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MILITARY CONFLICT MORE VIOLENCE THAN PEACE Military Activity: US Forces CRUSHED Russian Mercenaries, Then THIS Happened... PLAY YOUTUBE VIDEO Original article: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjhO6_fLI6g Peter Burgess COMMENTARY Peter Burgess
US Forces CRUSHED Russian Mercenaries, Then THIS Happened... Military Activity Sep 10, 2024 3.82K subscribers ... 35,078 views ... 552 likes #Richness #Richness In one of the world's most tense and unpredictable regions, a dramatic showdown had recently unfolded. US troops, renowned for their strategic skills and advanced technology, faced off against fierce Russian mercenaries known for their mystery and combat prowess. Whilst the world watched in shock, the defeat of the Russian mercenaries was just the start of an astonishing series of events that challenged the ideas about future conflicts and global diplomacy. Subscribe To Richness → / @militaryactivityyt Welcome to Richness! We do hours of research and compact it into entertaining videos for you to enjoy. If you ever have any topics you would like us to cover then please let me know in the comments below. Transcript 0:00 in one of the world's most tense and unpredictable regions a dramatic Showdown had recently unfolded US troops renowned for their strategic skills and advanced technology faced off against Fierce Russian mercenaries known for their mystery and combat prowess whilst the world watched in shock the defeat of the Russian mercenaries was just the start of an astonishing series of events that challenged the ideas about future conflicts and Global diplomacy what unexpected consequences will this showdown bring and how might this alter the future of global conflict and diplomacy join us as we dive deep into the story of how US forces crushed Russian mercenaries and the astonishing developments that followed in 2011 the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War sent shock waves through the Middle East eventually drawing in major Global Powers the United States and Russia each driven by their strategic interests were 1:01 soon on a collision course as they became deeply involved in the conflict this volatile situation planted the seeds for what would become the infamous Battle of kasham by 2014 Isis had emerged as a pseudo islamist Terror State controlling vast sves of territory in Syria and Iraq the group's brutality and Rapid expansion prompted both Washington and Moscow to intervene more forcefully launching coordinated ground and air campaigns against Isis strongholds despite their shared goal of defeating Isis the two Powers had vastly different agendas while the US sought to 1:40 stabilize the region and curb extremism 1:43 Russia aimed to bolster the Assad regime 1:45 and secure its foothold in the Middle 1:47 East the year 2014 was also significant 1:50 for another reason it marked the 1:52 beginning of the ongoing conflict in 1:54 Ukraine a flasho that would further 1:56 strain United States Russia relations 1:59 during this turbulent period the Vagner 2:01 group a private military company was 2:03 founded by Dimitri utkin and yevi progan 2:07 utkin a former officer in the gru 2:10 Russia's Military Intelligence Agency 2:12 was known for his fascination with Nazi 2:14 Germany he named the group Vagner after 2:17 the famous German composer Richard 2:19 Vagner who was also favored by Adolf 2:22 Hitler progan a close associate of 2:25 Russian President Vladimir Putin and a 2:27 former restaurant tour provided the 2:29 finan backing for the Vagner group 2:32 before his death pran's business Empire 2:34 extended far beyond mercenary operations 2:37 encompassing lucrative contracts with 2:39 the Russian government ties to organized 2:42 crime and substantial investments in the 2:44 mining sector across Africa the Russian 2:47 federation's Constitution explicitly 2:49 prohibits the use of mercenaries and 2:51 private military companies officially 2:53 deeming them illegal particularly when 2:56 it comes to their cooperation with the 2:57 national Armed Forces 3:00 despite this clear legal stance the 3:02 reality in Russia often diverges from 3:04 the law especially when it serves the 3:07 state's 3:07 interests Moscow has a well documented 3:10 history of using these private entities 3:12 to conduct operations that it would 3:14 rather not have directly tie to the 3:16 government by employing these groups the 3:19 Kremlin gains the ability to pursue its 3:21 strategic goals while maintaining a 3:23 veneer of plausible deniability making 3:26 it harder for the International 3:28 Community to hold Russia accountable a 3:30 for its actions one of the most 3:32 notorious of these private military 3:34 groups is the Vagner Group which many 3:36 International Security Experts consider 3:39 a quasi State entity due to its close 3:41 ties to the Russian government founded 3:44 by Dimitri utkin a former Gru officer 3:47 and believed to be funded by yevgeni 3:48 progan a businessman with close 3:50 connections to Vladimir Putin Vagner 3:53 initially gained notoriety in Ukraine's 3:55 donbas war the group was instrumental in 3:58 providing support to Pro Russian 4:00 separatists often operating in the 4:02 shadows to achieve moscow's objectives 4:05 after honing its skills in Ukraine 4:07 Vagner expanded its operations to other 4:09 parts of the world becoming a key player 4:12 in Russia's Global influence operations 4:14 the group's activities have been 4:16 documented across multiple continents 4:18 including Africa the Middle East and 4:21 Latin America Wagner's involvement in 4:24 Venezuela is particularly significant as 4:27 it highlights Russia's willingness to 4:28 challenge the United United States 4:30 influence in its backyard in Venezuela 4:33 Wagner Personnel have been crucial in 4:35 propping up the embattled regime of 4:37 Nicholas Maduro these Fighters are not 4:40 only involved in security operations but 4:42 also play a critical role in maintaining 4:45 and operating the Chinese military 4:47 equipment that forms a large part of 4:49 Venezuela's armed forces in Africa 4:53 Wagner has taken full advantage of the 4:55 geopolitical vacuum created by the Light 4:57 American Military presence and the draw 5:00 down of French troops particularly in 5:02 the Sahel region the Vagner group has 5:05 made a significant impact across Africa 5:07 by aligning itself with authoritarian 5:10 regimes their activities include 5:12 providing intelligence military training 5:14 and logistical support for weapons 5:17 transfers this collaboration often comes 5:20 with the promise of access to valuable 5:22 natural resources one of their notable 5:25 interventions occurred in mly on 5:26 December 2021 when Vagner arrived to to 5:29 support the 5:30 Hun this move came as France which had 5:33 been actively countering terrorism in 5:35 the region drastically reduced its 5:37 military presence vogner's role in Molly 5:41 highlights their pattern of stepping in 5:43 where Western forces Retreat offering 5:45 regime support in exchange for resource 5:48 access before the Ukraine conflict 5:51 brought them into the spotlight Vagner 5:52 had already made strategic inroads into 5:55 Africa in Sudan they were involved in 5:58 the gold industry leveraging their 6:00 presence to gain a foothold in the 6:02 lucrative trade in Libya Wagner's 6:04 operations were even more aggressive 6:07 They seized control of critical oil 6:09 fields and impeded oil shipments to 6:11 rival factions during the ongoing Civil 6:14 War although they didn't profit directly 6:16 from Libyan oil sales their operations 6:19 there showcased their aggressive 6:20 approach to securing 6:22 resources in Syria Wagner's operations 6:25 took on a new dimension in 2016 as 6:29 Russia escalated its involvement in the 6:31 Syrian Civil War against Isis one of 6:33 yanii progan companies eropolis struck a 6:37 significant deal with the Syrian 6:38 government led by Bashar 6:40 al-assad this agreement granted evoplus 6:43 25% of the revenues from oil and gas 6:46 fields that the Syrian government 6:48 reclaimed from Isis this Arrangement not 6:51 only underscored Wagner's role in global 6:54 conflict zones but also set the stage 6:56 for a critical incident in 2018 High 6:59 lighting the complex interplay of 7:01 military power resource control and 7:04 geopolitical 7:06 strategy American and Russian forces 7:08 carefully avoided direct clashes in 7:11 Syria a strategy shaped by the complex 7:13 dynamics of the conflict aside from the 7:16 high-profile incidents in 2017 and 2018 7:19 involving chemical weapons events that 7:22 intensified International scrutiny the 7:25 United States largely avoided direct 7:27 attacks on the Syrian government instead 7:30 the United States focused on countering 7:32 President Assad through supporting Rebel 7:35 groups it had trained and 7:37 equipped this indirect approach allowed 7:39 the United States to navigate the tricky 7:42 landscape without escalating tensions 7:44 with Russia to prevent accidental 7:47 confrontations Washington and Moscow 7:49 established a formal deescalation line 7:52 along the Euphrates River this boundary 7:55 was a crucial measure to separate the 7:57 areas of operation of both powers and 7:59 avoid clashes in addition both sides set 8:02 up dedicated hotlines to facilitate 8:05 immediate communication ensuring that 8:07 any potential issues could be swiftly 8:09 addressed to prevent 8:11 misunderstandings as the conflict 8:13 unfolded Isis faced mounting pressure 8:15 from various fronts the group's rapid 8:18 expansion in the early years had been 8:20 met with a Relentless counter offensive 8:22 from both local and international forces 8:25 by 2018 Isis was on the verge of 8:28 complete territorial collapse having 8:30 lost control over its key 8:33 strongholds the situation was 8:34 reminiscent of the chaotic Scramble for 8:36 territory in Europe at the end of World 8:38 War II where competing factions rushed 8:41 to secure strategic areas from a common 8:43 adversary during this period the various 8:46 factions including the United States 8:48 Russia and their respective allies vied 8:51 to capture as much territory from Isis 8:54 as possible despite the fierce 8:56 competition among these groups the plan 8:59 to prevent vent direct conflict between 9:01 American and Russian forces proved 9:03 effective both sides managed to adhere 9:06 to their agreements maintaining a 9:07 delicate balance in a highly volatile 9:10 region no plan is ever completely 9:13 foolproof and the one in question met a 9:16 significant Challenge on February 7th 9:20 2018 the conflict unfolded about 5 miles 9:23 east of the Euphrates river in a region 9:25 rich with resources and strategic 9:27 importance nearby a valuable oil field 9:31 attracted intense interest from both 9:33 sides despite it being within the 9:35 unofficial deescalation Zone established 9:37 by American 9:38 forces this confrontation which would 9:41 become known as the Battle of kasham was 9:44 marked by high stakes that evening 9:47 around 500 Fighters predominantly from 9:49 the Wagner group a shadowy Russian 9:51 private military contractor with ties to 9:54 the Kremlin alongside a few Syrian 9:56 government troops Advanced toward one of 9:58 Syria's largest and most lucrative oil 10:01 and gas Fields their objective was to 10:04 capture a base held by the Syrian 10:05 Democratic forces a kurtish Le militia 10:08 supported by the United 10:10 States in the area around 30 American 10:13 soldiers including Marines Army Rangers 10:16 and Green Berets were present providing 10:19 support and training to their SDF 10:22 allies the Russian and Syrian forces 10:24 were well equipped for the operation 10:26 with a formidable Arsenal that included 10:28 tea 72 tanks heavy artillery and air 10:32 support ready to be deployed from a 10:34 nearby base the tension escalated 10:38 rapidly when at approximately 25 minutes 10:40 to 900 p.m. Russian t72 tanks approached 10:44 within a mile of a crucial Refinery held 10:46 by the 10:47 SDF this Refinery was not just a 10:50 strategic asset but also a key Supply 10:52 Point making it a highly contested 10:55 location the presence of these tanks 10:57 combined with a heavy AR and air support 11:00 set the stage for what would become a 11:02 Fierce and chaotic battle although no 11:05 shots had been fired yet an American 11:07 Soldier shared with the warhorse that he 11:10 and his team were vigilantly observing 11:12 an unidentified group through drone 11:14 feeds these drones provided real-time 11:17 images of the enemy's artillery Crews 11:20 who were practicing the intricate 11:22 procedures of loading and firing their 11:24 guns though no actual shells were loaded 11:27 additionally the Drone captured scenes 11:30 of enemy Fighters clustering around 11:32 armored personnel carriers indicating a 11:34 potential shift to an offensive 11:36 strategy this type of detailed 11:38 preparation hinted strongly that the 11:40 adversaries were Russian Russian 11:43 military Doctrine is known for its 11:44 emphasis on exercises right up to the 11:47 point where troops rehearse tactical 11:49 Maneuvers with Precision up until the 11:51 moment of actual engagement this 11:54 approach is designed to maximize combat 11:56 Readiness and surprise at around 10 10 11:59 p.m. the American troops observed a 12:01 formidable column of tanks and armored 12:03 vehicles advancing towards a nearby 12:06 Refinery signaling an imminent offensive 12:09 in response they quickly moved to 12:11 bolster their allies defenses soon after 12:14 the Russians initiated artillery 12:16 bombardments in the area during the 12:18 initial 15 minutes of the conflict 12:21 American officials utilized a dedicated 12:23 hotline to reach their Russian 12:24 counterparts seeking 12:27 clarification the Russian side however 12:29 flatly denied any involvement with the 12:32 attacking forces this denial underscored 12:35 a broader strategic pattern moscow's use 12:38 of the Vagner group a private military 12:40 company as a proxy Force the Vagner 12:43 group often linked to CT operations 12:46 allowed Russia to exert military 12:48 influence while maintaining plausible 12:51 deniability at that moment it became 12:53 clear to the Americans that resolving 12:55 the crisis through diplomacy was no 12:57 longer an option they had to unleash the 13:00 full force of their military might the 13:03 situation however was Dire an American 13:07 unit of fewer than 50 soldiers and 13:09 Marines riding in just six trucks found 13:12 themselves on the wrong side of a 13:14 formidable Firing Line opposing them was 13:16 a force of 500 enemy soldiers fortified 13:19 with tanks armored personnel carriers 13:22 and heavy artillery the Americans were 13:25 equipped with only small arms and 13:27 machine guns their most potent weapons 13:29 were the 50 caliber machine guns mounted 13:32 on their trucks but these were 13:33 insufficient against the heavily armed 13:35 enemy the odds were heavily stacked 13:38 against them adding to their wo was the 13:41 Reliance on air superiority that the 13:43 United States typically leverag to 13:45 support ground operations the Russians 13:48 however had deployed a sophisticated 13:50 surface-to-air missile system in the 13:52 area this Advanced system was designed 13:54 to intercept and Destroy incoming 13:56 aircraft significantly hindering 13:58 American air support in a stroke of 14:01 strategic Brilliance the American use of 14:03 the emergency hotline a direct 14:05 communication Channel established during 14:07 the Cold War proved crucial United 14:11 States officials successfully convinced 14:13 their Russian counterparts to 14:15 temporarily shut down the Sam system 14:18 this rare diplomatic achievement allowed 14:20 American aircraft to bypass the missile 14:22 defenses and provide much needed support 14:24 to the Troops on the ground turning the 14:26 tide of the confrontation the decision 14:29 to shut down the Sam system revealed a 14:31 crucial piece of information it exposed 14:34 That official Russian military channels 14:36 were indeed in contact with the Vagner 14:38 group this disclosure confirmed that 14:40 Vagner mercenaries were a direct 14:42 extension of moscow's military strategy 14:45 despite prior claims to the contrary 14:48 this confirmation was significant but 14:50 not an immediate concern the real Focus 14:53 was on reversing the situation on the 14:55 battlefield and this was about to happen 14:57 much more swiftly than Wagner 14:59 anticipated with air support now 15:02 operational the United States initiated 15:05 its counter offensive using a Reaper 15:07 drone an unmanned aerial vehicle 15:10 equipped with sophisticated surveillance 15:12 and precision strike capabilities the 15:15 Drone launched Hellfire missiles 15:17 targeting both the lead and rear 15:19 vehicles of the Russian Convoy this 15:21 tactical strike effectively trapped the 15:23 Convoy in a bottleneck preventing any 15:26 Escape or 15:27 reinforcement additional drone strikes 15:29 were directed at the Russian Artillery 15:31 positions which were pivotal in 15:33 supporting the Convoy these attacks were 15:36 executed with remarkable precision and 15:38 caught the Russian forces completely off 15:40 guard creating confusion and disrupting 15:43 their defensive operations the use of 15:45 drones for these strikes showcased their 15:47 growing role in Modern Warfare where 15:50 they offer a strategic advantage through 15:52 real-time surveillance and targeted 15:54 strikes On The Ground American forces 15:57 also employed precision guided artillery 15:59 and Rocket systems the himars was 16:02 particularly effective launching guided 16:05 rockets that accurately struck Russian 16:07 positions four years later the himars 16:10 made its dramatic debut by obliterating 16:12 an enemy Convoy with its precise rocket 16:15 fire this system is known for its 16:17 mobility and Firepower allowing rapid 16:20 deployment and high impact strikes 16:23 alongside High Mars traditional tube 16:25 artillery contributed to the destruction 16:28 with shells and Rockets wreaking havoc 16:30 and leaving a trail of casualties but 16:33 the real game Cher was yet to come for 16:35 the Vagner group a private military 16:38 company the situation took a turn for 16:41 the worse when four Apache ah64 Attack 16:44 Helicopters entered the battlefield 16:46 these helicopters renowned for their 16:48 advanced technology were equipped with 16:50 sophisticated infrared Optical systems 16:53 that enabled them to detect and engage 16:55 targets from several miles away even in 16:58 low visibility conditions the Apaches 17:01 launched laser guided Hellfire missiles 17:03 with pinpoint accuracy targeting enemy 17:06 tanks and armored vehicles 17:08 simultaneously their 30 emun chain guns 17:11 were used to suppress enemy infantry the 17:14 30 mmmut cannon fire was particularly 17:17 devastating with explosive shells 17:19 causing chaos and significant loss of 17:21 life a Russian Survivor later reported 17:24 that the initial bombardment resulted in 17:26 around 200 casualties dead or wounded in 17:30 the first few minutes the survivors Grim 17:33 summary to put it simply we got our 17:35 butts 17:36 kicked at this juncture Vagner troops 17:39 found themselves in a dire situation 17:42 armed with nothing but assault rifles 17:45 the disparity in Firepower was Stark but 17:48 the worst was Yet to Come As the United 17:50 States prepared to deploy its most 17:51 formidable asset the 17:54 ac130 17:56 gunships these massive aircraft 17:58 nicknamed Nam spooky due to their 18:00 fearsome reputation began circling above 18:03 transforming the battlefield into a Kill 18:06 Zone the 18:07 ac130 is renowned for its incredible 18:10 Precision its onboard weapons including 18:13 105 MML howitzers and 40 m alit's 18:16 cannons can Target individual enemies 18:19 and eliminate them with deadly accuracy 18:22 their Firepower was so effective that it 18:25 ensured no enemy could escape the 18:27 devastating onslaught 18:30 B52 Strat fortresses the iconic 18:33 longrange bombers roared through the sky 18:36 dropping their massive payloads with 18:39 Precision these bombers known for their 18:41 immense destructive power obliterated 18:44 what was left of the Convoy as the 18:47 debris settled Russian and Syrian 18:49 survivors desperate for safety fled to 18:51 nearby buildings unfortunately their 18:55 attempts to shelter were feudal adding 18:58 to the devast F15 Eagles and F22 Raptors 19:02 Advanced American fighter jets patrolled 19:04 the 19:05 skies the F-15 and the F-22 famous for 19:09 their stealth and superiority in air 19:11 combat efficiently neutralized the 19:13 troops taking Refuge inside the 19:15 buildings the sophisticated targeting 19:17 systems of these aircraft ensured that 19:19 no building provided adequate protection 19:21 against the high prision bombs they 19:23 dropped reports from the scene revealed 19:26 that Russian Pilots stationed at a 19:27 nearby Airbase were eager to assist 19:30 their 19:31 compatriots they requested clearance to 19:33 scramble their s34 and S35 fighter 19:35 bombers but their requests were 19:39 denied the United States military's 19:41 operation was specifically aimed at the 19:43 Vagner group a private military company 19:46 rather than the regular Russian military 19:49 forces this distinction meant that the 19:51 Russian aircraft remained grounded to 19:53 avoid further 19:55 escalation the presence of American 19:57 fighters likely reass assured the base 19:59 commanders of their decision The B-52s 20:03 f-15s and 20:05 f-22s each with their specialized roles 20:08 in advanced technology made a formidable 20:11 team demonstrating the overwhelming 20:13 power of modern air combat 20:15 strategies the battle had severe 20:18 consequences the Wagner group suffered 20:20 significant losses estimated between 20:23 2300 casualties in contrast the only 20:27 casualty on the opposing side was a 20:29 wounded fighter from the Syrian 20:30 Democratic forces remarkably this 20:33 fighter survived and recovered from his 20:35 injuries highlighting the brutal yet 20:37 complex nature of Modern Warfare no 20:40 American vehicles or aircraft were 20:42 damaged during the conflict at one point 20:45 the casualties on Wagner's side were so 20:47 severe that a senior officer from the 20:49 Russian regular military in the area 20:52 reached out to his American counterparts 20:54 requesting a 20:55 ceasefire this incident highlighted that 20:58 Vagner was indeed in communication with 21:00 Russian officials reports suggest that 21:03 the Vagner mercenaries were hit so hard 21:05 by American Air and artillery strikes 21:07 that many of the Dead could not be 21:09 identified afterward by Dawn nearly the 21:12 entire Wagner Convoy had been destroyed 21:15 leaving only one tank and one armored 21:17 personnel carrier still 21:19 operational although the direct 21:21 communication line did not lead to a 21:23 peaceful resolution Wagner sources 21:25 indicated that American forces were in 21:27 constant touch with the Russian liaison 21:29 officer nearby the Americans only 21:32 returned fire after confirming that no 21:34 Russian regular Army troops were in the 21:37 vicinity the Pentagon later verified the 21:39 accuracy of these sources some might 21:42 cynically interpret this situation as a 21:44 glimpse of what could unfold in Ukraine 21:47 pran frequently criticized the regular 21:49 Russian army for not giving enough 21:51 support to his troops accusing them of 21:54 being used as mere cannon fodder while 21:57 these complaints were partly a political 21:59 maneuver aimed especially at his rival 22:01 Russian defense minister Sergey shyu 22:04 there was truth to the accusations the 22:06 Vagner troops were indeed treated as 22:09 Expendable at kasham just as they would 22:11 be in Ukraine later this practice of 22:14 plausible deniability means that when 22:17 someone becomes a problem they are 22:19 discarded and their own country may deny 22:22 their existence if necessary the Battle 22:25 of kasham was one of the most 22:26 devastating losses the Russian for 22:28 forces have faced in recent times the 22:31 Vagner group later dubbed it red 22:33 February to emphasize the severity of 22:35 the 22:36 defeat in an attempt to ease the 22:39 psychological impact some of the 22:40 survivors were awarded medals for their 22:43 bravery at kasham the medals design 22:45 depicts a Russian soldier heroically 22:47 fighting off an Apache helicopter this 22:50 image is entirely fictional as no 22:53 Russian troops on the battlefield ever 22:55 saw an Apache helicopter instead 22:58 American helicopters observing from 23:00 miles away in the dark targeted and 23:03 destroyed the Russians before they even 23:05 had a chance to react after the battle 23:08 the United States not only retained 23:10 control over the oil field but also 23:13 reinforced its 23:14 defenses this show of American military 23:17 strength served as a strong warning to 23:19 others a month later Russian and Syrian 23:22 forces approached the oil field once 23:24 more the Americans quickly used their 23:27 hotline to alert the Russians to pull 23:29 back this time there were no objections 23:32 and the Russian and Syrian forces 23:34 withdrew 23:36 swiftly despite this decisive American 23:39 victory the incident at the oil field 23:42 highlights an important lesson for 23:43 future conflicts the Battle of kasham 23:46 signaled a shift like Warfare since the 23:49 collapse of the Soviet Union and the 23:51 September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks 23:55 the United States and its allies have 23:58 focused on low intensity 23:59 counterterrorism and counterinsurgency 24:02 missions the fight against Isis 24:04 represented the peak of this approach in 24:07 these operations American troops had not 24:09 encountered the same level of Firepower 24:11 they faced at kasham indicating a need 24:14 for the United States to adapt its 24:15 strategies for future conflicts the 24:18 troops at the Battle of kasham were 24:20 specifically trained for combat but they 24:22 were caught off guard by the advanced 24:24 weapons used by Wagner and the Syrian 24:26 forces at the oil field The Clash on 24:29 February 7th marked a return to 24:30 traditional state-based Warfare which 24:33 often results in high numbers of 24:35 casualties in such battles each attack 24:37 from the enemy can lead to numerous 24:39 injuries or deaths due to the use of 24:41 more powerful Weaponry unlike the war on 24:45 terror where conflicts often involve 24:47 small mortars RPGs or homemade bombs 24:50 with limited impact the Battle of kasham 24:53 featured heavy military equipment the 24:55 troops there used tanks and heavy 24:57 artillery and had air support ready to 25:00 strike each shell or bomb had the 25:03 potential to cause significant damage to 25:05 American and SDF forces fortunately 25:09 American diplomats played a crucial role 25:11 in preventing greater loss of life by 25:13 persuading their Russian counterparts to 25:15 disable the surfac to- a missile system 25:17 that had been deployed in the area this 25:20 action greatly reduced the risk of 25:22 additional casualties during the battle 25:25 the success of diplomatic efforts helped 25:27 the United States keep its strong air 25:29 dominance which it had become accustomed 25:32 to during the war on terror however if 25:35 the surface to air missile system had 25:36 been operational American Air missions 25:39 would have faced significant obstacles 25:41 and the number of casualties could have 25:43 risen sharply in the wake of the Ukraine 25:45 Invasion the Russians might be less 25:47 inclined to disable such a crucial asset 25:50 even if it were an accidental 25:52 confrontation the development of 25:54 advanced weapons that can undermine the 25:56 ability of American aircraft to support 25:58 ground troops is a major concern this is 26:01 why the Rand Corporation issued a 2019 26:04 report urging the United States to 26:06 urgently rebuild its groundfire 26:09 capabilities Rand argued that these 26:11 skills had diminished after the Cold War 26:13 ended as the United States relied 26:15 heavily on its air superiority for fire 26:18 support this Reliance worked well during 26:20 the war on terror where enemies had no 26:23 real chance of shooting down American 26:25 planes however in a scenario involving a 26:28 Pier or nearer adversary such as the 26:31 Russians with their anti-access area 26:33 denial weapons like those they might 26:35 have had during the Battle of kasham 26:37 obtaining air support might not be as 26:39 straightforward the situation could have 26:41 been more balanced if the Russians had 26:43 effectively used their surfac to- a 26:45 missiles which would be the case in a 26:47 real conflict in contrast American 26:50 troops and their allies benefited from 26:53 groundbased fire support including 26:55 traditional artillery and high Mars 26:57 platforms 26:59 these systems are faster at responding 27:01 to threats and are less susceptible to 27:03 anti- access or area denial measures in 27:07 2022 the Pentagon aimed to build up a 27:09 stockpile of 900 himars units however on 27:13 May 2024 the United States Army placed an order for additional himars worth 861 M 300,000 the following month the order was increased to $1.9 billion although the Army didn't provide specific reasons for this increase part of it was likely intended for the latest Aid package to Ukraine more importantly it reflects the need for the United States armed forces to boost their groundfire capabilities Additionally the United States has been investing more in the production of 155 M artillery shells to enhance its Firepower in December 2022 it became clear that Ukraine was running out of artillery shells quickly in response the United States Army 28:01 announced plans to significantly increase shell production aiming for 4,000 rounds per month by 2025 this urgent need for ammunition known as shell hunger was evident in late 2023 and early 2024 when Ukraine lost ground because Russian forces were able to fire more shells this situation highlighted how crucial artillery is in Modern Warfare especially when used alongside other military strategies the Battle of kasham on February 7th 2018 Illustrated this point vividly American forces decisively defeated the Vagner group and its Syrian allies the battle underscored the importance of using a mix of air and ground Firepower both played critical roles a fact that the ongoing war in Ukraine has reaffirmed since the Gulf War in 1991 the United States military has enjoyed the advantage of uncontested air support 29:01 but the conflict in Ukraine has shown that combining air and ground strategies is key to success thank you for watching another episode on our Channel while you are still here click the video on your screen to see more mindblowing videos like this one

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