3 ms·

This is significant, is it not? This is the first time a NATO member has directly destroyed Russian (if that is the case) military hardware, since when? edit:

This is significant, is it not? This is the first time a NATO member has directly destroyed Russian (if that is the case) military hardware, since when? edit: To answer my own question, since only 2015 when a Turkish F-16 shot down a Russian Su-24.

jacquesm 1y ago
Yes, very much so. I was passing through Eastern Poland a few weeks ago and saw a patriot deployed in a field, up and running and ready to go. That's a first as long as I've traveled, to see active military resources deployed on NATO allied territory outside of an exercise.
- sam_lowry_ 1y ago
  Isn't it the one along the road to Hel? Lots of peeple see this one, as Hel is a major tourist destination. I was there when a Russian ship tried to cut an underwater powerline, the back-and forth of Navy ships and helicopters lasted a few hours. Super impressive.
  - jacquesm 1y ago
    No, different one between two major Polish cities. I'm not going to do the russians work for them by detailing exactly where I spotted it and I highly doubt many people would have seen it the way it was camouflaged. It's interesting how many people seem to be under the impression that 'NATO isn't responding' because they're not giving Putin what he wants: direct involvement of NATO so he has another excuse to escalate (as if he needs one). Meanwhile, you can't move half a centimeter in all of Eastern Poland without an update on some situation monitor somewhere. You get a very nice but extremely pointy SMS when you approach the Suwalki gap that leaves absolutely no room for doubt that you are entering a militarized zone and that there are standing orders to use live weapons so obey any and all instructions immediately and without so much as a 'but'. It's a bit funny because I have family in the region and was already aware of it but the degree to which they are bluntly informing the general public now is a clear indication that things have heated up considerably.
  - thenthenthen 1y ago
    Road to Hel
inglor_cz 1y ago
This is significant but also in line with standard Russian behavior as we know it from the last century; they will push as long and as far as they can. Zero respect for normal diplomatic relations or smaller nations. The entire eastern half of Europe has plenty of experience with this. There need to be some reprisals for this incursion, otherwise more Shaheds will "arrive" by "bad luck", of course. A no-fly zone over a stretch of Western Ukraine, enforced by NATO air power, would be in place. Manned Russian aircraft don't operate there, only drones and missiles.
- jacquesm 1y ago
  There is absolutely no chance that this was not exactly as planned.
  - iyn 1y ago
    One _could_ argue that GPS jamming by the Ukrainian forces is getting better at confusing Russian's systems — but I do agree in principle that this most likely part of the Russian plan.
    - jacquesm 1y ago
      You could argue that, but it isn't very plausible. These are not passive devices that operate autonomously.
      - iyn 1y ago
        Again — I think it was intentional. But for the > These are not passive devices that operate autonomously My understanding was that these are autonomous drones? Or rather — they have their route programmed before launch but then it's not remotely controlled.
        jacquesm 1y ago
        > My understanding was that these are autonomous drones? Not this particular model. They can be left without operator attention for a while but they will fly where they're told to fly and can change their flight path during a mission.

jacquesm 1y ago

Yes, very much so. I was passing through Eastern Poland a few weeks ago and saw a patriot deployed in a field, up and running and ready to go. That's a first as long as I've traveled, to see active military resources deployed on NATO allied territory outside of an exercise.

sam_lowry_ 1y ago
Isn't it the one along the road to Hel? Lots of peeple see this one, as Hel is a major tourist destination. I was there when a Russian ship tried to cut an underwater powerline, the back-and forth of Navy ships and helicopters lasted a few hours. Super impressive.
- jacquesm 1y ago
  No, different one between two major Polish cities. I'm not going to do the russians work for them by detailing exactly where I spotted it and I highly doubt many people would have seen it the way it was camouflaged. It's interesting how many people seem to be under the impression that 'NATO isn't responding' because they're not giving Putin what he wants: direct involvement of NATO so he has another excuse to escalate (as if he needs one). Meanwhile, you can't move half a centimeter in all of Eastern Poland without an update on some situation monitor somewhere. You get a very nice but extremely pointy SMS when you approach the Suwalki gap that leaves absolutely no room for doubt that you are entering a militarized zone and that there are standing orders to use live weapons so obey any and all instructions immediately and without so much as a 'but'. It's a bit funny because I have family in the region and was already aware of it but the degree to which they are bluntly informing the general public now is a clear indication that things have heated up considerably.
- thenthenthen 1y ago
  Road to Hel

inglor_cz 1y ago

This is significant but also in line with standard Russian behavior as we know it from the last century; they will push as long and as far as they can. Zero respect for normal diplomatic relations or smaller nations. The entire eastern half of Europe has plenty of experience with this. There need to be some reprisals for this incursion, otherwise more Shaheds will "arrive" by "bad luck", of course. A no-fly zone over a stretch of Western Ukraine, enforced by NATO air power, would be in place. Manned Russian aircraft don't operate there, only drones and missiles.

jacquesm 1y ago
There is absolutely no chance that this was not exactly as planned.
- iyn 1y ago
  One _could_ argue that GPS jamming by the Ukrainian forces is getting better at confusing Russian's systems — but I do agree in principle that this most likely part of the Russian plan.
  - jacquesm 1y ago
    You could argue that, but it isn't very plausible. These are not passive devices that operate autonomously.
    - iyn 1y ago
      Again — I think it was intentional. But for the > These are not passive devices that operate autonomously My understanding was that these are autonomous drones? Or rather — they have their route programmed before launch but then it's not remotely controlled.
      - jacquesm 1y ago
        > My understanding was that these are autonomous drones? Not this particular model. They can be left without operator attention for a while but they will fly where they're told to fly and can change their flight path during a mission.