A Russian soldier describes in detail the deadly conditions on the frontline. “Small groups are fighting a huge war. An ‘Opornik’ [dugout] can be held by a handful: two, three, or four people. The line of combat contact has completely changed. 1/
“In 2023, our task was to bring a company into the village on ten BPM-3s. That was already difficult back then. Now the equipment is stationed tens of kilometers away from the LBS. 2/
“If in 2023 those very BMP-3s doubled as little tanks, now they are unlikely to reach a position from which they can fire. 3/
“And not because the tanks are "obsolete," but simply because they cannot be systematically protected and covered from the main means of destruction – kamikaze drones. 4/
“I will describe what the path to the Line of Combat Contact looks like for an ordinary infantryman. It is now a whole march. With all your gear, weighing about 30 kilos, you are dropped 10-15 kilometers from the point where you will fight the war. 5/
“There are directions where the march can reach up to 30 kilometers. There are also places where, under the cover of the forest, you can jump almost several kilometers closer to the LBS. 6/
“Beyond that, only quad bikes, mud bikes, and various intense electric scooters travel to supply points. The concept of "rear" now begins 50 kilometers from the LBS. The hardest part is to get there. Roads and communication routes are mined. By drones. 7/
“Homemade mines are stuffed into first aid kits, their casings coated with glue and covered with grass, petals are dropped by the dozens on trails, and on places where the track is visible – large magnetic mines. 8/
“If you don't know what mines look like, you will definitely step on one. Check thematic TG channels. One. Two. The path is the most dangerous segment. Mavics constantly track movements and are ready to instantly relay coordinates to an FPV crew or some battery. 9/
“At the LBS itself, in a dugout, it is not as dangerous as on the way there. It is now common practice that guys sit "in the hole" for a month or two, pull everything off without losses, but get into trouble when leaving. 10/
“There is no supply. Everything is done on foot. The best you can count on is a daring motorcyclist who is not afraid to jump in and immediately get out. At night, the evil awakens. Huge drones with thermal imagers dropping mortar mines. 11/
“Didn't find a dugout before sunset – you died. Hence the main problem arises. Accumulating forces and maintaining them in large numbers at the LBS is now impossible. This applies to both sides. 12/
“To fix the situation and start winning systematically, regular quad bikes, large supply drones, small evacuation buggies, and fighter drones are needed. Now all of them are ‘off the books’ – bought independently or obtained through humanitarian channels. 13/
“Total atomization is happening. Micro-groups must be able to do everything. There are no separate sappers, signalers, or others. You have to be able to do everything yourself. 14/
“First of all – navigate and work with mobile maps, secondly – work with communications, thirdly – know sapper skills. Without this knowledge, you will get physically lost, lose contact with those who could help, and step on a cute woolly lump in the no-man's land. 15/
“The gray zone, by the way, is now 2-3 kilometers. On this ‘Indian territory,’ besides abandoned 200s [dead], 300s [wounded], and mines, there is nothing. All this has a very depressing effect on the fighters. The enemy often runs after taking the first losses during the assault.
“The quality of their soldiers... you can see everything yourself about their busification. Even their special units have lost their former vigor. Nevertheless, we run into the fact that we can barely reach them.” 17/17
@GrandpaRoy2 Great thread!
@MorningMrBond Thanks.
@GrandpaRoy2 Trading a few square meters for lives is the winning strategy for ukraine. Land can be retaken, men cannot.
@GrandpaRoy2 Great but scary thread you have made there.....
@GrandpaRoy2 Wow it looks like the most hellish of hells
@GrandpaRoy2 @sovietarmyfan Good thread, interesting to see what contemporary warfare is like in this instance.
@GrandpaRoy2 Russian guy sounds like he just discovered you need to be able to operate as a soldier, and not be dumped at the line of departure by a truck. Seems surprised that the rear is in fact kilometres back from the front. Problem he is facing, they don't have the means to advance.