Posted on 02/14/2023 6:19:10 AM PST by Salohcin
An elite Russian naval infantry unit made up of mostly mobilized troops has lost nearly all its troops in fighting near the eastern Ukrainian town of Vuhledar, Russian media reported Monday, citing one of the survivors.
The 5,000-strong 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade has been “nearly destroyed” after up to 300 marines per day were killed in Russia's assault on the coal-mining town, according to comments by the Ukrainian defense forces to Politico on Sunday.
A surviving marine who spoke with the 7x7 regional news site said the losses were so severe that only eight men remained in one landing assault company, while the other survivors were taken prisoner.
“Those who survived were said to be deserters,” the unnamed marine was quoted as saying, estimating the brigade’s losses at 500 or more men killed.
Citing his commander, the marine told 7x7 that the brigade — nearly 90% of whom were recently mobilized soldiers — did not expect to return to Russia alive or unscathed.
“I wish I had been taken prisoner and never returned,” he added, complaining about the officers’ treatment of their soldiers.
The assault began on Jan. 23, the surviving marine told 7x7.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed that its forces had “neutralized” Ukrainian soldiers and military hardware near Vuhledar last week.
That claim drew ridicule from Russian pro-war military bloggers for repeating the mistakes of past failed offensives and dented their belief in the military’s capacity to mount a widely reported large-scale offensive.
The Russian Pacific Fleet’s 155th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade made headlines in November after accusing its commander of causing massive losses in an assault near the eastern city of Donetsk.
Russia’s Defense Ministry issued a rare statement at the time denying the unit’s claims. The surviving marine told 7x7 on Monday that the brigade commander gave them a “strict reprimand” for airing its accusations in public.
The 155th brigade had to undergo three waves of restaffing after suffering defeats in Ukraine, Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskiy, the spokesman for the regional chapter of Ukraine’s defense forces, told Politico.
The marine who described the assault on Vuhledar to 7x7 said his command was “bringing in new” soldiers, many of whom are killed on the battlefield.
“Where are all the war correspondents...”
Well, there were some in the early part of the war, during the battle for Kiev. But one Western media team was being shot at by both the Russians and the Ukrainians. After that I don’t think Western media wanted to volunteer for that assignment anymore.
Good summary above. This war is tragic and the people of the Ukraine AND Russia have about as much control over this mess as you and I do about the mess and humanitarian disaster on our southwest border.
A lesser tragedy about this conflict is the lack of meaningful discussion here and elsewhere. Too many people picked a side and they behave as if they will decide the war by how nasty they are to one another on a chat board.
Regardless of how this ends and who achieves the inevitable Pyrrhic victory, all sides (including the US/Europe) have lost. I wish more people would recognize this fact and see the bigger picture - Eastern Europe will be destabilized for a generation or more with more wars to come.
Who said that, the TV?
Which side has all their own equipment, and which side is getting billions upon billions of dollars worth of equipment? The Russian navy could destroy the ports, then what? They could destroy rail lines into Ukraine, then what? A Ukraine airlift? Russia can get everything it needs to the front relatively easy, while everything for Ukraine is in danger.
You neo isolationists just can’t grasp the concept that Russia has committed and is committing hideous war crimes against the people of Ukraine.
By supporting the Russian aggression, you, that is you, are aiding and abetting war criminals. Aiding and abetting is criminal
Annnd there it is, if you don’t support the correct side, you should be executed. You know, put to death with a summary trial?
What happened to the + bert. You have a similar name, and the same jumbled thought process.
I believe nothing, except I want Biden, the West and Babylon, which is a system, destroyed. Humbled in fact. It would be the first step in repairing our relationship to truth, and to Almighty God.
Tell me that WE do not deserve this. Like Sodom, whatever it takes to turn the hearts of people back to Our Creator. In the grand scheme of things, the 1940’s US would be invading us today to free us from tyrants.
SPOT ON.
Russia exports crude oil to India and China. India and China export refined petroleum products to the US and EU.
The US and EU still fund the Russian war machine.
https://tradingeconomics.com/india/exports-of-petrol
https://tradingeconomics.com/china/exports-of-refined-petroleum-oil-value
fortunately, those exports to China and India are (a) only a fraction of what Russia lost in Europe, and (b) sold at a steep discount anyway
so Russia has, overall, lost a lot of revenue (about 30%?) with the European cutoff
estimating the brigade’s losses at 500 or more men killed.
Out of 5,000 that’s hardly “nearly Destroyed”. No longer an effective military force, yes, but not destroyed. Just gimme some truth, man.
Meanwhile European energy subsidies, which are shielding businesses and citizens from the increased costs of the Russian energy boycott is now at $800 billion Euros. Germany hit hardest at 270 billion.
So increasing the cost of European energy and lowering the cost of China’s is a good thing?
This is a very important war. Where are all the war correspondents, news teams, reporters on the ground with up to the minute breaking news?
They’re all in hotel bars in Kyiv. They get their info from press releases and local stringers.
By supporting the Russian aggression, you, that is you, are aiding and abetting war criminals. Aiding and abetting is criminal
This is a vile smear worthy of DU.
That is the absolute truth.
.
The only ethnic Russian province in Ukraine is Crimea. All of the rest, including Luhansk and Donetsk, have ethnic Ukrainian majorities.
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