an impression that T-80U and T-80UD were the best Cold War tank designs (firepower, mobility, protection across frontal arc vs both KE and CE etc.), on the other hand, how much of UAF T-80s are those variants or based upon them? I am familiar with the poor performance in Chechnya, but no tank design would perform well if employed in such way.

Are T-80B or T-80BVs any better than T-64BV when it comes to protection and firepower?

SturmGuard wrote:I have an impression that T-80U and T-80UD were the best Cold War tank designs (firepower, mobility, protection across frontal arc vs both KE and CE etc.), on the other hand, how much of UAF T-80s are those variants or based upon them? I am familiar with the poor performance in Chechnya, but no tank design would perform well if employed in such way.

Are T-80B or T-80BVs any better than T-64BV when it comes to protection and firepower?

Protection is irrelevant in this. The Ukrainians sent Bulat's those got hit and disabled with mass fire and the mop up crews blew them to bits. No piece of hardware is going to change a fight in this war. The superior level of organization the NovoRussian/Russian troops displayed was key to their successes. Same for now, no matter what wuderwaffle is sent by country 404, they will be sent back with the check.

The T80 is a better tank, but those were more expensive to use than T64's, that's why the Ukrainians and Russians were relying on olrder tanks (T64 & T72 respectively) for the bulk of their armour. It's simply a matter of economy now. So a better tank gotten out of storage isn't exactly the way I'd fight this war.

When are they going to implement Minsk? It was supposed to be done this year but they postponed it.

KoTeMoRe wrote:

SturmGuard wrote:I have an impression that T-80U and T-80UD were the best Cold War tank designs (firepower, mobility, protection across frontal arc vs both KE and CE etc.), on the other hand, how much of UAF T-80s are those variants or based upon them? I am familiar with the poor performance in Chechnya, but no tank design would perform well if employed in such way.

Are T-80B or T-80BVs any better than T-64BV when it comes to protection and firepower?

Protection is irrelevant in this. The Ukrainians sent Bulat's those got hit and disabled with mass fire and the mop up crews blew them to bits. No piece of hardware is going to change a fight in this war. The superior level of organization the NovoRussian/Russian troops displayed was key to their successes. Same for now, no matter what wuderwaffle is sent by country 404, they will be sent back with the check.

The T80 is a better tank, but those were more expensive to use than T64's, that's why the Ukrainians and Russians were relying on olrder tanks (T64 & T72 respectively) for the bulk of their armour. It's simply a matter of economy now. So a better tank gotten out of storage isn't exactly the way I'd fight this war.

T-72 has much better ammo layout, making catastrophic explosions less likely in case of armor penetration.

More material movements

Another dozen of UAF self-propelled artilery - Gvozdika moving to front line
*

Is this accurate?

http://newsru.com/finance/16nov2015/credit.html