Ukraine Invasion 2: no more Black Sea fleet for you

Most of Ukraine’s tanks are ancient Soviet era T-64s which the Russian army doesn’t even use anymore.

Germany isn’t giving anyone tanks now. The deals that I read about were all promises of replacing tanks delivered to Ukraine with German Leopards at some point in the future.

Quite possible it’s Ukrainians, also very possible it’s Russians who disagree with what Russia is doing and figure that’s better than getting arrested for holding up a blank sign in Moscow.

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There have been upgrades but yeah it doesn’t seem like they want to go head to head with more modern Russian tanks.

Modernisation of the Ukrainian Army’s tank units has centred around upgrades to the T-64, which has provided a much cheaper alternative to production of new T-84s that the country can ill afford. Approximately 100 of the T-64BM Bulat, which is one of the variants enhanced domestically, are in service and benefit from additional passive and explosive reactive armour, NBC protection, automatic fire suppression systems, and the same fire control system as that of the T-84. It also integrates an improved 850 hp engine, although this fails two compensate for the increase in weight from extra armour which leaves the tank slow and relatively unmanoeuvrable. Remaining T-64 tanks in service are of the T-64BV variant. T-64s have taken significant losses in combat against Russian-backed insurgents in eastern Ukraine, and while upgrades have provided improved survivability the design’s age has limited its ability to go up against modern anti tank weapons. They are expected to fare poorly against modern battle tanks such as Russia’s new T-80BVM or T-90M, which the Ukrainian vehicles would likely face in the event of an escalation of hostilities.

source

This is from today:

This suggests that Slovenia will deliver T-72s to Ukraine and will get Marder IFVs and Fuchs APCs from Germany. Maybe also Leopard tanks. I don’t see any mention of when Germany is supposed to deliver though.

https://twitter.com/ukraine_world/status/1517240373877395456

https://twitter.com/Odessa_Journal/status/1517255700115820548

Video showing new Russian fighting vehicles with advanced French cameras that were sold to Russia after military sanctions were in place.

I’ll put on my to foil hat. That is some weird posture and death grip on the table.

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1517133498888376321?t=QbLssRZU-VaIH2EQwubqmQ&s=19

51% seemed low to me but

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i dunno he’s moving fine in the early part of the video. I don’t see anything that stands out as obvious to me as a symptom of a stroke, some pain, etc. Could just be a little odd video

He never moves other than bobbing his head. Just seems like he’s sitting way too close to the table and using his hand to brace himself against the back of the seat. And he never once let’s go of the table. Not saying it’s necessarily anything but it seems pretty weird to sit in that exact position for the entire time especially in an obviously staged moment.

the full video has him sitting down and moving pretty normally

https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1517263595180077057

Ah ok I hadn’t seen that version.

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https://twitter.com/toocleverbyfar/status/1517212095992934400

https://twitter.com/Team_Stollberg/status/1498762759357480969

If he has Parkinson’s (and he very well may), then he is likely in the early stages and any significant cognitive issues he might suffer are a long ways off. This sort of ignorant speculation is just as annoying applied to Putin as it was applied to Trump. People live very normal lives for decades with Parkinson’s.

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Yeah I just posted it for the video of his hand. My uncle has Parkinsons. His hands don’t shake but it’s affected his speech. It take him a long time and more work to get things out now. The range of possible symptoms is very wide apparently.

But - much like with Trump - they see any physical malady as a sign of weakness. So they do everything they can to hide it. Putin I imagine even more so has to project 100% strength.

The whole thing is bizarre and creepy. No one moves a muscle except Putin tapping his right foot like Fred Astaire.

again, that video is far from convincing

Truth doesn’t matter in propaganda. Effective anti-Putin propaganda is a good thing. (So is effective anti-Trump propaganda.)