Russia has multiple ships working at the crash site of the U.S. MQ-9 drone that was downed by Russian fighter jets.
They are clearly trying to retrieve the drone.
14 more invader tanks lost! Holy Cow Batman!
And the Dumb RuZZian Boys think RuZZia is winning. What a joke.
You post Western disinfo, here’s the Russian disinfo. The Russians are just as likely to be as accurate as your sources. Why post either? The fact the Russians are still fighting and apparently winning reveals your posts for what they are, lying disinfo.
MOSCOW, March 16. /TASS/. Russian forces struck a Ukrainian command post, destroyed two anti-aircraft missile systems and a US-made counter-battery radar in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.
“In the area of the settlement of Kamyshevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the command post of the Ukrainian army’s 59th motorized infantry brigade was struck. Near the community of Yasenovoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a Ukrainian S-300 surface-to-air missile system was destroyed,” the spokesman said.
“Also, in the area of the settlement of Konstantinovka, a Ukrainian Osa-AKM surface-to-air missile system was obliterated. In the area of the community of Minkovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, a US-manufactured AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station was eliminated,” the general added.
In the past 24 hours, Russian operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery struck 93 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 186 areas, the spokesman said.
Battles in Kupyansk direction
Russian forces struck Ukrainian manpower and equipment in the Kupyansk area, eliminating about 50 enemy troops over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
“In the Kupyansk direction, assault and army aviation aircraft and artillery of the western battlegroup struck the enemy’s manpower and equipment in areas near the settlements of Gryanikovka, Kotlyarovka and Berestovoye in the Kharkov Region, Novosyolovskoye and Rozovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic,” the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated the enemy manpower and military hardware, the general said.
“As many as 50 Ukrainian personnel, two motor vehicles, and also a US-made M777 artillery system were destroyed,” Konashenkov reported.
Battles in Krasny Liman direction
Russian forces eliminated over 100 Ukrainian troops and six pieces of equipment in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, he said.
“In the Krasny Liman direction, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems of the battlegroup Center struck the enemy units,” the spokesman said.
The strikes “eliminated over 100 Ukrainian personnel, two infantry fighting vehicles, two armored combat vehicles, an Akatsiya self-propelled artillery gun and a D-30 howitzer,” the general specified.
Battles in Donetsk direction
Russian forces eliminated roughly 275 Ukrainian troops in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
“In the Donetsk direction, as many as 275 Ukrainian personnel, two tanks, two armored combat vehicles, two pickup trucks, an Uragan multiple rocket launcher, a D-20 howitzer, a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer, and also a US-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of active operations by units of the southern battlegroup, air strikes and artillery fire,” the spokesman said.
Battles in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye directions
Russian forces destroyed roughly 60 Ukrainian troops, four tanks and a US-made M777 artillery system in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, operational/tactical aircraft and artillery of the battlegroup East employed combined firepower to inflict damage on the Ukrainian army units near the settlements of Ugledar and Pavlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Novodanilovka and Shcherbakov in the Zaporozhye Region, the spokesman said.
“The enemy’s losses in those directions in the past 24 hours totaled 60 Ukrainian personnel, four tanks, an armored vehicle, a D-20 howitzer and a US-made M777 artillery system,” the general specified.
Battles in Kherson direction
Russian forces destroyed over 35 Ukrainian troops, two Grad multiple rocket launchers and a D-30 howitzer in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
“In the Kherson direction, over 35 Ukrainian personnel, one tank, two Grad multiple rocket launchers and a D-30 howitzer were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of damage inflicted by firepower,” the spokesman said.
Russia’s Aerospace Forces down Ukrainian MiG-29 warplane
Russian combat aircraft shot down a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet in the Lugansk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
“Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces downed a Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 plane near the community of Novovodyanoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic,” the spokesman said.
Russian air defenses intercept eight HIMARS, Uragan rockets
Russian air defense forces intercepted eight HIMARS and Uragan rockets, a HARM anti-radiation missile and destroyed nine Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
“In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities intercepted eight rockets of the HIMARS and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems, and also a HARM anti-radiation missile. In addition, they destroyed nine Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near the communities of Ivanovka in the Kharkov Region, Zelyony Gai, Verkhnetoretskoye and Grigorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Malaya Kardashinka and Alyoshki in the Kherson Region,” the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 402 Ukrainian combat aircraft, 221 helicopters, 3,434 unmanned aerial vehicles, 414 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,316 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,062 multiple launch rocket systems, 4,372 field artillery guns and mortars and 8,959 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.
Ukraine: military situation update with maps - Mar 15, 2023
(’Orc’ is associated with the various hoards of 13th century Mongol invaders, as well as LOTR evil villains)
War in Ukraine Explained/Reporting from Ukraine:
https://www.youtube.com/@RFU
Artillery (key to success in this war), Fuller explanation of Orc military structure, Other Bonus articles - see previous postings in “Attack on Europe” (FR title search).
(Numbered printed material below - Some of the items below may be out of date, and not updated yet)
••Denotes Transcribed Dialogue. The entirety of the analysis is from a Ukrainian guy named Reporting from Ukraine’s daily video - I only transcribe it. Extras are just that - from other sites, or my comments marked (Edit: .... ) or { } or [ ].
-—> Current to date and past MAPS: <——
https://militaryland.net/
-—> The True State of Russian Army <——
posted 2 months ago, 21.13 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KiII_2qabk
-—> Combined Arms Breach, what UA will have to master to smash Orc Lines <——
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ-sCT_maAQ
———————————————————————————————————————
Extras:
-—> Evidence Of Russia Using Grom Standoff Weapons In Ukraine Emerges <——
Russia is using Grom winged air-launched standoff weapons against Ukraine based on recent images of wreckage found on the battlefield.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/evidence-of-russia-using-grom-standoff-weapons-in-ukraine-emerges
Freeper Yo-Yo’s comment:
Here’s the full collision vide from Rumble. You will see the bent propeller only in the last few frames before the video ends, so keep watching when the color bars pop up. The image returns.
https://rumble.com/v2ddhbg-video-of-russian-su-27-fighter-jet-colliding-with-mq-9-drone.html
Excerpt:
Also on the Russian side, there are reports, the origins of which are currently unclear, that the director of the Foreign Intelligence Service, or SVR, Sergey Naryshkin has claimed that Russia has undisclosed “technical capabilities” that could be used to recover the wreckage of the drone. This comes as the White House’s John Kirby confirms that the wreckage has not been recovered from the Black Sea, although the White House also says that the United States has taken measures - the nature of which remains unclear - to prevent the downed MQ-9 from falling into the wrong hands.
“It’s probably about maybe 4,000 or 5,000 feet of water, something like that. So, any recovery operation is very difficult at that depth by anyone. That’s the first point,” Milley said. “Secondly, we don’t have any ships there, but we do have a lot of allies and friends in the area. We’ll work through recovery operations. That’s U.S. property and we’ll leave it that at this point, but it probably broke up. There’s probably not a lot to recover, frankly.”
“As far as the loss of anything of sensitive intelligence, et cetera, as normal, we would take - and we did take mitigating measures, so we are quite confident that whatever was of value is no longer of value,” Milley added.
———————————————————————————————————————
Reporting from Ukraine:
https://www.youtube.com/@RFU
••Day 385.
Today there are a lot of updates from the Donetsk region.
Here, Russian forces concentrated their efforts on seizing ground to the north of Avdiivka.
Ukrainian forces had repelled major attacks on Vesele, and Novobakhmutivka, and stabilized the front line, but Russian forces recently received substantial reinforcements and, in a new wave of attack, managed to breach the Ukrainian defense.
Last time I told you that after Ukrainians pushed Russians from Vesele back to the highway, Russians decided to switch their focus to Novobakhmutivka in order to improve their tactical position relative to Ukrainian positions in Krasnohorivka.
I also told you that their attempt to conduct a mechanized assault and engulf Novobakhmutivka failed because Ukrainians leveraged the heights around Oleksandropil to secure their flanks.
The freshest reports indicate that Russians decided to switch to frontal assaults on Krasnohorivka once again.
After the previous engagements in this region, Russian forces maintained a foothold on the western side of the highway.
In a resumed offensive, fierce fights broke out near the lakes around Vesele.
Their plan was the same: attack Vesele in front while simultaneously moving towards the hills to hit Vesele from the back.
This time Russian forces succeeded and took control over Vesele.
By establishing control over this hill, Russians immediately made the eastern part of Krasnohorivka untenable.
The difference in elevation here is almost 40 meters, so Ukrainians completely mined the area and moved to the central part of the village, which is located on another hill.
Ukrainians have also responded to the deteriorating situation by reinforcing the Kransnohorivka group with several detachments.
At first glance, it is surprising how Russian units managed to breach Ukrainian defense here after a series of defeats and sustained high losses, especially in armor.
However, as it turned out, Russians have recently deployed a lot of fresh troops to the Avdiivka direction, including newly mobilized soldiers.
Fresh reinforcements allowed Russian assault units to utilize more manpower and not be as constrained by losses as previously.
Russian sources reported that their advancement inside Krasnohorivka was constrained due to mines.
It looks like Ukrainians understood that once Russians secured the hills, Ukrainians would no longer have an absolute tactical advantage and prepared the outskirts of the village in advance for the Russian entrance.
Ukrainian sources reported that Russians started making attempts at expanding control around Krasnohorivka, especially to the north of it.
They also reported that Russians engaged their aviation much more frequently and also started conducting mechanized assaults.
Geolocated footage provided by the Ukrainian 110th mechanized brigade shows heavy engagements of tanks, and armored vehicles.
It also shows how Russian infantry tried to maintain their positions in the tree lines despite constant drone and artillery fire.
Unfortunately, Ukrainian positions north of Avdiivka are much less fortified than those to the south of Avdiivka, which is why Russians managed to expand their bridgehead and slowly push Ukrainians out of Krasnohorivka.
The loss of Krasnohorivka is a significant development because it opens Russians access to one of Aviidka’s supply lines.
A frontal assault on Avdiivka from Krasnohorivka is not an option, so the next logical step for Russians will be an attempt to take Novokalynove and other settlements to the north of Avdiivka.
That is why Ukrainians are reportedly creating firing positions for big-caliber machine guns around Krasnohorivka.
Ukrainians have also sent additional supplies and reinforcements, expecting Russian forces to try to capitalize on their recent gains and keep up the momentum of advancement.
Overall, Russian forces are likely trying to exploit the excessive Ukrainian focus on Bakhmut and their preparation for a counteroffensive around Bakhmut.
The best way to undermine their counteroffensive efforts would be to create problems somewhere else and force them to use the accumulated manpower to solve these problems at the expense of their main goal.
Recent developments to the north of Avdiivka do not look good, although talks about the encirclement are still premature.
The main supply hub of Avdiivka remains Orlivka, which is why Russians are unlikely to force Ukrainians to leave Avdiivka without achieving significant progress in the most fortified direction of this region.
Russians have crossed their river to the north and taken another chuck on the north side. [There isn’t much of the city left to hold.]
Losses on both sides will now approach 1:1.
Probability of a counterattack from the north or the south is about 1%.
==
Zaporizhzhia Region:
UA counterattack directly towards Polohy village, missing Dorozhnianka village. There is a large Russian base near Polohy. Used several BTRs, tanks, and infantry to attack the base. Don’t know if it was successful or not. Village is 10km from the frontline.
Some Russian sources say the UA attack was totally destroyed, others say that it succeeded, and still others say that the Russians ran away.
==
New partial mobilization notices are being received now. After their first year, conscripts are being forced to sign on to the RGF. Also Russia looking to mobilize 400,000 new soldiers. But the way the Russians handle their soldiers on the front, they basically eliminate their numerical advantage.
==
Ramstein conference
Ukraine will get more armored vehicles and tanks, artillery shells, air defense systems, plus the 40 or so MiG-29s from Poland and Slovakia.
==
Israel approved export license for anti-drone system.
==
Matslevsky, Oleksandr Ihorevich who was executed by the Russians, his unit had been sent to some recently captured Russian positions, but due to some misunderstanding at command level, no backup was sent. So they were immediately captured by the Russians.
UA Command still needs to be restructured and is hurting the use of Western weapons, but with the current Defense Minister, his scandals and the corruption surrounding him, Denys say he does not think reform and the elimination of the Soviet-style military is possible.
==
Chief of Military Intelligence would be the best Defense Minister, and is more trusted by the people.
==
Shows video of Turkish supply vehicle near Bakhmut being towed out of the soft ground in the fields by 4 farm tractors.
2 The enemy advanced by another few meters in the southern Bakhmut. (source)
3 Russian Wagner mercenaries advanced in the south and reached Korsunskogo street. Soldiers of Ukrainian Aidar battalion pushed the enemy away from the street, but the situation remains tense. (source)
4 Ukrainian soldiers of 3rd Battalion of 92nd Mechanized Brigade recaptured trenches north-west of Khromove, and fought off a subsequent counter-attack. (source)
5 An officer of 93rd Mechanized Brigade stated that Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut are running low on ammo and basically have no shells to hit the enemy in occupied parts of the city. (source)
==
https://militaryland.net/news/ukrainian-army-is-forming-two-specialised-brigades/
Ukrainian Army is forming two specialised brigades
March 15, 2023 Jerome News
Two additional brigades are reinforcing the combat capabilities of Ukrainian Ground Forces and Air Assault troops.
Ukrainian command has decided to form two brigades, 49th Artillery Brigade and 82nd Air Assault Brigade. While the first belongs to the Ground Forces of Ukraine, as any other artillery brigade, 82nd joins the Ukrainian elite Air Assault forces.
49th Artillery Brigade is a new artillery brigade of Ukrainian Ground Forces currently at the stage of formation. The brigade is under the command of Operational Command North.
82nd Air Assault Brigade is a new elite brigade of Ukrainian Air Assault Forces, currently finishing the last stage of formation and will soon be deployed to the front.
Mar 16, 2023
Update on Russian military operations in Ukraine for March 16, 2023:
- Russian warplanes intercepted and apparently clipped the propeller of a US MQ-9 drone carrying out surveillance near Crimea;
- The US has no means of recovering the drone, though Russia may have an opportunity to recover it;
- While the drone operated in international airspace according to the US, it was collecting intelligence on behalf of Ukraine as part of ongoing hostilities, as a party of the conflict and thus threatening Russian national security;
- Bakhmut continues to face encirclement;
- The Western media has begun admitting to the grim deterioration of Ukraine’s forces under the weight of Russia’s strategy of attrition;
- Ukraine has lost the majority of troops trained by NATO over the last 8-9 years;
- Ongoing NATO training is rushed, incapable of meeting or exceeding Russia’s pool of trained manpower;
- Ammunition and weapons are also admittedly running out;
- Ukraine may or may not be diverting reserves for an upcoming spring offensive to instead fight in Bakhmut;
- Any possible counteroffensive around Bakhmut might indicate just how badly deteriorated Ukraine’s forces have become;
@visegrad24 1h
BREAKING: The Moldovan Parliament has voted in favor of officially changing the name of the state language from “Moldovan” to Romanian.
“Moldovan” was a concept invented by the Soviets in an attempt to justify its annexation of Bessarabia (Moldova) from Romania in 1940.
Russia has multiple ships working at the crash site of the U.S. MQ-9 drone that was downed by Russian fighter jets.
They are clearly trying to retrieve the drone.
@visegrad24 2h
Something exploded in the headquarters of the Russian security service FSB today in Rostov.
A major fire started after the explosion, destroying large parts of the building.
Likely just the first, of more to come:
@visegrad24 6h
BREAKING: Poland will deliver 4 MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in the coming days.
- Polish President Andrzej Duda
One of the most experienced American F-16 pilot has just volunteered to fly for the Ukrainian Air Force.
Dan Hampton flew 151 sorties in Iraq, Kosovo and the Persian Gulf.
He says many U.S. pilots he has talked to feel the same urge to go to Ukraine.
@ChuckPfarrer 54m
BAKHMUT CITY /1745 UTC 16 MAR/ CRITICAL/ RU forces have made an important advance in the SW urban area. The line of contact now conforms to Korsunskogo Street. The development jeopardizes the S quadrant of the Bakhmut urban area.
Iran has agreed to stop supplying weapons to the Houthi movement in Yemen as part of the deal to restore diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, U.S. and Saudi officials told The Wall Street Journal.
@NOELreports 11h
The IMF is ready to announce a four year loan program for Ukraine worth 15.6 billion dollars, writes the Financial Times
Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) a United Kingdom government organization
(1/5) Over the last week, Russian attempts to assault the Donetsk Oblast town of Vuhledar have almost certainly slowed. This follows repeated, extremely costly failed attacks over the previous three months.
(2/5) One factor in Russia’s heavy losses in this sector has been Ukraine’s successful adoption of Remote Anti-Armour Mine systems (RAAM). RAAM is a specialist artillery shell which scatters anti-armour mines up to 17km away from the firing unit.
(3/5) In some instances, Ukraine has launched the mines over and behind advancing Russian units, causing disarray when Russian vehicles attempt to withdraw.
(4/5) Russia’s only notable recent tactical success has been in the Bakhmut sector, which is dominated by Wagner Group mercenary forces, currently engaged in a public feud with the Russian Ministry of Defence.
(5/5) There is a realistic possibility that Russia’s MoD has been insistent in its drive for success in Vuhledar, partially because it wants its own success to compete with Wagner’s achievements.
@KyivIndependent 4h
Intelligence: Russian occupying forces in Crimea preparing for defense.
The Russian military is building fortifications and preparing for defense on the occupied peninsula, Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy chief of Ukraine’s military intelligence, said on March 16.
According to Skibitskyi, Russia keeps “a powerful ground and aviation component” in Ukraine’s Crimea.
Nearly 90 combat aircraft and 60 attack helicopters are currently stationed in illegally annexed Crimea, he said.
@KyivIndependent 3h
UN Commission finds Russia committed war crimes in Ukraine.
The UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has found that Russia committed numerous war crimes in Ukraine, including attacks on energy infrastructure, kidnapping children, torturing, raping, and killing Ukrainians.
Exactly a year ago, Russian forces bombed Mariupol Drama Theater, where hundreds of people, mostly women and children, were sheltering at the moment. Hundreds are believed to have been killed.
ISW’s RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 15, 2023
“The overall pace of Russian operations in Ukraine appears to have decreased compared to previous weeks... daily Russian ground attacks have decreased from 90 to 100 attacks per day to 20 to 29 per day.”
“The Russian offensive operation in Luhansk Oblast is likely nearing culmination, if it has not already culminated”
“ISW has been unable to confirm the commitment of the 2nd Motor Rifle Division (1st Guards Tank Army, Western Military District) to the offensive in Luhansk Oblast” (that is their Reserve force, presumably still waiting to exploit a breakthrough).
“The overall Wagner Group offensive on Bakhmut additionally appears to be nearing culmination... Russian forces would likely have to commit significant reserves to prevent this culmination. They may be able to do so, as ISW has observed elements of Russian airborne regiments in and around Bakhmut that do not seem to be heavily committed”
“International journalists reportedly obtained the Kremlin’s long-term strategy document for destabilizing Moldova and reintegrating it back into the Russian sphere of influence by 2030.”
“Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin commented on the reports about the dismissal of the Russian Commander of the Airborne (VDV) Forces Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky (first reported on January 20) - likely revealing Teplinsky’s affiliation with Wagner.” (Surovikin was also considered a pro-Wagner General, and was replaced around the same time)
“Russian forces did not conduct any confirmed ground attacks northwest of Svatove and conducted limited ground attacks on the Svatove-Kreminna line.
Russian forces continued advancing in and around Bakhmut and conducted ground attacks along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line.
A Russian milblogger claimed that Ukrainian forces attempted to conduct offensive actions across the Kakhovka Reservoir in Kherson Oblast.
The Kremlin reportedly tasked the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) to recruit 400,000 contract servicemen starting on April 1.
Ukrainian partisans killed a Russian collaborator in an IED attack in Melitopol, Zaporizhia Oblast.”
Poland is off the hook about arming up...
@visegrad24 1h
BREAKING: The U.S. State Department has approved Poland’s request to purchase 800 HELLFIRE missiles.
The tank-busting missiles will be fitted on the 32 AgustaWestland AW149 multi-role helicopters that Poland bought last summer.
Poland is also buying 96 Apache attack helicopters.
@visegrad24 39m
A Russian 767 Boeing aircraft from Azul Air suffered an engine failure while taking off from Phuket airport in February.
The plane had gone 3 years without an engine inspection, due to Western sanctions
Russian planes won’t be able to operate much longer
@visegrad24 13h
Turkey has decided to stop servicing the planes of Russian airlines.
Russian Boeing and Airbus aircraft will also no-longer be refueled in Turkey.
The Western sanctions are starting to affect more and more segments of the Russian economy.
