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Dial H For Hero
Dial H For Hero's Journal
Dial H For Hero's Journal
March 3, 2022
What's the oldest object of any kind in your home?
In my case, I recently purchased an authenticated Japanese wakizashi (short sword) that was made in approximately 1450 A.D.
March 2, 2022
Dammit.
Ukraine Live Updates: First Key Southern City Falls, Ukrainian Officials Say
Source: New York Times
Russian troops seized the strategically important city of Kherson, Ukrainian officials said, in a significant moment in the battle for the country’s south. Explosions struck the capital, Kyiv, and Russian troops continued to lay siege to Kharkiv.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/02/world/ukraine-russia-war
Dammit.
March 1, 2022
After four days of fighting, the Russian military is bogged down in Ukraine. In part this is due to the valiant resistance of Ukraine’s army and civilian defense forces. But it’s also due to the fact that the Russian army just isn’t very good.
News reports, tweets, videos, and emails from the battlefields show Russia’s armored vehicles abandoned for lack of fuel, its soldiers foraging for food, its transport planes shot out of the sky, its various military elements—tanks, infantry, aircraft—unable to coordinate their aims.
Michael Kofman, a military analyst at CNA, an Arlington, Va.-based think tank, who has been following the battle closely, tweeted Sunday late afternoon, “It’s taken me a while to figure out what [the Russian military is] trying to do, because it looks so ridiculous and incompetent.” B.A. Friedman, a military historian and tactician, went further: “This isn’t a good army executing a bad plan. It isn’t a good army executing outdated or out-of-context tactics. It’s a bad army!”
None of this should be overstated. Four days of fighting might seem an eternity when viewed through the prism of round-the-clock cable news, but, in retrospect, a month from now, it will seem like the blink of an eye. Even the best armies take a while to get going. That said, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been particularly sluggish and flawed.
(Excerpt)
No, You're Not Imagining It: Russia's Army Is Inept
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/no-you-re-not-imagining-it-russia-s-army-is-inept/ar-AAUqQkD?ocid=msedgntpAfter four days of fighting, the Russian military is bogged down in Ukraine. In part this is due to the valiant resistance of Ukraine’s army and civilian defense forces. But it’s also due to the fact that the Russian army just isn’t very good.
News reports, tweets, videos, and emails from the battlefields show Russia’s armored vehicles abandoned for lack of fuel, its soldiers foraging for food, its transport planes shot out of the sky, its various military elements—tanks, infantry, aircraft—unable to coordinate their aims.
Michael Kofman, a military analyst at CNA, an Arlington, Va.-based think tank, who has been following the battle closely, tweeted Sunday late afternoon, “It’s taken me a while to figure out what [the Russian military is] trying to do, because it looks so ridiculous and incompetent.” B.A. Friedman, a military historian and tactician, went further: “This isn’t a good army executing a bad plan. It isn’t a good army executing outdated or out-of-context tactics. It’s a bad army!”
None of this should be overstated. Four days of fighting might seem an eternity when viewed through the prism of round-the-clock cable news, but, in retrospect, a month from now, it will seem like the blink of an eye. Even the best armies take a while to get going. That said, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been particularly sluggish and flawed.
(Excerpt)
February 28, 2022
(Bloomberg) -- Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced plans for a massive boost in defense spending in the latest historic policy shift in Germany triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Germany will channel 100 billion euros ($113 billion) this year into a fund to modernize the military, Scholz said Sunday in a speech to a special session of the lower house of parliament. By 2024, the government will spend at least 2% of gross domestic product each year on defense, he added, in line with a NATO target that Berlin has consistently failed to meet.
Scholz had been widely criticized by opponents and allies alike in recent weeks for what they perceived as dithering and weakness in the face of Russia’s mounting aggression toward Ukraine. In the past few days he has announced a series of radical changes to long-entrenched German policies following the full-scale attack ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the former Soviet republic.
Even before the invasion, Scholz halted the certification process for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline built to bring more of the Russian gas his country heavily relies on. On Saturday, he abandoned Germany’s traditional rejection of supplying weapons to conflict zones and gave way on expelling Russian banks from SWIFT, the system used for trillions of dollars worth of transactions between thousands of banks around the world. The willingness to supply Ukraine with military equipment including surface-to-air missiles and anti-tank weapons is in many ways the most dramatic move.
(Excerpt)
Germany to Boost Military Spending in Latest Historic Shift
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/germany-to-lift-defense-spending-in-latest-historic-policy-shift/ar-AAUmFTc(Bloomberg) -- Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced plans for a massive boost in defense spending in the latest historic policy shift in Germany triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Germany will channel 100 billion euros ($113 billion) this year into a fund to modernize the military, Scholz said Sunday in a speech to a special session of the lower house of parliament. By 2024, the government will spend at least 2% of gross domestic product each year on defense, he added, in line with a NATO target that Berlin has consistently failed to meet.
Scholz had been widely criticized by opponents and allies alike in recent weeks for what they perceived as dithering and weakness in the face of Russia’s mounting aggression toward Ukraine. In the past few days he has announced a series of radical changes to long-entrenched German policies following the full-scale attack ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the former Soviet republic.
Even before the invasion, Scholz halted the certification process for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline built to bring more of the Russian gas his country heavily relies on. On Saturday, he abandoned Germany’s traditional rejection of supplying weapons to conflict zones and gave way on expelling Russian banks from SWIFT, the system used for trillions of dollars worth of transactions between thousands of banks around the world. The willingness to supply Ukraine with military equipment including surface-to-air missiles and anti-tank weapons is in many ways the most dramatic move.
(Excerpt)
February 27, 2022
The US for the first time approves the direct delivery of Stinger missiles to Ukraine as part of a package approved by the White House on Friday.
The exact timing of delivery is not known, but officials say the US is currently working on the logistics of the shipment. The officials agree to discuss the development only if not quoted by name.
The decision comes on the heels of Germany’s announcement that it will send 500 Stinger missiles and other weapons and supplies to Ukraine.
The high-speed Stingers are very accurate and are used to shoot down helicopters and other aircraft. Ukrainian officials have been asking for more of the powerful weapons.
(Excerpt)
US to send anti-aircraft Stinger missiles to Ukraine
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/us-to-send-anti-aircraft-stinger-missiles-to-ukraine/The US for the first time approves the direct delivery of Stinger missiles to Ukraine as part of a package approved by the White House on Friday.
The exact timing of delivery is not known, but officials say the US is currently working on the logistics of the shipment. The officials agree to discuss the development only if not quoted by name.
The decision comes on the heels of Germany’s announcement that it will send 500 Stinger missiles and other weapons and supplies to Ukraine.
The high-speed Stingers are very accurate and are used to shoot down helicopters and other aircraft. Ukrainian officials have been asking for more of the powerful weapons.
(Excerpt)
February 26, 2022
Not familiar with source.
Reports of heavy fighting, loud explosions in Kyiv.
https://twitter.com/TheInsiderPaper/status/1497383384552718344Not familiar with source.
February 25, 2022
Want to help Ukraine? You can literally put your money where your mouth is.
I just did. You can make a direct donation to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine:
Link to the National Bank of Ukraine’s fundraising account to support the armed forces of Ukraine:
https://ukraine.ua/news/donate-to-the-nbu-fund/
The web page contains the necessary info to make a money transfer in USD, GBP, EUR or UAH to bank accounts in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, or Ukraine.
An alternative bank account of the Ukrainian government is listed at:
https://ukraine.ua/news/support-the-armed-forces-of-ukraine/
February 25, 2022
This guy is really into military rations. He rates the Ukrainian 24 hour ration as one of the best out there.
Ukraine 24 hour MRE ration review
https://m.This guy is really into military rations. He rates the Ukrainian 24 hour ration as one of the best out there.
February 24, 2022
As Russian forces enter Ukraine as part of what President Biden called the “beginning of a Russian invasion,” Russian troops are positioned to attack from all directions, suggesting that a full-scale invasion of Ukraine may occur in the coming days.
The Pentagon has armed Ukrainian forces with a number of Javelin anti-tank missiles, which are often used by small, mobile units to destroy tanks from far distances. Javelin missiles, which were first used against Iraqi T-72 tanks during Operation Iraqi Freedom, have proven capable of destroying tanks in combat. The Javelin can be operated as a shoulder-fired weapon or be mounted and fired from tactical vehicles.
Could Ukrainian forces armed with Javelins stop or destroy invading Russian tanks? While they may be able to do so, a number of important factors must be considered. A quick look at the geography shows that eastern Ukraine is largely made up of plains and plateaus, whereas the western part of the country is mountainous. In order for Javelins to reach their maximum effectiveness, they must be fired from positions that are hidden by rocks, trees, or uneven terrain. With this in mind, eastern Ukraine’s terrain may make it a difficult location to carry out hit-and-run Javelin attacks on Russian tanks. Should soldiers attacking with Javelins be unable to conceal their points of attack, they could be more vulnerable to advancing Russian mechanized formations and less effective in stopping them.
Ultimately, Javelins may be used to slow down a Russian ground invasion rather than fully halt a Russian advance. Javelins could certainly raise the cost of a Russian attack, and effective hit-and-run attacks could even force a Russian ground assault to change course.
(Excerpt)
Javelins May Be Ukraine's Best Hope to Thwart a Russian Invasion
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/javelins-may-be-ukraines-best-hope-thwart-russian-invasion-200785As Russian forces enter Ukraine as part of what President Biden called the “beginning of a Russian invasion,” Russian troops are positioned to attack from all directions, suggesting that a full-scale invasion of Ukraine may occur in the coming days.
The Pentagon has armed Ukrainian forces with a number of Javelin anti-tank missiles, which are often used by small, mobile units to destroy tanks from far distances. Javelin missiles, which were first used against Iraqi T-72 tanks during Operation Iraqi Freedom, have proven capable of destroying tanks in combat. The Javelin can be operated as a shoulder-fired weapon or be mounted and fired from tactical vehicles.
Could Ukrainian forces armed with Javelins stop or destroy invading Russian tanks? While they may be able to do so, a number of important factors must be considered. A quick look at the geography shows that eastern Ukraine is largely made up of plains and plateaus, whereas the western part of the country is mountainous. In order for Javelins to reach their maximum effectiveness, they must be fired from positions that are hidden by rocks, trees, or uneven terrain. With this in mind, eastern Ukraine’s terrain may make it a difficult location to carry out hit-and-run Javelin attacks on Russian tanks. Should soldiers attacking with Javelins be unable to conceal their points of attack, they could be more vulnerable to advancing Russian mechanized formations and less effective in stopping them.
Ultimately, Javelins may be used to slow down a Russian ground invasion rather than fully halt a Russian advance. Javelins could certainly raise the cost of a Russian attack, and effective hit-and-run attacks could even force a Russian ground assault to change course.
(Excerpt)
February 24, 2022
Ukrainians are buying guns, ammunition and sniper rifles ahead of a possible Russian invasion, with long queues inside weapons stores on Wednesday.
With a state of emergency set to be unveiled, the country’s parliament approved a draft law that gives Ukrainians permission to carry firearms. Previously they were forbidden from leaving home with lethal weapons.
Most Ukrainians – boys and girls – learn how to shoot at school. About 400,000 people are estimated to have combat experience, following Vladimir Putin’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and the Moscow-supported armed uprising in the east.
But the threat in recent days of a possible attack on Kyiv has caused an unprecedented rush to buy arms. Gun shops have sold out of some weapons, such as AR-10 and AR-15 assault rifles, with business now exceptionally busy.
(Excerpt)
Business brisk at Kyiv gun shops as Ukrainians rush to buy arms
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/23/business-brisk-at-kyiv-gun-shops-as-ukrainians-rush-to-buy-armsUkrainians are buying guns, ammunition and sniper rifles ahead of a possible Russian invasion, with long queues inside weapons stores on Wednesday.
With a state of emergency set to be unveiled, the country’s parliament approved a draft law that gives Ukrainians permission to carry firearms. Previously they were forbidden from leaving home with lethal weapons.
Most Ukrainians – boys and girls – learn how to shoot at school. About 400,000 people are estimated to have combat experience, following Vladimir Putin’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and the Moscow-supported armed uprising in the east.
But the threat in recent days of a possible attack on Kyiv has caused an unprecedented rush to buy arms. Gun shops have sold out of some weapons, such as AR-10 and AR-15 assault rifles, with business now exceptionally busy.
(Excerpt)
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