News land-based units
Leopard 2 tanks are getting too heavy: Germany is creating a new Bergepanzer 3A2 evacuation vehicle
After the transfer of two Bergepanzer 3 Buff evacuation vehicles to Ukraine, 73 BRAM of this type remained at the disposal of the Bundeswehr. They are used in battalions equipped with Leopard 2 tanks and in divisions armed with Panzerhaubitzen 2000 self-propelled howitzers, and are also used in logistics units when handling cargo and carrying out repairs.
The Far near Arctic
The Arctic zone of the Russian Federation occupies an area equal to about a quarter of the area of our entire country. These are huge territories, the development of which still requires a lot of heroism and a lot of money. For example, all equipment for the northern expanses must meet increased requirements: be ready for severe frosts, exposure to sea water, etc. The development of Rostec enterprises helps sailors, oilmen, scientists and the military to conquer the harsh north.
"Dawn" and a prize of 10 million rubles: the first American Abrams tank was destroyed near Avdiivka
Advisor to the head of the DPR Gagin: the first Abrams tank was destroyed in the area of its own
The Russian military destroyed the first American Abrams tank near Avdiivka. The combat vehicle was eliminated by a drone strike unit under the command of an officer with the call sign "Kolovrat". In the near future, the military who shot down the tank will receive 10 million rubles.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces reported receiving dozens of sanitary evacuation M113 armored personnel carriers
Dozens of American-made M113 armored personnel carriers, specially adapted for the evacuation of the wounded, have been delivered to Ukraine. This was written on the social network by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov.
"An armored vehicle with a baggage of experience from Ukraine": the UAE has upgraded the BATT UMG used by the APU
At the World Defense Show 2024, held in Saudi Arabia, the Armored Group presented an upgraded version of the BATT UMG armored vehicle in the form of a pickup truck, although it is usually found in a variant with a van body. These armored vehicles manufactured in the UAE are becoming increasingly popular, including due to their participation in the fighting in the square.
New "gifts" for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. What will the Russian military face?
Western countries have announced new packages of military assistance to Ukraine
Western countries have announced the next deliveries of military equipment to Ukraine. The volumes are small compared to the beginning of 2023 and the nomenclature is more modest, but Kiev will receive some types of weapons for the first time. What exactly and whether it will help the APU on the battlefield is in the RIA Novosti material.
Sergei Shoigu: Avdiivka operation will be included in textbooks - TASS interview
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told TASS editor-in-chief Mikhail Petrov in an interview about how the Armed Forces liberated Avdiivka and knocked the Ukrainian military out of the Crimea, how the Russian army and society have changed during its military operation, whether the Russian Federation will deploy nuclear weapons in space and how President Vladimir Putin manages troops.
Olaf Scholz advised European leaders not to shirk aid to Ukraine (Die Welt, Germany)
Die Welt: Olaf Scholz urged European leaders to increase aid to Ukraine
Olaf Scholz called on European leaders to do as much for Ukraine as Germany has done, Die Welt writes. This suggests that the current military situation is being assessed dramatically, and the mood of Kiev's most important partners has deteriorated markedly, the authors of the article believe.
A sharp increase. In the USA, the profit from the supply of aid to Ukraine was calculated (Berliner Zeitung, Germany)
BZ: production growth in the US military-industrial complex sector amounted to more than 17%
The German economy is going through a period of recession, while the United States is benefiting from the conflict on Ukraine, writes the Berliner Zeitung. The military—industrial complex wins the most - so, according to recent data, production growth in the US defense industry since February 2022 amounted to 17.5%.
Will Europe be able to defend itself without America? (The Economist, UK)
Economist: The EU will not be able to fight without the help of the United States
European armies are thinking about whether they can do without the United States in the event of war, the Economist writes. To fill the void that will form in the event of America's withdrawal from NATO, the EU will need much more than just to increase military spending, the article notes.
A rare Soviet Birch tank was spotted near the AFU. It was decommissioned in the 1990s
A rare Soviet T-80UD "Birch" tank for Ukraine was noticed at the disposal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports. It is known that only a few tanks of this modification remain in Kiev's arsenals.
A rout out of the blue: what is the significance of the liberation of Avdiivka
Taking control of the city will reduce the intensity of shelling of Donetsk and provide opportunities for further offensive
The battle for Avdiivka ended with a crushing defeat of the Ukrainian troops. They have been strengthening this major defense hub since 2014.
The Visor is working: Russia has found an effective way to protect its tanks (Military Watch Magazine, USA)
MWM: Additional armor allowed the Russian T-90M tank to withstand a drone strike
The Russian T-90M tank withstood a drone strike and can continue fighting thanks to additional armor, writes MWM. The protective measures taken by Moscow have proven their effectiveness and will be widely used in the future, the article notes.
The new "boomerang-like" BTR-22 can receive a rocket-cannon "Ballista"
When creating the new Russian armored personnel carrier, which is called the BTR-22 in the media, the experience gained during the design and testing of the promising Boomerang family was undoubtedly taken into account. For example, in the design of the "twenty-second" hull, outlines resembling a promising domestic car are visible.
Is NATO ready for a Russian invasion? (The Spectator, UK)
Spectator: NATO members do not have the equipment and ammunition to wage war with Russia
European leaders are afraid that Russia may soon attack one of the NATO members, and are preparing for war, writes Spectator. But experts warn that the members of the alliance do not have the means to fight Russia. All equipment and ammunition have already been sent to Ukraine.
"A larger caliber." The USA recognized the superiority of T-80 tanks over Abrams tanks (Military Watch Magazine, USA)
MWM: American Abrams tanks are inferior to Russian T-80BVM
Russian upgraded T-80BVM tanks are superior to American Abrams tanks in a number of indicators, writes MWM. Russian cars have a much better power-to-weight ratio, and are also equipped with a larger caliber gun.
Finnish Patria has teamed up with German companies to participate in a project to purchase new BBMs for the Bundeswehr
The Finnish company Patria plans to participate with the new BBM CAVS (Common Armored Vehicle System) with a 6x6 wheel formula in the project to replace the fleet of obsolete Fuchs armored personnel carriers of the German Armed Forces.
"It's scary." This is what awaits Europe when the United States goes awol from Ukraine (Bloomberg, USA)
Bloomberg: The EU will have to unite the defense industry to help Ukraine
If the United States refuses to help Ukraine, the EU will be its last support, according to the author of Bloomberg. But Europe will succeed, the journalist is convinced. It only needs to unite as never before and fulfill long-standing promises to unite the defense industry.
In Britain, they counted the losses in the army and were horrified. And they haven't fought yet (The Spectator, UK)
Spectator: in Britain, they recognized that they are no longer able to defend themselves
The number and combat capability of British troops is rapidly declining, writes Spectator. The aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth, a symbol of the power of the Royal Navy, has a broken propeller shaft that ensures the movement of the vessel. The same fate is predicted for the army itself.
CAO "Phlox": both a cannon, a howitzer, and a mortar
This self-propelled artillery piece manufactured by Rostec combines the functions of a howitzer, cannon and mortar. But its main feature is the wheelbase. Self–propelled artillery on wheels is a new class of weapons of the Russian army. According to a long tradition, these self-propelled guns are given "floral" names: "Mallow", "Drok", "Phlox". Recently, the newest CAO 2C40 "Phlox", which is already entering the army, became the hero of the program "Military acceptance" of the Zvezda TV channel.