The Duran Podcast - Ukraine's prototype wonder weapon w/ Patrick Lancaster

Episode Date: April 5, 2024

Ukraine's prototype wonder weapon w/ Patrick Lancaster

All right, Alexander, we are here with Patrick Lancaster. Patrick, I will have all the information to your channels in the description box down below, as well as a pinned comment, as a pinned comment. And Patrick has some interesting breaking news for us from the front line. So, Alexander, Patrick, let's talk about it. Absolutely, let's absolutely talk about it. So, Patrick, what has happened on the front lines? some exciting news that you can give us about a technological development that has been cracked.

So tell us about it, Patrick. Yeah. So, first of all, as usual, great to be on with you guys as normal. Thanks for bringing me on so often. I really appreciate it. And I'm happy to share things with your viewers. But on to the point. So I've just done a report on a...

a piece of military equipment that has been captured by Russian forces from Ukrainian forces. And not quite the normal, you know, captured vehicle, not even Western or NATO vehicle. This has been somewhat of a special prototype that was used, built by, Ukrainian forces and Azov Battalion for some sort of futuristic war as they described it an invincible super weapon and I was able to

bring our viewers a little bit about this piece of equipment and it was first made in or started to be developed in 2015 as a prototype for future fighting. It was supposed to be the best of the best tank, as they described it. And actually, as doing investigation on it

and looking to see what it actually was, it's not even really a tank. It has the chassis of a tank, but the overall, it's basically a military transport with weapons on it. And we can, I had a chance to go inside it, around it, speak to the Russian soldiers, that captured it. And understood a lot more than what seems to be in the Ukrainian PR videos that they put out of how this was this special weapon. I mean, even on the game War Thunder, there's a petition online to have this added to the game itself.

a lot of hype. But the fact is that when I say Russia captured this one-of-a-kind prototype, they captured it because they pushed Ukrainian forces back from a specific area in Dunbass. It's Ukraine or Russia was taking new territory. And they found it buried in a hole. Some of the locals brought the Russian soldiers to a specific place. and they found this described invincible super weapon buried in this hole and found in fact that it never even entered battle.

It's still totally intact, no signs of battle. The Ukraine just left it in this hole as they retreated. And basically, I even had a chance to kind of move some of the turrets back and forth. And it seems like, and was described by Russian forces, as kind of not the greatest design, because the turrets would knock into each other. And a lot of this, I'm trying my best to describe it just in words,

but people can find my report of my channel to see more in depth of, you know, what I saw. And also I decided to give people as much information as possible. I also included in my report the PR video release from Ukraine on when they were building this, just to give people as much insight as they can. So it's got the Ukrainian side, the Russian side, and then my firsthand account of what I saw.

But very surprising to see this. I've seen other captured tanks, Western equipment, but this was definitely, you know, for sure, one of a kind. So, you know, I thought it was pretty important to show our viewers. and let me know if you guys have any questions. I can more explain some of the information. Well, I mean, lots of questions has come to mind. But firstly, two very important points that you've just made over what you've just said, Patrick.

Firstly, we have another example of an invincible Ukrainian weapon. Sounds as if it's not invincible. In fact, from what you've just said, there are clear, problems with design. I mean, if the turrets or glide with each other, it doesn't sound to me as if it's a very battle-proof vehicle. And it looks like another example of the stress Ukraine gives to the sort of media aspect of the war, as opposed to the real ones. That's the first thing to say. But the other thing is, here we have a top secret prototype. And it looks as if the Ukrainians are now retreating so fast, perhaps not across the whole of the front line. Let's see. Let's see.

Let's be realistic and sober about this. But in some places, they're retreating so fast that instead of retrieving this valuable prototype, which one would presume they would not want the Russians to capture, they have to abandon it and bury it quickly in a hole where the Russians can find it. Is that an accurate summary of the position? because if the last is true, that is an important fact in itself, or so it seems to me. Yes, yeah, it's very true. And speaking of the value of it, it's actually public open source knowledge that this specific prototype was estimated to cost the Ukrainian government about $5 million to develop.

And that $5 million just turned out to be, you know, a $5 million hole in the ground. And speaking to, you know, the Russian forces, of course, they're a bit biased. But from the information that they said, it's just not a good design. It was so built up in the PR, as you said. And it just turns out to be kind of a useless tank that the Russian soldiers said they'd never take something like that into battle. And it seems the Ukrainians didn't either, even after it was built. It was more of just a show.

What is it exactly? I mean, what is it supposed to do? Is this a tank? I mean, is it an infantry fighting vehicle? Is it a thing that it's a thing that it's a hybrid? Yeah, it almost seems like a kind of a hybrid. And Ukraine describe it as this super battle tank, super weapon. It's described online as a, uh,

military vehicle. But the fact is, they took an old chassis and put some new metal. I mean, they literally just welded a bunch of metal around it, made the inside a bit bigger, and put a whole lot of what seemed to be flares and smoke cannons. I mean, like 20 or 30, just on the front. And then a couple places for a couple anti-tank cannons. guns. And as far as the anti-tank guns, we were explained by the Russian soldiers. Again, of course, they're biased. But what they told us is that why would they even put an anti-tank cannon on it?

They said the armor that they put on it wouldn't take a hit from a tank anyway. So how could it go in battle against tanks? Because there was no reactive armor on it. It's just sheet metal welded on. So it's a very interesting situation. Almost like a. Almost like a. big parade float, it seems. I was going to say, I mean, to me it sounds like something, you know, you see in a Hollywood movie, some kind of Hollywood movie, you know, the future, futuristic one, you know, with a sort of clanking machine comes across the horizon. Somebody like me who doesn't know anything or hadn't known anything about military affairs

might find this all looking very impressive in a film, but in fact, on the actual field of battle, it doesn't actually do very much. I mean, it's the sort of thing that, you know, Dr. Frankenstein might have come up with. I mean, from the sound of it, maybe I'm, maybe I'm a bit. From the look of it as well. Yeah. And all intended to appear in, you know, a sort of not a movie, but a game, as far as I can see, they wanted to have it in a game. Is, am I right about this? This is in a computer game. I mean, included in it,

yeah. Maybe the soldiers and engineers that made, designed it and made it from the beginning. I mean, from the PR videos, it seems like they were really trying. But, you know, regardless of what their ambition was to do

in making this Frankenstein, as you call it, which is very similar, you know, they didn't succeed. If they were trying to really make this invincible, super weapon, you know, I think if it was that good, it wouldn't have been left in a hole and actually would have been used in battle. But for all the information we have, it was a waste of

$5 million, but it seems Ukraine's pretty good at wasting a lot of money. Well, indeed. And one wonders where that $5 million came from and whether it was part of Western aid and all of that. Can I just ask Patrick, you might not be able to answer this question, but do we have any idea where this thing was captured? I mean, what part of the battlefronts was captured? I mean, if you're not able to tell us. It was captured in territory that was captured from Ukraine by Russia in Dunbass. That's as much this week. That's fine.

That's fine. That's absolutely fine. We're not going to probe into this. And was it supposed to be, you know, to help the defense? Or was it part of an, you know, intended to or presented as being for an armored defensive against the Russians in some way? Well, that's the thing. I mean, it was, it was just, it wasn't used. I mean, the only, the only evidence that we see in that they actually used this thing, which, the video the PR videos itself. There's no evidence that I was able to find about any use of it besides just saying how great it was and you know how much it's just this huge innovation in fighting ability and then it was put in a hole as Ukrainians retreated. Right. You know if I think there was absolutely no sign on it that it ever entered battle at all. Battle at all and that's that's something that started in 2015. and they're still working on it nine years later

and it just ends up in a hole and is never used. Yeah, I mean, and it was just, let's be clear about that. This is one prototype. All the public information shows that there was just one of these made for $5 million and just used for PR purposes and abandoned as the retreat was given. Okay, can I veer to a different topic when we've talked about many times, reports came in last night of more shelling of Donnett

City. Are you able to confirm that? There's been some reports that they've located where it is, a place called Kahlava or something like that, but the Ukrainians shelled Donnette City again last night. Yeah. And actually, in the last 36 hours, let's say last day and a half, there's been, I believe it's about 23, 24 civilians injured in Ukrainian attacks between Danyetsk and Gorlovka. Now, these are, of course, Danyetsk is the biggest, but Gorlifka is another bigger city that's also a frontline city or near there. And in the last 36 hours, about 23, 24 civilians have been injured.

And I believe the latest number is. up to four civilians killed. Every hour, there's more and more injured. In Gorlifka, those more were injured today. Yesterday, it was more Donetsk in the Kubashevsky district, in the Kievski district and Petrovka district. And the majority of these attacks, it's not just one attack that's injuring all these fields, it's many here and there.

And the majority, as I understand, are, by the 155 millimeter western supplied artillery shells. That's kind of the standard for Ukraine firing into the cities now. And besides that, in Gorlifka, of course, they used the 155 millimeter shells, but in Gorlifka, they tend to use more of the drones to make attacks. The drones where they, you know, camera operated and then they just hit what they want. And, you know, it's a shame to think that, you know, so many of these civilians are getting killed and injured by these drones. It's not like they're making a mistake.

I mean, you can say maybe they're shooting artillery and they meant to shoot somewhere and it hits civilians. No, these drones, they have cameras on it and they have glasses and they see what they're going to hit, and they hit civilians. Of course, you know, the military is hit or hit as well. But these attacks of Gorlivka are around the center of Gorlivka with these. drones attacking civilians. And can I just repeat again, that deliberate indiscriminate attacks on civilians are a war crime. And I mean, this is not controversial. And there's no justification or excuse for it if it's done intentionally in the way that you describe.

And 155mm shells, who makes them? Ukraine makes them? Russia makes them? Or are they made? No, no. These are NATO supplies. Yeah. I mean, I think I'm right in saying 155mm shells using this conflict are exclusively NATO supplied. Russia makes 122mm shells. So it's a different caliber. If it's 155 millimeter, these are shells that we, Western countries, NATO countries, Britain make shells, United States make shells, Germany make shells.

and they've been used amongst other things to show places like Dornetsk and Gronovka. I mean, that's the position, as I understand it. Is that right, Patrick? Yes, for sure. And in addition, these 155mm shells also have the U.S. made cluster musicians. That, you know, if Russia uses cluster emissions, the United States says it's a war crime. But if Ukraine uses cluster munitions on civilians, it's just, you know, cost of war. But I had forgot to mention one of these attacks, at least one from last night on

the Kubeshevsky District of Dignettes, was a result of a cluster bomb. There's photo and video evidence of it. And cluster bombs are area bombs. And again, using them indiscriminately against civilian targets is a war crime. Just just to repeat that point again, because it's one that I think one should not overlooked. So, I mean, we have a situation on the battlefront. This is, you know, where I'd like to, I mean, Alex might have a few things to say, but this is where I'm going to finish. We have a situation on the battlefronts. Ukraine is under intense pressure by all accounts now. You know, they're facing pressure in Bachmert, in Charles Fyar, in Abdevka, in Parvamaiski. But they're still shelling Donets City, and they're now shelling Godlovka as well. They're still focused to an extraordinary

degree on doing this, I have to say putting aside the cruelty, it doesn't seem very rational that they would do this, but they still do it. Yeah, unfortunately. And when I asked the civilians, you know, first, my standard questions, just to be, you know, clear to the world, I asked the civilians whose homes are hit. I said, are there any military targets? near here and they say, of course not. And I said, okay, then why, why do, how do you think? Why do Ukraine soldiers fire on your neighborhood? They said, some of the main answers are they want to kill us, they want to terrorize us, they want us to leave. And people say they're not going to leave because it's their land. Yeah, exactly. Well, Patrick, thank you. I'm aching to watch

your program, by the way, and see this thing. Azovets, I think you said it was cool, was Azovets. Is that right? And can I just also say, interesting point that it's also apparently part designed or funded by the Azov Battalion. And interesting to see that they're built by them. I mean, involved in weapons development amongst all the other things that these people do. Though it doesn't seem as if they come up with a very effective weapon. Alex, is there anything you want to add there? I will just have all of Patrick's information in the description box down below. I'll also put a link to the video so that all our viewers can see what this wonder weapon

or alleged wonder weapon is all about. We're all very curious now to see what $5 million buys you, I guess. Well, absolutely, yeah. A single prototype for armored vehicle. Incredible. And I think you said, Patrick, that it's been. based on an old chassis, which they've sort of tinkered with. So, you know, it's $5 million.

It does seem rather a lot of money to play around with an old chassis. But anyway, there we go. There you have it. All right, Patrick, thank you very much for joining us. Thank you, guys. It's really great to be on. Can't wait till next time. Fantastic.

Me too.