New Equipment Arrived for the Ukrainian Army

[mendeleyev]

From the Mendeleyev Journal:

С Новым годом, армия!

In this part of the world, gifts are presented at the New Year. It is no different for the Ukrainian Army as gifts have just arrived for the forces at the front lines. Today the Ukrainian Army received more new tanks, armoured vehicles, transport trucks, and much needed supplies for soldiers.





During the Yanukovich administration and previous Ukrainian governments, little to no funding was provided for updating equipment and regular troop training exercises. Much needed reforms were never initiated, and so the aging Soviet equipment handed down to Ukraine was in a state of severe stagnation.

In contrast, across the border Russia was using oil revenues for modernization of Russia's military.





Upgrading Ukraine's military capabilities might well have prevented the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia in early 2014.





Significantly, Ukrainian defense forces say that American targeting systems have arrived. Until now, the Ukrainian Army had no modern system to detect the location from where rockets were being fired. Knowing this, Russian and pro-Russian troops routinely hide behind apartment buildings, thus forcing the Ukrainian forces to guess range and direction of in-coming fire.

With the American GPS systems they hope to be able to more accurately pin-point the location of enemy fire, and exercise greater precision when returning fire.

[lordtiberius]

Good article

[JayH]

Mende--what is the source of the photo of the tanks? I believe these are not new-but repaired/regenerated-any comment?

It has been reported that apprx 240 Russian tanks have recently crossed the border into Ukraine-this is a massive number.

Anyone care to comment on this--
А вот и подъехали Barrett'ы... M82A3 у наших бойцов
http://twitter.com/Dbnmjr/status/549907433259540480

[lordtiberius]

The Barrett was a local purchase.  The US did give Ukraine MREs though.

[mendeleyev]

Thanks, Jay. I should not have used the term "new" in this case. I checked with my source, another journalist in Ukraine at the moment, and it would seem that you are correct in that they are likely repaired.

Sometimes in the fog of war, literally, details are missed. My apologies for any confusion, and thanks to your keen eye.

[JayH]

Thanks, Jay. I should not have used the term "new" in this case. I checked with my source, another journalist in Ukraine at the moment, and it would seem that you are correct in that they are likely repaired.

Sometimes in the fog of war, literally, details are missed. My apologies for any confusion, and thanks to your keen eye.

I was not trying to be a smart a..  -- . A large number of tanks have been arriving from EU--in fact returning to Ukraine. These tanks have been maintained and ready to go-- and I wondered if there were more.

[southernX]

highly likly the tanks are  being rebuilt /repaired from here in kharkiv


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malyshev_Factory

and the tank graveyard here is a possible base source of supply

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2572149/Stunning-images-huge-abandoned-tank-graveyard-Ukraine-machines-come-retirement-tensions-Russia-continue-escalate.html

SX

[JayH]

SX-- a lot of the tanks shown in masses in photos are not recoverable. They have been working on getting as many serviceable as possible. The urgent need was to get as many as possible into service.

[lordtiberius]

Do you need some MRE's?  We got some.

[southernX]

SX-- a lot of the tanks shown in masses in photos are not recoverable. They have been working on getting as many serviceable as possible. The urgent need was to get as many as possible into service.

jay , yes ,
 however they are good as a partial  base source of supply to canabalise some  parts etc in the rebuilds
as below

Despite production winding down in the 1990s, the plant never officially closed and a handful of mechanics remain on site doing occasional work repairing modern tanks.

you would assume this has been stepped up in recent times

SX

[mendeleyev]

We've moved beyond MREs LT. The GPS detection and guidance systems will have an immediate impact once Ukrainian soldiers are trained on them.

[JayH]

Thanks, Jay. I should not have used the term "new" in this case. I checked with my source, another journalist in Ukraine at the moment, and it would seem that you are correct in that they are likely repaired.

Sometimes in the fog of war, literally, details are missed. My apologies for any confusion, and thanks to your keen eye.

Looks like you may have been ok!!  They may be refurbished,repaired,reconstructed ---whatever  but they are in addition to previous arrival announced( and where photos came from I think)  --BUT--
QUOTE
Happy New Year, the army! 3 weeks ago we congratulated APU with their birthday and they gladly received unprecedented gifts. Now here - the New Year. And again, a bunch of pile of gifts. 95y Battalion Brigade on Spartanah. Battalion 14th Brigade T-64BV. Bouquet of Peonies ... mmm ... too right person. A huge number of KrAZ, as the army has not received for all the years of independence. Cherry on the cake - American systems determine the position of the mortar crew. And many, many, many things. # MAT
С Новым годом, армия!
3 недели назад мы поздравляли ВСУ с их днем рождения, а они радостно получали невиданные ранее подарки. Теперь вот - Новый год. И снова куча-куча подарков.
Батальон 95й бригады на Спартанах. Батальон 14й бригады на Т-64БВ. Букет... ммм... Пионов, тоже нужным специалистам. Громадное количество КРАЗов, столько армия не получала за ВСЕ годы независимости.
Вишенка на тортик - американские системы определения позиций минометных расчетов.
И еще много-много-много чего.
Такими темпами, да еще бы пол-года - волонтерскую гуманитарку будем под Рязань таскать
END QUOTE

The arrival of reinforcements and heavy armour is important-- but the technology now arriving is really important to improving effectiveness.
There is a lot more in the bag of tricks arriving now that will help-- certainly in not seeing good Ukrainians not being killed so readily.Expect to see some more clever weapons( defensive weapons) arriving soon.
The help has been slow in arriving( note the short time from decision of latest US aid and deployment) it will be widespread now.
Let's hope the news opf Russian military deaths in Ukraine starts to have some impact in Russia itself.

[lordtiberius]

We've moved beyond MREs LT. The GPS detection and guidance systems will have an immediate impact once Ukrainian soldiers are trained on them.

I am glad you have.  As a journalist, I acknowledge and respect the dangers you face.  But you aren't on the line are you?  In the cold, in lonely checkpoints, in body armor and a k-pot, are you? 

Because those guys?  The guys I talk to say they have not seen ANY of this.  And really, if you know anything about warfare, which you do, that C2I equipment you speak of won't defend you from a GRAD rocket, 762 or any amount of hell the Russian military can bring down on you.

The Russians aren't a competent fighting force.  Otherwise they would have conquered Georgia, stabilized Syria and blitzkrieged Ukraine.  The modernization Putin promised doesn't look like its happening.  But Ukraine is still needs more.

And even you must acknowledge the corn that the West with its acres and acres of Army, Navy and Air surplus, a West that with drew its last tank from Europe last year, must do A LOT more for Ukraine, an ally of NATO.

[AkMike]

Ukraine, an ally of NATO.

 Ukraine is  NOT repeat NOT a NATO ally at this point.

 Saying it often enough will not make it so.

[AC]

 Ukraine is  NOT repeat NOT a NATO ally at this point.

 Saying it often enough will not make it so.

He did not say they were a member of NATO, he said they are an ally, and they are.

[jone]

While NATO has not declared Ukraine an ally, the Rada of Ukraine has rescinded its non-aligned status in favor of seeking membership in NATO. 

The term ally could be loosely applied.

[mendeleyev]

I am glad you have.  As a journalist, I acknowledge and respect the dangers you face.  But you aren't on the line are you?

Have I been there as an observer? Probably more often than you may realize. Will I be there again? Much to the fears of my wife, probably more often than you may realize.

Of course the guys on the front lines haven't seen this new stuff--it has just arrived and it will take time for training and then delivery to various hotspots in the region.

[jone]

I am glad you have.  As a journalist, I acknowledge and respect the dangers you face.  But you aren't on the line are you?  In the cold, in lonely checkpoints, in body armor and a k-pot, are you? 

Because those guys?  The guys I talk to say they have not seen ANY of this.  And really, if you know anything about warfare, which you do, that C2I equipment you speak of won't defend you from a GRAD rocket, 762 or any amount of hell the Russian military can bring down on you.

The Russians aren't a competent fighting force.  Otherwise they would have conquered Georgia, stabilized Syria and blitzkrieged Ukraine.  The modernization Putin promised doesn't look like its happening.  But Ukraine is still needs more.

And even you must acknowledge the corn that the West with its acres and acres of Army, Navy and Air surplus, a West that with drew its last tank from Europe last year, must do A LOT more for Ukraine, an ally of NATO.

Think strategically, LT.  In Georgia, Russia had every opportunity to crush the ruling party and displace it with hand selected puppets.  That was not the goal of the foreign policy.  By leaving pockets of Russian ruled lands within Georgia, Russia destabilized the economy, and left two land areas that were absolutely destitute.  It is the same strategy that Russia is trying to employ (rather unsuccessfully I should imagine) in Eastern Ukraine.

The Russian army is fully capable of occupying all of Ukraine.  As Putin says, within two weeks.  But then Russia would have to occupy it and rule it.  As you can see by the annexation of Crimea, the cost is horrendous and the backlash would probably be fatal.

[AkMike]

There hasn't been any alliance treaties signed nor membership in NATO.

 Hopefully in the near future this will change and the Muskovi terrorists will retreat from Ukraine.

[lordtiberius]

We could argue glass half full all day, Jon. 

I made my point.  Russia can start wars but cannot win wars.  I do not believe Putin's promises or threats.

I agree with your assessment of Crimea.

AkMike, you are right and I am wrong.  And guess who is blocking NATO membership?

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2014/12/30/bandow-ukraine-nato/21017117/

Ukraine's best friend or as the Russians call him - the little monkey

[mendeleyev]

The strategic reserves are forecast to be depleted in less than a year. Based on incoming revenues, the government is already running on a deficit. Crimea needed handouts from Kyiv already before it was annexed. Now, Putin seems perplexed as to why Kyiv has lost motivation to continue supplying electricity, water, etc, to the region. Do the math, Mr. President.

When he annexed Crimea, Putin made a big show of raising salaries and increasing pensions. Now those bills are helping fuel Russia's deficit spending. He also wants Ukraine to continue supporting the rebel regions, yet he wants them to be independent of Ukraine.

Bottom line: without oil sales to sustain his ambitions, he will have to cut his budgets and that means losing some control in the East.  It is sort of like stealing another man's cattle, but then expecting the original farmer to continue their upkeep.

Back in 2006, the primarily ethnic Russian citizens of the disputed Moldovan territory of Transnistria voted for independence and then appealed to Moscow to join the Russian Federation. Today, they remain a backward and very poor breakaway region.

Did Moscow want their independence? Yes, to thwart Moldova in their drive to join Europe.

Does Moscow want Transnistria and these ethnic Russians as part of the RF? Apparently not. Transnistria, like Eastern Ukraine, would be a huge drain on already stretched Russian budget resources.

Moscow likes these frozen conflicts because it gives control and frustrates those who learn toward democratic values, yet without the fiscal responsibility.

[jone]

One of the tragic side lights of this situation is that Russia, desperately needing oil revenues, is still playing games with the pipeline that traverses Ukraine.  Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

[AkMike]

LT, That's an Op-Ed speculation piece. Ukraine hasn't gotten to the point of even making an application to join NATO. There are conditions to be met before the app. can even be sent in. UA simply hasn't gotten to that point YET.

 In the future I am sure that it'll happen, just not now.

 I should be in BT on the 6th or 7th!

[AC]

LT, That's an Op-Ed speculation piece. Ukraine hasn't gotten to the point of even making an application to join NATO. There are conditions to be met before the app. can even be sent in. UA simply hasn't gotten to that point YET.

 In the future I am sure that it'll happen, just not now.

 I should be in BT on the 6th or 7th!

What is BT?

[lordtiberius]

That is not the point.  Further the article that Bandow wrrote concedes much of what you said.  There isn't a lot of feeling among the NATO leaders for Ukrainian inclusion. 

NATO officials responded to the Rada�s action with bland generalities. An alliance spokesman said �we respect the decision,� adding that �Our door is open and Ukraine will become a member of NATO if it so requests and fulfills the standards and adheres to the necessary principles.� Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a group of visiting Ukrainian journalists that �Ukraine is a very valued partner of NATO.� State Department spokesman Marie Harf said: �Countries that are willing to contribute to security in the Euro-Atlantic space are welcome to apply for membership.� However, no one actually issued an invitation.

Bandow rightly criticizes the West as moral cowards:

capability is not enough. Also required is will. In 2008 Georgians looked to their rear expecting the American military to come to their rescue in their war with Russia. However, President Mikhail Saakashvili learned a painful lesson: U.S. President George W. Bush was willing to visit Tbilisi and whisper sweet assurances in Saakashvili�s ear, but Washington would not fight on Georgia�s behalf. Even most war-happy Neoconservatives did not advocate that step.

Don't get me wrong.  He gets some facts wrong.  But on those main two points he is absolutely correct.

Further, Bandow is not alone:

http://www.atlantic-community.org/-/nato-does-not-want-ukraine-to-apply-for-membership

Sol