1/ Despite searing temperatures of up to 40°C (104°F), Russian fighter pilots in Ukraine and southern Russia are reportedly being issued with only 1 litre (36 oz) of water per day. In between sorties, they are said to be driving around nearby villages begging for water. ⬇️
2/ The Fighterbomber Telegram channel has published a despairing post complaining about a chronic shortage of drinking water for Russian pilots stationed at forward airfields. The author writes:
3/ "The guys have been fighting from forward airfields for several months and for several months everything has been bad with food.
You can say it doesn't exist.
If with dry rations everything was solved after a time, then with water everything turned out to be difficult.
4/ "It turns out that pilots are not allowed water.
None.
5/ "After the intervention of those who don't give a fuck, within a day the issue with rations was essentially resolved, and the water issue was partially resolved. A water standard has appeared.
One
Litre
Of
Water
Per day
Per person.
6/ "When not flying combat missions, pilots are forced to drive around the surrounding villages in search of water."
7/ It should be noted that the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is about 3.7 litres (130 oz) of fluids a day. In very hot temperatures, more water is likely to be needed or dehydration will result.
8/ The channel appeals to Russian bottled water manufacturers to "deliver water to the nearest military airfield. Preliminary, this is Voronezh, Rostov, and any military airfield in Crimea. Wherever is more convenient for you.
9/ Water in one-and-a-half-litre bottles is more convenient, but we'll take any."
The south of Ukraine and Russia are currently experiencing very high temperatures and severe drought. The Kakhovka dam's destruction in June 2023 has cut off most of the water supply to Crimea.
10/ Ukrainian attacks on Russian supply chains are also likely to be a factor in causing shortages of food and water. Russian troops have recently filmed themselves having to drink nettle soup for lack of food supplies. /end
1/ Men with HIV and hepatitis are openly being recruited online for service with the Russian army, despite a ban on recruiting those with infectious diseases. The army already faces a disease epidemic, which is prompting the creation of special 'HIV regiments'. ⬇️
2/ Avito, the Russian version of eBay, currently has over 1,100 adverts offering military contracts. While some are likely to be 'official' adverts from military recruitment offices, many regions now offer bounties to anyone who recruits a soldier.
3/ This is almost certainly prompting recruiters to sign up anyone they can, even if they are legally prohibited from enlisting. Numerous adverts seek people to serve as drivers, drone operators, and artillerymen, but openly state that infected men are welcomed or considered.
1/ Russia's BMD-4M is virtually defenceless against FPV drones and prone to exploding spectacularly when hit. This is being blamed on outdated requirements for the vehicle to be air-droppable and amphibious, which its own makers admit have left it "virtually devoid of armour". ⬇️
2/ The BMD-4M was designed in 2008 for the Russian Airborne Troops (VDV). It has performed poorly during the Ukraine war, with at least 176 vehicles lost. Much of the blame has fallen on the very thin aluminum alloy hull armour.
3/ Soldiers have attempted to improve the armour themselves by adding cages to the roofs of the BMD-4Ms, where the armour is only 5-6mm thick. This has not been very successful due to the armour everywhere else only being thick enough to withstand bullets and shell splinters.
1/ Russian "werewolves in uniform", profiteering businessmen, and grifters on Telegram are keeping the war in Ukraine going for their own personal benefit, according to another vitrolic commentary from the popular Russian warblogger 'Fighterbomber'. ⬇️
2/ Once again referring to Russia euphemistically as "Laos", the author writes:
"Well, I'll say a little more about Laos. Everything in a heap, so as not to get up twice."
3/ "Here at one meeting on the eve of the negotiations in Alaska between our leader and the American one, the toastmaster of the meeting said something like the following to his servants.
1/ The Russian army is reportedly planning to create special HIV and hepatitis regiments, in an effort to stem an epidemic of infectious diseases. Copying a Wagner Group practice, the infected men will wear armbands to indicate their disease status. ⬇️
2/ The Russian army is currently experiencing a massive epidemic of HIV, hepatitis and other infectious diseases, due to a breakdown of basic medical hygiene and a lack of screening of men joining the army, many of whom have come from prisons.
3/ Anastasia Kashevarova reports that the Russian army "is adopting the experience of the Wagner private military company, where sick soldiers served in a separate project/unit called Umbrella."
1/ Russian aviation specialists are being expended as assault troops, likely to make up for huge army losses. A prominent Russian warblogger has responded with a furious denunciation of 'meat assault' tactics and the routine lies of commanders about their successes. ⬇️
2/ This is not the first time that the Russian army has made use of air force personnel as assault troops. It generally seems to be a way to plug gaps after heavy losses among the infantry.
3/ The author of the 'Fighterbomber' Telegram channel, who appears to be an ex-Russian air force member, is angry that the "Laotian" armed forces (a euphemism for Russia) are sending scarce aviation specialists ("Space Marines") into deadly assaults:
1/ A Russian commander denounces the Russian way of war as "rot, greed, and hypocrisy", typified by rampant theft, corruption and greed among those providing goods and services to the soldiers, and among the soldiers themselves. ⬇️
2/ The 'Vyaly' Telegram channel recounts the comments of "a Combat Commander who is currently working in the immediate vicinity":
3/ "Our way of war: rot, greed and hypocrisy
Here, on our section of the front, the real enemies sometimes sit not behind the grey line, but right next to us. With automatic rifles, the same uniforms, the same flag on their chevrons. Only with zero honour in their souls.