ABC News has the above photo attached to the story about the intensifying fighting in Ukraine. The identified the guy as simply a pro-Russia Separatist.
Bullshit.
I can smell military or former military thats still doing the gun thing and this guy reeks of it. Why do I say that? Check him out. He appears fit not flabby. This isn't a guy that decided one day to take out his gun and head to the fight. He's been training to do the hard thing for awhile now. Next, check out his gear. The only thing that keeps me from calling this guy Russian Special Ops is the lack of optics on his rifle...but everything else fits. If you switched out the AK with a M4 you'd be hard pressed to know if he was American by the way he's kitted out.
Which brings me to the burning question.
Does Russia have its own version of Triple Canopy (Xe is for pussies)??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kd315aI4f8#t=90
ReplyDeletecheckout what happened to his tacticool sight
Pretty funny, I suppose clamping gave up under constant vibration from shooting.
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DeleteIf it came from a US news source then it is US propaganda. The US has mercs in Ukraine, according to reports, as in other countries and I suspect that lesson has not been lost on Russia. It's a new world and we live in it. Sending troops is so twentieth century, when there are so many guns for hire.
ReplyDeleteThere are also switchers: SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — A column of armored personnel carriers flying Russian flags drove into a Ukrainian city controlled by pro-Russia demonstrators on Wednesday. Some of the troops aboard said they were Ukrainian soldiers who had switched allegiance.
if the US had contractors in Ukraine i would have heard about it.
DeleteWhy do you think so ,contractors don't need be US or even Westerns ,there is plenty of guys from the Balkan's around and these are quite often found in such backwaters first .
DeleteRussia has no interest or gain in getting involved into fighting in East Ukraine.
You have to consider western media reports to be as low quality as the Russian if not even worse ,as most reporters get their news on press conferences and briefings and there is always lots of spin and bullshit on those doesn't mater if its in Kiev ,Moscow or Washington ,few have any proper war reporters in the field.
This can be just an airsofter. Airsoft (called strikeball there) is vary popular in Ukraine.
ReplyDeleteRussian private army types or Mercs as we used to call them.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your question Solomon, about 99,9 % of those militias are either local or on a adventure trip from the other side of the border... Andrius' link shows it quite graphically (even though it's not the same guy): most of these guys look more like Airsoft fans with personally fitted equipment (very poorly in this case).
ReplyDeleteHowever, the guy you're showing in your picture is actually the only one taking a step back from the indiscriminate, zero fire discipline approach of those around him ... so maybe, just maybe, you're onto something.
As for 3C, it translates into Russian as "α center", I hear they are Men of (really good)Taste !
After the collapse of the USSR in the early 90's, there were thousands of former Soviet and Eastern bloc servicemen who were employed as mercenaries as soldiers, pilots, etc. Executive Outcomes employed quite a few of them in Sierra Leone, etc.
ReplyDeleteIt was only a hop-skip and a jump to there being Russian security firms.
Private armies is just another part of Fourth Generation warfare. It gives plausible deniability to those who employ them in addition to having a smaller logistical footprint, flexibility, etc.
I think you are seeing Russian mercs who were probably Spetsnaz being used as the nucleus of these 'militias' in a vein similar to how US Army Special Forces are used i.e. Provide leadership, training for guerrillas, etc.
If there were Russian Specops in action you can bet a wage there would be no Ukrainian airpower doing close support anymore and there would be plenty manpads around ,not just ocasional igla from the 80's
ReplyDeleteGood Observation. Manpads and Balaklavas as well. They have worn them for soo long, it would be a pity to get rid of them now.
DeleteMerc or Spetsnaz He is a pro, How to tell?
ReplyDeleteHis finger is off the trigger.
Not American, How to tell?
No Tattoos.
He has a thump gun, and a comm headset.
He is Hard Corps and as Sol said fit, fitter than your average militant or even conscript.
Off topic but interesting video of F35 and ALIS. ALIS sure seems like a serious weak link, hacking into it or just someone physically taking out the network center.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-the-f-35-be-hacked/
Why hack a program that doesn't work?
DeleteHear Hear
DeleteDON BACON: Point taken!
ReplyDeleteRussian (or Ukrainian) airsofter make US Marine pants dirty. This is specnaz!
ReplyDeletehttp://vimeo.com/96823482
Such enemies as US is just disgrace for us. Even Russian civilians looks harder.