Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

As Ukrainian forces recaptured a key town, another elite Russian unit appears to have gone through 'the meat grinder'
MSN ^ | dec 1

Posted on 12/01/2022 9:28:05 AM PST by dennisw

Russian troops in Lyman and those who retreated took heavy losses, including an elite GRU unit.

The town of Lyman quickly became the center of attention as Ukrainian forces partially surrounded it in the final days of September, trapping a large Russian garrison in there.

Lyman is a key logistical node commanding an important road over the Siverskyy Donets River in Ukraine's Donetsk region. Its loss compounded Russian setbacks in the final weeks of summer and stoked further anger among pro-war commentators in Russia.

British military intelligence assessed after the battle that the Russian force defending Lyman was a hodgepodge of mobilized reservists and depleted units of professional troops.

The Ukrainians offered the considerable number of Russian troops trapped in Lyman an opportunity to surrender. The Russians opted to retreat under cover of darkness but suffered heavy casualties from Ukrainian ambushes and long-range strikes.

As September rolled around, everyone expected the Ukrainian military to launch a major attack against Kherson in the south.

For weeks, Ukrainian forces had been using US-supplied M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems to launch long-range precision strikes on Russian supply lines and communications networks in southeastern Ukraine.

However, the Ukrainians surprised the Russians and the world by launching a fast-paced counteroffensive in the east around Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. In just a few days, Ukrainian forces liberated hundreds of square miles of territory and scores of villages.

The fact that the Russian high command had decided to mass considerable forces in the south to defend Kherson, which Moscow ended up retreating from in November, aided Kyiv's counteroffensive, which sliced through Russian lines like a hot knife through butter and repeatedly flanked large Russian formations — including at a major logistical hub in far eastern Ukraine.

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 100000deadukrainians; ahundredthousanddead; deadukieseverywhere; ursulavonderleyen

1 posted on 12/01/2022 9:28:05 AM PST by dennisw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: dennisw
https://sonar21.com/has-ukraines-army-been-reduced-by-almost-50/

I do not believe that von der Leyen misspoke nor did she fabricate the number. If it really was an error of fact all she had to do was issue a statement to that effect, e.g., “Mea culpa, I meant to say 10,000 not 100,000”. She did not do that. She pretended she never said what she said.

If the 100,000 dead number is true, then that means Ukraine’s total casualties — i.e., killed and wounded — is approximately 400,000. In other words, Ukraine has suffered almost 40% casualties since the start of the fighting. During the 20th Century, this type of modern warfare normally saw 3 wounded soldiers for every man killed. Using that ratio we get the 400,000 number for total casualties.

###

As I have discussed previously, Russia’s current military leadership is not following the tactics Soviet generals employed in WW II (i.e., mass troop assaults). Russia primarily has relied on massive artillery and rocket/missile strikes before launching a ground offensive. The Russian rate of artillery fire is unlike anything we’ve seen in history. More importantly, the accuracy of the artillery is enhanced by the use of drones and satellites to adjust fires, with updated coordinates relayed in real time to the artillery units.

Another factor contributing to Ukraine’s horrendous casualties is its lack of air power and effective air defense systems to counter Russian batteries. If Ukrainian troops try to attack a Russian fixed position, their movement by foot or vehicle is unprotected and vulnerable to Russian artillery or combat air.

It appears that some Western analysts who previously pooh-poohed the Russian tactics, are finally beginning to realize that Russia is serious about de-militarizing Ukraine via methodical, grinding tactics. There will come a point when Ukraine runs out of men and cannot field a combat effective force. It appears that day is approaching.

2 posted on 12/01/2022 9:28:15 AM PST by Kazan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dennisw

Who is fighting for the important reason?


3 posted on 12/01/2022 9:31:47 AM PST by Don Corleone (leave the gun, take the canolis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dennisw
Anticipating collapse of the #Kiev regime...
4 posted on 12/01/2022 9:35:44 AM PST by cranked
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dennisw
British military intelligence assessed...
5 posted on 12/01/2022 9:44:19 AM PST by McGruff (Don't underestimate Joe's ability to f*** things up - Barack Obama)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cranked

Make Lviv Polish Again


6 posted on 12/01/2022 10:06:17 AM PST by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Kazan
I do not believe that von der Leyen misspoke nor did she fabricate the number

I do


7 posted on 12/01/2022 10:19:54 AM PST by canuck_conservative
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: canuck_conservative

“I do not believe that von der Leyen misspoke nor did she fabricate the number”

“I do”

Of course you do, that was a given.

Idiocy comes in all flavors and sizes but largely comes from a daily and steady consumption of the Western/UK/US/EU/NATO propaganda ridden media who could not produce any amount of ‘truth’ or ‘facts’ concerning the Ukraine-Russia war/conflict if their frakin’ lives depended upon doing so....

Keep swallowing it on your knee pads tho.

‘Vladimir Putin’s war threats are why aliens haven’t made first contact, expert claims’
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/vladimir-putins-war-threats-aliens-26017787

I D I O C Y !


8 posted on 12/01/2022 11:43:59 AM PST by cranked
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: cranked
The Ukies have Bat Boy fighting for them.


9 posted on 12/01/2022 11:55:26 AM PST by kiryandil (put yer vote in the box, chump. HARHARHARHAR)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: dennisw




a family of ukes toast the biden crime administration for winning the war


10 posted on 12/01/2022 1:04:25 PM PST by 867V309 (Lock Her Up)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson