Oryx - Equipment Losses

 By Elmustek in collaboration with Jakub Janovsky and BuschlaidThe Syrian rebel offensive which commenced late on the 27th of November 2024 on positions of the Syrian Arab Army (SyAA) and affiliated forces collapsed regime positions throughout Idlib and Aleppo governorates, leading to the rout of government forces in both regions and allowing rebel forces to capture large amout of territory containing the city of Aleppo, multiple towns, and countless villages. While we for now dont know how far

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans''You Americans, you treat the Third World in the way an Iraqi peasant treats his new bride. Three days of honeymoon, and then it's off to the fields.'' (By Saddam Hussein)Oligarchs' superyachts have garnered widespread attention due to their large size and lavish interiors. Many of these vessels feature helipads, pools, cinemas, dedicated hangars for speedboats and luxury cars and enough luxurious cabins to accommodate your in-laws. In fact, the largest superya

By Jakub Janovsky, naalsio26, Aloha, Dan and Kemal South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan have all faced constraints that hinder their desire to provide military assistance to Ukraine. In Japan's case, it's primarily due to stringent laws prohibiting the export of military equipment. [1] Meanwhile, South Korea's hesitation stems from concerns that providing military support to Ukraine might prompt Russia to increase its military and technological assistance to North Korea. From March 2022 onward, South

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans Uday, what are you? A businessman or a playboy? I don't know what to make of you. (By Saddam Hussein)There is little doubt that Uday Hussein, the eldest son of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, stands as one of the most terrifying individuals to ever tread upon this planet. Uday was a playboy and a pathological killer with a love for exotic cars, booze, Cuban cigars, guns (particularly golden ones) and Star Wars. Uday's erratic lifestyle led him on a path of death

  By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans ''I am an international leader, the dean of the Arab rulers, the King of Kings of Africa and the imam of Muslims, and my international status does not allow me to descend to a lower level.'' (By Muammar Gaddafi) The conclusion of the Libyan Revolution in 2011 led Libyans on a worldwide frenzy in search of the billions Muammar Gaddafi salted away during his 42-year long reign and the luxurious life style he was able to afford with it. Some 40% of Libya's popu

By Jan Kerdijk, Stijn Mitzer and Buschlaid The Republic of Uzbekistan finds itself surrounded by five landlocked countries that define its borders: Kazakhstan to the north, Kyrgyzstan to the northeast, Tajikistan to the southeast, Afghanistan to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southwest. This unique positioning designates Uzbekistan as one of just two doubly landlocked countries in the world. Its location in Central Asia becomes even more significant due to its shared border with Afghanistan.

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans ''Those who don't love me don't deserve to live.'' (By Muammar Gaddafi)During a period that spanned four decades the former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi became world renowned for his cult of personality, his proposal to partition Switzerland during a G8 summit, invading four out of Libya's six neighbours, his attempt to persuade an Egyptian(!) submarine to sink the British Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner and for orchestrating the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. Nonethel

 By Stijn Mitzer and Kemal The 2000s witnessed a widespread decrease in European defence spending, and the Netherlands was certainly not exempt from this trend. Within a span of less than a decade, the Dutch Armed Forces had to bid farewell to a multitude of weapons systems. This included all of its tanks, self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, multiple rocket launchers and maritime patrol aircraft. In addition, significant reductions were made in the inventory of frigates, fighter jets and AFVs. Co

By Thomas Nachtrab, Stijn Mitzer, Buschlaid and Jan Kerdijk Kazakhstan found itself in a fortunate position when it came to inheriting military equipment from the USSR. The outcome was somewhat akin to a stroke of luck. If not for the drawdown of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany in the late 1980s, Kazakhstan could have been left with a substantial number of nuclear-capable Tu-95 bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), but sorely lacking in terms of conventional military equ

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans It might come as a surprise to many that Switzerland continues to operate a significant number of armored fighting vehicles (AFVs), even in the aftermath of the Cold War and the seemingly remote possibility of facing an invasion from any (neighboring) nation. In spite of the decommissioning of most bunker systems and a considerable reduction in its air force, the Swiss Armed Forces are engaged in a continual process of modernising their capabilities. This invol

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans Dear everyone, I had always imagined 'penning' this farewell someday. You see, the journey of Oryx took a different path than its intended purpose. What Oryx was meant to be initially was a remedy for my teenage boredom at the age of 17. Back then, I was still in high school, and the manageable workload along with my recent departure from playing football left me with an abundance of spare time. An interest in the Arab Spring, in particular the Libyan and Syria

By Jakub Janovsky, naalsio26, Aloha, Dan and Kemal Bulgaria has emerged as a crucial lifeline for Ukraine, acting as an armsbasket amid the conflict with Russia. The country's defence companies have taken on an unprecedented role, operating around the clock to supply Ukraine with much-needed Soviet-type ammunition to support its resistance against Russia. Paradoxically, even as Bulgarian factories work tirelessly to aid Ukraine, the nation faces an internal contradiction. The pro-Russian Preside

By Jakub Janovsky, naalsio26, Aloha, Dan and Kemal The following list attempts to keep track of military equipment delivered or pledged to Ukraine by Greece during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The entries below are sorted by armament category (with a flag denoting the country of origin). Due to the confidential nature of some arms deliveries they can serve only as a lower bound to the total volume of weaponry delivered. This list will be updated as further military support is uncovered

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost OliemansOver the past decade, Uganda has quietly embarked on a significant modernisation drive. This ambitious effort has seen the acquisition of Su-30MK2 multi-role fighter aircraft, Mi-28N attack helicopters and T-90S MBTs from Russia. Additionally, the country has invested in advanced weapons systems from Israel, such as 155mm ATMOS SPGs, 120mm SPEAR Mk.2 and CARDOM SPMs, as well as Hermes 900 UAVs. To further supplement its ground forces, Uganda has also obtained Ty

By Jakub Janovsky, naalsio26, Aloha, Dan and KemalThe following list attempts to keep track of military equipment delivered or pledged to Ukraine by Romania during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The entries below are sorted by armament category (with a flag denoting the country of origin), and due to the confidential nature of some arms deliveries they can serve only as a lower bound to the total volume delivered. This list is updated as further military support is uncovered. * Purchases

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans Damlaya Damlaya Göl Olur - Drop By Drop A Whole Lake BecomesSince March 2021, we have been incredibly grateful for the generous contributions we received through our Patreon account. In light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we made a conscious decision not to accept these funds for ourselves. Instead, we have chosen to redirect all accumulated and incoming funds to various reputable charities that are actively aiding Ukrainian refugees and civilians affecte

By Jakub Janovsky, naalsio26, Aloha, Dan and Kemal Iceland, unique among NATO member states, maintains no standing military of its own. Throughout the Cold War, the country was host to several debates about whether or not to withdraw from NATO. During the 1970s, Iceland even threatened to leave the alliance as a result of the Second and Third Cod Wars with the UK. But despite its pacifist nature and a prime minister that is known for her opposition to Iceland's NATO membership, the island nation

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans In a special address to the Bundestag on the 27th of February 2022, Chancellor Olaf Scholz referred to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a Zeitenwende (meaning: turning point) in the history of Europe. In his speech, Scholz reaffirmed Germany's commitment to spending 2% of its GDP on defence in 2024. Additionally, the German government set up a €100 billion fund for immediate investments in its military. Nonetheless, those expecting the return to an army boast

By Jakub Janovsky, naalsio26, Aloha, Dan, Kemal and Calibre Obscura Since February 2022, the United Kingdom has committed over £4.6 billion in military assistance to Ukraine. [1] The following list attempts to keep track of military equipment delivered or pledged to Ukraine by the United Kingdom during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The entries below are sorted by armament category (with a flag denoting the country of origin), and due to the confidential nature of the UK's arms deliveries

By Jakub Janovsky, naalsio26, Aloha, Dan and KemalThe following list attempts to keep track of military equipment delivered or pledged to Ukraine by Albania during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The entries below are sorted by armament category (with a flag denoting the country of origin), and due to the confidential nature of Albania's arms deliveries they can serve only as a lower bound to the total volume delivered. This list is updated as further military support is uncovered. (Click