This recently from Oryx, the folks doing the very 2022 task of verifying both Russian and Ukrainian losses via photographs with location and vehicle markings in a war now pushing through its ninth month. Some 8,000 Russian vehicles have been accounted for either destroyed, damaged, abandoned, or captured, including 1,500 tanks. Staggering figures that haven’t been seen since Korea (or possibly the Yom Kippur War in 1973).
Of course, the Russians claim far fewer casualties while Ukraine figures are far higher, leaving those from Oryx likely to be those closest to correct.
The Ukrainian Navy, on its official Facebook page (hey this is war in the 21st Century, here, I’m just surprised it wasn’t announced on Tick Tok first), said the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s Project 1171 (Tapir-class/NATO: Alligator) landing ship (LST) Orsk (148) was sunk while at the dock in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian port city of Berdyansk in the Sea of Azov.
Video shows two Ropucha-(Project 775) class assault ships beating feet from the explosions on Orsk with one having a fire on deck amid debris raining down.
As the trio of lightly defended Russian ships docked at Berdyansk three days ago at a fixed location and everyone in the region knew it, this is just poor judgment on the behalf of the Black Sea Fleet– akin to the tragic British foul-up at Bluff Cove in the Falklands.
You just don’t leave ‘phibs in unprotected anchorages in daylight where the enemy may have some air power to whistle up, not in modern times.
Orsk in better times. Some 4,700 tons full load, she was part of a 15 ship class built in the 1960s of which the Russians have two left in the Black Sea. They can carry 20-40 vehicles and a battalion of troops.
What sank the Orsk is foggy as some Ukrainian sources claim simple Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 UAVs– which have claimed some 800 vehicle and bunker kills as a type in Syria, Libya, Ethiopia, Armenia and Ukraine in the past few years– launched missiles that resulted in serious secondary explosions on the old LST. If so, it is the first combat ship “kill” by a UAV, which is historic.
More on the Barayktar, the “Drone of the Decade” which is apparently at hit at the DimDex defense expo in Doha, and for good reason.
Of course, others speculate the vessel was hit by a land-based missile system, as the Ukrainian Army has operational Soviet-era 9K52 Luna-Ms/FROG-7s and OTR-21 Tochka-U/SS-21 Scarabs while the Navy has new Р-360 Neptunes– converted Kh-35/AS-20 Kayaks– all of which are truck-mounted.
As it is obvious the Russians had munitions on the dock, poor handling due to non-existent Captain of the Port safeguards and/or sabotage can also not be ruled out.
FYA, as we have some gun makers, dealers, etc that read the page, this via the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade industry for the American firearms industry:
How The Firearm Industry Manufacturers and Distributors Can Assist
NSSF® has spoken with the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, D.C., to learn of what material needs exist and how firearm industry manufacturers and distributors can assist. Ukraine is requesting assistance from the U.S. firearm and ammunition industry in the form of donations of the following rifles, pistols, and ammunition:
7.62х39 mm
7.62×51 mm
.308 WIN
5.45х39 mm
5.56х45 mm
Sniper rifles chambered in .308 WIN or 7.62х51 mm and ammunition (including bipod and scope)
If donating a non-.308 “sniper type” rifle, e.g., .338 Lapua or similar, Ukraine requests that manufacturers provide ammunition with the rifle.
Pistols and ammunition chambered in 9х19 mm
Extra magazines
Spare parts
The information to put on the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), -U.S. Department of Commerce export license applications is:
Ultimate consignee/end user Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Povitroflotskyi pr., 6 Kyiv, Ukraine 03168 +38(044) 226-20-15
The end use is: “for use by Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces of Ukraine.” Since the ultimate consignee/end user is the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, no import certificate is required from Ukraine before shipping.
For questions, please contact: Steven Clagett Director, Nuclear Missile and Firearms Technology Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Department of Commerce steven.clagett@bis.doc.gov W: (202) 482-1641
Or Jeff Bond Engineer, Missile and Nuclear Technology Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Department of Commerce Jeff.Bond@bis.doc.gov W: (202) 482-0716
For any questions about the export BIS cannot answer, please contact:
NSSF will alert industry if Ukraine’s small arms and ammunition requirements change going forward.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, D.C., wishes to express its sincere appreciation to the NSSF and industry for offering to assist Ukraine as it fights for its freedom.
Bad news folks, especially if you wavered for the past couple of years over grabbing some body armor for defensive uses– the war in Ukraine may make that hard.
With armor manufacturers already feeling the double whammy over the past two years of the tough labor market due to the COVID crisis and more expensive/harder-to-find material problems due to the “supply chain crisis,” Ukraine could be a third hurdle to jump.
Already, there have been reports of Americans buying up armor in quantity (as in thousands of sets at a time) to send overseas (ITAR?what do you mean ITAR?) to aid the Ukrainians.
More on this from Copper Jacket TV, who says exporters are also now crowding into the market.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the Ukrainians need it– they probably need everything– and I am not begrudging them armor. Just saying that if you or your department is looking to get some, you may want to go ahead and grab it while you can get it because there is likely to be a shortage lasting a few quarters on the horizon as inventory vanishes.
The Mechanix of Auto, Aviation, Military...pert near anything I feel relates to mechanical things, places, events or whatever I happen to like. Even non-mechanical artsy-fartsy stuff.
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