Russia Attacks Ukraine - 23 Feb 2022 #10

[PommyMommy]

Day 553. Ukrainian soldiers raised the Ukrainian flag on Dnipro islands south of Kherson. Russian occupation “authorities” reportedly began leaving the city of Tokmak. Wagner’s Prigozhin buried in St. Petersburg in a clandestine funeral ceremony. Russo-Ukrainian War. Day 553: Prigozhin is buried in "private" funeral - Euromaidan Press

https://twitter.com/x/status/1696910542240096477

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote in its Aug. 28 report that Russia now lacks the "elite infantry" units it once relied on to conduct large-scale offensives in Ukraine.
ISW: Russian operations limited by lack of infantry (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1696901877684650087

Ukraine reportedly destroyed at least 24 Russian aircraft since February 2022 The first attack on Russian air bases was launched on 25 Feb. 2022. Then, one of the Russian transport aircraft caught fire at Millerovo air base in Rostov Oblast, said Viorstka
Ukraine reportedly destroys at least 24 Russian aircraft - media - Euromaidan Press

https://twitter.com/x/status/1696963584352301182

 

[PommyMommy]

On my first trip to Donbas since March, visiting several different units for one story, I listened to how soldiers on the ground see the next year of the war.

It's not pretty, but these guys know they have no choice but to keep going. My latest: Inching forward in Bakhmut counteroffensive, Ukraine’s hardened units look ahead to long, grim war (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1695563819857137803

Berlin sent 10 more Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine Over the past week, Germany also transferred three TRML-4D radars, 16 VECTOR reconnaissance drones, and more than 13 million rounds of ammunition to the Ukrainian Army
Germany sends more Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine - Euromaidan Press

https://twitter.com/x/status/1696983623725879766

Russian media reported drone attacks in 6 Russian regions and occupied Crimea, which came as Russian forces launched their largest attack on Kyiv since spring. The overnight attack on the Ukrainian capital killed two people and wounded three. Ukraine war latest: Largest drone attack reported in Russia; Russian attack on Kyiv kills 2 (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1697001535513710638

 

[PommyMommy]

AUG 30, 2023

Ukrainian Troops Have Crossed The First Of The Russians’ Three Main Trenchlines

It was no easy task, crossing the Surovikin Line.

www.forbes.com

[...]

The minefields north of the line are the main reason the Ukrainian counteroffensive corps has advanced just a few miles along its most important axes in southern and eastern Ukraine. But that slow rate of advance soon could change: on or right before Wednesday, the Ukrainian air-assault forces’ 82nd Brigade crossed the first of the three lines, just outside of Verbove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

[...]

... A week after liberating Robotyne, a key strongpoint on the road to Melitopol in Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian brigades shifted their attention to the next town along the same axis: Novoprokopivka.

But every indication was that the lead brigades for the assault—the 82nd and the 46th Air Mobile Brigade—didn’t intend directly to assault Russian positions in Novoprokopivka, a town with a pre-war population of 800 that sits astride the T0408/0401 road threading south through Tokmak to Melitopol, 50 miles away.

No, the brigades pivoted east, toward Verbove, which once was home to 1,200 people. Their goal, apparently, is to liberate Verbove in order to flank Novoprokopivka and, in the process, get across the Surovikin Line’s outermost trench the easiest possible way.

[...]

It was no easy task, crossing the Surovikin Line. Surovikin himself has been forced into retirement owing to his ties to the late Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia’s mutinous The Wagner Group mercenary firm.

But Surovikin’s defenses are testimony to the general’s competence. “We're not just talking about trenches,” explained Ukrainian soldier Olexandr Solon'ko. “There's an entire system of trenches, dugouts and even underground tunnels in some places.”

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

AUG 31, 2023

Zelenskyy says Ukraine has developed a long-range weapon, a day after a strike deep inside Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country has developed a weapon that hit a target 700 kilometers (400 miles) away.

apnews.com

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday his country has developed a weapon that hit a target 700 kilometers (400 miles) away, in an apparent reference to the previous day’s strike on an airport in western Russia.

Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel the weapon was produced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries but gave no other details.

On Wednesday, a four-hour wave of drones that Moscow blamed on Ukraine hit an airport near Russia’s border with Estonia and Latvia, damaging four Il-76 military transport planes, according to local reports.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations near Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, and in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast, reportedly advancing in both front sectors, according to the Institute for the Study of War
ISW: Ukrainian forces advance on two sectors of the front - Euromaidan Press

https://twitter.com/x/status/1697505065010159938

Frontline report: Ukrainian troops have launched an offensive in the direction of Verbove, located on the Russian second line of defense in Zaporizhzhia Obl. Following the liberation of Robotyne, Ukrainians are continuing to advance towards nearby settlements Frontline report: Ukrainians launch offensive on Verbove, breaching Russian second line of defense in Zaporizhzhia Oblast - Euromaidan Press

https://twitter.com/x/status/1697534807834517964

 

[PommyMommy]

In an effort to protect the Crimean bridge from future Ukrainian attacks, Russia is employing a variety of passive defenses, incl smoke generators and underwater barriers, in addition to active defense measures like air defense systems, UK intel reported UK intel: Russia reinforces Crimean bridge security, preparing for future Ukrainian attacks - Euromaidan Press

https://twitter.com/x/status/1697551672866738608

The drones that struck an airfield in Pskov on 30 August and damaged four IL-76 aircraft were launched from Russian territory “We are working from the territory of Russia,” Ukraine's intel chief Kyrylo Budanov told The War Zone media outlet Intelligence: Drone strikes on Pskov airfield launched from inside Russia - Euromaidan Press

https://twitter.com/x/status/1697566218813677989

 

[sds71]

Russian officer is 'blown up by drone while mowing his lawn'

Alexei Chernykh, deputy chief of a local branch of the anti-corruption police, was blown up by a drone on Sunday at his home in the village of Schetinovka, local reports said.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[PommyMommy]

Governor: Russia’s war has damaged 15,000 civilian objects in Kherson Oblast. Russia’s full-scale invasion has damaged 15,000 civilian objects in Kherson Oblast, most of which are residential buildings, the regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin told Interfax Ukraine.

This number includes around 5,000 damaged houses that can not be restored, Prokudin said in an exclusive interview published on Sept. 1. Governor: Russia’s war has damaged 15,000 civilian properties in Kherson Oblast (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1697720851653628182

Ombudsman: Russia to introduce military training courses for students in occupied Crimea. Starting Sept. 1, Crimean students from grade five to nine will attend extracurricular activities called "Foundations of Military Training," Ukraine's Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported on his Telegram.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1697828862196101144

Russia redeploys experienced troops from Luhansk Oblast to Ukraine’s south, introducing instead hastily gathered reserves The head of Ukraine’s Intelligence said Russians created the 25th Army as a strategic reserve but deployed it to Luhansk Oblast ahead of plans while redeploying the more experienced 41st army to fight Ukraine's offensive. Russia redeploys more effective troops from Luhansk Oblast to Ukraine's south - Euromaidan Press

https://twitter.com/x/status/1697867548551762218

 

[PommyMommy]

SEP 4, 2023

Ukraine's defense minister resigns following Zelenskyy's announcement of his replacement

Ukraine’s defense minister has submitted a letter of resignation after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he would be replaced this week and named his successor.

apnews.com

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov submitted a letter of resignation on Monday after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would be replaced and named his successor.

Oleksii Reznikov’s removal follows a scandal around the defense ministry’s procurement of military jackets. It was not the first similar case during the ongoing war.

Zelenskyy made the announcement on his official Telegram account, writing that new leadership was needed after Reznikov went through “more than 550 days of full-scale war.” He named Rustem Umerov, a Crimean Tatar lawmaker, as the new defense minister.

“Reznikov was a good and prominent international negotiator, but it appears that there is chaos and disorder within the Ministry of Defense, which many deputies have taken advantage of, resulting in corruption scandals during the war,” said analyst Volodymyr Fesenko from the Kyiv-based Penta Center.

[...]

 

[PommyMommy]

Fighting throughout Ukraine is grueling, even for hardened veterans. For inexperienced troops recently plucked from civilian life, it's something else altogether, Igor Kossov writes in his latest field report. New brigade bears heavy brunt of Russia’s onslaught in Kharkiv Oblast (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1698735104573452756

Defense Ministry reports gains in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia oblasts; Russia demands concessions to relaunch grain deal; Romania denies Russian drone falls on its territory; and more Ukraine war latest: Defense Ministry reports gains in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia oblasts; Putin demands sanctions relief to revive grain deal (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1698786298431946815

The leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, plans to visit Russia this September, according to the NYT

Vladimir Putin will try to convince Kim Jong-un to give Russia artillery shells and anti-tank missiles, according to the NYT. NYT: Leader of North Korea to discuss weapons with Putin during visit to Russia (euromaidanpress.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1698833568783343749

 

[PommyMommy]

Official: Latvian aid to Ukraine stalled by poor transit infrastructure. Latvian Transportation Minister Jānis Vītenbergs said that inadequate transportation infrastructure between his country and Ukraine has delayed aid deliveries. Official: Latvian aid to Ukraine stalled by poor transit infrastructure (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1698841649210867913

Moscow closes airports. Russian media reported that airspace over Moscow was closed the night of Sept. 5. Flights have been canceled at Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Sheremetyevo airports.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1698861792607478129

Russia claims drones shot down over Kaluga and Moscow regions. The Russian Ministry of Defense claims that two drones were shot down over Russian territory on Sept. 5, one over the Kaluga region and the second over the town of Istra in Moscow Oblast.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1698876746060234757

 

[PommyMommy]

SEP 5, 2023

Cuba: Trafficking ring sent Cubans to fight with Russia against Ukraine

The announcement comes after Spanish-language media in Miami reported on Cubans being taken to Russia to fight alongside its military forces.

www.nbcnews.com

Cuban authorities said they have uncovered a human trafficking ring operated from Russia that recruits Cuban citizens to fight alongside its military forces in Ukraine.

The announcement, made late Monday by Cuba’s foreign ministry, comes days after local media in Miami reported on Cubans being taken to Russia to fight. The Miami affiliate of Telemundo, part of NBC Universal, interviewed two 19 year-old Cubans who said they were duped into going to Russia. They said a recruiter offered each a job in construction in exchange for $2,200, a Russian passport and the possibility of taking their families to Russia in the future.

Ukrainian intercepts show Russian soldiers’ anger at losses, disarray

Excerpts from 17 phone calls placed in early July by Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine - and intercepted by Ukrainian intelligence services - show them complaining about poor equipment and heavy losses.

www.reuters.com

Ukraine’s counteroffensive was in its second month when Andrey, a Russian soldier, called his wife to say his unit was taking heavy casualties. They were so badly equipped, he said, it felt like the Soviet forces in World War Two.

“They are *advertiser censored* us up,” Andrey said by telephone on July 12, comparing the onslaught to the worst moments of Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union. “No ammunition, nothing ... Shall we use our fingers as bayonets?”

The conversation was one excerpt from 17 phone calls placed by Russian soldiers fighting in the south and east of Ukraine that were intercepted in the first two weeks of July by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the country’s main intelligence agency.

 

[dotr]

''Ukraine war: 17 killed during attack on market in 'peaceful city''​

17 minutes ago Ukraine war: 17 killed during attack on market in 'peaceful city'

CCTV, shared by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, appeared to show the moment of the explosion
''By Paul Adams, diplomatic correspondent & Sam Hancock
BBC News, Ukraine & London

President Zelensky has condemned a "deliberate" attack on Ukraine's "peaceful city" of Kostyantynivka.
At least 17 people, including a child, were killed in the blast, which took place on a busy market street in the middle of the day - a rarity.
Kostyantynivka, in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, is near the front line.
Videos on social media show a bright orange explosion at the far end of a street where people were out shopping. Russia is yet to comment on the attack.
Volodymyr Zelensky, who has blamed Moscow, said those killed were "people who did nothing wrong" - and warned the death toll could increase.
Dealing with Russia, he said, meant turning a blind eye to the audacity of evil.

At least 33 people are thought to be injured. A market, pharmacy and shops are all reported to have been hit, resulting in a now-contained fire.''

''Speaking to Reuters news agency, she described seeing soldiers carrying a woman afterwards who "had an open fracture and her bone was sticking out from her leg".

Mr Zelensky described the attack as "utter inhumanity", while his wife Olena Zelenska said it showed "horrific cruelty".

 

[PommyMommy]

While President Zelensky declared on Sept. 3rd that Rustem Umerov "needs no introduction," we provide some context about the former MP, founder of an investment company, and a Crimean Tatar who is poised to become Ukraine's next defense minister.
Who is Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's soon-to-be defense minister? (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1699861341081620621

The National Guard reports Russia is moving troops to the southern front line to 'strengthen defense'; The Ukrainian flag was raised in two settlements in Kharkiv Oblast near the border with Russia; and more. Ukraine war latest: Russia moving troops to southern front line to strengthen defense, Kyiv says (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1699903703698792817

US, UK sanction members of Russian cybercrime ring. The U.S. and the U.K. imposed sanctions on 11 members of the Russian cybercrime group Trickbot in a coordinated effort, the U.S. Treasury Department announced on Sept. 7.
US, UK sanction members of Russian cybercrime ring (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1699963729578807585

 

[PommyMommy]

Ukrainian forces push Russian troops out of their positions south of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, the General Staff reports General Staff: Ukrainian offensive make Russians retreat south of Bakhmut (euromaidanpress.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1699836175073308816

Russian forces shell Sumy Oblast, damaging kindergarten. The attacks damaged a kindergarten, grocery store, adminstrative building, private home, motorcycle, garage, and two power lines in the Krasnopillia settlement.
Russian forces shell Sumy Oblast, damaging kindergarten (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1699976127559749835

ISW: Ukrainian troops make 'tactical gains' in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and near Bakhmut. Ukrainian forces made gains in two sectors of the front, advancing in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast and south of Bakhmut, the ISW wrote in its Sept. 7 report. ISW: Ukrainian troops make 'tactical gains' in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and near Bakhmut (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1699988709012046096

 

[Herat]

We must not forget Ukraine and it's valiant fighters and leaders.

 

[PommyMommy]

Mobile Medical Unit Brings Care To Frontline Ukrainian Villages​

Medical volunteers continue to travel to villages in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region to bring care to civilians near the front line. Current Time's Boris Sachalko reports.

'They Used Them As Cannon Fodder': The Migrants Sent From Prison In Russia To Death In Ukraine​

Many Central Asian migrants are among the estimated 50,000 prisoners who were sent from Russian jails by the Wagner mercenary group to fight in Ukraine. While some volunteered with promises of early release, there are accounts that others were coerced to enlist.

 

[PommyMommy]

Deadly Russian Missile Attack Hits Ukrainian City Of Kostyantynivka​

At least 16 people were killed and many others wounded when a Russian missile struck a busy market in the Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka. The attack came hours after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit.

'They Don't Care Where They Hit': Ukrainians React To Russian Missile Attack On Market​

At least 17 people were killed and many others were wounded on September 6 when a Russian missile struck a busy market in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka. RFE/RL correspondent Serhiy Horbatenko spoke to eyewitnesses at the scene of the attack.

 

[PommyMommy]

ISW: Russia bolsters its defenses as Ukrainian forces advance.

Russian forces are changing their communications structures and adapting electronic warfare systems in response to the counteroffensive's continued advance, the ISW wrote.
ISW: Russia bolsters its defenses as Ukrainian forces advance (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1700354973643448565

Russia has highly likely redeployed its forces from other areas of the front line as Ukrainian forces advance beyond Robotyne, limiting Russian forces' chances of carrying out offensive operations, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on Sept. 9. UK Defense Ministry: Ukrainian forces put increasing pressure on Russian defensive lines (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1700442995831550460

Ukrainian flag flies over Avdiivka and Russian-occupied Donetsk. City official: Ukrainian flag flies over Avdiivka, then Russian-occupied Donetsk (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1700468826138173946

 

[PommyMommy]

Zelensky: Preparations underway to protect Ukraine's critical infrastructure through winter. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept. 9 that plans are being implemented to protect Ukraine's energy and critical infrastructure from Russian missile and drone strikes through the winter.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1700489025373561114

Sky News: UK citizen fighting in Ukraine found dead with hands bound behind back. U.K. citizen Jordan Chadwick, 31, who went to Ukraine to fight with the International Legion, has been found dead in Ukraine, Sky News reported on Sept. 9, citing the U.K. Foreign Office.

According to Sky News, Chadwick was found dead "in a body of water with his hands bound behind his back." No more details of his death were provided.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1700539706134384856

Voting is underway in sham "regional elections" in occupied Ukrainian territories as Russia seeks to consolidate its control over these regions. Read more here:
Russia holds sham 'elections' in occupied Ukrainian territory (kyivindependent.com)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1700569671009776105