Ukraine War Upd. EXTRA: Mine Clearance, F-16 Challenges, Wolves PMC, & NATO Training
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Table of Contents 📖
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"There was a recent sort of tweet, Fred, and something that's been quoted quite here. I met recently with the general in charge of training for the entirety of Ukraine, and we quoted this to him as well. The Ukrainian soldier speaking about training they've received in Germany about how to deal with minefields, and the effective response that the Ukrainian soldier got when he asked the foreign instructors, how do we penetrate these sort of multi-layered minefields, was, you know, push to the left or push to the right and try and circumvent the minefield. Obviously, unfortunately, that's not really possible in Ukraine, as hundreds of kilometers stretches of the front line are heavily mined."
Hello Team!
Jonathan introduces the video as a Ukraine War update extra, providing additional insights and understanding about the war in Ukraine. He starts by showing an uncomfortable video of a large number of mines, likely in the Zaporizhzhia direction, equivalent to about two farmers' fields worth.
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NATO Training Challenges
Jonathan discusses a clip from The Daily Telegraph's Ukraine Latest podcast, featuring a British veteran involved in training Ukrainians. Key points:
- The training has not adapted enough as the war has progressed. It is still focused on basic skills and tactics, which is not suitable for experienced Ukrainian soldiers who have been fighting since the start of the invasion.
- There is a lack of adaptation in the Western militaries' assumption that Ukrainian soldiers need the most basic level of training.
- Ukrainian soldiers are often teaching the instructors based on their combat experience.
- The training needs to evolve to meet the Ukrainians' actual needs, with better feedback mechanisms.
F-16 Transfer Challenges
Referencing a thread by Justin Bronk from RUSI, Jonathan outlines the challenges with transferring F-16s to Ukraine:
- Servicing and maintaining the complex, older F-16 airframes is a key issue. It will take years to train Ukrainian maintainers to the required level.
- Heavy reliance on civilian contractors to provide on-the-job training to Ukrainian maintainers in-country, even after initial training. This is risky as F-16 bases inside Ukraine will be priority targets for Russia.
- Financing the F-16 transfer in the near term is another challenge, as it could draw finite budget away from more critical supplies like artillery ammunition, tanks, IFVs, Patriots, etc.
- Significant time is needed to train Ukrainian pilots in the complex tactics required to operate F-16s effectively near the front line under Russian threats.
- The weapons provided with the F-16s will be critical to their effectiveness. Some key items like long-range missiles have yet to be approved due to sensitivity concerns.
Minefield Clearance Challenges
Citing a thread by Mick Ryan, a retired Australian general, Jonathan highlights the challenges with minefield clearance in southern Ukraine:
- The tactics and technologies for detecting, clearing, and penetrating minefields have not advanced significantly in the past 50 years.
- Pervasive battlefield observation through drones, sensors, and intelligence means that minefield breaching attempts can be detected and targeted by the enemy within minutes using digitized fire control systems.
- This represents an intellectual failure by Western nations to anticipate and adapt to these new realities.
- Ukraine has adapted its clearance techniques, but Western militaries need a crash program to develop faster and better technologies and tactics for minefield detection and clearance without air superiority.
- About 15% of Ukraine is contaminated by mines and unexploded ordnance, so this is a massive humanitarian imperative as well.
Wolves PMC
Referencing a thread by Tatarigami, Jonathan discusses the Wolves PMC (Private Military Company) in Russia:
- Wolves PMC is comprised of mobilized soldiers, presently recognized as the 1st Voluntary Reconnaissance Assault Brigade Wolves.
- Despite being labeled a PMC, their operational contracts and combat assignments remain under the Russian Ministry of Defence (MOD), with some degree of autonomy and additional private financial backing.
- The Wolves Brigade draws personnel from convicts vetted through MOD channels, volunteers, and those mobilized under the MOD.
- They primarily operate in the Soledar and Bakhmut areas, conducting assaults, reconnaissance, drone operations, and artillery correction.
- Many of these so-called PMCs function as veiled mobilization mechanisms for Russia, superficially distinct from the MOD but helping to meet recruitment quotas.
Wrap up
Jonathan concludes the video, thanking viewers for their support and promising to give shout-outs to recent channel members in the coming days.
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