On 09FEB2022, TASS reported that Su-35S fighters took part in interceptor training. Su-25 ground attack aircraft played the role of invaders to be intercepted.
Russian Defense Ministry video, posted 09FEB2022, Eastern Military District S-400 missile system on patrol in the area around Brest, Belarus:
In December 2021, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said that they would continue air policing of the sky over the area of Belarus and Russia, along with Russian aircraft, for 2022. Both Russian and Belarusian aircraft use the Red Star as their insignia.
On 08FEB2022, a joint Belarusian/Russian air patrol was flown, supposedly for the second time this month.
Russian Defense Ministry video, dated 08FEB2022, showing Tu-22M3 bombers, Su-30SM two seater and Su-35S single seater patrolling the sky over Belarus:
Another video dated 08FEB2022, shows Russian army bakers making bread for the troops now in Belarus:
“This year, we conducted 11 joint exercises through the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.”-Colonel General (U.S. equivalent Lieutenant General) Alexander Lapin, Central Military District, December 2021
In Russia’s Central Military District there were 11 wargames held in 2021. They spread across Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The wargames also included military units from Armenia, Belarus, China, India and Pakistan.
This covers some of what went down in Tajikistan.
Russian Defense Ministry video, January 2021, first Mi-24P & Mi-8MTV5-1 operations of the year:
Russian Defense Ministry video, January 2021, first live-fire gunnery of the year; T-72s (notice the T-72 T-C is wearing a damn Pandemic face mask!) & BTR-82As:
Russian Defense Ministry video, February 2021, live-fire gunnery for mechanized infantry:
Russian Defense Ministry video, March 2021, all those BTRs and T-72s are thirsty:
A full-on wargame was held in Tajikistan, at the end of April 2021, involving more than 3-thousand-5-hundred Russian and Tajik personnel.
Russian Defense Ministry video, April 2021, Sukhoi 25s arrive for the games:
Russian Defense Ministry video, April 2021, BM-21 Grad rocket launchers (the Russian word translates to ‘flamethrower’):
Russian Defense Ministry video, April 2021, load, aim and fire your BM-21:
Mi-8MTV5-1s were busy working training sorties along with Mi-24Ps. Central Military District photo.
Russian Defense Ministry video, April 2021, Mil 24P (NATO reporting name Hind-F):
Russian Defense Ministry video, April 2021, BTR-82A:
BTR-82A, in the Khatlon region at the Kharb-Maydon training ground. Central Military District photo.
1-thousand targets were set-up for the August 5-10 wargame in the Khatlon Region, on the Kharb-Maydon training ground.
Anti-tank rocket launchers. The Russian word translates as ‘flamethrower’, this is confusing because in English a flamethrower is a different type of weapon.
The scenario of the August Tajikistan wargame was that the Central Asian country was invaded. About 2-thousand-5-hundred personnel from Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan took part, with about 5-hundred vehicles.
T-72, Central Military District photo.
In November, Russian troops from the 201st Military Base in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, got to try out their new 5.45mm AK-12 assault rifles during the Cobalt 2021 wargame. Central Military District video:
On 02FEB2022, Colonel-General Alexander Lapin, Commander of Russia’s Central Military District, reported that “Since the beginning of the year, 76 company tactical exercises have been conducted with the part of motorized rifle and tank units, including 11 ostentatious ones, during which the number of practical tasks performed has been increased by 12%, and the number of group tasks has been increased by 24%.”
On 31JAN2022, Russia’s Southern Military District reported that crews operating BTR-82A and BMP-3 armored vehicles began warming up their guns with live-fire drills.
The vehicles are armed with guns of 100mm, 30mm and 7.62mm calibers.
Southern Military District video, BTR-82A live fire gunnery:
Southern Military District video, BMP-3 live fire gunnery:
Western Military District photo.
On 31JAN2022, a NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) competition began in the Kursk Region, as part of the 2022 Army International Games.
Western Military District photo.
On the same day, in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, the first qualifying stage of the communications competition ended.
Russian Western Military District photo.
On 30JAN2022, Western Military District engineers took part in the 2022 Army International Games, in the Voronezh Region.
BTR-80 undergoes NBC decontamination. Russian Southern Military District photo.
On 28JAN2022, Southern Military District reported that NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) competition had begun, as part of the 2022 Army International Games taking place in the Volgograd Region.
Russian Ministry of Defense video of arrival of some of the S-400 vehicles:
The S-400 Triumph units will be based in the Brest Region of Belarus.
Russian Western Military District photo.
On 02FEB2022, Russia’s Western Military District announced it began wargames using the S-400 systems. The ‘live-fire’ wargame is being held across the Leningrad Region of Russia, and includes other anti-aircraft systems like the S-300 Favorit, Pantsir-S, Tor and Buk-M3.
The S-400 Triumph is an anti-aircraft missile system comprised of many types of vehicles.
Russian Western Military District photo.
On 01FEB2022, Russia’s Western Military District completed an anti-aircraft wargame in the Moscow Region using the Tor system of the Guards Tank Army. The wargame scenario was that U.S./NATO was trying to bomb an important target in the Moscow Region.
Russian Western Military District photo.
On 31JAN2022, Russia’s Western Military District reported that the Baltic Fleet had completed anti-aircraft training for its Bal system. The Bal system is specifically for defense of coastal areas.
In February 2017, Finland agreed to buy 48 used K9 self propelled artillery guns from the Republic of Korea (South Korea).
Puolustusvoimat / Finnish Defense Forces photo.
They began arriving in 2017, with the final delivery expected by 2024.
Puolustusvoimat / Finnish Defense Forces photo.
The Finns call it the 155 PsH K9, the PsH is for Panssari-Haupitsien (which means Armored Howitzer in English).
Puolustusvoimat / Finnish Defense Forces photo.
Puolustusvoimat / Finnish Defense Forces photo.
The 155 PsH K9 uses 155mm ammo.
Puolustusvoimat / Finnish Defense Forces photo.
Hour long K9 PanssariHaupitsien presentation video that was recorded live in 2019:
Finland also operates the Soviet era 2S1 self propelled artillery gun, the Finns call it the 122 PsH 74.
Finland calls their 2S1s the 122 PsH 74. Puolustusvoimat / Finnish Defense Forces photo.
They are former East German 2S1s, purchased in 1992 and 1994, thanks to the unification of West and East Germany, and the end of the unofficial Cold War.
Puolustusvoimat / Finnish Defense Forces photo.
The 122 PsH 74 uses 122mm ammo.
Video from 2014, getting a tour, and ride, on a Finnish 122 PsH 74:
2007 video of a ‘cold start’ of a 122 PsH 74, pay attention you might recognize somebody that is also in the 2014 tour/ride video:
“The crews of T-72B3 tanks operating as part of armored units of the Southern Military District’s army corps have kicked off a firing exercise at the Angarsky training ground in the Republic of Crimea. The firing exercise is being held under a combat training plan of armored units of a coastal defense formation. The tank crews are live-firing guns both from the halt by direct fire and on the move across rough terrain in a mock encounter battle.”-Russian Black Sea Fleet press release, 25JAN2022
Russian units began getting upgraded T-72B3s in 2017. They have more powerful motors, new targeting systems, rear facing camera, and ‘Relikt’ reactive armor. Russian Western Military District photo, September 2017.
TASS Russian News Agency reported that the current wargame in Crimea involves the “upgraded” T-72B3, but did not specifically say it was the robotized/autonomous upgrade. Currently Russia is using the T-72B3-2016 version, aka T-72B3M, identified by its Relikt reactive armor.
Russian Western Military District photo, June 2017.
Crimea is a peninsula jutting into the Black Sea, and for several hundred years has been a disputed territory. Russia took control from the Ottoman Empire in the 1780s, following the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-74. In 1954, during the time of the Soviet Union, it was decided to allow Ukraine to have control. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine leased Crimea’s ports to the Russian Military Maritime Fleet (navy). During the 2013-14 Western backed (openly, by U.S. politicians who actually went to Ukraine to call for revolution, like John McCain in December 2013) Ukrainian insurgency, Russia decided to invade Crimea to protect what it believes are its naval ports. Crimea is now part of the Russian Southern Military District.
Southern Military District T-72B3M, September 2020. You can see what I assume are the upgraded gunner’s sights.
In September 2020, the Southern Military District held a wargame called Kavkaz 2020. It involved not only Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, Caspian Flotilla, the naval forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, but also army units from Armenia, Belarus, China, Myanmar, and Pakistan. As many as 80-thousand personnel participated. One of the goals of Kavkaz-2020 was to apply lessons learned fighting insurgents in Syria.
Southern Military District video of T-72B3M kicking up a lot of dust during Kavkaz-2020:
Southern Military District video of T-72B3 live fire during Kavkaz-2020:
From a wargame in the Western Military District, April 2021. Notice one of the Relikt panels are missing.
New Cold War 2022:RUSSIA DEPLOYS TO BELARUS, PREPS FOR INVASION BY NATO!“So will there be a war or not? Yes, there will be, but only in two cases: if Belarus suffers a direct aggression, if a hot war is unleashed against our Belarus. We will stand united as one – even those who don’t want to – to defend our land and our homeland. And the second possibility, when a war may happen and Belarus will take part in it: if our ally Russia suffers a direct attack, if such aggression is committed against the Russian Federation. The grounds for that are our allied agreements.”-Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus
“So will there be a war or not? Yes, there will be, but only in two cases: if Belarus suffers a direct aggression, if a hot war is unleashed against our Belarus. We will stand united as one – even those who don’t want to – to defend our land and our homeland. And the second possibility, when a war may happen and Belarus will take part in it: if our ally Russia suffers a direct attack, if such aggression is committed against the Russian Federation. The grounds for that are our allied agreements.”-Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus, quoted by TASS Russian News Agency
A BMP based engineer vehicle disembarks a rail-car in Belarus, 19JAN2022. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Since 19JAN2022, Russian forces (Eastern Military District ground and air units, and Pacific Fleet ground units) began arriving in the Republic of Belarus, which is just north of Ukraine. The official reason is to ‘inspect’ Belarusian forces for readiness, which is expected to take until the end of February. Russian officials say it is in compliance with the Vienna Document of 2011.
Russian Defense Ministry video of BMP-2, trucks, BMP engineer vehicle being off-loaded in Belarus, 19JAN2022:
Part of the ‘inspection’ will include a wargame called Union Courage 2022, conducted from February 10th to 20th. The premise of the wargame is an invasion by U.S./NATO.
S-400 anti-aircraft system. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
On 21JAN2022, Russia’s Eastern Military District announced that two divisions of S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft systems were on their way to Belarus. The S-400 system consists of several types of vehicles. Video of load-up on rail-cars:
This is Russian Defense Ministry video, recorded on 25JAN2022, showing the arrival of the self propelled artillery gun known as 2S3 Akatsiya:
Su-35S of the Eastern Military District deployed to Belarus, 26JAN2022. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Russian Defense Ministry video of Sukhoi 35S ‘multi-role’ aircraft deploying to Belarus, 26JAN2022:
Su-35S aircraft of the Eastern Military District arrive in Belarus, 26-27JAN2022. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Russian Defense Ministry video of Sukhoi 35S ‘multi-role’ aircraft arriving in Belarus:
Russian Defense Ministry video from 28JAN2022, more trains loaded with Russian vehicles arrive in Belarus:
This photo was released in the United States in late 1986-early 1987 (date when photo was made is not known). The U.S./NATO called it the M-1973 SMP 1987 152mm Howitzer, of course it is the 2S3.
From a U.S. Army vehicle I-D poster.
To make things more confusing, U.S./NATO also called the 2S3 the SAU-152.
This photo was released in the United States in late 1986-early 1987 (date when photo was made is not known). In this photo release the U.S./NATO correctly called it the 2S3 152mm self-propelled howitzer.
From U.S. Army Graphic Training Aid, Armored Vehicle Recognition, 1987.
From U.S. Army Graphic Training Aid, Armored Vehicle Recognition, 1987.
Soviet promotional video for the 2S3:
M-1973 (another name the U.S. military sometimes called the 2S3 during the Cold War), on display on Fort Irwin, National Training Center, California. U.S. Army photo taken in late 1990.
A lone abandoned Iraqi 2S3 sits next to a line of AMX-30 AuF-1 self-propelled guns, in the Taji tank graveyard of Iraq, photo dated October 2005.
2S3 artillery unit, based in Primorsky Krai, fire-off some rounds. Russian Eastern Military District photo, June 2015.
Video of Russian 2S3s conducting live-fire training in Tajikistan, September 2015:
Column of Ukrainian 2S3s heading into disputed Donbas area, sometime in 2018.
Russian 2S3 on one of the many training grounds spread from the Ural Mountains to Siberia. Russian Central Military District photo, September 2020.
Since 19JAN2022, Russian ground forces (Eastern Military District units and Pacific Fleet marine units) began arriving in the Republic of Belarus, which is just north of Ukraine. The official reason is to ‘inspect’ Belarusian forces for readiness, which is expected to take until the end of February. It is in compliance with the Vienna Document of 2011. This is Russian Defense Ministry video, recorded on 25JAN2022, showing the arrival of the 2S3:
Russian 2S3s arrived in Belarus, 25JAN2022. Photo via Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
From a Cold War U.S. Army vehicle I-D poster. The U.S./NATO liked to call the 2S1 the M-1974.
To make things more confusing, U.S./NATO also called the 2S1 the SAU-122.
It has a 122mm gun.
Photo from a 1978 Soviet wargame.
Photo dated May 1985. No other information given. East Germany (DDR)?
U.S. Army vehicle I-D video from the last decade of the Cold War:
A 2S1 122mm self-propelled howitzer. Photo was officially released in the United States in late 1986 or early 1987, actual date and location photo was made is not known.
From U.S. Army Graphic Training Aid, Armored Vehicle Recognition, 1987.
From U.S. Army Graphic Training Aid, Armored Vehicle Recognition, 1987.
This is a U.S. Army M551 Sheridan ‘fake news’ 2S1, on Fort Irwin, California, January 1991.
What is left of an Iraqi M-1974 (2S1), February 1991.
By 1991, the U.S. military was still calling the 2S1 the ‘M-1974’. This is an abandoned Iraqi 2S1. U.S. Department of Defense photo by Staff Sergeant Robert Reeve, March 1991.
A Croat 2S1 (captured from the Serbs) paraded in Dusine, Bosnia & Herzegovina, 26FEB1996. U.S. Army photo by Specialist Alejandro Cabello.
U.S. Army photo by Specialist Alejandro Cabello, 26FEB1996.
The info that came with this June 1999 photo of a Serb 2S1 withdrawing from Kosovo, said it was a SAU-122.
2014 video, Donetsk People’s Republic forces fired on Ukrainian forces with their 2S1 Gvozdikas:
Syrian 2S1s, possibly in 2017.
According to the info that came with this photo, this is a 2S1 being used by one of the rebel groups in Syria, 2017.
Oklahoma Army National Guard video by First Lieutenant Kayla Christopher, 2S1 Gvozdika live fire near Yavoriv, March 2017:
Is this a 2S1? Modified in Ukraine, the gun is not the 122mm artillery piece. Photo possibly made in 2018.
Self propelled artillery 2S1 Karamfil (Russian name Gvozdika, Гвоздика, carnation) Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria. Michigan Army National Guard photo by Specialist Alan Prince, 18JUN2019.
Syrian insurgency, 2012 to present. A 2S1 rolls through a Syrian town.
Russian Eastern Military District photo.
Russian Southern Military District photo.
Russian Southern Military District photo.
Russian Northern Region (Severomorsk) photo.
Russian 2S1, Sambuli Mountains, Tajikistan. Russian Central Military District photo, May 2020.
Pilots from South American countries get a tour of the Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, ‘enemy’ tanks display, 03NOV2020. Notice the 2S1 behind them. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Zachary Rufus.
Finland calls their former East German 2S1s the 122 PSH 74. The unification of East and West Germany, and end of the unofficial Cold War, allowed the Finns to get them cheap. Puolustusvoimat / Finnish Defense Forces photo.
Russian 2S1s in the Sambuli Mountains of Tajikistan. Russian Central Military District photo, July 2021.
Since 19JAN2022, Russian ground forces (Eastern Military District units and Pacific Fleet marine units) began arriving in the Republic of Belarus, which is just north of Ukraine. The official reason is to ‘inspect’ Belarusian forces for readiness, which is expected to take until the end of February. It is in compliance with the Vienna Document of 2011. This is Russian Defense Ministry video, recorded on 25JAN2022, showing the arrival of the 2S1 (it is very quick edit, as the majority of the vehicles were 2S3 which you can see in 2S3 Akatsiya [2C3 Акация], Cold War to Ukraine Border Crisis!):
RUSSIAN SU-30SM NOW PATROLLING THE SKY OVER BELARUS, WARGAMES ON THE GROUND UNDERWAY
