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01-09-2025, 10:01 AM
#1666
Re: Russia
So, the goofy Russians thought it was a good idea to test their luck again by attacking the Ukran elite unit of the 47th Armored Brigade...well, can you say, "WIPE OUT!" Some folks never learn.
Long-range Ukran drones struck very deep into Russia hitting the air base at Engels. The attack focused on the fuel storage tanks and early reports say 8 of the 10 large tanks are destroyed, huge fire raging at the base.
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01-10-2025, 08:43 AM
#1667
Re: Russia
Bad news, Ukraine pulled out of that Kursk town of Novo...this right after the 47th Brigade utterly wiped out a column of attacking Russians and North Koreans. The rest of the Ukran line was under intense pressure and the Russians/North Koreans had managed two small, but no less concerning, breakthroughs. The 47th Brigade and two supporting battalions from another brigade were left exposed on both flanks, so it was prudent for the whole line to pull back to a new defensive line several miles back. Novo...is located on the northwest portion of the Kursk salient. In the northeast sector the Ukrans had pushed some 4 miles and halted at a river. Across that river the Russian 177th Regiment, "Caspian Marines" had dug in. The Ukran command on the ground said they were satisfied their advance has forced the elite 177th to be anchored in place, on the other side of a wide river, thus they are no threat to go on the offensive. At least not as long as the Ukrans can maintain a presence to contest any attempted river crossing.
But, the withdrawal of the 47th Brigade and the supporting units marks a turning point in the fight for the Kursk salient. The Russians/North Koreans are now across a large river in that sector, free to operate on open ground. One pundit, who has been absolutely correct in 90% of his predictions, surmises Ukraine will pull back even further soon and establish a last-ditch defense around the town of Sudzha, which was the original target, the whole reason for the Kursk incursion. Initially the Ukrans sought only to destroy the Russian supply/reserve base in Sudzha, which was the primary jumping off place for Russian units moving into Ukraine in that region. The Ukrans noted that the border was lightly guarded, with police and some conscripted militia units. Less than 1,000 Ukran soldiers were sent in to attack and destroy the base at Sudzha, which they did. But then they were surprised to discover that whole sector was nothing but an empty shell, devoid of any regular Russian army units. So, some 5 months ago, they decided to exploit the opportunity and thus the Kursk salient developed. Now, Putin as amassed over 50,000 troops, about 12,000 North Koreans, or the 7,000 or so left, against a peak of no more than 12,000 Ukrainians. Most likely the Ukrans can continue to hold some of the Kursk salient all the way to next summer. But at some point it will become counter-productive to try to stay.
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01-10-2025, 10:52 AM
#1668
Re: Russia
Ukrans putting the F-16s to good use. Yes, Ukraine is trying to be very careful with its limited F-16 fleet, but they have been active, mostly in a purely defensive role. Recently a Ukran F-16 shot down 6 Russian cruise missiles, going a perfect 6 for 6 in his missile attack on the cruise missiles. The whole affair was completed in about 15 minutes. But, and this is HUGE! There is even better news to report.
Getting a little bolder with their F-16s the Ukrans launched an offensive mission to attack and eliminate Russian anti-aircraft missile batteries. Of course, attacking anti-aircraft weapons puts the aircraft at risk, just as a tank attacking an anti-tank weapon puts the tank at risk. Only in this case, the Ukrans were 100% successful destroying four Russian anti-aircraft batteries, including an S-400 and a S-300, two of Putin's most advanced systems. None of the F-16s were so much as fired on as their attack was perfectly executed. The F-16 Falcon is a superb ground-attack fighter-bomber, as it can operate at very low altitudes and at low speeds when necessary. In fact, the F-16 was originally deployed to be strictly a ground-support aircraft when the US Air Force was seeking to retire the A-10 Warthog. These attacks were all in the Donbas region, but one pundit says Ukraine is weighing the possibilities of more aggressive attacks with the F-16s. Putin has moved all of his advanced S-500 anti-aircraft batteries to guard the Kerch Bridge. There are also S-300 and S-400 batteries on Crimea and near the bridge, along with anti-aircraft guns. Any attack on the Kerch Bridge with aircraft, even one as capable as the F-16 Falcon, would be very risky. Just the threat of an attack on the Kerch Bridge has scared Putin such that he has weakened his air defenses elsewhere in favor of protecting that bridge.
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01-12-2025, 12:54 PM
#1669
Re: Russia
First, a little bad news, the past 24 hours have not been good for Ukraine on the battlefronts. They lost a small town and had about 30 soldiers captured in the NW portion of the Kursk salient, which is continuing to shrink. The Washington Post published an update, and it reports Putin now has 60,000 soldiers committed in Kursk, opposite 9,000 Ukrainians.
The Russians have gained ground south of Pokrovsk, moving westward through mostly rural areas, a small farming village was taken. This has been the Russian strategy to take key points. They will at first try frontal (suicidal) attacks directly at Ukran defenses guarding towns, and when that fails, they start the slow grind of day-to-day fighting, exchanging men and equipment for acres of land. One source now says Russia has lost 600,000 KIA and a like number wounded/captured, for a total 1.2 million casualties.
The only good news from last night was still another successful drone attack on a key Putin site, the latest a refinery that produces diesel fuel, kerosene (jet fuel), and benzene. The plant is located about 400 miles inside of Russia and according to reports no less than 6 Ukran drones struck facility setting off enormous fires.
And more proof of the superb capability of the US Bradley Fighting Machine. Great video of a Russian kamikaze drone striking a Bradley dead on, hitting it where the turret sits on the chassis, a vulnerable place for all armored vehicles, including tanks. The driver was shaken up, slightly wounded, but the Bradley survived the hit, and after a few minor repairs, is back in action. A Ukranian soldier leaned over and kissed his Bradley saying, "thank you America, this is best vehicle ever."
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01-13-2025, 08:50 AM
#1670
Re: Russia
A long video has been released of a battle between North Koreans and Ukrainians, said fight taking place on the northwest portion of the Kursk salient, which has been under heavy pressure by the Putinites. The Russians sent recon drones to scout the Ukran trenches/defenses. The Ukrans hid from the drones, not because they were scared, but to set a trap. Sure enough about an hour later NK troops appeared from the distant woods walking across the open field in front of the Ukran trenches. They began triggering mines deployed by the Ukrans, and then quickly retired leaving behind about 25-30 dead or gravely wounded. During the lull, the Ukrans sent out drones which deployed more mines, replacing those set off. Another hour went by when the NK soldiers appeared again, again walking in strung out battle lines, Bam! kaboom! went the new mines, and more dead NK morons. This time the remaining NKs started running across the field, a few more mines took out a few more, but the NKs came on across the snow-covered field. The Ukrans sent out drones dropping grenades, more dead/wounded NKs. Then as about 200+ surviving NKs got closer to the trenches, the Ukrans popped up and started firing with machineguns and rifles. Many of the NKs dropped down and returned fire. This portion of the battle would last all day, some 8 hours, and settled into a sparring match of small arms fire. As darkness began to come on, the NKs began withdrawing.
The entire battle was 600 NKs vs. 40 Ukrans, and their drones. After over 10 hours, daylight to dark, the count in the end was for the NK 245 KIA 130 wounded 12 captured, a total of 387 casualties. For the Ukrans ZERO. Not a single Ukranian was so much as wounded.
Today or maybe tomorrow, the Putinites will try again. They now know there are Ukrainians in those trenches and have to know they are few in number. So, they will change their tactics and try to flank the 40 Ukrans, and then send in over-whelming numbers to swamp the position. Most likely the Ukrans will either withdraw now, or wait to inflict more losses on the stupid NKs and then quickly withdraw. In a couple of days, Russia will claim another tactical victory, taking some more acres of bare ground in exchange for many hundreds of casualties.
This happening is being repeated almost daily all along the battle fronts.
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01-13-2025, 03:29 PM
#1671
Re: Russia
Russians reached the main highway west of Pokrovsk. They were beaten back, losing a tank and two APCs and about 15 soldiers KIA. But, they will try again and eventually be successful. This means the end of Ukraine being able to hold Pokrovsk. Which will also mean the loss of the entire oblast of Donetsk. It might take another few weeks, or even a couple of months, but Pokrovsk will eventually fall. And when it does the whole oblast will be gone.
Not looking good for Ukraine's long-term prospects. A spokesman for the Trump transition team says Trump wants to meet with Putin and Switzerland has stepped up offering to host the meeting. The scuttlebutt is Trump wants to trade some Ukrainian territory for an end to the hostilities. Putin wants 6 oblasts, including Crimea. Right now Putin has troops in four of those six oblasts. There is currently no fighting in either the Sumy or Kharkiv oblasts as the Ukrainians have driven all Russian troops out of those provinces. This will probably happen as most of the world seems to want Ukraine to trade land for an end of the war.
A Russian military hospital in Tula caught fire and burned to the ground. It was caused by an electrical fire starting in the attic, and the wooden structure quickly burned. There were 260 wounded Russian soldiers in the facility, all but 50 were rescued. Hell of a note to get burned alive while recovering from a battle wound.
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01-14-2025, 03:01 PM
#1672
Re: Russia
"hunted" North Koreans pulled two elderly women out of their house and lashed them to the wall outside (in very cold weather) to prevent the Ukrans from striking the house with artillery or drones. Yes, human shields. These are Russian citizens as this happened in Kursk Oblast, Russia. Also, most of the NKs are committing suicide instead of surrendering because the Russians have convinced them if captured, the Ukrainians will torture them, then kill them.
Ukraine struck a chemical plant in Bryansk, Russia. Used drones and Ukrainian-built Neptune cruise missiles. Ukraine is getting closer and closer to having a sound domestic military industrial complex. Still need NATO equipment and ammo, but at least they are moving toward independence.
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01-15-2025, 07:29 AM
#1673
Re: Russia
More Ukran drone and cruise missile attacks all across Russia last night. Two ammo plants, another chemical plant, and three more oil storage facilities set ablaze. In all, reports say Ukraine sent 80 cruise missiles and 100+ drones on those attacks. More targets were hit, like police stations, army barracks, and other military supply depots. One of the attacks destroyed an ammo warehouse, mostly small arms munitions, grenades, mortar shells, maybe some artillery shells too. The warehouse was an old furniture manufacturing facility. Now this makes sense
. Two days ago Ukraine destroyed an ammo storage warehouse which used to be a chicken processing plant. The Russians have been using "unmarked" facilities in an attempt to hide their military plants and ammo/supply depots, hoping the Ukrans won't attack "chicken plants." One Ukrainian blogger I follow joked to a Ukran army officer, "guess Putin will have to get his chicken from somewhere else." The officer replied yesterday, "yeah, and he'll have to get his furniture from somewhere else too." That remark didn't make sense until this morning when I see Ukraine took out an old furniture warehouse, being used for ammo storage.
One commenter on that blog asked how does Ukraine know that these seemingly civilian facilities are being used by the Russian army? The blogger says Ukraine has an extensive spy network operating in Russia and most of their intelligence is courtesy of anti-Putin partisans who are aiding the Ukrainian war effort from inside Russia. Some of these partisans are ordinary citizens who may have worked at that chicken plant or furniture factory, know they have been closed, and who have watched Russian army trucks coming and going.
Speaking of drones, the ever-clever Ukrans have done it again. The latest iteration is a dual shotgun toting drone being used to shoot down Russian drones and to attack Putnites in trenches, etc. The Ukrans tried this over a year ago, but the shotgun recoil sometimes knocked the drone down or made it hard to control. The Ukrans have perfected it now providing a sliding platform that absorbs the shock allowing the drone operator to maintain total control. Some video footage of this shotgun drone downing Russian drones. It works well.
Germany has sent 50 mobile 155mm artillery vehicles and 10 accompanying fighting machines. Both are 8-rubber tired vehicles. The artillery vehicle is a two-man crew with an autoloader for the big gun. The fighting machine has a 37mm autocannon, machineguns, and can carry 4 infantrymen for deployment. The artillery vehicles are state-of-the-art, the very latest in German engineering. They carry 65 artillery shells already loaded into the mechanism and the gunner can select which type of warhead to load and shoot with the push of buttons. They are fast, agile and will serve the Ukrans well.
More bad news in Donetsk Oblast as the Russians continue to advance and take ground in exchange for their losses. President Z addressed the 155th Brigade fiasco stating it was a mistake to have an entire brigade trained elsewhere (France!) and then deployed straight into a heavy combat zone. He doesn't blame the French, says it was a case of inexperienced troops being led by inexperienced officers. The whole brigade was green. This has caused a major setback in Donetsk, thus the Russian successes they are now enjoying there.
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01-15-2025, 11:15 AM
#1674
Re: Russia
Russian and Chicom vessels are actively engaged in cutting underwater cables, such as fiber optic lines and other communication cables. This is occurring in the Baltic Sea and the South China Sea and both nations are doing it openly and blatantly daring someone to stop them. As one Ukrainian YouTuber observed, the west is afraid to escalate the situation as it might lead to all-out war. Well, looks like Russia and China have "declared" war on their perceived adversaries already.
And Putin has resumed attacks on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure after a few months' hiatus. Two power plants in central Ukraine were struck causing power outages for hundreds of thousands of people. The damage to one appears fairly light and they hope to have it repaired and operational soon. The other one...was hit worse.
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01-16-2025, 07:07 AM
#1675
Re: Russia
Some good news in Donbas...hasn't been a lot of this lately. The Ukran 67th Brigade clobbered Russian units crossing the border into the Sumy Oblast. Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts are two provinces Putin wants (well, he wants all of Ukraine, but in a more practical goal he wants all the eastern oblasts of Ukraine) and Russia has no troops on the ground in either region. This was an attempt to infiltrate Sumy and the Ukrans had other ideas.
Back in the Donetsk Oblast, home to Prokrovsk and under intense pressure, the 3rd Azov Brigade was back in action, defeating a battalion of Russian paratroopers and taking 23 prisoners, which were "paraded" in front of cameras, which brought some angst from The Kremlin and Putin apologists. Ukrainian officials say they were not "paraded," Ukraine network TV had crews there and videoed the prisoners being moved into a POW camp.
Despite this tactical victory, the situation remains critical around Prokrovsk.
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01-16-2025, 09:33 AM
#1676
Re: Russia
Very latest reports...
27 elite Russian paratroopers approached and surrendered to Ukrainian forces in the Kursk Oblast. They said they had had enough of this war, the lack of support from their command structure, for instance, the spokesman for this group said they hadn't eaten in 48 hours. They lack proper winter gear for the cold weather too.
Also, last night in Kursk, another 200 North Koreans paid the ultimate price for stupidity. They had tried to cross an open field, which had been mined, and I guess they still haven't learned that there is no such thing as "the cover of darkness" because Ukraine has night vision goggles, and their drones are equipped with night vision and thermal cameras. This morning, at first light, recon drones were sent out to survey the field and apparently none of the NKs had survived the night. All KIA.
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01-16-2025, 09:44 AM
#1677
Re: Russia
According to the most reliable sources, Ukraine has a total of 880,000 soldiers. Grand total. This includes logistics and the many garrisons spread along the border. Russia has 1.4 million soldiers either in Ukraine or just across the border assigned to the Ukrainian theater. Ukraine has about 350,000 soldiers actually operating in eastern Ukraine.
These numbers were confirmed yesterday during a press conference by President Z, his defense minister, and a couple of his generals.
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01-17-2025, 07:09 PM
#1678
Re: Russia
Wow!
Confirmed reports of corrupt and criminal activity by some Russian commanders. First, Russian unit commanders, like a brigade commander, are extorting their soldiers demanding payment in exchange for not sending them in a meat-grinder assault. Most Russian soldiers have signed contracts whereby if they don't survive the war there is no further payment for their families, i.e. no survivors' benefits. So, commanders are demanding payment in exchange for favorable (survivable) duties. One captured Russian soldier first made this known and now other Russian soldiers are echoing this report.
And this, even worse, absolutely criminal! The Russians are tying some of their "least desirable" soldiers to trees to divert Ukran drones operating at night using thermal targeting into traps or to allow other Russian soldiers to advance unmolested elsewhere. At night a tied soldier appears as a standing soldier, "hiding" behind a tree, and the Ukran drones are attacking these poor souls, allowing other Russians to maneuver mostly unbothered by Ukran drones, or greatly reduced drone activity. These "least desirable" soldiers are usually a wounded soldier who cannot fight anymore or a member of an ethnic minority, or perhaps a criminal who got out of prison in exchange for enlisting in Putin's army. This violates all international rules/laws on warfare and makes Putin and his ilk war criminals...which they already were with their attacks on civilian targets. This was suspected by a Ukran drone operator, so he did not attack one of the tied soldiers but instead returned in the morning and videoed the poor sap tied to a tree. This confirmed the reports of this from Russian POWs.
Putin is pure evil! The whole decent world (which excludes, China, North Korea, Iran, etc.) should come together and declare war on Putin. Not on "Russia" or the Russian people, but on Putin himself. The world did this before when the European powers declared war on Napoleon, not on France or the French people.
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01-19-2025, 06:02 AM
#1679
Re: Russia
More Putin oil storage tanks/facilities struck overnight.
Watched a rather long, detailed report on the collapsing Russian economy. Strong, enforced sanctions will take Putin down. I hope Trump will make that happen. Putin scoffed at Trump's invitation to attend his inauguration, and Trump doesn't respond well to personal insults. Bad move Vladimir. Trump was going to be your lifeline to save your sorry ass evil regime. Well, maybe not anymore.
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01-20-2025, 10:33 AM
#1680
Re: Russia
Russians getting serious about capturing Pokrovsk. Elements of their 2nd Army Group, including three of their better units, the brigades of the 15th, 30th, and 348th motorized rifles, have been moved to gathering points south of Pokrovsk. The Russians, using largely inferior units in "meat grinder" attacks, have enjoyed success moving westward south of the city, and are now 4 miles west of Pokrovsk on a line only 2 1/2 miles from the outskirts of the city. This is the city formerly "protected" by the unfortunate 155th Brigade of green Ukran troops trained in France. Pokrovsk is also notorious from last summer when local officials built recreational parks and planted pretty flowers in town with money earmarked to build defenses. The now ousted mayor said he did want to alarm the citizens of his town. Bet they're alarmed now, now that their homes are being shelled and are about to be overrun by the Orcs.
Well, Ukraine has to make a decision and like right now! to either defend or abandon Pokrovsk. The loss of this city means the loss of the Donetsk Oblast. Which, if this happens, this will mark the second province held by Putin, along with Crimea.
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