Not a military dude, but follow this stuff out of interest. The A-10 is a bit of a controversial plane as far as survivability goes. It pretty much requires total air superiority to be effective.
Yup this article hits all the key points. Then of course thereās the usual talk about maintenance that comes with any new platform. Not mentioned though is that the A-10 has never been sold to any other country, and the optics of any decision to finally sell to Ukraine (who havent even asked for it).
The A-10 is also high(est?) on the list of friendly-fire deaths. So, even with intense training, and in an environment in Iraq and Afghanistan where the two sides used markedly different equipment, there were friendly-fire incidents. Imagine being on a battlefield where the Russians and Ukrainians are using a lot of very similar tanks, APCs, etc.
All this is true, but the main point still stands: they need air support. Air-ground combat isnāt all Warthogs. But I donāt see anyone suggesting Tornados.
I wouldnāt necessarily bet on the Russians being able to use them similarly effectively(or even bet against various more or less pure fiascos), given their overall handling of the situation; but Ukrainian forces have been able to do interesting things with obsolete armor; and even if used purely for direct fire the U-5TS gun is apparently supposed to be effective against tank-size targets at over 2km, probably further if using explosives against softer targets where a direct hit from a penetrator isnāt critical.
Thatās not going to help its survivability against a tank that isnāt about to start collecting social security; or save it should it stumble within range of infantry antitank missiles or accurate artillery fire; but itās enough of a tank that if you lack antitank coverage youāll have a real problem; which presumably lets you use the to force the opponent to extend their coverage just by being there.
Thread on how many T-72s Russia has left:
The horse might have been taken by people working for Kadyrov himself.
Czech Radio reported that there was an attempt to remove the two horses - Zazou and a second thoroughbred named after Russian composer Mikhail Glinka - in January last year, weeks before Russiaās invasion of Ukraine.
Two Russian-speaking men arrived at the stud farm claiming they were under instruction to take the horses to Poland, arguing that sanctioned animals could be moved across borders as long as they did not leave the EU.
The stud farmās owner was unmoved and locked the stables to prevent the horses being taken. He says the pair spent five days sitting in a van parked outside the gates, before finally leaving with a horsebox bearing Mr Kadyrovās personal livery.
I assumed that was the case.
His horse is his horse, of course of course
That is, of course, unless the horse
Is a warlordās born and bred
Go right to the source, and ask the horse
If Kadyrovās force did endorse
Secreting the horse, stealthily out of bed
Thatās much more reasonably priced than I would have expected.
IKEA does drones? TIL!
