In addition to this report, Ukrainian citizens are also training to use drones for defense...this is a major reason why Ukraine will succeed...even common citizens are taking part in this war...Russian common citizens?...no.
I don't like to get ahead of ourselves, but it's always good to remind what we are trying to do. "Seizing Verbove and moving on to Tokmak is likely Ukraine’s next move notwithstanding the Kremlin’s efforts to forestall Kyiv’s growing momentum. Taking Tokmak is vital as it would provide Ukraine with a glidepath to the major city of Melitopol and its control of Russia’s land bridge between Crimea and the increasingly war-beleaguered Motherland. It would also put Ukrainian artillery in striking distance of Melitopol itself and the ability to disrupt Russian lines of communication. " https://www.kyivpost.com/analysis/21174
Very good graphic showing who Moscow is sending to the slaughter. I don't understand why these outlying regions continue to allow themselves to be subjugated like this. This would be the ideal time to throw off their masters.
I kind of like charts and here is a beauty. Ukrainian soldiers often complain that they have more incoming shells than what their guys are putting out, but that doesn't seem to be true, especially lately. I think it's also generally accepted that Ukrainians are more accurate.
I have another chart somewhere but would take an hour to find it.... This other would explain the one above maybe. Ukraine, over the last four months has made a concerted effort to knock out russian artillery systems, the chart would show that in those last four months they are knocking them out at a rate about 4 times as much as previous months. One thing they are doing different is now using HIMARs to knock out artillery systems, previously only used for bigger targets like clusters of equipment, headquarters, troop concentrations, large ammo dumps. I think one reason for the change is that russia has moved those other targets out of range. (Another reason that Ukraine needs longer range rockets from USA).
OK, I can't resist posting this for anyone who might think russia is winning or for anyone who might think that somehow the western support for Ukraine is making a stronger russia/China alliance. This retired russian general (still living in russia) thinks the opposite and explains why. https://www.memri.org/reports/retir...-year-ago-i-warned-invading-ukraine-will-hurt
Not familiar with MEMRI but if what that article says is true, it outlines a very telling story...so basically it says Putin was warned about the negative possibilities/consequences of invading Ukraine but did it anyway. Edit; I did find this from The Hill which kinda echoes the MEMRI write up. https://thehill.com/opinion/interna...ls-criticism-may-signal-a-larger-problem-for/
I wouldn't be concerned with the messenger here, Ivanov is a "pro-Soviet, hardline nationalist." and as far as I know, no one is questioning whether he made this interview or wrote the previous warning for Putin not to invade. A little bit more about him and his group here: https://thehill.com/opinion/interna...ls-criticism-may-signal-a-larger-problem-for/
Ha! "great minds think alike"...because I had never heard of MEMRI, I did some quick checking and had just edited my previous post to show a link to that very same article from The Hill.
A little bit more from Ivanov back in 2022. This guy must be respected enough that Putin doesn't dare kill or imprison him. "This is an anti-war statement. 76% of our respondents, our colleagues from Russia supported it unequivocally. Some of them asked to soften something, and some, on the contrary, to tighten it, not only to resign, but also to bring to justice, and so on. This version was signed and I signed as well."
This is a really long and thorough read. only for military tactics students. He says that considering that Ukraine is facing the most numerous and most sophisticated mine system in history, they are right to take it slow with small infantry units. Only criticism is Ukraine not using experienced soldiers in it's new mechanized brigades and also concentrating their experienced forces around Bakhmut instead of further south where they are trying to breakthrough. One hopeful note: While Surovikin was in charge of building these strong defensive lines; it's ironic that he has been forcibly retired and now the less intelligent Gerasimov is in charge, It may be a tactical mistake by the russians to invest troops heavily in their weaker first line of defense and especially a mistake to engage in counterattacks which lead to a lot of losses. (because this has really become a battle of attrition.) https://warontherocks.com/2023/09/p...on-ukraines-counteroffensive-at-three-months/
Yes, because history shows us that when a country’s citizenry are forced to take up arms in a war because their fighting age military has been decimated, that country is “winning”.
