ALCON: We have a new freq for you to kick to. It’s an X account called Irlandets, and as a source of OSINT imagery goes, it’s pretty damn good. Assuming you’re interested in the Russo-Ukraine War, warfighting, gun stuff, or battle rattle in general (which we are, on all counts).

Irlandets, as we understand it, means “Irishman” in Russian (ирландец in Cyrillic, if our Google-Fu is accurate). CHVK is a transliteration of the Russian abbreviation ЧВК. That’s the acronym for Частная военная компания (Chastnaya Voennaya Kompaniya), or what we’d call a PMC. A Private Military Company. You may have seen CHVK before in stories about the Wagner Group (PMC Wagner) or other formations like Redut, Konvoy, TF Rusich, and others.

Which really aren’t PMCs, but that’s how the Russkis refer to them.

Regardless, it’s a pro-Russian account, but don’t let that get your panties in a twist if you’re pro-Ukraine. Anybody practicing good OSINT gets their information wherever they can.

Irlandets OSINT

The account posts a wide range of material, some very new and much more historical (going back to before the seizure of Crimea), assuming the descriptions and dates are accurate. The retrospective potential alone makes the account worth following.

Irlandets posts video too, but not as frequently as he does still imagery.

A World War 2 relic, a 120mm PM-38 mortar, still sees action to this day. These pieces are more than 80 years old, wear and tear is visible even on the tube's exterior. Apparently, after the misfire in the video, the crew continued to work as normal without issue.

???, 2026 pic.twitter.com/MN5ys9M5Ev

— Irlandets (@chvk_irlandets) August 26, 2026

“A World War 2 relic, a 120mm PM-38 mortar, still sees action to this day. These pieces are more than 80 years old, wear and tear is visible even on the tube’s exterior. Apparently, after the misfire in the video, the crew continued to work as normal without issue.”

It’s the equipment breakdowns many of you are going to like (especially the gear queers). Some are as simple as this:

Others are far more detailed.

Drone Operator Loadout

The entire description below was copied directly from the original X post: note the emphasis on medical gear.

Breakdown of a drone operator’s working equipment.

1. 2pcs 30rnd magazine, +45rnd in gun.
2. Field dressings, bandage, nefopam, multitool and marker.
3. Field dressings, tourniquet, 2pcs 10x16cm bandage, 2pcs Nefopam, Novocain [sic].
4. Bulgarian RGO-78 grenade.
5. Israeli Emergency Bandage.
6. 5pcs plaster, 7.62×54(BZ) AP-I and 5.45(PP) cartridges, cloth for eyepro, glasses cleaning spray, novocain [sic].
7. Tourniquet,
8. Field dressings, reinforced tape, chemical warfare aid equipment.
9. Field dressings, 2pcs 7x14cm bandages, 3pcs hemostatic agents, thermal blanket, eye shield, airway, 2pcs occlusive plaster, 2pcs large gel bandages for burns.
10. Koala plushie.
11. 2pcs flashlight.
12. Tourniquet.

“The body armour is a 6B45, which comes with sewn-in BR2 (NIJ II) soft armour. A BR3 (NIJ III) front plate and a BR5 (NIJ IV) rear plate are installed. The 6B45 is preferred for it’s extended coverage, BR3 plates are preferred as getting shot at is a very rare occurrence, whereas drones, and thus light fragmentation, is a constant threat. As well, body armour must be worn constantly, so lighter weight is preferred for less strain on the body. Little ammunition is carried, as the only significant threat is indirect fire, high-altitude drone bombers and drone kamikazes. Two lap protectors are used, both use BR1 aramid soft-armour.”

A later comment from the post clarifies, “[It is] Ratnik Tactical’s BR3 plate. It’s installed in the front. Their BR3 plate does not fit in the back of the 6B45, it juts out awkwardly, is uncomfortable and generally doesn’t fit. He returned the other one, and only wears one in the front.
[The drone operator] says the quality is good.”

The @chvk_irlandets account can be found and followed on X here. We’re happy to improve your frequency hopping with it. If you know of an account to add to our list, hit us up in the comments.

Oh, also. The guy who runs the Irlandets X channel is also on Discord right here. And we’re pretty sure this is the corresponding Telegram channel here.

And by special, we mean a lowered price and free shipping.