Category: Militarnyi-usa my life

The Russian Aerospace Forces received a new batch of modern Su-35S fighter jets.

The press service of the Russian UAC corporation announced this on Tuesday, October 24.

New fighter jets were produced at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aviation plant in the Far East.

The aircraft corporation claimed that the combat aircraft underwent a full cycle of ground and flight tests in various operating modes before being transferred to the military.

The number of Su-35S fighter jets transferred to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in this batch is not reported. New fighters have already left for the air bases.

Su-35S fighter jet of the Russian Aerospace Force. Photo credits: UAC

This is the fourth batch of Su-35S fighter jets, which entered the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation in the current year.

Russian Su-35S multi-role fighter jets from the 2023 batch. June 2023, Russia. Photo credits: Russian media

In June, Militarnyi reported the transfer of the first batch of two fighter jets.

The second batch of Su-35S arrived in the first half of July and also probably consisted of two aircraft.

Russian Su-35S fighter jet takes off from Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant airfield, July 2023

The aggressor country’s Aerospace Forces received the third batch of such combat aircraft at the end of September. It was stated that the Su-35S came along with the newest Su-57 fighter jets. Fighters are produced as part of the Russian state defense order for the current year.

Su-57 fighter jet

In addition to previously ordered aircraft, in 2023, the UAC corporation in 2023 received new orders to produce fighters and bombers for the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The order is related to the creation of two new interspecific strategic territorial associations of the armed forces in the Russian Federation in 2023: Moscow and Leningrad Military Districts.

Remains of a Russian Su-35S in the Zaporizhzhia region. September 30, 2023. Photo credits: Twitter/External pilot

Recently, Russian air defense shot down two Su-35S of the Russian Aerospace Forces on the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine with “friendly fire.”

The Belarusian authorities are introducing sending out summonses via text messages, along with new penalties for attempting to evade military service.

BBC reported about this.

Telephone operators will be required to send messages according to lists from the KGB and military registration and enlistment offices, and Belarusians must report to the military enlistment office about the change in phone number.

It is also reported that the military will be able to receive messages about mobilization via text messages.

At the request of military registration and enlistment offices or the KGB, telephone operators will be obliged to provide information about the numbers of Belarusians on military records within a week.

Belarusian reservists. Photo from open sources

In addition, after the adoption of the law, paper summons can be handed not only at the place of residence but also “at the place of stay,” that is, anywhere, at work or in cafes.

The law “On Mobilization Training and Mobilization” also introduces the concept of “reinforcement apparatus”.

It regards “citizens involved in assisting military commissariats, state security agencies in issuing alerts, conscription, and sending mobilization resources to the Armed Forces, other troops, and military formations.”

Those who are in the “reinforcement apparatus” will be involved by military enlistment offices to participate in exercises, training, and classes conducted by military authorities. During these events, they will keep their jobs, salaries, etc.

Illustrative photo of the Belarusian military. Photo from open sources

This draft law is not yet on the agenda on the House of Representatives website, but it is likely to be included in the near future. If passed, the law will come into force the day after its official publication.

On September 26, Militarnyi reported that the Belarusian territorial defense uses the captured Ukrainian-made KrAZ Cobra armored vehicle in the exercises.

The armored vehicle, repainted in black, was spotted at the Osipovichsky training ground belonging to the 51st Guards Artillery Brigade.

Dmitry Rogozin suggested that Putin strike Ukraine with a space launch vehicle.

BILD reported on this.

The publication has obtained recordings of conversations between Dmitry Rogozin and Dmitry Baranov, CEO of the Progress Rocket and Space Center.

Since the beginning of January 2023, they have been discussing the technical details of organizing a strike on a large Ukrainian city using a space launch vehicle.

Officials decided that it was most optimal to launch it from a spaceport in Plesetsk with explosives on board.

According to Baranov, the main problem is that due to supersonic reentry, existing heavy high explosive bombs or guided munitions will overheat at a speed of 6 km/sec.

Launch of the Soyuz-2.1A rocket. Photo from open sources

Rogozin promises to consult designer Yuri Solomonov about this. A few days later, he found a solution.

Another risk discussed by Rogozin and Baranov was that parts of the missile could fall on Russian territory. They were also concerned that the error during the strike could be between 50 and 100 kilometers.

Rogozin asked Baranov how long he would need to prepare the operation. He replied that it would take about six months.

The ex-head of Roscosmos called Vladimir Putin “our great and terrible” and said he would pass the plan to him through Anton Vaino. According to BILD, the plan was brought to the President of the Russian Federation on January 16. His reaction to it is unknown.

What can the Russians use?

The most common Russian rockets are the family of R-7 and its subfamily, Soyuz rockets. For strikes on Ukraine, most likely, the missile will be launched on a ballistic trajectory.

The launch weight of Soyuz averages 313 tons. It can take up to 7.1 tons of payload on board.

This is enough, for example, to load on board a large number of combat units from the Iskander, Tochka, or most likely combined explosive devices.

Illustrative photo of the cluster and high-explosive warhead of the OTR-21 Tochka TBM. Photo from open sources

It is worth noting that the weight of the payload for launching a missile along a ballistic trajectory may change upward.

To the effects after the missile hits the ground, it is necessary to add the blast effect from the body debris and the detonation of unused toxic rocket fuel.

Open questions remain about the calculation of the rocket’s flight path, control capabilities, the stability of the hull during atmospheric entry, and the accuracy of damage.

The Outer Space Treaty

Such plans of the Russians are not a violation of the “Space Treaty” of January 27, 1967, which was ratified by most countries of the world.

It prohibits placing nuclear weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction in the orbit of the Earth or in outer space.

This treaty does not prohibit the deployment of conventional weapons in orbit. Launch vehicles converted for warhead installation are unlikely to be defined as weapons of mass destruction.

Police in the Chernihiv region found a cache with a rare Russian PP-91 Kedr machine pistol and other weapons.

The police of the Chernihiv region said that the cache belonged to a 40-year-old native of Crimea.

The man was previously wanted on suspicion of drug trafficking.

During a search of the man’s home, police found three caches that were buried in the ground in metal barrels.

In particular, law enforcement officers discovered and seized a warehouse of weapons, namely:

• AKM and three magazines to it;
• recycled AKS-47 with silencer;
• 20 F-1 grenades;
• PP-91 Kedr machine pistol;
• more than 200 rounds.

Seized weapons in Chernihiv Region. October 2023. Ukraine. Photo credits: Police

They also seized a narcotic substance (hemp), which was dried and packaged in 21 plastic bags weighing 600-700 grams each.

In total, the police sent more than 14 kilograms of drugs for examination.

Kedr

For Ukraine, the Russian PP-91 Kedr machine pistol is quite a rare weapon, even despite the large-scale war with Russia.

The Russian PP-91 Kedr machine pistol was created in the early 1990s by order of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and was based on Soviet developments.

PP-71 machine pistol

The design was taken from a PP-71 machine pistol that was created by gunsmith Y. Dragunov. His initials are encrypted in the name of the weapon – “Design of Yevgeny Dragunov.”

The submachine gun uses a standard cartridge caliber of 9×18mm PM. The capacity of the box magazine is twenty or thirty rounds. Among the obvious advantages of the PP-91 are its compactness, light weight, and thoughtful shape.

Russian PP-91 Kedr machine pistol in Chernihiv region. October 2023. Ukraine. Photo credits: Police

Recall that in July, a rare Alien pistol was spotted in the service of soldiers escorting President Zelensky and the Head of the DIU, Budanov.

The Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation has handed over a batch of Shark drones manufactured by the Ukrainian company Ukrspecsystems to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The volunteer announced this on his social media accounts.

The 24th Mechanized Brigade “King Daniel of Galicia” received one system, which includes a control station and two drones.

It is reported that the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, named after Yakiv Handziuk, already had a control station, so it requested one drone.

The value of the donated aid is estimated at UAH 8.5 million.

In September 2023, Militarnyi reported that all 25 Shark unmanned aircraft systems, which the Come Back Alive Foundation had purchased together with the OKKO filling station network, were transferred to the troops.

Shark UAS. September 2023. Photo credits: Come Back Alive Foundation

In addition, the Defense Forces of Ukraine have received the MiniShark UAV, which is a smaller version of the Shark UAV.

According to the developers, MiniShark was created because of the military’s need for a lightweight, compact reconnaissance UAV.

One of its advantages is its hand-held launch and easy transportation. The entire system fits in two backpacks.

Drones by Ukrspecsystems conduct reconnaissance, targeting, and recording of artillery damage to various targets.

For example, Shark drone was used to detect and record the defeat of the Russian Supercam S350 UAV.

The drones have good protection against enemy electronic warfare and a large operating range of 60-80 kilometers, depending on the modification.

The North Atlantic Alliance is trying to agree on a single standard for 155mm artillery ammunition to simplify its production and logistics.

Admiral Rob Bauer, Head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s military committee, called for this.

Bauer called on member countries to stop protecting national arms makers, accusing their current market policies of undermining defense capabilities.

“The manufacturer will not get rich because of the printers that they make, but because of the ink. If you make an artillery round that only fits in the gun that you make, then you force the users to buy your ammunition,” Bauer shared in an interview with Reuters.

Non-compliance with standards by different countries has led to market fragmentation and complicated the flow of supplies.

According to Bauer, the price for one artillery shell has gone up to 8,000 euros ($8,489.60) from 2,000 euros before Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

155 mm artillery shells are pictured at a production line at the plant of German company Rheinmetall, which produces weapons and ammunition for tanks and artillery, during a media tour in Unterluess, Germany, June 6, 2023. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/FILE PHOTO

Common standards for ammunition

A single standard for artillery ammunition already exists among NATO member states, but its implementation remains voluntary.

The Head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s military committee stated that 14 NATO nations reserved the right to deviate from the standard, meaning there were 14 different types of 155-millimeter ammunition.

He attributed the backsliding on standardization to a defense market that has shrunk drastically since the Cold War when NATO countries spent 3%-6% of GDP on the military.

“The number of buyers went down, the amount of money went down, and so everybody was protecting their own industry,” he noted.

However, Bauer said he was convinced that for the next 15 years, there was enough money to be earned for the industry, with NATO nations in the process of replenishing inventories depleted by donations to Ukraine.

He emphasized now was the right time to break the cycle and make a new push for standardization. The adoption of a single ammunition standard will simplify military logistics and ensure smoother supplies, which will help prevent delays and shortages in the future.

The Russian invaders are trying to occupy the Avdiyivka spoil tip, which has become a “gray zone”.

Ukrainian volunteer Serhii Sternenko, who received the video of the spoil tip from the military, shared about it.

However, Serhii Sternenko noted that the Russian troops are now on the outskirts of this spoil tip.

Recently, the invaders installed a Russian flag on the edge of the spoil tip. Later, the Ukrainian Shadow unit took down the flag with a drone.

“The spoil heap is now in a gray zone. The invaders are on the outskirts of it but cannot gain a foothold. As soon as they try, they die. They set up rags and ran away,” the volunteer said.

Also, according to military journalist Yuriy Butusov, the Russians installed the flags at the Avdiivka Coke Plant’s spoil heap last night.

Avdiivka spoil tip on an unofficial map as of October 23-24, 2023

He emphasized that the invaders did not occupy the spoil tip but “set up the flag and fled.”

Avdyiivka sector

At the same time, the invaders are trying to break through from the Krasnohorivka area through the railroad to Novokalynove.

The Russian command is sending armored columns into battle. One of these columns was stopped in this area by the 1st Tank Brigade.

Damaged Russian infantry fighting vehicle hit between the settlement of Krasnohorivka and Novokalynove. October 2023, Ukraine. Frame from the video by @alexpdlandrrr

Russian troops are continuing their attempts to encircle Avdiivka in the Donetsk region and are attacking from all directions in the east and south. According to the latest data from the Ukrainian General Staff, Russians conducted assault operations in the Avdiyivka sector with the support of aviation near Stepove, Avdiyivka, Severne, and Nevelske in the Donetsk region.

Anton Kotsukon, Spokesman of the 110th Mechanized Brigade, noted that now, the invaders use less armored vehicles but involve more infantry in the assaults.

Modernized armored personnel carriers of the 39th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation near Avdiyivka, October 2023

“Avdiyivka and this entire area in general is heavily fortified. Starting in 2014, fortifications have been built here, and all of this is helping us to hold the line,” added Anton Kotsukon.

The Finnish Criminal Police reported that an anchor was discovered at the bottom of the Baltic Sea near the site of the Balticconnector gas pipeline damage.

During the preliminary investigation, the police discovered that the anchor could have belonged to a vessel sailing under the Hong Kong flag.

On Tuesday, the anchor was removed from the incident site. The anchor was lifted using a crane of the Hall vessel.

However, the police report they cannot yet state whether the damage to the gas pipeline was intentional.

At this stage of the investigation, the department cannot speculate whether the incident could have been a terrorist act.

An anchor found near the Balticconnector gas pipeline. October 2023. Photo credits: yle.fi

The Finnish broadcaster Yle also shared a photo taken on October 22, which shows the absence of an anchor on the port side of the container ship Newnew Polar Bear, sailing under the Hong Kong flag.

The same vessel stopped in the Gulf of Finland shortly before crossing the BalticConnector gas pipeline.

“The picture captures the Newnew Polar Bear container ship, stationed in Arkhangelsk, with an anchor missing on the port side,” the journalists reported.

On the night of October 8, the Balticconnector gas pipeline connecting Estonia and Finland was damaged under unknown circumstances, along with a telecommunications cable of an Estonian operator.

The Newnew Polar Bear ship. Photo credits: yle.fi

Then, the gas transmission operators of Finland and Estonia launched an investigation. During the gas pipeline shutdown, supplies are provided through the Inkoo LNG terminal.

The Estonian-Finnish Balticconnector joint gas pipeline was opened in December 2019. The length of the Balticconnector underwater section from the Estonian port city of Paldiski to Inkoo in Finland is 77 km. The onshore part covers 55 km in Estonia and 21 km in Finland.

Balticconnector on the map

The purpose of the Balticconnector was to ensure gas transportation between Finland, Estonia, and Latvia at no additional cost and to reduce the dependence of local markets on Russia’s Gazprom.

The Australian government announced an additional military aid package for Ukraine.

The West Australian reported on this.

Australia is transferring a 3D metal printer to Ukraine to produce metal spare parts for military equipment.

The list also includes mine clearance equipment, portable X-ray machines, and counter-drone systems.

All the donated equipment and machinery were developed by Australian companies DroneShield, Micro-X, Minelab, and SPEE3D. Their total value is $20 million.

At the same time, Anthony Albanese, Australian Prime Minister, shared that a Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail aircraft has been deployed to Germany in support of efforts to help protect a gateway of international humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine.

Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail aircraft. Photo credits: Australian Department of Defence

Innovations in Ukrainian military logistics

The metal printer sent as part of the new military aid package will join a fleet of similar systems already operating in Ukraine. In early October, the Australian company Spee3D already delivered seven WarpSPEE3D 3D Metal Printers.

Each printer reportedly costs about one million dollars. They are highly mobile due to the placement of the entire mechanism in a standard ISO container.

The container-size version of the WarpSpee3D. Photo credits: SPEE3D

Spee3D printers use a method of metal 3D printing called cold spray additive manufacturing, which is particularly applicable to frontline environments, as it doesn’t use lasers or gasses, like other metal 3D printing technology.

Instead of melting metal, this method uses kinetic energy to bond metal particles together in a solid state to create a final part.

The WarpSpee3D is also extremely fast and energy efficient. It can build large parts up to one meter in diameter or 40 kg in weight in several metals.

A wrench printed in less than an hour. Photo credits: SPEE3D

Cold spray AM can also repair and coat metal parts, essentially spraying and bonding metal onto an existing part, which is also used to add additional shapes or features.

The United States has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and tactical ballistic missiles to the Government of Latvia.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency reported on this.

The US government has approved a potential deal between Latvia and Lockheed Martin for the purchase of six M142 HIMARS rocket systems, as well as related equipment and training.

The sale of rockets for MRL was also agreed upon, namely, 12 six-round containers with M30A2 rockets and another 12 containers with M31A2 rockets.

In addition to rockets, Latvia also received permission to purchase ten M57 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) Pods.

Loading a container with M30A1 rockets into the M142 HIMARS launcher of the 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, June 2020. Photo credits: DVIDS

The estimated value of the potential deal is $220 million.

The Ministry of Defense of Latvia expects that HIMARS will be available to the country’s armed forces by 2025. However, it is noted that due to the high demand for these weapons systems in Ukraine, their delivery to Latvia might be slowed down.

Rocket spear of Latvia

Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks first announced his intention to purchase HIMARS rocket systems in September last year.

He shared that he would want to get ten of these systems but clarified that only six units are planned to be purchased in the next three years.

Jānis Garisons, State Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Defense, has previously stated that the purchase of M142 HIMARS is a joint decision and a project of all the Baltic states.

With the acquisition of M57 ATACMS ballistic missiles, Latvia gains new capabilities to deliver deep strikes into the enemy’s rear at a distance of up to 300 kilometers. Accordingly, the Russian Kaliningrad and Pskov regions, St. Petersburg, and the entire northern part of Belarus, including Minsk, are within the target area.

The ballistic missile with a 227 kg penetrating high explosive warhead is capable of hitting protected targets at a maximum distance with an error of up to 10 meters.