Previous day’s thread: https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/4205389/posts
Summarizing this war:
A tragedy for Ukraine.
A disaster for RuZZia.
A strategic win for the USA.
“Why Internet Trolls Do What They Do and How to Spot Russian Fakes”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLtBzvw0—0
“Here is the best-kept secret about U.S. military aid to Ukraine: Most of the money is being spent here in the United States. That’s right: Funds that lawmakers approve to arm Ukraine are not going directly to Ukraine but being used stateside to build new weapons or to replace weapons sent to replace weapons sent to Kyiv from U.S. stockpiles. Of the $68 billion in military and related assistance Congress has approved since Russia invaded Ukraine, almost 90 percent is going to Americans, one analysis found.”
https://twitter.com/TheDeadDistrict/status/1730119780873441750
How does Russia even have any equipment left with all the losses?
Corruption and fear are hindering effort to rebuild army
POKROVSK, Ukraine—During a break from fighting the Russians, an avuncular rifleman recalled how he was going for a haircut one day when he was press-ganged into joining the Ukrainian army.
Three recruitment officials accosted the stocky, gray-haired 47-year-old outside the barber shop in his small hometown, ordered him to get in a car and detained him for two days in a dark room at the local draft center until he had signed up.
“I got my haircut at the training camp,” he said.
Now known by his military call sign Dubok, the former electrical engineer offered to serve as a technician in the rear. “But to get that job, you have to pay bribes,” he said. Instead, he was sent to join an infantry unit depleted by months of hard fighting. His battalion of the 47th Mechanized Brigade is defending the city of Avdiivka against waves of Russian assaults, the biggest current battle in Russia’s relentless war on Ukraine.
“Physically, I can’t handle this,” Dubok said of front-line combat. “I’m deeply disappointed that I’m no longer 20.”
Ukraine needs to rebuild its battered army. The infantry, which bears the brunt of deaths and injuries, is chronically short of men after nearly two years of resisting Russia’s full-blown invasion.
The most highly motivated fighters volunteered early. Those who haven’t been killed or wounded often say they are exhausted. Ukraine now relies on the draft—and sometimes on rounding up men—to replenish the ranks.
“LIFE IS AN IRONY !
Yesterday, Indian interests controlled oil tanker MV SAI BABA (IMO 9321691) with the convenience flag of Gabon, loaded with Russian oil from Ust-Luga, asked US NAVY USS LABOON (DDG 58) help in Red Sea after being struck by Houthi “one way attack drone with no injuries or damage”. 🤓
India is one of the countries sanction laundering Russian oil and oil products, importing cheaper from constrained Russians with significant quantities ending up re-exported as oil or as refined oil products “clean of sanctions” to the rest of the world.”
The Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that Arctic LNG 2 equity investors have declared force majeure, following ALNG 2’s similar declaration a few days ago, after the first train produced LNG.
Japan’s Mitsui, France’s Total, and China’s CNOOC will not load their LNG quotas, depriving ALNG of cash flow.
ALNG 2 managers will now have to decide their next steps—whether to scale down or halt production or seek alternative buyers unaffected by the US sanctions.
Tanks 12/25/23
2579
destroyed: 1694;
damaged: 144;
abandoned: 195;
captured: 546
Towed Artillery 12/25/23
336
destroyed: 194;
damaged: 37;
abandoned: 5;
captured: 100
Self-Propelled Artillery 12/25/23
635
destroyed: 485;
damaged: 36;
abandoned: 7;
captured: 107
Multiple Rocket Launchers 12/25/23
328
destroyed: 247;
damaged: 26;
abandoned: 2;
captured: 53
Kremlin snuff box
https://t.me/kremlin_secrets/3329
General Teplinsky asked to withdraw troops in the Kherson region. In response, he was forced to record a video message
Since the appearance of Mikhail Teplinsky’s video message, we have been asked a lot about what’s wrong with the General now and how he feels after being wounded. We clarified this information from several sources close to Mikhail Yuryevich.
Firstly, doctors saved Teplinsky’s leg. He has already returned to the front and again commands the Dnepr group of troops. At the same time, the general is still not feeling well after being wounded. He has severe headaches, so he has to take powerful painkillers. The video shows that Mikhail Yuryevich sometimes finds it difficult to speak - this is the consequences of his injury.
Secondly, Teplinsky about a week ago turned to the command with a request to give the order to withdraw troops on the left bank of the Dnieper in the Kherson region to more advantageous positions. The reason is the deterioration of the situation on this section of the front; we wrote about this problem.
“Shoigu personally forbade the withdrawal of troops. And he demanded that Teplinsky record a video message in which he would declare victories, including future ones. Mikhail Yuryevich is now in such a state that he decided not to argue, but simply record a video message,” a source close to the general told us.
Thirdly, Teplinsky in his address “showed that he was not going to blindly follow orders from above.” And he announced losses among our paratroopers, even named several names of the dead. Which, as far as we know, seriously angered Shoigu.
At the same time, the general temporarily stopped the fight to replace the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff - “health and the difficult situation at the front are interfering.” Whether Mikhail Yuryevich will return to this fight, his comrades still refuse to say.
“In Yalta, occupied Ukraine, the Russian promoted a non traditional Christmas tree
Woke 🤣👇”
https://twitter.com/PStyle0ne1/status/1739347838532780035
Rumors the Novocherkassk landing ship was just promoted to submarine tonight.
Shifting Views of Russian Leadership in Post-Soviet States From 2021 to 2022
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GCSRYWzWoAEcbbS?format=png&name=900x900
Putin did that.
A workaround for Japan’s prohibition on providing lethal aid to combatants.
“Tokyo intends to transfer dozens of (PATRIOT) interceptor missiles that are used to destroy ballistic missiles and other air threats starting from the first quarter of 2024, according to the WSJ.
The volume of Japanese supplies will depend on how many missiles the U.S., in turn, will provide to Ukraine, the WSJ reports.
A Japanese defense official said details on time and quantity have not yet been determined.”
https://ukranews.com/en/news/973958-japan-agrees-to-hand-us-patriot-missiles-for-ukraine-wsj
Kremlin snuff box
https://t.me/s/kremlin_secrets
Our losses have seriously increased in the Kherson region, strange rumors are circulating among the military
Our sources in the Dnepr group of troops spoke about the situation in the Kherson region, including in the Krynok region. And they ask to make this information public, since the command does not respond to their constant non-public signals.
We understand that the information is complex, but we could not refuse the military’s request . Here’s what they told us:
Firstly, over the past few days losses on this section of the front have sharply increased. After the enemy shot down three Su-34s at once, our fighters in the Krynok area and other sectors of the front on the left bank of the Dnieper were left with almost no air support.
The Aerospace Forces admit that until it became clear what the Ukrainians received for the new air defense, “a decision was made to save the planes and pilots.”
Moreover, under the appeal of the pilots themselves (we remind you that they are asking to reduce the number of combat sorties until their aircraft are sufficiently protected from enemy attacks), more than 25 signatures have already been collected to the command.
Some pilots fly combat missions and are persuaded by threats and persuasion. But this air support for our troops in the Kherson region is not enough.
As a result of such events, sources note, in recent days, on the left bank of the Dnieper, from 30 to 60 (there was one day with such losses) of our soldiers are dying every day .
Secondly, the deterioration of the situation led to strange rumors among the military. “They say that the enemy has received several dozen F-16 aircraft. That they brought him air defense that would cover at least half of Crimea.
“At the same time, they say that Vladimir Vladimirovich first decided to release part of the military from the front , and now allegedly changed his mind. In general, they say anything,” noted one of our interlocutors.
The General Staff categorically denied all these rumors. And they promised us to respond to requests from the military who are in the Kherson region.
“But there is no need to be dramatic. This is a war, and, unfortunately, there are losses. Just like stupid rumors. Yes, it’s hard, but we will win,” one of the General Staff generals said about this.
Tanks: 2605
destroyed: 1709, damaged: 145, abandoned: 205, captured: 546
Artillery 974
Towed Artillery: 336
destroyed: 194, damaged: 37, abandoned: 5, captured: 100
Self-Propelled Artillery: 638
destroyed: 488, damaged: 36, abandoned: 7, captured: 107
Kremlin snuff box
https://t.me/s/kremlin_secrets
The Russian Armed Forces were preparing to launch Caliber that night, but alas
Last night and morning, Russia carried out perhaps the most massive attack on Ukraine since the start of the Northeast Military District. about the first results of the strike We reported earlier - alas, not all the intended targets were destroyed, and some of the missiles even flew into dummies. Unfortunately.
Sources in the General Staff say that Kalibr missiles were also being prepared for launch that night, but some of them were lost during transportation due to the defeat of our Novocherkassk landing ship. We wrote about this here.
At the same time, the military no longer gives a clear answer - whether the Ukrainian Armed Forces have those very F-16 aircraft that have been talked about so much lately, or not. Night strikes, alas, destroyed the dummies, but not the planes.
Dagens.com (Denmark) reports (29 Dec):
“Argentine President Javier Milei has officially declined an invitation to become a member of BRICS in letters to Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.”
Argentina sits on the second largest shale gas reserve in the World (Vaca Muerta) - if only they could get their act together to develop it. Argentina’s past Socialist/Peronist Governments have been incredibly bad credit risks for the International oil majors.
Maybe the new guy can crack the code. He was a free market economist by trade, before becoming President. he is a big friend of Israel, and has welcomed the Ukrainian President for a visit recently, as well as rejecting the BRICS invitation from Putin and Xi.
UPI reports:
“Dec. 27 (UPI) — The foreign affairs committee of Turkey’s parliament voted to approve Sweden’s membership in NATO, bringing the country closer to joining the international alliance after a lengthy delay due to objections that arose over Stockholm’s handling of anti-Muslim activism.
After Tuesday’s vote, the measure faces final approval by the Turkish general assembly before Sweden would attain full NATO membership, however, no specific date has been scheduled for the decisive vote”
(Turkey’s Parliament is scheduled return from recess on January 15.)
Israeli Defense Forces operating heavily in the South Gaza city of Khan Yunis.
In the North, CNN reports:
“The Israel Defense Forces claimed Friday (29 Dec) to have destroyed a network of tunnels and one of the “hideout apartments” belonging to Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ leader in Gaza.
The IDF’s 14th Reserve Brigade Combat Team located and destroyed the apartment near Gaza City “in recent weeks,” the IDF said.
The IDF said the apartment was part of “a long and branching tunnel network” that was used by senior Hamas officials. During an inspection of the apartment, soldiers with the IDF’s Yahalom Unit discovered a 20-meter-deep (about 66 feet) tunnel shaft in the basement floor. The shaft led to a 218-meter-long (about 715 feet) tunnel that contained an electrical network, ventilation and sewage infrastructure, as well as prayer rooms, the IDF said.
“The tunnel was built so that it would be possible to stay inside it and conduct combat from it for long periods of time,” the IDF said in a news release.
The tunnel was subsequently destroyed by the IDF’s Yahalom Unit.”
This guy’s analysis indicates that Russia has about three years worth of tanks and IFVs remaining, at current rates of loss and production.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B_4M5dTHIU
Tanks 2605
destroyed: 1709
damaged: 145
abandoned: 205
captured: 546
Towed Artillery 336
destroyed: 194
damaged: 37
abandoned: 5
captured: 100
Self-Propelled Artillery 638
destroyed: 488
damaged: 36
abandoned: 7
captured: 107