Posted on 02/24/2024 5:59:01 AM PST by SpeedyInTexas
This list only includes destroyed vehicles and equipment of which photo or videographic evidence is available. Therefore, the amount of equipment destroyed is significantly higher than recorded here. Loitering munitions, drones used as unmanned bait, civilian vehicles and derelict equipment are not included in this list. All possible effort has gone into avoiding duplicate entries and discerning the status of equipment between captured or abandoned. Many of the entries listed as 'abandoned' will likely end up captured or destroyed. Similarly, some of the captured equipment might be destroyed if it can't be recovered. When a vehicle is captured and then lost in service with its new owners, it is only added as a loss of the original operator to avoid double listings. When the origin of a piece of equipment can't be established, it's not included in the list. The Soviet flag is used when the equipment in question was produced prior to 1991. This list is constantly updated as additional footage becomes available.
(Excerpt) Read more at oryxspioenkop.com ...
Russian strategic bomber launches reported. Temper tantrum over failed Kharkiv offensive expected with mass cruise missile attack on Ukraine in a few hours.
Russian cruise missile launches confirmed. Will be entering Ukrainian airspace in 1 hour.
Sounds like there should be a relatively simple fix there
That is a coming out post, you should keep that part of your life away from us here at FR.
Reporting From Ukraine:
https://www.youtube.com/@RFU/videos
The complete transcript.
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[ Ukrainians Launch Successful Counterattacks! ]
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Day 822: May 25
Today, there are a lot of updates from the Kharkiv direction.
The most interesting developments come from the Vovchansk area.
Here, Russian forces conducted strikes on bridges over the Siversky-Donets and Vovcha rivers in hopes of improving their chance of degrading Ukrainian ground lines of communication and quickly seizing Vovchansk.
The most critical Russian strike targeted the Siversky-Donets Dam Bridge near Stary Saltiv.
For this operation, Russians used a Kh-38 air-to-surface missile with a 250 kilogram high-explosive warhead. Kh-38 has a 40 kilometer range, while the bridge is only 25 kilometers from the Russian border, making it very vulnerable.
Ukrainian air defenses had no time to react to the missile launch because it was launched too close to the target, leaving no time for interception.
The footage of the strike on the bridge was recorded by an Orlan-30 reconnaissance drone, which was likely assigned to report on the success of the strike and correct the strike if needed.
This bridge is the most crucial supply line connecting the group of forces in Kharkiv with other Ukrainians defending both Vovchansk and Kupiansk.
If we look at road links and the region’s geography, we can see that this section of the Siversky-Donets River is 50 kilometers long and had only 4 river crossings.
With the bridge near Rubizhne being destroyed during the first Kharkiv offensive, and with the bridge near Buhrovatka being too close to the frontline to be used for relocation of substantial forces, Ukrainians were left only with the bridge on the Pechenihy dam as the only remaining Ukrainian ground line of communication to Vovchansk and Kupiansk.
Such developments led to a considerable increase of the supply shoulder, as the route through Stary Saltiv was only 78 kilometers long, while the route through Pechenihy is 120 kilometers long, increasing the time needed for relocation almost by two times.
The key idea behind destroying all the bridges north of the Pechenihy dam was to quickly isolate the battlefield east of the river by preventing Ukrainian forces in Kharkiv from supporting Ukrainian forces defending against ongoing Russian attacks near Vovchansk.
The rapid degradation of Ukrainian ground lines of communication was meant to facilitate a rapid seizure of Vovchansk, while inflicting minimal damage to the town.
The Russian military command likely chose the seizure of Vovchansk as one of the key tactical objectives of the first phase of the offensive operation in northern Kharkiv Oblast, since Vovchansk is the largest settlement immediately on the border that would provide Russian forces a staging ground close to the Russian rear to prepare for and launch the 2nd phase of the Russian offensive operation.
In order to preserve the town for later use, Russian forces attempted to take it by conducting an encirclement operation instead of a head-on assault.
In order to set conditions for the encirclement operation, Russian forces tried to isolate the battlefield even more by destroying another bridge near Tykhe.
The destruction of this bridge prevented Ukrainian forces from maneuvering along the border and crushing the flanks of the advancing Russian forces east of Vovchansk.
At first glance, the bridge’s destruction seems like a self-sabotage for further Russian efforts, but Russian armored vehicles, including BMPs and BTRs, are amphibious and can be used for assaults across the narrow Vovcha River.
Such Russian armored assaults do not guarantee success, but would improve over current pure infantry assaults across the river.
The main objective of the encircling forces was to establish control over the small forest east of the southern part of the town.
Geolocated footage showed repeated artillery strikes on Ukrainian positions there as part of artillery preparation ahead of the storming operation.
Unfortunately for Russians the Russian assaults near Tykhe brought no results, since assault groups must move for up to 5 km from the border across Open Fields to reach the village.
Because of this exposure, many pieces of Russian equipment were hunted and destroyed by Ukrainian FPV drone strikes.
So far Ukrainian FPV drone operators managed to destroy 2 BMP-2 IFVs, destroy a tank, and 2 supply vehicles and damage 2 more tanks.
However, the main reason why the Russian encirclement operation failed, was the fact that they effectively failed to isolate the battleground and Ukrainian forces forces managed to increase the number of troops defensing Vovchansk in time.
Moreover, Russian forces currently deployed in Vovchansk are insufficient for prolonged offensive operations.
At this moment Russians have deployed 8,000 troops, at mos,t in the whole Kharkiv direction, meaning that they have 5,000 troops at most in the Vovchansk area.
The fact that this offensive group is limited in numbers makes it sensitive to high losses, requiring more frequent troop rotations that inevitably delay their attacks.
Overall, despite a rapid concerted effort to isolate Ukrainian forces in Vovchansk, to conduct a quick encirclement operation on the under strength Ukrainian forces the Russian encirclement operation failed.
Russian forces not only underestimated the reaction speed of the Ukrainian command to these developments, but also did not take into account the openness of the area in front of Vovchansk, which led to the destruction of significant portions of Russian assault units - before they even got to outflank Ukrainian forces, resulting in huge losses to drone strikes.
The limited number of Russian troops in Vovchansk, combined with their susceptibility to high losses, and the need for frequent rotations, significantly hampers their ability to sustain prolonged offensive operations.
Kremlin snuff box, 05/26/24
https://t.me/s/kremlin_secrets
Important post about negotiations with Ukraine and Zelensky’s illegitimacy
In recent days, several publications have appeared in many Western media that in one way or another hint at the Kremlin’s readiness for peace negotiations. In the comments, subscribers asked to explain what was happening.
Fact 1. Is there a possibility of negotiations right now? Between Kyiv and Moscow - no. The Kremlin has repeatedly made it clear that they are ready to talk about the future of Ukraine, but, for example, with Washington, and not with Kiev.
We can debate here, but the obvious fact is that Zelensky and Co. are now not ready to negotiate on our terms, and therefore are unlikely to agree with this format of negotiations.
Fact 2. Regarding Zelensky. In terms of a peaceful settlement, the parties to the conflict found themselves in a seemingly stalemate. The Kremlin insists that Zelensky is an illegitimate president of Ukraine.
In Kyiv they say that the presidential elections in Russia cannot be recognized, since they were held, among other things, in new territories of the Russian Federation, which Ukraine considers its own. Both sides have outlined their positions, so we will move on to the next point.
Fact 3. Peace negotiations can end with the signing of a multilateral agreement without the participation of presidents. It so happened that negotiations on the settlement of military conflicts between countries may well end with the signing of an agreement at the parliamentary level. Moreover, this is a much stronger document.
Therefore, talk about the illegitimacy of the presidents of Ukraine and the Russian Federation makes sense from an information point of view, but for the most part does not affect anything.
Is it true that Zelensky is no longer the president of Ukraine? Here is a point that is worth clarifying. It is difficult to say whether the law has been violated in Ukraine, because the country has never been in such a situation before.
To be honest, we are not experts in terms of Ukrainian legislation. Can elections for a new president be held in Ukraine? Obviously unlikely. So Zelensky remains president? For us, this, alas, does not matter. The West recognizes it, which means arms supplies will continue. We need to think about this now.
Kremlin snuff box, 05/26/24
https://t.me/s/kremlin_secrets
Solve something with air defense! Our soldiers died in Crimea again
On the evening of Saturday, May 25, the enemy launched a missile attack on several military installations in Crimea. According to our sources in the General Staff, there are losses.
The strikes hit several secret facilities near Yevpatoriya. Neither interlocutor would reveal what exactly.
At the same time, there is an alarming fact: shortly before the shelling, valuable equipment important for the defense of Crimea and strikes against the enemy was delivered to one of these facilities.
It’s lost. It is also known about the death of 11 military personnel.
We continue to call on the Ministry of Defense: instead of hiding losses and secretly burying dead military personnel ( Sergei Shoigu left, but this practice still remains ), decide something about the air defense of Crimea!
Sergei Aksenov has been asking to do this for a long time. Protect the most important region for all of Russia!
Today’s “Reporting From Ukraine” correct title is:
Ukrainians Nullify Brand New Russian Encirclement Operation
Russians wrote they shot down a Bayrakter 😆
https://x.com/NOELreports/status/1794688398483222981
All Shahed UAVs and X-101 Missiles were reported as shot down, while 2 Kinzhals were reported not to have been shot down and struck Starokostyantyniv
https://x.com/ukraine_map/status/1794638263015407654
Starokostyantyniv on Google Maps
https://x.com/bayraktar_1love/status/1794724164764606593
Note the paint scheme on the flaps, ailerons, and horizontal stabs.
In both pictures, the landing gear are down. Most likely the jet is RTB. I wonder why all SDBs weren't expended.
Its happening.
“Sweden allows Ukraine to strike on Russian territory with its supplied weapons.
“Ukraine is subject to an unprovoked and illegal war of aggression by Russia. Ukraine has the right under international law to defend itself through acts of war directed against the territory of the opponent as long as the acts of war comply with the laws of war. Sweden supports international law and Ukraine’s right to defend itself,” Defense Minister Pål Jonson said.”
https://x.com/NOELreports/status/1794720450829795593
“I urge you to beware the temptation of pride—the temptation of blithely declaring yourselves above it all and label both sides equally at fault, to ignore the facts of history and the aggressive impulses of an evil empire, to simply call the arms race a giant misunderstanding and thereby remove yourself from the struggle between right and wrong and good and evil.”
///////
“Russia Steps Up a Covert Sabotage Campaign Aimed at Europe”
“Russian military intelligence, the G.R.U., is behind arson attacks aimed at undermining support for Ukraine’s war effort, security officials say.”
“U.S. and allied intelligence officials are tracking an increase in low-level sabotage operations in Europe that they say are part of a Russian campaign to undermine support for Ukraine’s war effort.
The covert operations have mostly been arsons or attempted arsons targeting a wide range of sites, including a warehouse in England, a paint factory in Poland, homes in Latvia and, most oddly, an Ikea store in Lithuania.
But people accused of being Russian operatives have also been arrested on charges of plotting attacks on U.S. military bases.”
“UK ‘smuggling’ Soviet-era weapons
There is also a third, less publicised route, through which the UK is helping to arm Ukraine. While a large focus of western allies has been to modernise the Ukrainian armed forces and bring it in line with Nato, Kyiv remains highly reliant on Soviet-era systems and weaponry, supplies of which have rapidly depleted during the war.
To help replenish Ukraine’s stocks, part of the UK’s bilateral aid has been used to procure Russian weaponry from across the globe. This work has been kept top secret, in part because of who Britain is sourcing it from, and who is doing the sourcing.
“A lot of it is bought covertly,” one defence source said, noting that some of the kit procured by the UK had come from nations whose governments are keen to play their part, but do not want the Russians to know that they have helped Ukraine.
In some of these deals, the UK has effectively acted as a “smuggler”, buying the equipment and then helping to arrange its transfer into Ukraine.
Other purchases are even murkier, the source said, adding: “We’ve had approaches from arms dealers, all sorts of intermediaries and odd people. The sourcing of Russian equipment and other stocks from around the world is done via many actors and routes.” It is understood that British intelligence officers are often involved in these transfers, although the MoD will never acknowledge this publicly.”
Hopefully, Sweden will supply some Gripens.
RuZZia is a declining power.
“[Indicted War Criminal Little] Putin Wants Russians to Live Longer as Demographic Crisis Grows
President aims to boost life expectancy to 81 years by 2036
Russia’s population seen falling as much as 10 million by 2050”
“President Vladimir Putin set a goal for Russians to live longer even as the country’s population is set to shrink in a deepening demographic crisis that’s been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and his war in Ukraine.
Putin ordered the government to develop policies for raising life expectancy to 81 years in Russia by 2036, up from 73.4 years last year, in a new decree on national development goals.
The decree updates a goal Putin set in 2020 for life expectancy to rise to 78 years by 2030. The 71-year-old president was inaugurated Tuesday for his fifth term to 2030 and can potentially rule to 2036.
Putin’s targets are “unrealistic without stopping the war and sharply tightening the screws on strong alcohol and cigarettes, as well as doubling health care spending,” independent demographer Alexei Raksha said on his Telegram channel. The number of births in Russia last year was the lowest this century, according to his estimates.”
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