Ukrainian Artillery losses Running Total: 374
RuZZian Tank losses Running Total: 2329
September 2023 – 56
August 2023 – 86
July 2023 – 113
June 2023 – 73
May 2023 – 90
April 2023 – 5
March 2023 - 127
February 2023 – 118
January 2023 – 61
December 2022 – 76
November 2022 – 105
October 2022 – 212
September 2022 - 217
August 2022 – 74
July 2022 – 108
June 2022 – 67
May 2022 – 148
April 2022 – 243
Feb 24 - March 2022 – 350
RuZZian Artillery losses Running Total: 826
September 2023 – 27
August 2023 – 67
July 2023 – 56
June 2023 – 47
May 2023 – 43
April 2023 - 24
March 2023 - 37
February 2023 – 41
January 2023 – 31
December 2022 – 19
November 2022 – 55
October 2022 – 64
September 2022 - 73
August 2022 – 21
July 2022 – 21
June 2022 – 18
May 2022 – 20
April 2022 – 52
Feb 24 - March 2022 – 110
Previous day’s thread: https://freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/4180187/posts
Calling someone a RuZZian on FR is considered an insult.
Calling someone a Comrade on FR is considered an insult.
Summarizing this war:
A tragedy for Ukraine.
A disaster for RuZZia.
A strategic win for the USA. The biggest winner of the war.
“More than three decades after Reagan left office, most Republicans still believe that America is a force for good.”
Dance, sing and be happy!
Update on the conflict in Ukraine for September 18, 2023
- Ukrainian offensive operations remain stagnant along the line of contact with Russian counterattacks overturning what superficial progress they do make;
- The Western media citing US and other NATO member state officials admits Ukrainian forces lacked the proper training to conduct a successful offensive;
- As Western sources begin admitting to Ukraine's catastrophic losses in men and materiel, they also admit Russian losses are near all time lows;
- The collective West also acknowledges that the amount of ammunition and weapons Ukraine requires is beyond the West’s ability to provide both in the short and intermediate future;
- In order to provide such levels of material support, the West would need to significantly mobilize its population, industry, and military, a prospect that isn’t even being seriously considered let alone planned;
ISW, 19 September:
“Russian losses have reportedly significantly increased in western Zaporizhia Oblast in recent days, and the Russian military likely struggles with a lack of available combat-effective units that the Russian command is willing to laterally redeploy to this sector of the front.”
It appears that their Strategic Reserve forces (VDV) have significantly been processed through the wood chipper.
ISW, 19 September:
“A Latvian company has reportedly been exporting chips and microcircuits to Russian defense industrial base (DIB) companies despite international sanctions designed to prevent Russia from importing such components.
Russian opposition outlet the Insider reported on September 19 that the Latvian company Lesta-M has been a key importer of microelectronics to Russia since the start of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine.”
Busted.
OilPrice.com reports:
“European gas prices could be significantly lower than forecast for next summer, according to Wood Mackenzie, which cited lower demand from power plants and sufficient gas in storage.
According to Wood Mackenzie, Europe is in a good position with gas in storage heading into the 2023/2024 winter—more than is typical for this time of year.
These high inventories are now mingling with lower demand for gas from power generation as nuclear power rises and inflationary-induced economic hardships crimp industrial and household consumption.”
Super Poland continues to take shape, as has been Russia withers away.
“The U.S. State Department announced its approval for a potential Foreign Military Sale to Poland, encompassing an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) and associated equipment.
The estimated cost for this system is $4.0 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) formally informed Congress of this potential sale on September 11, 2023.
According to the release, “The Government of Poland has requested to buy phase two of a two-phase program for an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) enabled PATRIOT Configuration-3+ with modernized sensors and components.””
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/poland-to-spend-4bn-on-us-missile-command-system/
Shifting sands of the Middle East.
Reuters reports:
“Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met for the first time in person on Tuesday, a milestone as two countries have been slowly improving ties...
The leaders, who held talks during the annual high-level United Nations General Assembly, agreed to visit each others’ countries soon, a statement from Netanyahu’s office said.
Israel’s top-rated Channel 12 TV said Erdogan may seek to mark the 100th anniversary of the Turkish republic next month with a pilgrimage to a major Jerusalem mosque...
Relations between the former allies crashed after Israel’s forces killed 10 Turks in a 2010 raid on a pro-Palestinian activist ship that tried to breach its blockade on the Gaza Strip...
A visit to Turkey by Israeli President Isaac Herzog in March 2022, followed by visits by both foreign ministers, helped the thaw.
Erdogan and Netanyahu discussed political, economic and regional topics as well as the Israeli-Palestinian issue, the Turkish Presidency said in a post on social media platform X.
Erdogan told Netanyahu that the two countries can cooperate on energy, technology, innovation, artificial intelligence as well as cyber security, the presidency said.
Energy has emerged as a main area for potential cooperation.
“In the meeting, opportunities for energy cooperation primarily in areas like natural gas exploration, production and trade were discussed,” said Turkey’s Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, who participated.
Turkey began a charm offensive in 2020 to repair ties with estranged rivals, making overtures to Egypt, the UAE and Saudi Arabia as well as Israel.”
Denmark’s First F-35s arrive
By George Allison - September 19, 2023
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/denmarks-first-f-35s-arrive/
“Denmark’s first four locally-based F-35A fighter aircraft landed on home soil at the Royal Danish Air Force’s Fighter Wing Skrydstrup...
...Denmark’s program of record calls for 27 F-35A aircraft, which will be flown and maintained by the Royal Danish Air Force.
Denmark has received 10 aircraft to date, with six of these aircraft remaining at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, to support international cooperative F-35 training operations.
With the addition of Skrydstrup Air Base, F-35s are now operating from 31 bases worldwide, safeguarding the skies for allies around the globe.”
Russian peacekeepers killed in Karabakh. Report is a little confusing, mixing “shelling” and “small arms fire”. If it was small arms, it very well could be Armenian separatists, as they are very angry at Russia for “betraying” them. Twitter rumors say 8-10 dead.
https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-reports-peacekeepers-killed-nagorno-karabakh-crisis/
“”In a statement released by the Ministry of Defense, officials said that the patrol was hit near the village of Dzhanyatag. “A car with Russian servicemen came under small arms fire. As a result of the shelling, the Russian servicemen in the vehicle were killed,” the message reads. The number of dead was not disclosed.””
OilPrice.Com: “The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday decided to hold interest rates steady for September, indicating next year may see fewer rate cuts that analysts had earlier anticipated.
Still, amid inflation that remains elevated despite a fairly strong economy, the Fed has signaled there may be another rate hike later this year. Wednesday decision means the benchmark short-term interest rate will remain at 5.25% to 5.5%, a 22-year high.
This is only the second time since March 2022 that the Fed meetings have concluded without another rate hike...
...Economic data reports continue to show a slowing economy. ... If there is one thing that could potentially persuade the Fed to raise rates later this year, it’s oil (inflation)...
...Last week’s 3.7% jump in the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) was largely accounted for by a spike in gasoline prices, with CPI data overall (core inflation, excluding volatile food and energy) showing a decrease in inflation.”
ATACMS?
CNBC: “U.S. President Joe Biden plans to announce a significant military aid package for Ukraine on Thursday to coincide with a visit to Washington by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a U.S. official said on Wednesday on condition of anonymity.
— Reuters”
Reports of 3 Russians ships on fire in Sevastopol.
“Ukraine’s military announced on Wednesday (20 Sep) they were successful in a morning attack on the command post of the Russian Black Sea Fleet near Sevastopol in Crimea.”
“Russian generals designated this base as their reserve command post so that they would not be reached at their main location.
According to our interlocutor, the strike was carried out after the SBU verified data on the presence of enemy fleet commanders on the territory of this military unit.
“Now not only the enemy’s manpower has been affected, but also the expensive military systems that were located at this base. The “bavona season” in Crimea will continue,” the SBU promised.”