via ITAR-TASS
Kiev-controlled troops are exchanging fire with militia units near the village of Semyonovka off Sloviansk in the Donetsk Region. Militia fighters have punctured several armored personnel carriers, parliament-appointed Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said on Tuesday.I find this interesting.
The title of the story says that several APCs were knocked out. The statement says several were penetrated. What I would like to know is what type of weapon caused the damage. Either way though it doesn't matter. Fighting is escalating and the US/EU seem powerless to stop it.
I wonder what type of APC's were hit, that would give us any idea what type of weapon was used.
ReplyDeleteMy guess, based on what i've seen, is that the APCs (if it is indeed APCs they talking about) are BTR-80 models that the Ukrainian army had in Iraq as well.
ReplyDeleteThe BTR-80 is a light armored vehicle, which means it can be "punctured" quite easily by any 50 cal. weapon, except for front arc which is supposed to be resistant to 50 cal. However, considering the fact that some of the BTR-80 in use in Eastern Ukraine are actually BTR-70 that have been retrofitted with BTR-80 equipment, these APCs have a certain number of weak spots, which make it possible to penetrate their armour even with 7.62 RPK for example.
So anything from infantry RPK, PKP, PV, KSVK, OSV-96 to vehicle mounted KPV or PKT could do the job under certain circumstances, if you know where to shoot at (which the former soviet/russian soldiers in the militias in East Ukraine presumably do).
Also they are using old anti-tank rifles PTRS and PTRD:
ReplyDeletehttp://hackjvc.livejournal.com/913967.html
You're right ... Only question mark here would be about ability to penetrate a BTR from a distance: both PTRS a PTRD have very poor acuracy, have flaws in projectile design (which tends to "desintegrate" before hitting target) and can only penetrate armour at very short distances and from 90 degree angle, ie they need to be very close which exposes the AT team to retaliatory fire.
DeleteBut given the weak armour of the BTR, there's definitely a chance they used those rifles. However, I would doubt that they were able to knock out several APCs that way.
We can ad that shooting from PTRS and PTRD can serious hurt the shooter. Kick of those weapon are almost legendary, fracturing clavicle were very common. But as Hecate said, you don't need them to penetrate BTR armor, they are really thin.
DeleteThe US/EU initiated the Ukraine situation and is promoting the fighting.
ReplyDelete