Russia

[dawg80]

The Ukrans have captured the city of Vuledar, which sits at the intersection of two highways important to the Russkie supply lines. This is north of Bakhmut. The Russkies had weakened their units there as part of the offensive buildup. Sources say the Ukrans will probably not be able to hold Vuledar as they have limited troops there too. But they are holding it at the moment which has stopped supply convoys from reaching Russkie forces in the region. More than likely The Russkies will turn their attention to retaking Vuledar fairly soon.

It is spelled Vuhledar. Anyway, a Russkie armored column tried to pass thru the town and was absolutely wiped out. Apparently the Russians were not aware the Ukrans were holding the town. From the video released it sure looks like it as the Russian tanks and other vehicles casually approached Vuhledar on a highway and were picked off by accurate Ukran artillery fire and drone attacks. According to reports this was an "elite" Russian brigade. I have posted before I feel sorry for the average Russian soldier. On the video you can clearly see tank after tank hit and erupting in a ball of flame...inside the crew is roasted alive. Terrible. How STUPID is the Russian leadership!? World news agencies released the fact the Ukrans had taken Vuhledar. Didn't the Russkies know that? Doesn't appear so, otherwise that brigade would have been deployed in an attack formation, spread out in the fields instead of being in a column confined to the highway.

Putin is losing.

[dawg80]

Good grief, got my Ukran towns confused, Vuhledar is south of Bahkmut, it was another town that begins with a "V" north of Bahkmut. But, in both places Putin is getting his ass kicked.

[dawg80]

Interviews with captured Russian soldiers...

Sergei was serving 10 years in prison, had served 2 years, and was offered parole if he joined the army. Thinking the risk of going to war was worth exchanging 8 more years for, he agreed. He, and the others, were approached by a regular Russian army officer. They had all heard that Russia was fighting a noble war, fighting Nazism, and that they were winning. Sergei said he was willing to face "ordinary risk," so he joined. Instead, they were attached to a Wagner Group unit and after minimal training, 3 weeks of basic rifle practice and instruction on the command structure, off to Ukraine they went.

Sergei was part of a 10-man squad, commanded by a corporal, who like them, had been a convict. The very first day they were transported by truck to within about 3 miles of the frontlines around Bakhmut. That night they were sent into a trench and told to wait for orders to advance. Shortly before dawn an officer came along and shouted orders for them to attack the Ukranian trench which was about a 1/2 mile across an open field. The 10 of them climbed out of the trench and started across the field, but after only about 30 seconds Sergei said they saw tracers filling the air and realized it was Ukran machinegun fire, an instant later 8 of his squad members were killed, he was nicked in the leg, and went down, and the corporal who tried to run back to their trench was struck in the head, his brains scattered all over Sergei. There was utter chaos and confusion. Sergei saw other Russians from other squads seeking shelter in a shallow ditch, so he crawled there and was aided by someone who bandaged his wounded leg.

That night, under the cover of darkness, Ukrainian soldiers suddenly appeared and took them all prisoner.

Sergei said he had no idea of the truth of the situation, that the Russian people are being lied to about the war.

British Intelligence agents are aiding the Ukrans in interrogating the prisoners. Most, like Sergei, are more than happy to tell all they know, which is not much in the way of true intelligence, since they are not told much, and it is mostly lies anyway. The Russkies, really the Wagner Group, is using such "soldiers" as Sergei's squad as cannon fodder designed to make the Ukrans reveal their positions, then Russian artillery is called in to neutralize the positions. Sergei said he saw explosions from Russian artillery all around the machinegun positions that had fired on his squad but doesn't know if it was effective. Tens of thousands of Russkie "soldiers" have been sacrificed in such suicidal charges.

Sergei said he was a prisoner in a Russian prison, serving 10 years for theft, now he was a prisoner in a Ukran POW camp, but was just happy to be alive.

[dawg80]

Entire 5,000-man brigade, Russian marines, was wiped out in the fight for Vuhledar. Many dozens of tanks and other vehicles were lost. No exact figures on the KIA, wounded, captured, missing, but the brigade has ceased to exist as a coherent combat unit. Designated the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade (marines) Putin publically acknowledged its loss but praised the heroic efforts in trying to take Vuhledar.

[FriscoDawg]

Seymour Hersh Speaks Out: “You Have to Hold the President to Account” (thegatewaypundit.com)

[dawg80]

Seymour Hersh Speaks Out: “You Have to Hold the President to Account” (thegatewaypundit.com)

As I seem to recall, Trump asked, probably begged! Germany and other NATO nations not to build this pipeline and make themselves dependent on Russian oil & gas.

[PawDawg]

As I seem to recall, Trump asked, probably begged! Germany and other NATO nations not to build this pipeline and make themselves dependent on Russian oil & gas.

Exactly...but the Trump hating globalists who bashed him for saying it can't be found here on BB&B.

[dawg80]

Sources say the Ukrans have cut the link between Melitopol and Crimea, severing the land bridge connecting Crimea to Russia. Pundits had advanced the thought Putin would seek a peace but reserve the captured provinces of Donbas and settle for this connection to Crimea. That possibility existed last year but is now off the table. The Ukrainians will continue this war until all of their territory is retaken...provided the West continues to support them.

The Ukrainian "news" agency released a statement saying the US 6th Fleet, specifically the aircraft carrier USS George H. Bush task force, has entered the Black Sea and has "bottled up the Russian Black Sea squadron." Such propaganda does not aid their cause and they should refrain from such nonsense. The Carrier USS George H. Bush task force is in the Mediterranean Sea, although it is true a guided missile destroyer from the task force has entered the Black Sea and went into a Turkish port.

[dawg80]

Dang! Russia has the unsafest windows in the world! Another Russian official, Marina Yankina, Finance Minister in Russia's Dept. of Defense, "fell" to her death from her high-rise apartment building. This is amazing, she is the 5th Russian official, who dared to be critical of Putin's war, to "accidently fall" out of a window.

[dawg80]

Reports that the Ukrans took out a bridge connecting Belarus to Russia, it was over a river on a key highway which has been used by the Russkies to bring supplies, reinforcements into Ukraine. If this is true then the Ukrans have upped the ante inviting Belarus to once again become active militarily in this war. Belarus was active in the early months sending troops to support the Russians, but when things turned sour and a quick, easy victory was not going to happen, Belarus withdrew its units and has stayed out of the war, save for providing safe passage for the Russians across their territory. Reports say a long-range missile fired by the Ukrans struck the bridge, which is a high-rise structure which allows large vessels to pass under it on the river. The damage is sufficient to close the bridge, pending repairs.

[FriscoDawg]

Complex, Comprehensive Analysis of War in Ukraine from Simplicius76 | The Gateway Pundit

[Blue Dawg]

Complex, Comprehensive Analysis of War in Ukraine from Simplicius76 | The Gateway Pundit

This looks very interesting. Thanks!

[dawg80]

Complex, Comprehensive Analysis of War in Ukraine from Simplicius76 | The Gateway Pundit

According to this Simpleton76, obviously a paid Putin (and George Soros) propagandist, Putin has just been messing around, fixing to get serious. Let's assume he is right. That's all the more reason for the West to also get serious and really start supporting Ukraine. Call your Congressmen and the White House, tell them to get off their asses and actually help the Ukrans.

Thanks for posting this...

[dawg80]

On Simpleton76's mention of the Soviets being outnumbered at the beginning of the German invasion in 1941, that is true, but the Soviets enjoyed other advantages they simply could not exploit. For instance, in June 1941 as Hitler launched his invasion, he had 4,000 tanks deployed, over half of which were the antiquated Panzer I and II, light tanks. The Soviets had 9,000 tanks, mostly the TD-26 medium tank, with about 500 TD-34 and KV-1 heavy tanks. Advantage Soviets. The Germans had 2,500 aircraft with only a few squadrons of the ME-109 fighter, while the Soviets had 4,500 aircraft all the equal of the Germans and being able to operate from home bases. Advantage Soviets. The Germans had 8,000 pieces of artillery, from the very light 37mm, the awesome German 88, up to a few batteries of heavier 120mm. The Soviets had 19,000 pieces of artillery from light to heavy guns and enjoyed the advantage of having most of it dug in and protected and for their gun crews to have practiced knowing the exact range to various target points, like intersections and bridges. Advantage Soviets. And the Germans were the invaders dealing with an unfriendly population while the peasantry aided the Soviet army. Advantage Soviets.

It is true the Germans had deployed more soldiers than the Soviets for the operation. But the biggest advantage enjoyed by the Germans was they concentrated their units into three attack columns, while the Soviets were spread out along a border that stretched for many hundreds of miles. The Germans punched three holes in the Soviet defensive line and then encircled and trapped hundreds of thousands of Soviet soldiers at each point, taking at least 1 million Soviet soldiers as prisoners.

The first 3 months of Hitler's invasion was fought in Poland, Ukraine, and Romania. The Germans barely reached Russia itself, and then were ejected shortly thereafter.

[Blue Dawg]

Complex, Comprehensive Analysis of War in Ukraine from Simplicius76 | The Gateway Pundit

It was a good analysis but I'm not sure Russia (or Ukraine, obviously) will be able to launch any major offensives soon. As long as Putin refuses to transition to a war economy, I think there will continue to be a practical stalemate. I don't know if this is intentional - Russia's problem is not manpower, it's applying that manpower to the point of attack. Ukraine is gangpressing 16 year olds into the army to replace their losses, but they're able to paper over the gap with US munitions for now. Eventually, you run out of people to press buttons.

My guess is this war drags out for 15 years. Zelenskyy, Biden, and Lockheed Martin get fantastically rich, Western Ukraine turns into a metal-filled desert, and the Russian and Chinese economies will continue to strengthen ties. Well, as long as the US taxpayer has any money to left to steal, that is.