Thread by @JBelcourt73

In today's episode of moral rot in Russia I will direct my readers to this thread. (Note: I was wrong on his POW status).

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1571941747307216898?s=20&t=C2ON4YU3geoujWraUP-O0A

Some things that stand out we will start with the bad and move to the good. 1. Although convicted of murder and initially sentenced to the Gulag (special regime) in the Urals he was able to make it to a better prison where he could have a phone, internet and get married. Good

for him, bad for the system as it implies bribes. You don't give a violent felon with an escape history cushy gigs for free anywhere, let alone in a mafia state that runs on corruption. 2. He was recruited into a penal battalion where discipline was "severe", shoot you in the

face for being surly severe. That might make you hop to it when you think you are being watched or what you do might get back to the hand holding the pistol but its otherwise not real motivating. 3. None of the prisoners trusted each other. That may be a survival strategy in

prison, its suicide in combat where buddies are life. 4. They were given 1 weeks training and allowed on the firing range one time, then sent into combat. He says to collect bodies, but whatever people were shooting its combat. 5. Many of his unit of 17 (body duty) were already

gone by night two, nearly 50% attrition in 24 hours! Now we start moving to the good. 6. He defected to Ukraine. A voluntary deserter who wants to fight for the Free Russian Legion is a defector. 7. He has family in Ukraine and Russia never bothered to check. 8. Somehow a felon

in prison for 23 years found inside himself the moral capital to act, not just for his own enrichment, but for something greater than himself. 9. If a felon can, why can't rank and file Russians who have known softer lives with stronger contacts to others do so? His ability to

stand up for what is right is actually an indictment of the Russian system. This has some seriously bad portents for Russia especially if you combine the 50%+ loss rate inside of 48 hours. As Russia's manpower quality and numbers decline recovering anything from the invasion of

Ukraine becomes ever more remote. No matter how good the tech should have been, no matter the logistics situation if the troops are not well lead, well trained motivated moral actors the effort is doomed. However this brings up an area of trepidation on the Ukrainian side.

apparently Ukraine may be getting some modernized T-55's

https://twitter.com/GJStathakis/status/1571960068408745984?s=20&t=C2ON4YU3geoujWraUP-O0A

If you want to use a tank that cannot fight day and night (no thermal) and can likely not kill any generation of T-80 or 90 and is unlikely to be able to deal with most T-72's and pay 25% more manning costs to do so there is likely a serious problem with tank availability unless

they are being offered without being asked for and are intended for TDF units. But if Ukraine sees a frontline role for a modified version of a modified version of a WWII tank we need to talk about it. It might be time to really push for Leo 2's or Abrams. I know Europe has the

infrastructure to support both at the depot level. Now as to Germany letting big cats loose across the Ukrainian steppes again... I can see the sensitivity. But American (made) tanks battling fascism in Ukraine... Well they have done it before. It would not be an easy

transition. Even making short cuts like staying with 3 tank platoons and Soviet-ish employment doctrines it would still be a grueling process to even build one battalion up. If we are going to do it, we need to get started now if we want Ukraine to have any by spring.

The logistics of supporting a couple of armored brigades of Abrams is going to be resource intensive and strain and already straining logistics network. Abrams may be painted green but the fuel economy gives environmentalist types absolute fits.

I know my political leaders @JohnBoozman, @SenTomCotton and @RepFrenchHill have voted to support Ukraine and this would fall right into that staunch support. My thoughts on this are complex but if you have any tank related questions catch me later on @MriyaReport the 24/7/365

twitter space devoted to bringing us experts, Ukrainian voices and using those to drive donations to @MriyaAid. So quick question to @Teoyaomiquu or anyone else who might know they habits of Ukrainian AFV crewmen. Why are they not wearing NOMEX? Is it simply a fact that it won't

matter if the ammo gets hit (vs penetrating hits that don't get the ammo), availability, no knowledge why? Here is an example of what I am talking about ebay.com/itm/1647826253…

It tightens around the wrists, ankles, and neck, has non-sparking zippers and buttons and the back has a flap concealing a drag handle to allow evacuation. It might only reduce serious injury and deaths by .01% but every life matters. War is a math problem after all.

Until Ukraine wins on Ukraine's terms: Slava Ukraini! #RussiaIsATerroristState #GenocideOfUkrainians #ukrainecounteroffensive #UkraineInvasion @mfa_russia <--- still losing and no one wants to be on your side anymore.

@threadreaderapp unroll please