Posted on 05/18/2023 8:21:35 AM PDT 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. Small arms, ATGMs, MANPADS, loitering munitions, drones used as unmanned bait, civilian vehicles, trailers 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 the origin of a piece of equipment can't be established, it is 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 ...
Previous day’s thread: https://freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/4153818/posts
“The damage to the Patriot system was so limited that it has now been fixed, official says.”
https://twitter.com/idreesali114/status/1658986422307635204
“Ukraine says Russia launched 30 missiles overnight and it intercepted all but one”
“Ukraine claims to have downed 29 out of 30 cruise missiles launched by Russia overnight, according to a statement from the Ukrainian Air Force on Telegram.
The missiles came in “several waves” and “from different directions,” the statement said.
“A total of 30 sea-, air-, and land-launched cruise missiles were launched,” the Ukrainian Air Force said in the statement, adding that air defenses “destroyed 29 cruise missiles.”
The Air Force also claimed to have also shot down two attack drones and two reconnaissance drones.”
“The Ukrainian Air Force says Russia fired 6 Kalibr, 21 Kh-101/Kh-555, and 2 Iskander missiles (9M728), as well as 2 Shahed/ Geran-2 drones and two ISR UAVs over night. They claim they shot down all but one Kh-101/Kh-555.”
“Russia-backed officials say a freight train has derailed in Crimea”
“Trains between Crimea’s two largest cities have been halted after a freight train derailed Thursday, according to Russia-backed authorities.
In a Telegram post, Crimean Railways announced the suspension of services on the Simferopol to Sevastopol line after the train was derailed by the “intervention of unauthorized persons.”
There were no casualties, it added.
Sergey Aksenov, the Moscow-appointed head of the peninsula, said on Telegram that wagons carrying grain “fell off the rails” in Simferopol. He later added that authorities were investigating.”
“A hidden Russian tank was completely destroyed after being hit by Ukrainian artillery fire on the left bank of the Dnipro River in Hola Prystan, #Kherson Oblast.”
https://twitter.com/UAWeapons/status/1659123190008885248
“A Ukrainian FPV loitering munition strike on a Russian BMP.”
https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1659067994738237440
“Video of an FPV loitering munition strike from Ukraine’s 3rd Tank Brigade on a Russian Murom-M surveillance system.”
https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1659067460262285314
Nice
“Video of a tank from Ukraine’s 30th Mechanized Brigade firing at Russian positions at close range before it was assaulted by infantry.”
https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1659063494300377088
“Video of a UAV from Ukraine’s 68th Jaeger Brigade dropping an improvised Molotov cocktail from a plastic bottle on a Russian trench with a counter-UAV net. The net catches the bottle but it still explodes into the trench.”
https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1658958982310928385
Prigozhin says the RuZZian Boys are dropping their weapons and running again.
“Prigozhin informs that units of the MORF have withdrawn again
“I’m asking you, Valery Vasilyevich, Sergei Kozhugetovich, please don’t give up the flanks. For a few more days, fight as hard as you can””
https://twitter.com/antiputler_news/status/1659174559210151936
““Russian troops withdrew half a kilometer in the northern part northern Bakhmut and opened the flanks,” leader of Wagner Prigozhin said. He also appealed to Shoigu and Gerasimov with a request not to give up the settlement of Sacco I Vantsetti and to keep it at any cost.”
https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1659136537584336903
Stung by the Stinger
“The flight of an enemy UAV (probably Supercam) was detected by the operators of the SSO of Ukraine, the UAV was destroyed by a shot from a MANPADS “Stinger”.”
https://twitter.com/antiputler_news/status/1659080214129811459
Ukraine: military situation update with maps - May 17, 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/
-—> Daily Battle Maps by Date and Region, Showing Troop Dispositions and Movements: <——
https://deepstatemap.live/
==
-—> The True State of Russian Army <——
posted 2 months ago, 21.13 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KiII_2qabk
The Russian military, the second largest military in the world, may not be what it looks like. Lies and systematic corruptions may in fact have dragged Russia into this war with Ukraine, which has been heavily backed up by the US and NATO. We will present the evidence, you make your own decision, because the Russian Army, is not what you think.
==
-—> Understanding Combined Arms Warfare <——
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZOGdKANL5s
Designed to support the U.S. Army Captains Career Course, “Understanding Combined Arms Warfare” defines and outlines the important aspects of modern combined arms operations. This is not a complete history of combined arms warfare. It is intended to highlight the most important aspects of the subject.
The beginning of the documentary establishes a common understanding of combined arms warfare by discussing doctrinal and equipment developments in World War I. The second part compares the development of French and German Army mechanization during the interwar period and describes how each country fared during the Battle of France in 1940. The film concludes by showing how the United States applied combined arms operations in the European Theater in World War II.
==
-—> Combined Arms Breach, 1990 <——
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ-sCT_maAQ
What UA will have to master to smash Orc Lines. This visualization was developed for the Maneuver Center of Excellence and is closely based upon the National Training Center Breach and Assault exercise executed circa 1990. This visualization demonstrates viable Techniques, and Procedures as discussed in Army Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures March 3, 1990 for the conduct of the combined arms breach against a hypothetical enemy.
==
-—> How Many of Each Type of Tank Does Russia Have In Storage? <——
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PHUK6zkbpc
Type Good 2023
T-54/55 270
T-62 560
T-64 248
T-72 1841
T-80 942
T-90 50
~3,911 operational tanks in storage as of ~04/07/2023 | Ball park tank number.
==
-—> Contrast & Compare: the T-14 Armada [The AliExpress Tank]: The Best Russian Tank Ever! [very funny] <——
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-opSlCGLGQ4
Excerpts:
... authorities there are cracking down on social media users who posted imagery of air defense batteries in operation.
While Ukraine’s Patriot batteries remain operational, the emergence on social media of spectacular video showing a torrent of dozens of air defense interceptors rocketing toward the sky sparked a flurry of action Wednesday by Ukrainian officials.
They arrested those accused of posting the imagery, searched for web cameras that can capture such images and issued stern warnings against future such actions.
Ukraine’s SBU state investigative services “established the identities of six residents of the capital who illegally disseminated information about the work of air defense forces during the massive Russian attack on Kyiv,” according to the SBU website.
They face up to eight years in prison if found guilty of violating laws prohibiting unuathorized dissemination of Ukrainian military operations and equipment.
“On the night of May 16, they took unauthorized photos and videos of the work of Ukrainian air defense and posted relevant materials on social networks.”
Among other things, those individuals “recorded the results of defeating Russian cruise and ballistic missiles. Thus, they could reveal the location and specifics of the work of the domestic air defense.”
Those videos were quickly picked up by Russian Telegram channels and Russian propaganda outlets, according to SBU.
Do not post on social networks in a real-time state, Ukraine’s military urged, adding the following list of things not to post:
Photos and videos of our air defense missile launches;
Photos and videos of the positions of our air defense equipment;
Your thoughts, which Ukrainian weapons can be placed where and which objects to cover;
How many units of equipment were seen or rocket launches were heard.
Russian forces use the following information for:
Intelligence;
laying routes for the use of missiles to bypass Ukrainian air defense systems;
adjusting and striking the air defense means themselves.
Be careful and do not help the enemy collect data about our air defense systems.
==
For those wondering how modern artillery systems actually work: here is a short 5 minute video featuring the French Caesar 155mm SPG and the targeting drone it uses - also the SP Ukrainian air defense system Strila against Russian Orlan-10s and Iranian Shahed drones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV3COr0Q0Z4
==
-—> Belgium Ready To Train Ukrainian Pilots To Fly F-16s <——
Belgium has said that it can train Ukrainian fighter pilots, while plans for an international pilot training coalition gather momentum.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/belgium-ready-to-train-ukrainian-pilots-to-fly-f-16s
Excerpts:
Belgium has become the latest country to indicate that it could train Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16 fighters that Kyiv says it so desperately needs to help turn the tide of the Russian invasion, but which have so far yet to materialize.
The announcement from Belgium is tempered by the fact that Brussels says it’s unable to transfer any F-16s to Ukraine.
However, following the news that the United Kingdom is about to start providing Ukraine with F-16-focused training, it seems momentum is now also building for the emergence of a coalition of nations that can provide the required instruction.
“This summer we will commence an elementary flying phase for cohorts of Ukrainian pilots to learn basic training,” the U.K. government said earlier this week. “This will adapt the program used by U.K. pilots to provide Ukrainians with piloting skills they can apply to different kinds of aircraft.
This training goes hand in hand with UK efforts to work with other countries on providing F-16 jets - Ukraine’s fighter jets of choice.”
... a full F-16 Basic Course, also known as the B-Course, for an aviator fresh out of pilot training, would typically take nine months. That could almost certainly be truncated to meet the very particular, urgent demands of the Ukrainian Air Force. Moreover, if Belgium were to provide training to Ukrainian pilots already familiar with frontline fast jets, the conversion course would be much quicker.
As one experienced F-16 instructor told The War Zone, a pilot with around 500 hours of experience in a Western fighter would need “69 days to learn everything to safely employ the Viper in air-to-air and air-to-ground roles.”
Ukrainian pilots don’t have experience in Western jets but, again, a special syllabus could be provided that focuses on the specific skills they will require in theater, as well as the key fundamentals of switching from a Soviet-era fighter to an F-16
Whatever happens next in terms of F-16 transfers, any such plan will need to be approved by the United States. The U.S. government has so far not approved any transfers of F-16s and President Joe Biden issued a firm “no” when questioned on the topic in January.
==
-—> T-72 Tank Spotted At U.S. Gas Station <——
For the second time in a month, a Soviet-designed tank has been spotted on U.S. highways heading to the same place.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/t-72-tank-with-possible-tie-to-ukraine-spotted-at-u-s-gas-station
Excerpts:
... a Czech T-72 tank, covered in a tarp on a tractor-trailer, that might be among 90 being refurbished by a Czech company for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
“There are some new photos of it that show this being a special T-72 prototype built by a Czech Company called Excalibur Army,” Clock said. “Excalibur has supplied upgraded T-72B Tanks to Ukraine.”
==
-—> New Views Of Northrop Grumman’s Totally Notional Long-Range Stealth Fighter <——
A series of new ads, which follow a similar one from 2021, give us new looks at Northrop Grumman’s conceptual NGAD-like tactical jet.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/new-views-of-northrop-grummans-totally-notional-long-range-stealth-fighter
Excerpts:
Northrop Grumman has once again incorporated what seems to be its notional Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) crewed platform concept into its latest advertisements. This follows another ad from 2021 that teased the same design, although that ad didn’t offer a wide-angle view of it.
... the new [ cringe-worthy, 15 second ] ad provides a better view of the airframe as a whole. As we stated in our previous piece, the aircraft certainly seems to fit the NGAD bill - being quite large with an assumed premium on range, payload, and low observability (stealth) with no vertical tails.
Top-mounted low-observable air intakes can also be seen. The design also features a very long chine line around the airframe as well as a B-2-like ‘beak’ nose and a single pilot cockpit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWfqUjLdD5Q
How accurate the concept seen in the ad is to what Northrop Grumman has come up with in terms of a crewed NGAD platform design is unknown. Although clearly there would be differences due to the sensitivity of such a design, it’s still interesting to see what they are sticking in even as a placeholder.
It’s also possible that the concept seen in the videos is loosely based on elements of a real-life NGAD demonstrator that has been flying with the Air Force for several years now. However, we still don’t know who built this experimental demonstrator aircraft.
It could belong to Boeing or Lockheed Martin. And just because the demonstrator belonged to any one of these companies does not mean the production version that is now being competed will, as well.
[ Huge Mistake | They Refused to Surrender | New Gains Secured | Ukrainians Conduct a Successful Assault ]
••Day 448: May 17
Today there is a lot of news from the Bakhmut direction.
After Ukrainians conducted a successful unblocking operation in the Kromove region, Ukrainians once again started to actively use the Khromove highway to deliver supplies directly to the city. Such developments put a spoke in the wheel of the Wagner Group as Ukrainian resistance increased.
As you remember, the Head of the Wagner Group, Prigozhin, announced that he would leave Bakhmut on the 10th of May.
The Russian Ministry of Defense pretended to comply with Prigozhin’s demands at first, but on the 9th of May, Prigozhin received a letter from the Ministry saying that if he leaves Bakhmut, he would be immediately tried for treason.
Prigozhin sees that the collapse of the flanks that he predicted is happening and understands that there is a huge risk of being taken into a pocket.
His new plan, therefore, became taking Bakhmut within the coming days, no matter the losses, to declare that his detachments completed the job so that he could formally transfer the responsibility for the region to the airborne forces and escape the cauldron.
That is why in the light of increased resistance due to increased supplies, the Wagner forces switched their focus to the outer edge of the city and devoted significant resources to making sure that the supplies are cut.
The latest confirmed reports indicate that Russians managed to advance and are only 1 street away from the supply road, which means that it cannot be used anymore.
When it comes to the citadel, the main Ukrainian positions are located in the last block of fortifications. Such developments were inevitable because the recent footage shows that Russians have absolutely demolished the main firing positions that had prevented Russians from entering the citadel for weeks.
Several hours ago, Prigozhin reported that his forces will not be able to encircle any Ukrainians and will have to take the rest of Bakhmut through brutal fighting.
He once again took a chance to pillory the Chief of Staff Gerasimov for the collapse of the flanks that ensured that there was no possibility of encirclement and no possibility of starving Ukrainians out.
And today, it was confirmed that Ukrainians collapsed the flanks by several more kilometers. After a short regrouping and consolidation of newly gained tactical positions in the forest, Ukrainians launched multiple attacks in the direction of Klischiivka.
A lot of combat footage was released by many assault detachments of the clearing and storming operations. The 3rd Assault Brigade showed how they used a tank to undermine Russian defense in a tree line and ended up blowing up the enemy ammo depot.
Another video shows how an assault unit was getting ready to storm the proximate Russian positions in a tree line when the commander suspected that Russians unveiled their positions as the first shell seemed to be too accurate.
The immediate reaction saved the whole unit as the next shell blew up their emptied shelter.
A fighter from the 24th Assault Brigade reported that their advances were so successful that they started to have a new problem. Because they penetrated Russian positions so deeply, some Russian forces started shooting at them from the back.
He said that they still decided not to retreat, requested support from the Presidential Brigade that operated in the vicinity, and continued to move forward.
Seeing the relentless movement of Ukrainian forces, many Russian troops tried to abandon their positions and retreat along the tree line. Ironically, according to the soldiers on the ground, this actually increased their losses because almost all of them died from artillery fire, and they had better chances of survival by surrendering and becoming prisoners of war.
However, as reported by a fighter from the Aidar Battalion, during this storming operation, Russians lost more than 80 troops.
Given the current setting, the next logical step is attacking Klischiivka, and many Ukrainian soldiers already reported about the preparation for the storming operation.
The biggest obstacle on the way is an extensive trench network on the hill north of the settlement. But once it is taken, Russians will have to retreat not only from the village in the lowlands but also from the fields back to Opytne.
••Flanking of Bakhmut is slow because UA forces are limited in this area, so to will take a while to complete. Most of the advances today were on the southern flank.
Part of this UA’s mission, other than increasing Russian troops in the area & killing as many as possible, was to increase tensions between the PMC and the RGF.
Denys said the UA is waiting for the “perfect conditions” to launch its offensive.
==
Confirmed: the Patriot system suffered minimal damage during the Russian attack - a launcher had minor damage, as in paint chipped and scratched, a few dents.
==
Russia signed the grain deal with Ukraine, even though there are no benefits for Russia, and it allows Ukraine to sell its grain to use that money to buy weapons; Turkey basically told Russia to will sign, and so they did. Even Turkey can tell Russia what to do. Maybe because everyone knows Russia is a client state of China.
==
The 200k number of Russian dead released by Ukraine is calculated by assuming a certain vehicle has X number of people in it, then dividing by 2. So the number is likely not accurate, however, given the scale and brutality of the war, it may be closer than we think.
Denys estimates that given Ukraine was on the defensive they would lose less troops so he calculates Ukrainian losses at around 65,000.
==
Even though the weather was predicted to be good this week, it is still raining and overcast.
==
Russia spotted using a T-54 tank with a 57mm turret welded onto the tracked base.
==
Turkish 155mm M483A1 cluster shells have arrived and are in use. It releases mini-grenades over a wide area.
==
Odessa suffered air strikes with 2 explosions heard on the ground and many in the air.
==
US budget for 2024 should have a Ukraine aid package of around $60 billion.
==
Russia said that when the US defaults, the $60 billion will be worthless, and Russia na China will be winners
==
Hungry continues to blame Europe an NATO for taking the Ukrainian side in the war. And wants to block all military aid to Ukraine from the European Union. This is because Ukraine put the Hungarian OTP Bank on their list of war sponsors. As long as that lasts, Hungry will block everything.
Hungary officials said that the EU and NATO “became a de facto party to the war in Ukraine” .Prime Minister Orban’s government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs published statement that funding arms supplies to Ukraine through the European Peace Fund marks a departure from the EU’s previous goals.
Like, now the EU countries “directly support one of the parties to the conflict, undermining its preliminary focus on maintaining peace on its territory.”
In addition, Hungary is going to block new EU sanctions against Russia, as well as funds tranches for Ukraine until Ukraine removes the Hungarian OTP Bank from the list of “war sponsors”.
••“English is a dead language,” Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin. Ok… He really needs some medical attention…
==
The counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is the biggest disinformation, “there is no counteroffensive and there cannot be” - another statement of the mustachioed dictator after his illness (Luschenko). Also, Putin’s friend once again called on Russia and Ukraine to sit down at the negotiating table.
==
The next five months will be decisive and the last real chance for Ukraine to change the situation - Financial Times, citing sources in Washington
US officials say the pre-approved funds are enough to support Ukraine for about 5 more months, covering a major counteroffensive planned for the coming weeks. But “if we get to September and Ukraine hasn’t made significant progress, then the international pressure to bring them into negotiations will be huge,” one official said.
Western officials hope that Ukraine’s counter-offensive will bring major gains.
==
F-16 fighters are ready to transfer to Ukraine several European countries, - NYT. But the US is still not allowing F-16 pilot training to begin. So far, European countries can only acquaint them with initial training language and conduct tactical lessons.
But Politico writes that the Pentagon is not against the transfer of F-16s by other countries. And although the decision has not yet been made, the pressure on Biden is growing and, most likely, the United States will take this step.
==
Russian Defense Ministry units withdrew up to 570 meters from positions in the north of Bakhmut near the settlement of, - Prigozhin.
The leader of the terrorist organization PMC “Wagner” also called on Shoigu and Gerasimov “at any cost” to hold the village so that “the flanks do not crumble.” All this was in a respectful manner and without obscenities. It doesn’t look like Prigozhin. Note that the withdrawal of Russian troops from certain settlements is a merit and a great job of our military
==
Rocket “Caliber” landed in the occupied Crimea, - ASTRA. The publication writes that a shepherd found the rocket today at 6:39 near the village of Vulkanovka. The experts who arrived at the scene found out that the missile belonged to the RF Ministry of Defense.
==
More train derailments in Crimea.
Patriot Missiles Won’t Save Ukraine - National Interest - May 9, 2023
Patriot systems are limited to pinpoint defense of major assets and are designed to operate in tandem with air defenses engaging targets at higher and lower altitudes. Without these additions, Patriot will have too many threats to engage and the result will either be porous coverage that doesn’t protect its defended assets, or coverage that quickly subsides when Patriot runs out of interceptors. Moreover, Patriot systems are themselves vulnerable. Operating a Patriot radar system gives away its location, making it an open target for Russian attacks. This means that Patriot is not a one-stop-shop for defending Ukraine’s military assets or its people.
Those facts were proven last night.
War Monitor @WarMonitors - 1:23 UTC · May 16, 2023
⚡️I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but after careful review of this video, it appears that the air defence battery (most likely patriot) tried to save itself, but failed. It most probably got toasted.
Those were expensive two minutes for the 'West':
Fennec_Radar @RadarFennec - 1:45 UTC · May 16, 2023
I counted 30 Patriot PAC-3 MSE launches here.
The FY2024 costs of these per missile is about $$5,275,000
That was $158,250,000 fired in about two minutes. And as we see, the battery or something else likely got blown up. So it failed in its mission.
Most UA troops now out of the city, having moved to encircling positions on the flanks.
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