It appears that Russia have given up on further expansion in the East. Seen a couple of reports that they're starting to hollow out their presence on the Izyum front which has gained zilch for so long. After assaulting Borodychne they may have been pushed back and lost ground behind it.
The South and landbridge to Crimea is more important to them to hold now surely than gaining another couple of kms in the East. I hope they're not seeing sense and getting reinforcements to the South but it seems they are.
'Massive Missile Attack' By Ukraine Kills 89 Russian Soldiers, Army Regains Some Villages (ibtimes.com)
They've a long strip of seized land to supply & defend. Can they afford to head south and leave areas north of this between them & the motherland relatively unmanned?
This guy called it. Then less then 24 hours later there's unconfirmed reports of an unexpected Ukrainian liberation around Izyum. We'll see how it pans out.
Interesting read
From what I can gather, it seems that one person may have died in the attack. When we consider what the gangster regime are deliberately doing to civilians on a daily basis, it's a bit of a non story (even if it turns out to have been a regrettable mistake by Ukraine).
It seems to be a very calculated, planned attack so it probably is fsb, as stated in the link.
Putin's knuckle dragging marauders can't defend both regions without spreading themselves thin
Their stocks are being run down and their personnel and equipment are being depleted
The West can now see that it's not a case of "throwing good money after bad" and will continue to supply
Other former USSR countries are getting itchy
The safe passage of grain could provide welcome motive for multinational bodies to get more involved
It could yet become a perfect storm
Putin's circular logic assured him that there's no element of risk because there's no element of risk
Was he played? Little bite - no response, Little bite - no response, Big bite - Whack !
I stopped reading the letter at "....at it was so welcome to read the deeply concerned and thought-out article by the historian Geoffrey Roberts"
No doubt the poor dear spent several days pondering the contents of that bull$hit letter as she struggles to cope with daily life in Áras an Uachtaráin at our expense.
She's supposed to be an "anti-war campaigner" but this is no ordinary war - it's a clear example of an aggressive and expansionist regime attacking another country without warning or provocation.
What do they think the Muzzle brake is for lol 🤡
Yeah your right in regards the drones. Its making a huge difference and in the future wars they are going to play an even bigger role. No I'm lucky to never have been in a war situation.
Not only that, but as spouse of a supposedly politically neutral head of state, she presumably feels she too should be neutral as between both sides. God, what a fool.
Given that we've taken in more than 40k displaced Ukrainian people, her intervention seems very naïve.
CT hat on, But I wager there is a very good reason these drones are going out in so many numbers. Purley for operational testing purposes, Ukraine is an Ideal conflict. You have open war, Street to Street. siege, Armour column's. Everything and anything can be tested there. But one thing the Ukrainians seem very very good at using them and adapting them. Not saying they would not have been sent anyway. But it's a win win really. Cheap drones in large numbers seems to be the way forward now. Reapers my become a thing of the past or around in tiny numbers from now on. I mean how many Switchblades could you deploy for the cost of a hellfire. obvs not just the cost of the Missile but the platform time in the air fuel. Wager were going to see more stuff like drone swarms being used.
That strategy worked out so well for Ukraine since the Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances 🙄
fascinating read, til
Yes, drones are the future, for sure. With the exception of the Russians, who don't mind a big body count, either from their own side, or Ukrainian, every other ( well nearly every other) Country trying to minimize the death toll of their military's. Long may you luck hold re war. To be avoided at all costs if possible.
I'm too old so lucky too. Also played to many video games in later life. Unless jumping sideways with desert eagles is needed count me out. I do find it a bit disturbing now though watching the drone vids. It's really become like call of duty or something like that. Prob why younger Russians are signing up thinking it's just like that.
Chechny and Syria, I'm watching with great interest... but Kazakhstan is one to add to the watch list as well. Kadyrov is not the popular leader he claims to be....if Putin goes down, Kadyrov will not be far behind,,,and it will change the situation in Syria too. Isis may be gone as a force in Syria, but there are plenty more anti-Assad people there, not to mention the next door neighbor's, Turkey, Iraq, and of course Lebanon and Iranian influence. That' a very unstable part of the world there.
Good news
I don't know if this is real or a joke but it competes well with Laurel and Hardy
Sorry for the late reply. The answer to your question is dependent on how long the war lasts. If, for some reason, Russia collapses before the end of the year, they certainly won't be delivered in time. Remember, these are newbuilds and even if you start work on them right away, it'll likely take months for long-lead items like the gun barrel, breech, and other similar components to even be manufactured, let alone integrated into the system. With all the pre-work, I'd say we're looking at early Q2 2023 before the first new howitzer rolls of the production line. Given that I don't expect this war to be over anytime soon, there's unfortunately a good chance that some of these vehicles will roll straight from the assembly line into combat.
From that report, it seems certain that Russia is planning a sea-based attack on the South coast. The Russian plan, for now, is to take out anti-ship missiles. I had long feared what would happen if Russia planned some kind of D-day type of landing on the Odessa coastline. Putin likes his big 'show casy' stunts and a D-day landing is right up his street.
These guys can’t cross a river, they are not capable of a naval invasion especially since VDV (paratroopers) and Marines been most frontline fodder all this time and are the units with highest casualties
With Ukraine now having Harpoons I'd like to see them try it, moskva is lonely.
By that estimation they need to go shopping elsewhere. The UA head of intelligence said the main battles will be over by mid August. Germany and France need to send all the big guns they have straight away.
Seemingly Russian troops are getting so thin on the ground Odesa is out of the plan, unless there is general mobilization.
Champagne socialist wisdom from the leafy avenues for the benefit of us lesser peasants. It's complete bollocks but that's their agenda on the left. They think if a Western leaning side "gives up" everything is hunky dory. Had a well known leftie tell me he was "worried about the weapons", but reading his stuff since, it's all whataboutery, aren't mick & claire great, nato/pesco bad and so on. They're only worried about weapons that keep free people free. Think of all the pointless drivel articles they could write, petitions they could dream up, and hand wringing associations they could form if only MORE people were oppressed!
The UA head of intelligence said the main battles will be over by mid August. Germany and France need to send all the big guns they have straight away.
That has "it'll be over by Christmas" written all over it and we all know how well this aged in the past. Thinking that anything will be decided by August is going to be foolhardy in the extreme. Russia may have expended its offensive potential by then but Ukraine will still have to take back the occupied territory, which will be a long, hard slog, with no indication that the Russian forces are simply going to collapse once they're on the defensive. This isn't **** Command & Conquer or Call of Duty!
As far as Germany sending all big guns they have, get real! No major NATO country is going to significantly weaken their inventories whilst there is still the option of Russia opening another front and possibly engaging NATO directly. Kaliningrad in particular seems ripe for such a move. There's a reason why a German-led battlegroup is being stood up in the Baltic states. I suggest you read up on basic strategy, not expending all available reserves at once and basic logistics!
Just two more weeks.
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