Russia

[Blue Dawg]

The drone has killed one of Putin's clones; as we all know, the real Putin died of cancer in 2009. The clone program has, fortunately for Russia, advanced to the point where their army can afford to take over 500% casualties (approx 2 brazillion confirmed combat deaths per day). Ukrainian forces are moving into the Kremlin as we speak. In fact, victory is so imminent that all that remains is a small investment of 600 trillion dollars. Really a triviality, given that a single Ukrainian bullet can kill 5 Russian clones (from pig DNA, of course) at once.

[dawg80]

The drone has killed one of Putin's clones; as we all know, the real Putin died of cancer in 2009. The clone program has, fortunately for Russia, advanced to the point where their army can afford to take over 500% casualties (approx 2 brazillion confirmed combat deaths per day). Ukrainian forces are moving into the Kremlin as we speak. In fact, victory is so imminent that all that remains is a small investment of 600 trillion dollars. Really a triviality, given that a single Ukrainian bullet can kill 5 Russian clones (from pig DNA, of course) at once.

Ignorance is bliss, so you must be one happy fellow!

[dawg80]

The supposed drone attack, or attempted attack, on the Kremlin is being questioned as legit. One source thinks it's all BS or was staged by the Russkies so as to create an excuse to take out President Z. But, I don't buy that theory because Putin announced at the beginning of the invasion one of his goals was to kill President Z, his family, and other high-ranking officials. Putin doesn't need an excuse to commit atrocities. On the other hand, Ukraine has denied being responsible for the drones over the Kremlin, which I do believe since the Ukrans have been boasting about their drone attacks into Russia, so I think they would have taken credit for this.

Very latest from Bakhmut, the Ukrans have launched a counter-offensive which caught the Russkies by surprise and has driven them back in several key places. But, I do not think this is meant to be sustained, rather the Ukrans are just clearing a path for the withdrawals of their troops back to the west. The Russkies were too close to the central road and the open fields the Ukrans will use to withdraw, so they had to make it safer. Apparently, it has been successful.

There are some sources that think this attack is part of the much larger counter-offensive everyone is anticipating, including the Russkies who are building defensive positions, trenches miles behind their current front lines.

[dawg80]

Disgruntled, anti-Ukrainian-war partisans sent the drones to attack the Kremlin. There's a good portion of the Russian populace who do not support the invasion, and they do not support Putin as president. The drones were "garage-built," not very sophisticated, and launched from only a few miles from the Kremlin. This information is via a Russian defector who claims to know exactly who these partisans are, but of course, won't disclose any details. Based on what we do know, this appears to be plausible.

[dawg80]

Russkies launch a brutal shelling on The Citadel in Bakhmut overnight. Firing in white phosphorus and/or thermite shells has set the area on fire. Drone video recorded during the night shows the white-hot fires as the shells impacted into the structures. The Citadel is the oldest part of the city, the original city of Bakhmut dating back many centuries. It has a stone wall around it, an old castle at the center, with the streets passing through the area gated, which is about 15 square miles, 3 x 5 miles oriented north-south facing the river. The Ukrans were still holding The Citadel and every attempt to take it by the Russkies met with huge losses and failure. There are no reports of casualties but seeing how extensive and quick the shells rained in, it is very likely the defenders suffered heavy losses. The Citadel also accounted for nearly half the area of the city the Ukrans were still holding. This probably spells doom for the Ukrans trying to hold onto a piece of Bakhmut as The Citadel had been a rock-solid position for them. Drone footage shot this morning is inclusive, so far, since the smoke pouring from the fires has masked the area. But, the damage does appear to be complete with not a single structure still standing.

The Wagner Group is done, and it does appear certain they are evacuating Ukraine for good. They want to get out before the expected Ukran counter-offensive begins. Prigozhin made the announcement covered by all the major Russian TV networks offering a stinging rebuke of the Ministry of Defense calling them incompetent fools, heartless toward the plight of the average soldier, and not dependable in providing supplies. The Wagner Group has been Putin's most successful units and the Ukrans responded to the news with glee. Separately a spokesman for the Wagner Group said they will be concentrating their resources and efforts in Africa where they have enjoyed success in alliance with the George Soros organization and a newly inked agreement with the Chicoms.

More news has revealed the Russians are retiring away from the current front line in the region of the Dnipro River, and establishing new defensive positions about 5 miles east in anticipation of trying to thwart the Ukran offensive everyone says will be happening soon.

[dawg80]

"We survived!" Ukran units emerged from the inferno that is the Citadel after the ILLEGAL firebombing attack. Experts say they doubt it was phosphorus weapons as Russia lacks such munitions, but any incendiary weapons are declared illegal for use in civilian areas. Just another in a long list of war crimes committed by Putin. It is amazing how many Ukran troops survived the attack. Every building was set ablaze in the area as the fires spread and built their own momentum. One unit released a brief video to social media showing them standing safely near the outside wall of the Citadel area, and together they shouted, "We survived!" Then their commander added, "Yes, we survived and are ready to extract revenge on the Russians." There are no reports, official or unofficial, on casualties from the attack, although it is safe to assume there were significant losses. The Ukrans had begun withdrawing some troops from the Citadel in the days prior to the attack. As has been their practice for the war, the Ukrans closely guard casualty reports, leaving sources to guesstimate.

Sources, including the Ukrans, are predicting Putin will declare "victory" in Bakhmut on May 9 to coincide with the Russian celebration of "Victory Day" which is May 9, 1945 and the defeat of Nazi Germany. Which is kind of strange since the Germans formally surrendered n May 7, 1945 (today is that anniversary).

But in the meantime, the Ukrans are still stubbornly holding the western suburbs and other parts of Bakhmut.

[dawg80]

The fires have burned out and the smoke has cleared over the Citadel. It is complete destruction, not a single structure undamaged. The Ukrans are still holding the Citadel, but appear to be only picket posts, observation posts, and a few points of heavier resistance. The Russkies have made no attempt to rush the Citadel with a massive attack to occupy it. The Russians are hitting the Citadel with artillery shelling at night and all is quiet during the day. The Ukrans have targeted the Citadel with their own artillery in the event it falls to the Russians, and apparently the bad guys know that, which is why they have made no attempt to occupy it.

[dawg80]

Russkies launched massive artillery attacks and airstrikes on Bakhmut during the night, but as of now, the Ukrans are still holding on. It is now early afternoon there, May 9, and Putin still cannot claim victory.

Prigozhin got some ammo and supplies so the Wagner Group has not quit, as promised, but instead were involved in heavy fighting in the northern sections of the city.

BTW, May 9, 1945 was the day the Germans surrendered to the Soviets. In three straight days the Germans went thru a formal surrender event. May 7th to the US, May 8th to England and France, and on May 9th to the Soviets.

But, on May 9, 2023, Putin continues to make a fool of himself and Russia. The propaganda machine is comical, they are on par with Baghdad Bob!

Still about 11 hours left over there on May 9th, so we shall see what happens.

[dawg80]

Up to the minute report...

it is nearing nighttime in Ukraine, right at 6PM, and at night is when the Wagner Group operates as they have night vision and the Ukrans do not. Which begs the question, why not? Latest reports have Russian forces in The Citadel in the southern portion while Wagner has reportedly seized the main post office and the Olympic School for Youth campus, in the northern portions of the disputed area of Bakhmut. And details like this points to the day-to-day, building-by-building grind that is this battle. Capture a building and celebrate, baby!

Russian propaganda sources claim the Ukrans hold only 2 square miles in the city.

[Blue Dawg]

Another $1.2B welfare package announced. Fire up the printer, I'm sure the economy can handle it.

Biden wants Ukraine's borders (not part of the United States, last I checked) to be more secure than our own (the United States, which he's allegedly supposed to defend).

[dawg80]

Putin failed to secure Bakhmut on May 9th. The stroke of midnight sounds and the Ukrans are still there! In fact, the Ukrans were moderately successful in retaking some lost ground, including pushing back Wagner troops in the northern sector. In the south, well, looky who is back, the Azoz Brigade struck Russian forces in a surprise attack and routed two companies of Russians and destroyed 4 tanks. That's right the "Azoz" is now a brigade with the addition of another combat regiment, a special forces battalion, and support units. They were last reported on the doorstep of Crimea but have moved to the Bakhmut theater. Surprise!

Meanwhile, in Russia, the situation continues to deteriorate for Putin. Instead of mailing draft notices which have mostly been ignored, Russian police are now being sent to round up men and forcing them into training camps, also under close guard.

I agree about our southern border. I advocate for motion-detector machineguns and no mercy to invaders. But, we can walk and chew gum at the same time. We can (but don't) secure our border while aiding the Ukrans to stand up against evil aggression.

[dawg80]

Quick add...the Russians confronted by the Azoz Brigade, an entire Russian brigade, turned tail and ran, vacating 2 km of trenches. It is nighttime there now, so it will be the morning before we know more.

[dawg80]

The Sun has a lot of videos on YouTube if you are interested in seeing on-the-ground combat footage. But, be warned, some of it is graphic and brutal. For instance, there is one showing the Ukran counter-attack to the south of Bakhmut, the Azoz Brigade's recent success. Russian troops flee their trenches and start running across an open field, where they get clobbered by Ukran artillery. The most graphic image is of two Russians who tried to flee their trench as Ukran tanks over-ran their positions in a lightly wooded area. The two Russians ran into a thicket of brush/small trees which blocked their path and as they turned around a tank was right there and ran over them, crushing them beneath its tracks.

Another video, more drone footage, shows a lone surviving Russian soldier surrendering to the drone. He waves a small white cloth and puts his hands together as in prayer and is shouting toward the drone, which doesn't have a mic. He is obviously pleading for his life. Then about 10 minutes later another Ukran drone arrives carrying a message which it drops to him. He reads it and again looks up to the drone and waves he understands. This drone follows him as he follows a trench line toward waiting Ukrans. You can see a dozen dead Russians, some blown to bits, as he stumbles along the trench. This Russian surrendered to the Ukrans.

Putin propagandists continue to spin current events as if they are winning. The Ukran successes around Bakhmut are dismissed as just more "back and forth reality" of any battle. Maybe, but last week they were saying they had the Ukrans dead to rights, on the run, beaten at Bakhmut.

I am on a pro-Russian, pro-Putin blog and got a comment that the people of Donbas want to belong to Russia, not Ukraine, and that is why the invasion is justified. If true, then why did Putin try to take over the whole country of Ukraine and threatened to execute President Z and his family? Putin had all of Donbas in the first month of the war. Had he stopped there, dug in, and made overtures that the invasion was over, then the West most likely would not have supported Ukraine the way it has. Instead, Putin boldly made his intentions clear and now he doesn't even hold all of Donbas.

[dawg80]

LOL! At Putin's Victory Day parade they only had old, WWII tanks, borrowed from a museum. The T-34 was being loaded onto a lowboy trailer to be carried back to the museum when the driver missed, and the tank flipped over on its side. Also, at the parade a spectator's car caught on fire and when the firetruck responded it got too close to the burning car and caught on fire itself. The car and the firetruck were total losses. What is funny is the narrator of the video with his snide remarks. There were other funny moments.

On a serious note, a platoon of Ukranian Leopard tanks have arrived in the vicinity of Bakhmut. That's 4 Leopards, with support units, and 2 T-72 tanks in support. Video, and the Ukran officer interviewed, does not reveal exactly where they are.

According to sources, the Ukrans now have more battle-ready tanks than Russia, 1,700 to 1,500. The only Russian tank worth a damn is their T-90 but even it has been taken out by drones and javelin attacks. It could be that like big battleships became for navies, tanks are obsolete too. We shall see how the Leopards, Challengers, and Abrams tanks fair.

[dawg80]

Colonel Palamar has returned to the Azov units as its new brigade commander. He was second in command of the original Azov Battalion formed in 2014, a major then. When Putin invaded it was the Azovs who raced to the frontline and fought so valiantly. In the early weeks and months of the invasion the battalion was one of several former militia units folded into the regular army. They held off numerically superior Russian units, keeping roads and bridges open allowing civilians to escape the combat zones. And they also defended the nuclear power plant facing odds greater than 10 to 1, holding out for more than a month. During this time the Putin propaganda machine was working overtime casting the Azovs as Nazis. The lies got so bad, spread by a leftist media, that President Z thought it best to "purge" the unit of the officers named as "Nazis." Before that happened, Palamar had been wounded at the nuclear power plant and was in a hospital recovering from his wound. With new officers, replacements, and time for R&R the Azov Battalion returned to action, again rescuing trapped civilians by keeping roads and bridges open. It was during this time period that some of the most sickening video was shot. Example, a car of three elderly women with two children, stopped by the Russians at a checkpoint, and then allowed to pass. The car started up the road when one of the Russians destroyed it with an RPG, the Russians could be heard laughing on the video. There were no survivors in the car.

Several months ago the Azovs were united with another battalion, forming a regiment. And now they are part of a brigade, officially the Ukranian 3rd Assault Brigade, but known as the "Azov Brigade." Promoted to colonel and cleared of the ridiculous charges of being a Nazi, Colonel Palamar is back and is in command. He released a short video where he spoke about the rout of the Russian 72nd Brigade near Bakhmut, and he vowed to keep fighting until every Russian invader is either dead or back across the border. (we need this guy and his unit on our southern border) The original commander of the Azov Battalion, a fellow named Pepokenco (something like that), also accused of being a Nazi is in Israel training Israeli commandos and special forces. Do you think Israel would deal with a Nazi?