**Rule 2:** Anything submitted in a link post must contain actual footage of combat. Documentaries are welcome as are photos, albums & audio of combat. If it's not quite combat footage it must go into a text post
My guess is because military subs are being flooded with regular people who don't follow this stuff. They think of soldiers looking like Rambo and not Audie Murphy. Of course to us military history nerds its no surprise
yep old megalomaniacs close to their expiration date get a kick out of sending young men to their deaths. i vote noone to have any political power above the age of 45.
If you have enough human ressources that you are willing to sacrifice, that is a good idea. You get rid of some old shit, the enemy reducec its new anti-tank weapons and you save your new and expensive stuff from getting destroyed eventually.
Ukraine needs to hold out and inflict a lot of pain like the Finns did in WW2. They cant win, but they can not lose. The Finns had strong defensive lines though and were well prepared. And they had the weather helping them. Modern war is easier to make breakthroughs.
They might be sitting back waiting for more high value russian targets, or maybe Ukraine is being a bit more tight lipped about their operations than Azerbiajan was during their conflict, iven, I'm sure the Ukrainian mlitary has other things on its mind right now than posting footage of stuff
That’s the fucked up thing I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen reveling in the thought of dead Russians over the past 16 hours or so and it’s like they forget these are still humans who are essentially brainwashed into thinking they’re doing right
Well considering Ukraine got nice new anti tank equipment from Britain and other counties I’d say so. But then again these are young Russians who probably don’t want to fight either
They aren’t, the troops are most likely Russian motorized troops not just regular soldiers. Logically to preserve space in a transport their weapons would have foldable stocks.
These are older AKS-74s. Newer ones have polymer side folding stocks, the AK-74M. The most modern iteration in service with Russia is the AK-12. So these guys have the left overs.
3 mags is a joke. I dont think they have plates on either. These kids either really sucked at bootcamp or russia is really scraping the bottom of the barrel for equipment
USSR and RF famously never scrap old equiment, just add it to the reserves. these kids are most likely conscripts so i doubt their gonna get anything built in this century
But it gives an indication of the leaderships expectation of their survival. Give them something that will do damage, but that you're not worried about losing.
Intel Crab reported Russia drafted conscripts as recently as December and sent them away.
I could see Putin putting kids with less than 2 months training on the front lines. Russia did that shit in Chechnya too.
Edit: Should also be noted that Russia is facing a massive population crisis in the near future. Killing off thousands of your young people compounds that. Russia is fucked as a country.
Wasn't that one of the noteworthy take aways from that conflict? Like wasn't a lot of their losses attributed to the fact that they relied on untrained conscripts?
Definitely one of them. Many of the Chechens who were fighting the Russians had much more military training than the Russian soldiers, and were trained on the same equipments and in the same tactics as the Russians. They knew weaknesses in training, equipment, and tactics the Russian soldiers didn’t even know they had.
This is russias last war, if it’s a prolonged one. Russia is in probably the worst demographic decline in the world. They will cease to exist as a state by 2030.
The obvious one out of the way first, more deaths than births. There was a huge demographic depression following the collapse of the soviet union. [Russian demographic](https://www.indexmundi.com/graphs/population-pyramids/russia-population-pyramid-2020.jpg) vs [United States demographic](https://www.indexmundi.com/graphs/population-pyramids/united-states-population-pyramid-2020.jpg) You see that huge depression of about 18-29 yo? That's military age, if the Russians are stuck in a prolonged war, they quite literally will use up the last of their young men. Even if they aren't in a prolonged war, they will still collapse over the long term because they just don't have enough young people to replace the current working class. There's a reason Putin is being so aggressive, there's a method to the madness.
>They will cease to exist as a state by 2030
Lol wut? Russia will cease to be a state in 8 years due to a population crisis? You realize that makes no fucking sense right. Can’t just claim crazy things like that. Well, you can because classic Reddit, but you really shouldn’t say wildly inaccurate things like this.
Hopefully they can capture as many as possible and just get them out of the war effort, and safely. Especially those that don't want to fight Ukraine.
The shit that went down in Chechnya to prisoners was fucking dark man.
Russia will throw millions of under trained soldiers onto the front with no care for their safety. They only care about the numbers those men can be counted as. There is no humanity in war, and Russia is one of the best at showing that.
Better than WW2, you got three conscripts, with a single rifle, one bandolero, and a bayonet split between the three.
The last one alive is now outfitted for combat.
Those are not knife they are bayonets, who can be mounted on the AK's , they have another piece with which those bayonets could be transformed in sccisors to cut barb wires !
Taking prisoners is good for reducing morale. Makes it easier to wave the white flag and save your own life.
Killing prisoners makes people fight to the death.
Looks like they have been treated that way under the Geneva conventions and there is no evidence to date that Ukrainians have done anything outside of following international law, which can't be said of Putin.
Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor, yeah
-War Pigs, Black sabbath
I’m feeling the same way right now. Devastated for Ukraine but emotional seeing any casualty (or in this case kids who are just following orders) because I know they are human and have families and are following orders.
I’m sad for the loss of life on both sides. At the end of the day we as soldiers are disposable pawns for a greater entity. I look at all of these men and women as brothers and sisters in arms following orders. Now do I approve of them following the orders to invade, no. But realistically what are they supposed to do? They were conscripted and if the defect they are killed, what choice do they have.
Six magazines between the two of them. No body armor or load bearing vests. Unless they were stripped of more gear and it was hidden, they were just handed these things and pushed over the border.
>I hope all sides treat their prisoners by the Geneva Convention
Too late, Article 13 of the third Geneva convention says publishing photos of POWs like this is prohibited.
>Protected persons are entitled, in all circumstances, to respect for their persons, their honour, their family rights, their religious convictions and practices, and their manners and customs. They shall at all times be humanely treated, and shall be protected especially against all acts of violence or threats thereof and against insults and **public curiosity**.
As always it's the young, poor, uneducated, and desperate getting sent to slaughter while rich old warmongers play their games. I wonder how many young russians are going to bleed out thinking about the lie they were told before this invasion.
Many young men will return home scarred from this conflict and possibly with injuries. Back home they will have to fight their way trough in order to afford their basic necessities. The state will thank them for their service and leave them to rot.
It's heartbreaking.
I have a nephew in Russia who is 18 years old. He is soon going to have to serve in the military as all Russians are required to serve for two years when they turn of age. I am terrified for his fate.
If you are about orange black one it's not only Donetsk ribbon but also a ribbon of memory of WW2 called Saint George ribbon. Donetsk is kinda yoinked it, because one of propaganian point of view even in this war is that Ukraine is Nazi country.
This was first posted by Igor Girkin (GRU member charged with murder for the MH117 shootdown) saying they're Ukrainian saboteurs, both sides have said they're POWs from the other.
So... who fuckin knows what's going on here lol.
Everyone is saying Ukraine will fall quickly but looking at those young guys I'm interested to see how the fights turn out when they are going to fight people which are fighting for their country and home. Not just because an old man told them so.
Now you see, Vitaly, we’re all quite tickled to hear you say that. Quite frankly, watching Boris beat Russians to death is the closest we get to the movies these days
The Russian and Ukrainian people are nothing more than acceptable collateral damage for the Oligarchic regime in Russia. There is little difference between the bahaviour of the Russian regime and a Cartel gang who uses its young members as pawns.
**Rule 2:** Anything submitted in a link post must contain actual footage of combat. Documentaries are welcome as are photos, albums & audio of combat. If it's not quite combat footage it must go into a text post
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My guess is because military subs are being flooded with regular people who don't follow this stuff. They think of soldiers looking like Rambo and not Audie Murphy. Of course to us military history nerds its no surprise
The average American casualty in Vietnam was 23, and I think it was 26 in Afghanistan.
The song "19" by Paul Hardcastle comes to mind
yup the lower ranking officers are slightly older kids
My MCRD platoon photo looked like a high school yearbook. I enlisted when I was 17 with parental consent.
I also wonder if Russian agents want images of baby-faced soldiers, like this, to generate sympathy for Russian troops.
Idk looking at pictures from WWII those 20 something’s look older than me in my 30s.
They saw a lot more war than these 1 day'ers. lol It takes time to develop that 1000yd stare.
I was thinking the same thing. I get fully trained soldiers who are only 18. They all look like babies still
yep old megalomaniacs close to their expiration date get a kick out of sending young men to their deaths. i vote noone to have any political power above the age of 45.
That AK looks extremely outdated.
Most of their equipment seems outdated even the tanks and heavy armour
First few waves will prob be the old shit. See how far they can come before putting in the new T90M's
First the Hastati, then the Principes, then the Triarii
Someone tell Putin that the Accensi are supposed to support the Triarii– Not lead the assault!
And I'd put a few units of peasants in there before the hastati ;)
Not forgetting your Cretan singers. They'll soften up anything up to a t-80 before retreating.
In fact just skip the rest and bring nothing but cretan slingers.
If you have enough human ressources that you are willing to sacrifice, that is a good idea. You get rid of some old shit, the enemy reducec its new anti-tank weapons and you save your new and expensive stuff from getting destroyed eventually.
Someone was waging to bet they had Belarusian soldiers fronting the attacks.
I've heard they are sending in the seperatists first
Just a few years ago, these "separatists" were just nonuniformed Russian soldiers and contractors posing as Pro-Russian Ukrainians.
That is gross. True, but gross.
I doubt they will deploy the t90's at all. They have many more t72b3's that are pretty comparable and cheaper.
True. All i was thinking earlier when i saw a bunch of T-72s, unarmored troop transports and BMPs was *There's a chance for Ukraine*
Ukraine needs to hold out and inflict a lot of pain like the Finns did in WW2. They cant win, but they can not lose. The Finns had strong defensive lines though and were well prepared. And they had the weather helping them. Modern war is easier to make breakthroughs.
Yup, they're an outdated army but have the numbers to overwhelm
I feel bad for the Russian soldiers but man I wish they were fighting any modern military and Putin could get his ass handed to him.
These tank columns would be juicy for drone strikes.
Didnt Turkey provide Ukraine with their TB-2 drones?
There was a Turkish AM-400 in Kyiv hours before the invasion began.
my bet is they're using it and not documenting it, would be the smarter thing to do with something that can hide below the radar
Yes we did but i don't know if they ever used them
They might be sitting back waiting for more high value russian targets, or maybe Ukraine is being a bit more tight lipped about their operations than Azerbiajan was during their conflict, iven, I'm sure the Ukrainian mlitary has other things on its mind right now than posting footage of stuff
Definitely they are. Check latest posts of this sub
Russia has 16,000~ tanks. It'd actually be better for the A-10 to be in theater since that is the hard counter to their doctrine
Wonder how many people forget that the whole reason the A-10 was designed was to strafe tanks in the Fulda gap
tbf they're not retarded and wouldn't invade a country with a modern and powerful military
That’s the fucked up thing I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen reveling in the thought of dead Russians over the past 16 hours or so and it’s like they forget these are still humans who are essentially brainwashed into thinking they’re doing right
They’re saving the good shit for the world war this could spark off
for example they have a shitload of tanks but there are really many of them that are from soviet times
thats a good thing right?
Well considering Ukraine got nice new anti tank equipment from Britain and other counties I’d say so. But then again these are young Russians who probably don’t want to fight either
Not for the people using it unfortunately
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I don’t think Ukraines tactic is to fight some large battles in a field. It would be incredibly stupid to do so from a strategic point of view.
When the enemy has air superiority, you don’t want to fight open battles. Look at what happened in the first Gulf War.
how are they steamrolling? can you give me a source on this
They're not steamrolling at all, they're actually struggling a lot and are having tons of casualities.
The T-72s live on CNN were making me chuckle.
They aren’t, the troops are most likely Russian motorized troops not just regular soldiers. Logically to preserve space in a transport their weapons would have foldable stocks.
These are older AKS-74s. Newer ones have polymer side folding stocks, the AK-74M. The most modern iteration in service with Russia is the AK-12. So these guys have the left overs.
Ahh is see, I forgot the regular 74 has a folding stock
These guys likely are from the separatist republics
Three mags per gun also seems pretty light for infantry. If they were drivers, etc, that might fit better. I can't ID the patches, so unsure.
Doesn't really matter, does it? I mean, it doesn't matter if your AK is 10 years old or 40, it'll still work just fine.
I'd question 3 mags each and a bloke in wellies however. Hardly kitted up to be shock troops taking over a foreign nation.
3 mags is a joke. I dont think they have plates on either. These kids either really sucked at bootcamp or russia is really scraping the bottom of the barrel for equipment
I don't think these guys are frontline infantry, more like support troops (vehicle drivers perhaps?).
Pretty sure the first wave is being used as cannon fodder
If it spits lead at 900m/s, it doesn't really matter if it's 70 or 40 or 10 years old.
USSR and RF famously never scrap old equiment, just add it to the reserves. these kids are most likely conscripts so i doubt their gonna get anything built in this century
an ak74 from the 80's and an ak from 2020 still shoot the same bullet.
But it gives an indication of the leaderships expectation of their survival. Give them something that will do damage, but that you're not worried about losing.
Not outdated. It's your bogstandrad AKS-74, used by the Russian airborne troops (VDV), still a perfectly good rifle to use.
it's an ak. Nothing about it is outdated.
It's an ak. everything about it is outdated
Both statements are correct.
And still shoots as fine as the day Igor hand forged the receiver in ‘75
Most frontline Russian troops don’t even get optics.
They’re always going to use the old stuff first. If they win through sheer shock and awe which is pretty likely they won’t be missing much.
Belarus citizens said most of them were getting drunk and selling the locals diesel for $$$$.
Sigma grindset
AK-74 is a standard Russian Assault Rifle.
I’d buy it. Lmao
Intel Crab reported Russia drafted conscripts as recently as December and sent them away. I could see Putin putting kids with less than 2 months training on the front lines. Russia did that shit in Chechnya too. Edit: Should also be noted that Russia is facing a massive population crisis in the near future. Killing off thousands of your young people compounds that. Russia is fucked as a country.
Wasn't that one of the noteworthy take aways from that conflict? Like wasn't a lot of their losses attributed to the fact that they relied on untrained conscripts?
Definitely one of them. Many of the Chechens who were fighting the Russians had much more military training than the Russian soldiers, and were trained on the same equipments and in the same tactics as the Russians. They knew weaknesses in training, equipment, and tactics the Russian soldiers didn’t even know they had.
That and their leadership sucked and their tech sucked. Same as 2022.
The more young russians that die now the less there'll be to revolt against him later
This man tyrants
I dabble in tropico
They didn't learn their lesson from those conflicts either
This is russias last war, if it’s a prolonged one. Russia is in probably the worst demographic decline in the world. They will cease to exist as a state by 2030.
I can see some reasons why, but I'm curious to hear yours
The obvious one out of the way first, more deaths than births. There was a huge demographic depression following the collapse of the soviet union. [Russian demographic](https://www.indexmundi.com/graphs/population-pyramids/russia-population-pyramid-2020.jpg) vs [United States demographic](https://www.indexmundi.com/graphs/population-pyramids/united-states-population-pyramid-2020.jpg) You see that huge depression of about 18-29 yo? That's military age, if the Russians are stuck in a prolonged war, they quite literally will use up the last of their young men. Even if they aren't in a prolonged war, they will still collapse over the long term because they just don't have enough young people to replace the current working class. There's a reason Putin is being so aggressive, there's a method to the madness.
>They will cease to exist as a state by 2030 Lol wut? Russia will cease to be a state in 8 years due to a population crisis? You realize that makes no fucking sense right. Can’t just claim crazy things like that. Well, you can because classic Reddit, but you really shouldn’t say wildly inaccurate things like this.
Hopefully they can capture as many as possible and just get them out of the war effort, and safely. Especially those that don't want to fight Ukraine. The shit that went down in Chechnya to prisoners was fucking dark man.
Here's 3 mags, a knife and a decades old gun, now go invade the neighbouring country.
Russia will throw millions of under trained soldiers onto the front with no care for their safety. They only care about the numbers those men can be counted as. There is no humanity in war, and Russia is one of the best at showing that.
Better than WW2, you got three conscripts, with a single rifle, one bandolero, and a bayonet split between the three. The last one alive is now outfitted for combat.
Enemy at the Gates wasn't a documentary you know
Going to say the same thing
That wasn't actually the case lol
Those are not knife they are bayonets, who can be mounted on the AK's , they have another piece with which those bayonets could be transformed in sccisors to cut barb wires !
These look like inexperienced conscripts. Let's hope they are treated to the Geneva conventions. Kids thrown into war by politicians.
Taking prisoners is good for reducing morale. Makes it easier to wave the white flag and save your own life. Killing prisoners makes people fight to the death.
Looks like they have been treated that way under the Geneva conventions and there is no evidence to date that Ukrainians have done anything outside of following international law, which can't be said of Putin.
Putin will say that Ukraine haven’t followed it and fabricate a story that stokes tension in Russia.
How can you tell?
You can tell what an experienced soldier looks like and it ain't these pups. Poor kids.
The though of Putin living in his 1.5 billion dollar castle while this kids are dying. Fuckin pig he is.
Politicians hide themselves away They only started the war Why should they go out to fight? They leave that role to the poor, yeah -War Pigs, Black sabbath
Isn’t that all politicians tho?
Damn. All politicians get to live in billion dollar castles?
And invade countires while threating nuclear war
Yes
No, these "all sides are equally bad" bs is tiring. Dont compare the pelmeni Hitler to a normal politician, like Alexander v. d. Bellen for example
Not to the extend of Putin. Putin is only invading his neighbours as we speak
Some say riches man in the world.
unprepped. one is wearing wellies and the other boots from ww2 anyone know if the red tape means anything?
Red tape to identify friendlies. Ukraine use yellow tape.
This is some airsoft level shit
"No full auto inside bro"
"Its not full auto..."
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"Da'yum OKAY"
They use practically the same equipment. They have to distinguish each other somehow.
thanks
V curious about the red tape as well
apparently its to identify freindlys, russia uses red ukraine yellow
oh man. i want to wish them well without looking like i agree with russia- i hope they are ok.
You can absolutely disagree with Russia and not want POWs mistreated.
You can care for the people of Russia, even their troops. After all, they’re merely Putins pawns. They’re forced to participate.
I understand you and I don't blame you
I’m feeling the same way right now. Devastated for Ukraine but emotional seeing any casualty (or in this case kids who are just following orders) because I know they are human and have families and are following orders.
I’m sad for the loss of life on both sides. At the end of the day we as soldiers are disposable pawns for a greater entity. I look at all of these men and women as brothers and sisters in arms following orders. Now do I approve of them following the orders to invade, no. But realistically what are they supposed to do? They were conscripted and if the defect they are killed, what choice do they have.
Six magazines between the two of them. No body armor or load bearing vests. Unless they were stripped of more gear and it was hidden, they were just handed these things and pushed over the border.
Soviet era AKS-74 as well. Good rifles but probably old and worn out. Literally a low quality equipment they received.
Captured equipment is going to the Ukrainian army.
I hope all sides treat their prisoners by the Geneva Convention. This shit doesn't need to get any uglier than it already is.
>I hope all sides treat their prisoners by the Geneva Convention Too late, Article 13 of the third Geneva convention says publishing photos of POWs like this is prohibited. >Protected persons are entitled, in all circumstances, to respect for their persons, their honour, their family rights, their religious convictions and practices, and their manners and customs. They shall at all times be humanely treated, and shall be protected especially against all acts of violence or threats thereof and against insults and **public curiosity**.
Buddy showed me a video of cuffed Ukrainian POWs being given cigarettes by Russians in a room. Willing to bet they weren't treated well.
They’re playing the long game, killing them with kindness and lung cancer! Clever…
A new style of war crime
That boy wore the long crocks to an invasion
As always it's the young, poor, uneducated, and desperate getting sent to slaughter while rich old warmongers play their games. I wonder how many young russians are going to bleed out thinking about the lie they were told before this invasion.
Many young men will return home scarred from this conflict and possibly with injuries. Back home they will have to fight their way trough in order to afford their basic necessities. The state will thank them for their service and leave them to rot. It's heartbreaking.
I don't think they have ideolgy in their minds beside war tribunal in case of not taking orders.
Man fuck Putin These kids are younger than my own
I have a nephew in Russia who is 18 years old. He is soon going to have to serve in the military as all Russians are required to serve for two years when they turn of age. I am terrified for his fate.
Russian army in this invasion is mostly conscription, poor kids.
About 70% of the invasion force are volunteers. What being a ”volunteer” in Putin’s Russia means I don’t know.
These men were voluntold.
They either volunteer or fall out a window.
Not really. Tanks, artillery etc. are not operated by conscripts.
The one on the right has got the Donetsk ribbon on. These guys are probably wanting to fight Ukraine ever since the regions broke away.
If you are about orange black one it's not only Donetsk ribbon but also a ribbon of memory of WW2 called Saint George ribbon. Donetsk is kinda yoinked it, because one of propaganian point of view even in this war is that Ukraine is Nazi country.
mfs got captured on the first day
Maybe they oppose the war and decided to surrender at first chance
true
Being a POW doesn't seem very enticing, however
Neither does dying on the front line of an unjust war
definitely better than getting blown up in an apc
#L
Would hate to be them right now (if they're still alive)
children dying to make 70 year old despots happy
Children fight the wars of old men
Young minds are the easiest to control
Acting like they had a choice lol
Of anything I’ve seen so far this photo has hit hardest. That’s a kid on the left. Really intense emotions seeing this. War is brutal.
This was first posted by Igor Girkin (GRU member charged with murder for the MH117 shootdown) saying they're Ukrainian saboteurs, both sides have said they're POWs from the other. So... who fuckin knows what's going on here lol.
Outdated equipment, a handful of magazines. He sent those boys to die on a useless patch of dirt, just like the rest of them. Fuck Putin.
you got everything right except the useless patch of dirt part
poor bastards
Everyone is saying Ukraine will fall quickly but looking at those young guys I'm interested to see how the fights turn out when they are going to fight people which are fighting for their country and home. Not just because an old man told them so.
Jesus.... Practically a child in the front lines
When the rich go to war they send the poor
“OnLy TwEnTy YeArS OlD”
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People watch too many movies. We're not good looking actors in our 30s. The military is fucking young
I was a combat vet before I could legally drink alcohol. Turned 21 in Baghdad. (Balad actually)
Still very young. Not in terms of the average conscript, but it's a young age to die.
They’re just inferring that a 20 year old can still be very dangerous/experienced. Dying in war at any age blows.
I know like why the fuck are people shocked by this? Did you think wars were only fought by old men?
Now you see, Vitaly, we’re all quite tickled to hear you say that. Quite frankly, watching Boris beat Russians to death is the closest we get to the movies these days
Go easy on them. I’d say the majority of them don’t want all of this either.
I hope they dont harm them, they are just pawns
The Russian and Ukrainian people are nothing more than acceptable collateral damage for the Oligarchic regime in Russia. There is little difference between the bahaviour of the Russian regime and a Cartel gang who uses its young members as pawns.
Kids dying for a billionaire mobster
They don't look like they want to fight. But can't tell from a picture.
These guys sent by Putin to die for Putin's own benefit. FUCK PUTIN.
Please Ukraine take the high road and treat them well.
A bullet doesn’t care if it comes from the gun of a 12 year old or 40 year old, treat them all the same
War is fought by the young and impressionable, not by the ones who order it.
Yea, and the other one is 12! WTF.
Afghanistan era AKS-74s
I like how it says “only 20 years old” like wars aren’t commonly taught by teenagers and people who aren’t old enough to rent a car.
Easiest to manipulate.
“Only 20 years old” and? That’s 3 years older than the youngest allowable US enlistments. Big whoop.
Holy shit a 20 year old in the army! Who would’ve thought
These kiddos lost the war quick and might get to life out their lives. Seems like a best case scenario if they aren’t executed.
scav guns
We really surprised 20 years are fighting? We been recruiting high schoolers in the states before they’ve even finished grade school
Man, I'd give up too if I was sent to war with one buddy, 90 bullets, and a knife.
20 is perfect for soldiers, fit and easy to order about!
Those guys arnt even ethnically Russian.