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Ukraine claims Bakhmut battle is Wagner’s ‘last stand’
The New York Times ^ | March 7, 2023 | Andrew E. Kramer and Anatoly Kurmanaev

Posted on 03/07/2023 7:57:15 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

KYIV, Ukraine — Russia’s Wagner mercenary group has been forced to use more of its professional recruits in Bakhmut to replace its depleted supply of enlisted prisoners, who are perishing by the thousands in the longest battle of the war, a Ukrainian official said on Tuesday.

The claim suggested that Ukraine sees an opportunity, despite the heavy casualties it has suffered in the eastern city, to exhaust Wagner’s nearly suicidal prisoner assaults, which Ukraine’s commanders regard as one of Russia’s most effective tactics.

“This is their last stand,” Col. Serhiy Cherevaty, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s eastern group of forces, told Radio Liberty in an interview, referring to Wagner’s forces in Bakhmut, where Russia and Ukraine’s vicious, monthslong struggle has left thousands of soldiers dead and the city in rubble.

Ukrainian officials have claimed that nearly 30,000 of Wagner’s 50,000 troops have deserted or been killed or wounded, many around Bakhmut. That number could not be independently verified, and Ukraine has not disclosed its own losses in the region. Russia’s defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, claimed on Tuesday that Ukraine had lost more than 11,000 troops in February.

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


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Russia
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To: BobL

love how the turrets of those crappy T-90s fly off when hit

LOL


21 posted on 03/07/2023 8:34:30 PM PST by canuck_conservative (if Russia could just stop attacking its neighbors, we wouldn't need NATO anymore)
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To: kiryandil
Hopefully, there's enough shovels for the Last Wanger Shovel Assault.

You saw that was Alex's clown world yesterday?

The propaganda is getting more and more hysterical. I think it's a sign Ukraine is very close to being finished.

22 posted on 03/07/2023 8:35:12 PM PST by Kazan
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To: canuck_conservative

“love how the turrets of those crappy T-90s fly off when hit”

Yep, the Ukrainian Scuba Divers have the BEST Pea Shooters in the world.


23 posted on 03/07/2023 8:37:30 PM PST by BobL
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To: Kazan
I think it's a sign Ukraine is very close to being finished

so when does that elusive Russian Victory Parade finally happen?

anytime in the next decade? LOL


24 posted on 03/07/2023 8:37:37 PM PST by canuck_conservative (if Russia could just stop attacking its neighbors, we wouldn't need NATO anymore)
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To: Kazan

Why can’t you discuss reality instead of the stuff you make up?

No, Ukraine saying the Wagner group is being depleted is not a sign that “Ukraine is finished”.


25 posted on 03/07/2023 8:54:53 PM PST by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: MinorityRepublican

What in the fresh hell is an “enlisted prisoner”?


26 posted on 03/07/2023 9:01:07 PM PST by montag813
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To: Fido969
I'm so tired of the never ending bullshit coming out of the media. It makes me detest the war more every day. The reporting is as ridiculous as Joke Biden. A sorry ass excuse for a president. Joke Biden and his controllers are fighting to the last Ukrainian to save their money laundering capitol in Kiev. Zelensky better watch his back if the war is lost. His puny ass will be gone and I'm sure our media will blame Putin.
27 posted on 03/07/2023 9:06:46 PM PST by Rdct29 (Democrats are the new Nazi's. They think they deserve total control over the people)
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To: BobL

” the BEST Pea Shooters in the world.”

Made in the USA! (OK, maybe partly from Britain).
But the best!

You should be proud really.


28 posted on 03/07/2023 9:10:02 PM PST by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
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To: Rdct29

The money is Chinese, and WAS Russian too.
But the media does its best to keep that from you.


29 posted on 03/07/2023 9:11:35 PM PST by buwaya (Strategic imperatives )
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To: montag813
What in the fresh hell is an “enlisted prisoner”?

It must be Puking Putin.

30 posted on 03/07/2023 9:16:53 PM PST by TheConservativeTejano (The Business of America is Business>)
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To: montag813

Enlisted into the ranks of Wagner.


31 posted on 03/07/2023 9:21:50 PM PST by ansel12 (NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Here’s the daily body count.

Ukrainian defenders kill 700 more occupiers and destroy 4 tanks
OLHA HLUSHCHENKO — WEDNESDAY, 8 MARCH 2023, 07:55
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/03/8/7392433/


32 posted on 03/07/2023 10:42:40 PM PST by familyop ("For they that sleep with dogs, shall rise with fleas" (John Webster, "The White Devil" 1612).)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Head of Russia’s Wagner group urges reporters to stop prematurely reporting Bakhmut’s takeover

Yevgeny Prigozhin criticizes Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu for comments about ‘almost taking’ city under control

YeniSafak
09:23 . 8/03/2023 Wednesday
AA
https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/head-of-russias-wagner-group-urges-reporters-to-stop-prematurely-reporting-bakhmuts-takeover-3661698

The head of Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group urged journalists Tuesday to stop publishing reports on Russian troops’ seizure of the strategic Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

In a post on Telegram, Yevgeny Prigozhin also told journalists to stop using the word “cleared” (the territory), noting that if “to clear” means “to kill,” than the killing overnight of the 12,000-20,000 troops that by various estimates are fighting in the city is only possible in movies.

According to Prigozhin, his fighters are doing “everything” to take Bakhmut under their control, but “we are still not given ammunition, military equipment, weapons and vehicles.”

“Sapper shovels after almost a month, by the way, were given (to us),” he said.

Commenting on remarks by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, who said Bakhmut has almost been taken, Prigozhin said he has not seen him in the city and does not know why he is saying that.

“Perhaps in order to please the Russian audience. Perhaps to annoy (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy…And we feel Zelenskyy’s anger on us in full,” he said.

According to Prigozhin, “the heaviest battles are going on day and night, but the Ukrainians are not fleeing anywhere.”

“Zelenskyy does not run out of people. More and more thousands are thrown into the ‘meat grinder,’” Prigozhin said, adding the Ukrainian army in contrast to the Wagner group has ammunition and other supplies in abundance.

He claimed that some 11,000 Ukrainian troops died in battles over the past month.

“Attention again! Ukrainians don’t run away anywhere. They die en masse for Bakhmut and surrender only as a last resort. Stop thinking of them as cowards. They are the same as us, and they have the same blood flowing in them,” he added.


33 posted on 03/07/2023 10:50:02 PM PST by familyop ("For they that sleep with dogs, shall rise with fleas" (John Webster, "The White Devil" 1612).)
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To: MinorityRepublican

Russian forces lack mechanised forces to advance beyond Bakhmut – ISW

OLHA HLUSHCHENKO — WEDNESDAY, 8 MARCH 2023, 04:48
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/03/8/7392426/

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has suggested that the Russian forces lack the mechanised forces necessary to advance beyond Bakhmut.

Source: ISW

Details: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on 7 March that the hypothetical Russian capture of Bakhmut would provide Russian forces an “open road” to Kramatorsk, Sloviansk, and other critical settlements in Donetsk Oblast.

However, ISW continues to assess, however, that Russian forces lack the capability to exploit the tactical capture of Bakhmut to generate operational effects, and will likely rapidly culminate following the capture of Bakhmut.

Russian forces additionally likely lack the mechanised forces necessary to advance beyond Bakhmut, and the tactical “assault detachments” used in assaults against the city are likely unable to conduct manoeuvre warfare.

Recent Russian advances within urban areas of Bakhmut demonstrate that Russian forces can secure limited tactical gains with infantry-led frontal assaults.

Additionally, Russian forces likely lack the mechanised forces necessary to exploit the roads (which are likely highly fortified) west of Bakhmut.

We have launched English Twitter! Follow us!

As ISW has previously assessed, Russian forces would have to choose between two diverging lines of advance after capturing Bakhmut.

Russian forces could attempt to push towards Kostiatynivka (about 20 km from Bakhmut) or could push northwest along the E40 highway towards the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk area in northwestern Donetsk Oblast (about 40 km northwest of Bakhmut)

As ISW suggests, degraded Russian forces would likely have to prioritise the pursuit of just one to have any chance of success – though Russian commanders have repeatedly stretched their forces too thin across multiple axes of advance throughout the invasion of Ukraine.

It was noted that Ukrainian forces have also heavily fortified both of these routes, which are supplied by numerous ground lines of communication (GLOCs) running deep into the Ukrainian rear, and any Russian attempt to advance down these roads would likely be “highly costly”.

“Russian forces remain unlikely to secure more than a tactical victory following 10 months of assaults,” the report said.

Key Takeaways from 7 March:

* Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on 7 March that Russian forces will have an “open road” to capture key cities in Donbas.

* Russian forces likely lack the mechanised forces necessary to advance beyond Bakhmut, and the tactical “assault detachments” used in assaults against Bakhmut are likely unable to conduct manoeuvre warfare.

* Russian forces have likely captured the eastern part of Bakhmut following a controlled Ukrainian withdrawal as of 7 March.

* Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu reiterated boilerplate rhetoric seeking to deter further Western military aid to Ukraine.

* Shoigu additionally outlined long-term and likely aspirational efforts to restore and expand the Russian officer corps.

* Russia exchanged 130 Ukrainian prisoners-of-war (POWs) for 90 Russian POWs on 7 March.

* US Air Force General James Hecker confirmed that the US has provided Ukraine with Joint Direct Attack Munition Extended Range (JDAM-ER) kits.

* Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks along the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line.

* Russian forces continued ground attacks along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line.

* A Russian source claimed that Ukrainian forces attempt to conduct operations across the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast.

* Russian federal authorities continue to place the onus of solving mobilisation issues onto Russian regional authorities who then absolve themselves of ongoing Russian command issues.

* Russian occupation authorities continue to import employees from various Russian law enforcement agencies to staff vacancies in occupation administrations.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!


34 posted on 03/07/2023 10:55:04 PM PST by familyop ("For they that sleep with dogs, shall rise with fleas" (John Webster, "The White Devil" 1612).)
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To: kiryandil

Yuck it up, Comrade, but know this:

Bakhmut is below other nearby towns held by the Ukrainians. It’s true that it’s much harder for the Russians to advance if they don’t take Bakhmut; it kinda has to be a first step. But if Bakhmut falls, it becomes no easier for Russia to take the next town.

The Russian tactic has been to throw soon-to-be corpses towards the general area of Ukrainian forces, observe where the Ukrainians kill the zombies, and target those positions. The strategy is to trade fatalities for small advances. And it seems like this is a trade the Ukrainians should be willing to make; The Russians need Bakhmut to advance towards other Ukrainian positions, but the Ukrainians could just as easily dig in in one of those positions. Or continue to trade land for depletion of Russian forces. If the Ukrainians aren’t seeing that it’s in their interest to cede territory, the only explanation is that they’re getting incredible kill ratios. The fact that the Russians are willing to take such losses without any gains means that the Russians are pretty much out of options.

Keep in mind that attrition SHOULD be Russia’s best friend except for what I’ll get to in a minute. They have a massive advantage in the number of potential soldiers. If Russia weren’t so desperate, the logical thing would be to abandon the offensive and let Ukraine try to take the offense. Defenders have a huge advantage, and Ukraine can’t afford to trade fatalities.

But here’s the thing: for all Biden’s tough guy bluster and Congress’s massive appropriations, we haven’t actually given Ukraine much in the way of arms besides some anti-tank weapons and propping up their economy. Russia needs to get on the offensive NOW, and so they’re desperate to establish control over the Donbas. This is why they’re willing to trade bodies for acres. The fact they can’t even get those acres in return says how bad the war is going for Russia.

... If Russia’s main goal is to annex land. I think I’ve actually figured out what Russia is up to, and if I’m correct, Putin is OK with losing this war.


35 posted on 03/07/2023 11:04:27 PM PST by dangus ( )
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To: MinorityRepublican

One of the European manufacturing efforts. There are quite a few others.

Spanish Ammunition Manufacturer FMG Has Fully Loaded the 155-mm Shells Production Line for Ukraine
Defense Express
March 8, 2023
https://en.defence-ua.com/industries/spanish_ammunition_manufacturer_fmg_has_fully_loaded_the_155_mm_shells_production_line_for_ukraine-5983.html


36 posted on 03/07/2023 11:05:25 PM PST by familyop ("For they that sleep with dogs, shall rise with fleas" (John Webster, "The White Devil" 1612).)
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To: dangus
I wish I could get back the the minute I took to read your post.

I'll put you on ignore like the rest of the TeeVee-deceived neoconneds. I see their posts, and I just skim across them. :)

37 posted on 03/07/2023 11:10:33 PM PST by kiryandil (China Joe and Paycheck Hunter - the Chink in America's defenses)
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To: familyop

155mm shells are very good and destructive. Somewhat long range. Our only real answer to superior Soviet Bloc artillery in Nam.

175s are much better with a longer range and larger shell capacity. Wonder if there are any still in service?


38 posted on 03/08/2023 12:33:32 AM PST by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper (Figures )
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To: Fido969

Match made in heaven!


39 posted on 03/08/2023 4:11:27 AM PST by ARW
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper

We used to have the 8-inch gun but did away with it, it was also used in Vietnam.

The M777ER will extend the 155 range.


40 posted on 03/08/2023 5:56:31 AM PST by ansel12 (NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.)
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