Ukraine War Upd. EXTRA: Stugna, Going Dutch, 1993 Prescience, & POW Cartoons
Table of Contents 📖
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"If we fail here, we will not be able to win here. We mean our enemy is Moscow."
Hello Team!
Jonathan apologises for audio issues as he is using a standalone mic rather than his usual boom mic. He plans to use his old laptop for most videos apart from mapping updates to avoid these sound problems going forward.
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1993 Interview with Ukrainian Volunteers in Georgia
In a prescient 1993 interview, Ukrainian volunteers fighting on behalf of Georgians against Russia explicitly stated that Russia would someday invade Ukraine if Russian imperialism was not destroyed immediately. They believed that if Georgia survived, Ukraine would survive, which is why they were fighting there. The volunteers felt that shedding their blood now would prevent their descendants from having to do so in the future against Moscow's aggression. This foreshadowing from 30 years ago is chilling given the current war in Ukraine.
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Stugna-P Anti-Tank Guided Missile
The Stugna-P (or Skif) is an indigenous Ukrainian anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system that has proven highly effective in the war. It was originally a joint Ukrainian-Belarusian project but Ukraine proceeded alone after 2014 using purely Ukrainian components. Key features include:
- Laser beam guidance
- Tandem shaped charge and high explosive warheads
- Remote control allowing crew to operate from up to 50m away
- Overflight top-attack mode
- Effective range of 5000m+ against tanks, vehicles and helicopters
The Stugna-P entered Ukrainian service in 2018 and has generated interest from foreign buyers given its success, though Ukraine has requisitioned units intended for export for their own use. It is seen as an effective complement to the shorter-ranged Javelin ATGM.
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Interview with Dutch Volunteer Fighter
A Dutch volunteer explains his motivations for fighting in Ukraine have evolved. Initially he wanted to protect innocent people, but after trying to return to normal life found he couldn't function and felt compelled to return to the war, which is now all he knows. He describes the harrowing experience of fighting in Bakhmut against Wagner assaults in late 2022. The volunteer expresses satisfaction in killing Russian soldiers given the devastation and "terrorist evil behavior" he has witnessed them inflict on civilians and their own wounded. He estimates having killed less than 20 so far. The psychological impacts on veterans returning from this war will likely be immense.
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Ukrainian Soldiers Treat Russian POW Humanely
Ukrainian soldiers recount their experience capturing a Russian prisoner of war and treating him humanely - giving him food, cigarettes and even watching cartoons with him for three days. The Russian soldier is baffled by this treatment, having been fed propaganda that Ukrainians "eat babies". The Ukrainians use the time to talk with him and learn about his life and the "fairytales" Russians are told about Ukrainians. This illustrates the success of Russia's domestic information war in convincing their soldiers of outrageous notions about Ukrainians.
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Wrap up
Jonathan notes he recorded an additional 30 minutes of content on two long-form articles that will be included in the next day's video as this one was getting too long. He thanks viewers for watching and reminds them to like, subscribe and share.
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