Comments by "Kevin Smithwick" (@KSmithwick1989) on "Wagner Swipes Through West BAKHMUT with FAB-500s" video.

  1. Ever notice that he suddenly goes on vacation when that happens.
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  2. ​@Luiz Vinícius Vieira Alexandre Range and accuracy does matter. Especially when that artillery advantage is mostly tied to towed artillery. From the Ukrainian perspective, they're targeting the artillery batteries and ammo dumps themselves. Which is an effective means of attrition. As it destroys irreplaceable Soviet era stockpiles while eliminating experienced gun crews. Firing 10x out of inefficiency is also an issue. As you're exposing more of your logistics network to enemy artillery. While simultaneously wearing out barrels, which unnecessarily eats up more resources. The before mentioned range advantage also negates your counter-battery narrative. The Russian 152mm L/47 is really not a competitive system. For example, a 2S19 MSTA firing extended range basebleed rounds has a range of 29 km. While NATO systems with the 155mm L/52 can provide 36km range with standard boat-tail rounds.
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  3. ​@Marrothefirst Talking about Gonzalo Lira. The guy claiming to still be in Ukraine. Yet accidentally pointed out that he was in the Netherlands.
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  4. Granted, said "enemy on sandals" also defeated the Soviet Union. Which was significantly wealthier and more powerful than modern Russia.
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  5. It probably wouldn't go too well. Given that even the low end of US personnel is probably much more competent than Russian mobliniks. Those videos are usually from technical staff. Which Russian has a shortage of, after Putin dropped conscription to only a year.
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  6. NATO supplied Ukrainian artillery does have an advantage. Russian artillery, particularly SPGs are mostly 152 mm equipped with L/47 barrels. While the NATO equivalent is the larger 155 mm L/55. China has also adopted this standard. The accuracy issue is also tied to range. Shells become less accurate as they lose momentum. Which peaks when they approach their maximum range. The shorter L/47 barrels on Russian artillery means they naturally lose range and accuracy sooner.
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  7. What's new, North Korea is already supplying Russia with artillery shells.
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  8. 0:06 Iraq doesn't compare to Ukraine. Although, think about how little artillery the insurgents had. Also, why does Alex only show a small part of the quote on screen. Yet tacked on more to it.
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  9. Just what type of bomb did that Russian pilot accidentally drop on Belgorod?
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  10. @nixion  So what if I come back to these comments next week and it's still standing. Which would not at all be surprising. And even if it did fall in the coming weeks. Russia would still not be in a better situation. As there's an extensive defensive lines outside the city ruins. Because they took so long seizing it.
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  11. So what happened when they invaded Afghanistan. After they left, their economy literally collapsed about 3 years later.
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  12. ​@Citrus foto The current block Patriot system will outrage a Kh-31PM by 50 km. The launch aircraft itself would risk interception. While attempting to close to their own missles' maximum range.
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  13. @MD  So what do you think about Wagner retreating in Bakhmut. Even Prigozhin has mentioned that the Ukrainians have seized the high ground.
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  14. @Luiz Vinícius Vieira Alexandre  It's simple, conducting such asymmetric operations dwindle the enemies' means of conducting war. Modern Russia does not have the factory or the budget of the Soviet Union. Decades of neglect and political succession has prevented that. So they really lack the physical means of replacing shells faster than they are spent. Firing that many shells is actually doing the Ukrainians a favor in the long run. As the advantage is steadily becoming more narrow. Some estimates even place the current figure closer to 7 to 1. With daily shell expenditure dropping closer to 7,000-8,000. As opposed to the previous estimate of 20,000 shells per day.
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  15. ​@Kuun Oooo So what's wrong with pointing out it being a pro-russian channel. I've seen your comments on here, you're openly in favor of Russia.
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  16. At this rate, he might as well claim that he meant it will fall to Ukraine.😂
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  17. If they could, they would have done so a year ago. This "new" modified FAB-500 is really due to the fact they're running low on KAB-500s. Note Russia intended to replace the FAB-500 roughly 20 years ago. Although never did, because they simply couldn't afford it. The KAB-500 itself is actually already a modified FAB-500 design from the 80s. Back when the Soviets, rather than Russia were trying to convert them into precision munitions.
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  18. @ThunderHawk  So how does that relate to the fact? This is their 3rd attempt to get rid of these 60s-era bombs. This "newer" design is even cruder than the older attempt from the 80s (KAB-500).
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  19. @Milk Hit  Speaking about that, I wouldn't be surprised May 9th comes, and this is still going on. Given they only got 2 days to clear the city.
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  20. ​@thematic Explained how did they jammed IR-based MANPADS. Or the British supplied Starstreaks, which are SACLOS.
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  21. It isn't in China's interests, they require a depressed Russian economy to keep oil import costs low. In addition to continue to benefit from Belt and Road projects within NATO countries.
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  22. Either that or Russia is pretty crap at supplying their allies. Considering most of them were allied with Russia. Even the Taliban used old Russian gear they left behind.
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  23. The short answer is that they really don't have the resources. Bakhmut is a single city in a larger theater of operation.
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  24. ​@nixion It's definitely still going on. Next week it will be 9 months. If it holds out exactly 1 more month, it will be longer than the Battle of Verdun. It already beat Stalingrad.
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  25. @otter sir otten  You're kind of glossing over Operation Storm-333 there. The KGB's Alpha and Zenith Group stormed the Tajbeg Palace, killing Hafizullah Amin. Who took control during the Saur Revolution, which Russia also staged.
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  26. Some Storm Shadows just struck positions in Crimea. So those bombs just seem like a pointless flex.
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  27. Ironically, that has pretty much been Russia the past 30 years. Trying to hold on to remnants from the Soviet era. To the point most of the equipment is still from that time.
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  28. @ThunderHawk  Honestly, it was probably even cheaper back then. When the Ruble was stronger than today. Also, it would have saved them time. Instead of producing them mid-war.
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  29.  @biglebowski8108  There's alot of platitudes and deflection there. So what particular systems and what problems they have. Because we already known the Russian systems are operating at a range disadvantage. Based on their shorter barrels and less powerful charges.
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  30. @nixion  It's also a failure on the Russians part as it was the administrative capital of Donbass. Which Russia plans to annex. They failed to decisively take the city. Usually, a city is encircled prior to fighting in the city proper. Furthermore, there is no guarantees that the city will not be taken in a counterattack. As the line is not shifting congruentrly. But creating a scenario where the defensive line is holding. With Bakhmut still backed by secondary defensive line. With too few troops within Bakhmut to exploit a breakthrough.
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  31. Russian barrels have never been really that robust. It's more of a reputation built on a rumor. Take the 2A46M for example its only rated for 215 rounds on APFSDS, 840 HE. While the US M256 is rated for 1,500 of EFC standard shells. Note that these cannons operate at higher pressures than standard artillery. Also Russian artillary barrels are shorter at 152mm L/47. As opposed to NATO standard 155mm L/52 for SPGs.
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  32.  @nixiontm  What do you think about the Russian retreat?
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  33. @nixion    Well, this video didn't age well. What do you think about the turn over? Ukraine went from controlling less than 5% of the city. To now over 20%, in less than a week. Hell, just on the first day of the offensive, they reclaimed 3 km². Which took the Russians over a week to seize. Only to immediately lose it in a retreat.
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  34. It's probably sarcastic trolling. Considering the guy keeps as for donations to keep the channel running. When he's also busy vacationing in Paris and Dubai.
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  35. It's also unguided, he's describing KAB-500 like it's a new platform.
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  36. FAB-9000 has been obsolete since the 80s. The last deployment was the Iraq-Iran War. The Soviets didn't even bother to design the Tu-22M to carry it. Despite the original Tu-22, was the primary aircraft to carry it.
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  37. Better yet, why are they not KAB-500. That's a Soviet JDAM equivalent developed in the 80s. FAB-500 is the unguided version, equivalent of the US Mk82.
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  38. @Brian Tarigan 🇮🇩  Seriously, where is this advance. Even the Russian MOD has said the Wagner retreated. Along with Prigozhin himself, said they've lost the high ground. 😆
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  39. That price is for the newer M109 A7. Those are designed for a newer 155 mm L/58 cannon. It significantly out ranges the shorter barreled Russian 152mm L/47 cannons. Those systems are only capable of 36 km. As opposed to the newer M109, that is capable of 70 km with RAP rounds.
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  40. @Russianbot5150  It's really not hard to counter the drones. Both sides have been doing that with simply nets. There's footage of lancet drones being disabled by that method.
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  41. They were never used after the Iraq-Iran War. It essentially became obsolete, and Tu-22M was never designed to carry it. Even then, the original Tu-22 could only carry one FAB-9000.
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  42. ​@Brian Tarigan 🇮🇩 Strange, now Ukraine controls 20% of Bakhmut. And the Russian millitary is saying Wagner retreated. 😂
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  43. ​@quotetheraven90 Baghdad never fell post-2003. So, what are you even referring to?
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  44. @xmeda  Yeah they do actually, the NATO regulation is STANAG 4425. Even non-NATO nations using 155 mm follow the standard, including China.
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  45.  @milkhit2714  Yep, the battle is still going.
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  46.  @tornado-s-2012  Who was Prigozhin trolling, the Russian government? If he keeps it up, he should avoid windows.
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  47. @ThunderHawk  The tank issue is also pretty questionable, also. Over 30 years of open air storage in a temperate environment with freeze-thaw cycles was unnecessary. It's doubtful that all the hulls are viable. Even prior to the war, hulls were being scraped. Had the Soviet Union been maintained, they would have been properly stored in the central Asian deserts. Similar to the US "bone yards". Also this level of refurbishment could have been avoided. Russia apparently developed the Arena APS (Active Protection Systems) in 1993. Although you don't see vehicles deployed with the system. Much less, the Arena-M designed to counter Javelins. Clearly a $300,000 APS is more cost effective than rebuilding Soviet era tanks to relatively modern standards. It sure as hell makes more sense than the logic. That the tanks can't survive modern ATGMs. So deploy more expendable tanks and crews in their place.
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