Fighter jets, special forces: Photos 'show Russian military buildup' near Ukraine

[SPQR]

NATO has released satellite photos that show the extent of Russia's military mobilization on its border with Ukraine -- including fighter jets, tanks, artillery and thousands of soldiers who are prepared to invade within 12 hours if called upon, say officials.

The photos appear to confirm Western leaders' fears that Russia may be preparing for a ground invasion of eastern Ukraine, despite NATO's call for Russia to withdraw its forces from the border.

What do the photos show?

The photos, which private satellite imaging firm DigitalGlobe says it took between March 22 and April 2, purportedly reveal dozens of Russian "fast jets," helicopters and infantry units that were not spotted in photos of the same areas last year.

NATO estimates there are up to 40,000 troops massed at various locations along the Ukrainian border, and says it has spotted Russian forces at more than 100 different sites.

The photos of military equipment and infantry personnel should be greater cause for concern than the ones of the fighter jets, according to experts who have examined the photos for CNN
The photos of tanks, artillery battalions, and infantry brigades near Novocherkassk -- just 50 kilometers from the Ukrainian border -- show Russia's preparation for a potential invasion, says Igor Sutyagin, a research fellow for Russian studies at RUSI, a defense and security think tank.
Another photo shows more than a dozen MI8 Hips or MI24 Hinds attack helicopters sitting in a sparse air field at Belgorod, a Russian facility just 40 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

"Moving these helicopters closer to the operational area would make sense in the event of an invasion," Sutyagin says.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/11/world/europe/nato-satellite-images-russia/

[SPQR]

The photos of tanks, artillery battalions, and infantry brigades near Novocherkassk



Another photo purportedly shows a build-up of Russian Su-27 Flanker, Su-24 Fencer, and MiG-31 Foxhound fighter jets at the formerly vacant Buturlinovka air base



Another photo shows more than a dozen MI8 Hips or MI24 Hinds attack helicopters sitting in a sparse air field at Belgorod, a Russian facility just 40 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

CNN/Digitglobe

[EC]

40 kilometers? 8 minutes flight time if they are 24's. 6 if you are in a rush and don't mind gating her.

I love them. Fast as bleep, pretty much bulletproof, as long as you get belly up to incoming. The canopy can't take more than three hits without shattering. Unstable as hell - you really need to work with them, not just tell them what to do.

Still, she'll climb at a ridiculous rate, you can both barrel roll her and loop the loop and I am pretty damned certain a soul gets installed along with the avionics. They talk to you. One time I am going to pimp - click on the New Story bit in my sig. They are a total bleep joy to fly.

[SPQR]

With this much hardware sitting on the border, it looks like the Russians are ready.Most of the hardware is in spitting distance of the Ukrainian-Russian border. I say give it three weeks before all hell breaks loose.

[SPQR]

With this much hardware sitting on the border, it looks like the Russians are ready.Most of the hardware is in spitting distance of the Ukrainian-Russian border. I say give it three weeks before all hell breaks loose.

I am kind of thinking whether Putin will take it on one gigantic thrust or in a pincer movement. In the way he has layed out his forces it looks like a pincer movement. The Russian commander sucks in the Ukrainian army and then springs the trap and smash them with air units. If he wants to divide the country in half and mop up with units I would use the pincer. I was thinking of something the Zulu tribe in Africa used.The enemy was sucked into the "chest' where the enemy was, while the "horns" set the trap by closing it.The horns were made up of young warriors. They had the "chest"  where the enemy struck first then the"loins" where the enemy would be degraded were made up of experienced warriors.By this point, there was nowhere to run.I am a huge fan of pincer movements. One pincer movement that will live on will be Operation: Uranus by Zhukov.



This is your classic Pincer movement.


This is your Zulu "pincer' movement. Even though its looks very primitive, it gave both the Boers and the British a lot of trouble. Lord Chelmsford was suckered and lost by the Zulus using this method at the Battle of Isandlwana even though the British had superior firepower.

[SPQR]

I am kind of thinking whether Putin will take it on one gigantic thrust or in a pincer movement. In the way he has layed out his forces it looks like a pincer movement. The Russian commander sucks in the Ukrainian army and then springs the trap and smash them with air units. If he wants to divide the country in half and mop up with units I would use the pincer. I was thinking of something the Zulu tribe in Africa used.The enemy was sucked into the "chest' where the enemy was, while the "horns" set the trap by closing it.The horns were made up of young warriors. They had the "chest"  where the enemy struck first then the"loins" where the enemy would be degraded were made up of experienced warriors.By this point, there was nowhere to run.I am a huge fan of pincer movements. One pincer movement that will live on will be Operation: Uranus by Zhukov.



This is your classic Pincer movement.


This is your Zulu "pincer' movement. Even though its looks very primitive, it gave both the Boers and the British a lot of trouble. Lord Chelmsford was suckered and lost by the Zulus using this method at the Battle of Isandlwana even though the British had superior firepower.

As the Russian commander, I would use the  Dnieper river to cut the country in the pincer movement. They would also cut all the water and power supplies in the country.