#1
About as good as the Germans at Kursk? Give the Russians credit for in depth defenses. Time for both sides to sit back and reevaluate offensive combat doctrine and skill sets.
#2
#1 About as good as the Germans at Kursk? Give the Russians credit for in depth defenses. Time for both sides to sit back and reevaluate offensive combat doctrine and skill sets
In an environment of spinning knives>
The best doctrine in that case is to sue for peace and a settlement.
Isn't it nice of Ukrainians to volunteer as lab rats for the Brits? Well, of course, for the Americans too. And you can bet those devilish old Ruskies will be quick to learn their lessons as well. Fun and games for everyone for years to come.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
07/19/2023 12:17 Comments ||
Top||
#5
Isn't it nice of Ukrainians to volunteer as lab rats for the Brits?
Unlike the Spanish Civil War the Brits seem to be paying attention this time...
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Russia has upped the maximum age for its soldiers by up to ten years as it readies another 100,000 men for a new battle in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin is building a new force of soldiers to attack the area around Kupyansk in the northern sector of the frontline in Ukraine, military chiefs in Kyiv believe.
Under a recently approved law, reservists with the highest rank can be called back into service up to the age of 70, instead of the former age of 65.
Men who have also completed their compulsory service can re-enter the army up to the age of 55 rather than 45.
It comes after hundreds of thousands of men fled the country in September when Putin ordered mobilisation without warning.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[LB] In the Mariinsky direction, the Defense Forces continue to hold back the Russian advance.
by Yuriy Korogodskyi
The enemy continues to focus its main efforts on the Kupyansk, Lymansk, Bakhmutsk, Avdiivsk and Marinsk directions, heavy battles continue. During the day, 18 combat clashes took place.
This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On the Volyn and Poliske directions, the operational situation has not changed significantly. There were no signs of the formation of hostile offensive groups. Certain units of the Armed Forces of Belarus perform tasks in the areas bordering Ukraine.
The enemy maintains a military presence in the Siverskyi and Slobozhanskyi directions . He carried out mortar and artillery shelling of more than 20 settlements, in particular, Seredyna-Buda, Iskryskivshchyna, Stepne of the Sumy region and Hlyboke, Vovchanski Khutory, Volokhivka of the Kharkiv region were affected.
In the direction of Kupyan, our soldiers are firmly holding the defense. The enemy carried out an airstrike in the Kislivka area, and Novomlynsk, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Petropavlivka, Golubivka and Kupyansk of the Kharkiv region were subjected to artillery and mortar attacks by the occupiers.
In the Lyman direction, the enemy launched airstrikes in the areas of Bilogorivka in the Luhansk region and Spirny and Siversk in the Donetsk region. The settlements of Nevske, Bilogorivka of Luhansk region and Torske, Verkhnyokamianske, Berestov, Rozdolivka of Donetsk region were hit by artillery shelling.
In the Bakhmut direction, under heavy fire from the enemy's aircraft and artillery, our defenders successfully repelled enemy attacks in the Bohdanivka area of the Donetsk region. The enemy carried out airstrikes near Kurdyumivka, Ozaryanivka, Druzhba, Bila Hora and Oleksandro-Shultyny in the Donetsk region. More than 10 settlements, including Vasyukivka, Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Chasiv Yar, and Markov in the Donetsk region, were affected by enemy artillery shelling.
In the Avdiivka direction, the enemy launched an air strike in the Avdiivka area. At the same time, the enemy fired artillery at more than 10 settlements, including Avdiivka, Vodyane, Pervomaiske, Orlivka, and Berdychi of the Donetsk region.
In the Mariinsky direction, the Defense Forces continue to hold back the advance of Russian troops in the Maryinka and Krasnohorivka districts of the Donetsk region. The enemy shelled more than 10 settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, Georgiivka, and Maksimilianivka.
On the Shakhtarsky direction, in the areas of Rivopol of the Donetsk region and Novodarivka of the Zaporizhia region, the enemy made unsuccessful attempts to restore the lost position. He carried out airstrikes in the areas of Velika Novosilka, Makarivka, and Rivopol, Donetsk region. He shelled more than 10 settlements, including Vugledar, Storozheve and Blagodatne in the Donetsk region.
In the Zaporizhia and Kherson directions, the enemy is concentrating its main efforts on preventing the further advance of our troops. He carried out an airstrike in the districts of Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, Orikhov and Pyatikhatok of the Zaporizhzhia region. Conducted artillery shelling of more than 20 settlements, including Vilne Pole, Vremivka of the Donetsk region; Zaliznychne, Lobkovo, Kamianske of the Zaporizhzhia region; Synelnikovo and Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region; Burgunka, Sadov, Berehove, Rozhlyv of the Kherson region and the city of Kherson, as well as Ochakiv in the Mykolaiv region.
At the same time, the Defense Forces of Ukraine continue to conduct an offensive operation in the Melitopol and Berdyansk directions, are entrenched at the reached boundaries, inflict fire damage from artillery, and carry out counter-battery countermeasures.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] 23:11 Zelensky signed a law on the demobilization of the military, whose close relatives died or went missing during martial law.
23:05 Zelensky said that he had held "an important meeting on the spiritual independence of Ukraine, our next steps to protect the rights and legitimate interests of Ukrainian citizens in the field of religious relations. There will be news soon."
22:48 Zelensky said in an evening video message that options for actions and agreements were worked out at the meeting of the Headquarters "in order to preserve both the Ukrainian global role of the guarantor of food security, and our maritime access to the world market, and jobs for Ukrainians in ports and agrarian industry".
21:36 The Ukrainian counter-offensive is “far from failure”, although it is going slower than expected, Mark Milley, head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said: “The counter-offensive began about five to six weeks ago, and the various war games that were held in advance assumed certain progress levels and it's slowed down because that's the difference between a war on paper and a real war.These are real people in real vehicles who really clear real minefields and they really die.So when that happens the units tend to slow down and that's right to survive and get through these minefields." Milli added that Ukraine has "a significant amount of combat power that is not yet deployed."
21:31 Zelensky said that he had met in Kiev with the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, Akihiko Tanaka: "We have a special interest in attracting Japan to establish the production of mine-clearing equipment, develop a network of rehabilitation centers for veterans and the military, as well as the production of energy equipment".
21:28 Kuleba said during a debate at a meeting of the UN General Assembly that countries calling for immediate peace with Russia want to give the Ukrainian territories it has captured to the Russian Federation: "After resisting Russian full-scale aggression for more than a year and a half, my 40 million people can respond to all these offers only one thing: no!"
The minister is also convinced that everyone who proposes to stop supporting Ukraine is simply striving to leave the country defenseless against the Russian army in order to "continue business with the Russian Federation faster."
21:22 The next meeting of the Contact Group on Defense Issues of Ukraine was held online. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that the allies will not stop until Ukraine receives the weapons and ammunition it needs. About what the new Ramstein will give - in the material The key moment of the war .
21:07 The "authorities" of the occupied Tokmak, Zaporozhye region, announced that the city was shelled - six missiles were allegedly fired, four of which shot down the air defense, and two "hit the TV tower."
20:43 The international coalition has prepared 17 brigade combat groups - more than 63,000 military - for the current counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said Mark Milley, head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
20:21 In the Liman-Kupyansk direction, the Russian army has concentrated significant forces and launched offensive operations from Saturday. About what is happening there now - in the material of the Russian Federation went on the offensive against Kupyansk .
19:38 The EU-Latin America summit failed to agree on a final statement due to disagreements over Ukraine, said the head of the European Council, Charles Michel. The European Union wanted to condemn the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine in the document and demand a "complete and unconditional withdrawal of troops," but the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean opposed it, proposing to "express concern."
19:36 The Armed Forces of Ukraine seized the initiative in the Kupyansk direction , the enemy’s offensive is currently unsuccessful, but the fighting continues, said Anna Malyar, Deputy Defense Minister. On the southern phalanx around Bakhmut today, like all previous days, there was an advance of Ukrainian troops. There were battles on the northern flank, the enemy is trying to regain lost positions.
19:30 South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that if Putin is arrested on an ICC warrant, his country is threatened with war with Russia. According to Ramaphosa, the Kremlin made it clear that the arrest of the Russian president during a visit to South Africa for the BRICS summit would be taken as a declaration of war. "It would be incompatible with our Constitution to risk going to war with Russia. I have constitutional obligations to protect the national sovereignty, peace and security of the republic," Ramaphosa said. He also believes that "at the moment there are no legal grounds for the arrest and extradition of President Putin."
19:23 Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer supported the "peace initiative" of Brazilian President Lula da Silva, according to which it is proposed to form a group of countries ready to negotiate a ceasefire and become mediators between Ukraine and Russia.
19:18 The United States will allocate $250 million to Ukraine to support agriculture after Russia withdraws from the grain deal, USAID head Samantha Power said during a visit to Odessa. The funds will be used to develop agricultural infrastructure and expand other export routes.
19:11 The fifth column of Wagner PMC mercenaries has already been spotted in Belarus. According to the Belaruska Gayun monitoring group, there are already at least 2,000 militants in the country. Only today, the arrival of two columns of 170-185 vehicles was recorded.
19:05 Saudi Arabia and Turkey are negotiating the return of Ukrainian children from Russia, the Financial Times writes, citing sources. According to them, negotiations have been going on for several months, and Russian businessman Roman Abramovich is also participating in them.
18:37 Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg will hand over M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine within a few months, the three countries said in a joint statement. The number of cars was not disclosed.
18:12 The United States will announce a new $1.3 billion military aid package to Ukraine in the coming days, Reuters reports. According to sources of the publication, the package will include, in particular, VAMPIRE anti-aircraft systems manufactured by L3Harris Technologies.
17:51 Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that his country supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine: "As for Ukraine, we believe in the territorial integrity of every country, including Ukraine, which should be a priority of all countries on the basis of international law. And, of course, we continue to push for an end to the war through political dialogue."
17:29 The UN has confirmed civilian casualties since February 24, 2022 in the amount of 25,671 Ukrainians - including 9,287 dead. The organization emphasizes that the real number of victims is much higher.
17:10 The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a pilot project to start the restoration of the Kakhovskaya HPP. The project is designed for two years: at the first stage, all engineering structures will be designed, the necessary base for restoration will be prepared, and the second stage will begin after the de-occupation of the territories where the HPP is located - it provides for construction work.
16:48 The Russians fired on the village of Dvurechnaya, Kupyansky district, Kharkiv region: one person was killed, another was wounded, the OVA reported.
16:15 The 14th meeting in the Ramstein format has begun, it is taking place online, the Pentagon said. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin assured in his opening speech that the Contact Group members will continue "to provide training, equipment and support to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in order to build capable and professional Ukrainian troops that can defend themselves now and deter aggression in the future."
15:44 The European Parliament called on the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Lukashenka in connection with Belarus' involvement in the deportation of Ukrainian children. In addition, MEPs believe that the EU Council should expand the list of Belarusian and Russian persons subject to EU sanctions, in particular, those involved in the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.
15:29 Yermak showed a photo of the engine carburetor of the Iranian Shahed drone, which attacked Nikolaev at night. It says "Made in Ireland" on it. The head of the OP insists on the introduction of new sanctions restrictions, as well as on effective implementation and control.
14:47 Peskov said that night strikes on port infrastructure facilities in Odessa are "retaliation strikes for the Crimean bridge."
14:32 American cluster munitions will be ready for use within a few days, Syrsky said in an interview with the BBC. He did not specify where and when they would be used, but the journalists of the publication reported that they saw American M777 howitzers in positions around Bakhmut, which would fire cluster shells. About Bakhmut, Syrsky said that it was a matter of honor to return the city: "We lost many of our brothers there, we simply have to recapture it."
14:18 In Melitopol, the Russians take an average of ten people prisoner every day, the mayor of the city Ivan Fedorov said. According to him, the enemy is changing the tactics of terror: before, searches were mainly carried out early in the morning, but now they come at night, wake up everyone in a multi-storey building, so that residents are afraid. Then they defiantly take the man out with a bag over his head, put him in a car and take him away. Also, many are taken away at checkpoints during the day.
13:55 Zelensky said that he had held a meeting of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the main issue is sea grain exports and port security. They also heard reports on the fight against enemy drones, on the plans of the enemy, on the situation on the battlefield and the dynamics of the supply of shells.
13:43 It is "practically impossible" to achieve quick results during the offensive, Alexander Syrsky, commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said in an interview with the Air Force: "Our advance is really not going as fast as we would like. We would like to achieve very quick results. But in reality it's practically impossible." He explains this by the dense mine coverage of the territories and the large number of Russian strongholds.
At the same time, the general emphasized that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have an advantage: "I believe that the unity of our military leadership and the trust of soldiers in each other is the strength of our army."
13:16 The Pentagon and the US government have been sending millions of secret emails to the West African state of Mali for a decade. The media claim that the US Department of Defense received warnings about this, but did nothing to stop the leak of information to a Russian ally. More details in the material Funny story .
13:11 The fourth convoy of Wagner PMCs has already arrived in Belarus, consisting of more than 80 vehicles of various modifications on LDNR license plates. The monitoring group of Belarus Gayun reports that as of the morning of July 18, there were about 600-700 Wagner mercenaries on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
13:08 The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation called today's attack on the Odessa and Nikolaev regions "a retaliation strike".
12:32 Peskov said that the zone for the implementation of the grain deal is allegedly used by Ukraine "for military purposes." He also called "unscrupulous" the position of the European states, "failed to fulfill their obligations under the grain deal." Speaking about the prospect of a grain deal without Russia's participation, the Kremlin speaker spoke of "security risks." At the same time, he added that the termination of the grain deal "is not the fault of the UN Secretary General, we highly appreciate his efforts."
Peskov also said that proposals for Putin on "a response to the attack on the Crimean bridge and measures to improve its security are still being developed."
12:28 Belarus kidnaps thousands of Ukrainian children, writes The Telegraph. According to the publication, since September 2022, about 2,150 Ukrainian children over the age of six have been taken to Belarus. Children are placed in sanatoriums and camps in the Minsk and Gomel regions, where forced "re-education" is carried out.
12:11 The European Court of Human Rights denied Russia's claim against Ukraine. It was the only interstate complaint against Kyiv, the Ukrainian Justice Ministry said. Russia filed a lawsuit in July 2021. It contained ten charges, including responsibility for the downing of the MH17 plane, because Ukraine "did not close the airspace."
12:02 The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation claims that during the night strike on the Odessa and Nikolaev regions, it was allegedly attacked not ports, but "objects where terrorist attacks against Russia were being prepared using unmanned boats, as well as places of their manufacture in the Odessa region." And in the area of Nikolaev, "fuel infrastructure facilities that provide the Armed Forces of Ukraine with fuel" were allegedly destroyed.
11:07 The Ukrainian military have an advantage in the battles for Staromayorskoye in the Donetsk region, said the speaker of the joint press center of the Defense Forces of the Tauride direction Valery Shershen. He added that heavy fighting is underway for the settlement.
11:02 The number of victims of yesterday's Russian shelling of Belopolye, Sumy region, has risen to three - one of the wounded died in the hospital, Mayor Yuri Zarko said.
10:56 Spokesman for the Eastern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Sergey Cherevaty specified that the accumulation of 100,000 Russian soldiers in the Kupyansk direction is nothing new: "The Defense Forces have not made any progress for many months in a row and have been hitting them powerfully. That is, this is 100 thousand did not appear yesterday.
According to him, although the Russian grouping is large, it is not well-prepared and motivated. And the more than 900 tanks that Russian forces have pulled up to the Liman-Kupyansk direction are old Soviet equipment, while the latest models are much less common on the battlefield than at the beginning of the invasion.
10:23 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned Russia's decision to stop participating in the grain initiative: "I condemn Russia's unilateral decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, despite the efforts of our ally Turkey and the UN. Russia's illegal war against Ukraine continues to harm millions of vulnerable people."
09:48 In the Voronezh region, the bodies of two Wagner PMC mercenaries were found, who were shot for refusing to participate in Prigozhin's rebellion, the Baza telegram channel writes. According to him, the bodies were found on July 6, and on July 17, a suspect in the murder, a 25-year-old Wagner mercenary, a native of Kyrgyzstan, was detained. During interrogation, he said that the men were killed on June 24 for refusing to participate in the rebellion.
09:35 Yermak said that the Russian night attack on Odessa and Nikolaev is another proof that the Russian Federation wants to endanger the lives of 400 million people in different countries dependent on Ukrainian food exports.
09:32 In the Donetsk region over the past day, as a result of Russian shelling, three people were killed (in Stepanovka, Makarovka and Stepnoy), four more were injured. In the Zaporozhye region, as a result of an air strike on a residential area of Orekhov, one person was killed, five more were injured. There are three wounded in the Kherson region, two in the Kharkiv region, according to the OVA.
09:20 The Air Force Command clarified that 38 air targets were destroyed during the night. Russia attacked from the south with six Caliber cruise missiles and 36 Shahed attack drones. Caliber launches were made, probably, from the Russian frigate Admiral Essen, drones - from the area of the Chauda training ground (Crimea). All six Calibers, 31 Shahed-136/131 attack drones and one reconnaissance UAV were destroyed by the forces and means of the Air Force.
Caliber cruise missiles and the vast majority of kamikaze drones were destroyed in the south - in the Odessa and Nikolaev regions, the rest of the strike UAVs were hit in the Donetsk, Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk regions.
09:14 Ukrainian troops are successfully advancing in the South in the directions of Malaya Tokmachka - Novopokrovka and Bolshaya Novoselka - Harvest, said the speaker of the General Staff Andriy Kovalev. In the Bakhmut direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue offensive operations north and south of the city of Bakhmut. The enemy puts up a powerful resistance, there are heavy battles.
08:59 White House National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby said that now grain from Ukraine can only be exported via a land corridor: "The only option that exists is to transport it by land, by rail, by truck. This is more difficult, less efficient ". At the same time, Kirby stressed that the United States will not send warships to escort commercial vessels from Ukraine after the break in the grain deal.
08:45 The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that at night Ukraine tried to attack Crimea with 28 drones, of which 17 were allegedly destroyed by air defense systems, another 11 were suppressed by electronic warfare. There were no casualties or damage.
08:37 The General Staff announced the approximate losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of July 18:
personnel - about 239,010 (+710) people liquidated,
tanks - 4119 (+4),
armored combat vehicles - 8051 (+17),
artillery systems - 4542 (+38),
MLRS - 689 (+4),
air defense systems - 428 (+0),
aircraft - 315 (+0),
helicopters - 310 (+0),
UAV operational-tactical level - 3839 (+11),
cruise missiles - 1273 (+0),
ships/boats - 18 (+0),
automotive equipment and tankers - 7086 (+27),
special equipment - 677 (+0).
08:29 At night, the Russians attacked the south of Ukraine: several waves of shock drones were sent to detect and deplete air defense forces, after which six Caliber cruise missiles were fired from the Black Sea in Odessa. All the missiles were destroyed, however, the fragments of the downed missiles and the blast wave damaged port infrastructure facilities and several houses. One person was injured, OK Pivden reported. 21 drones were shot down on approach from the sea in the Odessa region, four more - in the sky over the Mykolaiv region.
08:21 PMC Wagner mercenaries in Belarus will perform two functions: training soldiers and "irritating" NATO member countries, said Andrei Yusov, spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. According to him, today we are talking about 500-700 militants who arrived in Belarus. Some of them, according to him, will train the Belarusian army, and also, possibly, train new units of mobilized Russians. "And some will be publicly and deliberately involved, in particular, in unnerving Poland, other member countries of the Alliance and the European Union," Yusov added.
He stressed that the mercenaries do not pose a threat to the EU and NATO countries. They enter Belarus disarmed, and also disarmed, they mostly leave the territory of Ukraine. According to Yusov, today the arrival of the Wagnerites in Belarus does not in any way change the security situation.
08:12 At night, the Russians attacked Nikolaev: four kamikaze drones of the Shahed-136 type were shot down over the region, there was also a hit in an industrial facility. A fire broke out, which was promptly extinguished, people were not injured, said the head of the OVA, Vitaly Kim.
07:57 The Russian army is concentrating its main efforts on the Kupyansky, Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky and Maryinsky directions - 36 military clashes have occurred over the past day, the General Staff said in the morning summary . The Defense Forces of Ukraine continue the offensive operation in the Melitopol and Berdyansk directions, and consolidate on the achieved lines.
07:26 The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believes that Russian troops will not be able to make an operationally important breakthrough in the Kupyansk direction, where they launched an offensive. Analysts note that the Russian troops decided to take advantage of the fact that Ukrainian forces are concentrated in other sectors of the front, and divert the attention of Ukrainian reservists from critical areas of hostilities. But the low quality and composition of the Russian troops deployed on this front line will not allow Russia to achieve more than tactical success, ISW predicts.
03:52 Kuleba said at a press conference in New York that Russia uses the Kerch bridge mainly for military purposes: "Why do you think that the Kerch bridge is a civilian infrastructure, given that it is mainly used to supply the Russian army in the occupied Crimea and southern Ukraine with ammunition, fuel and other military equipment necessary to continue the aggressive war against Ukraine?"
The Minister stressed that not every bridge is civil by definition. "And this particular bridge, firstly, was built illegally. It exists outside the law, and we must always remember this. And secondly, it is mainly used for military purposes, and we must treat it as such," Kuleba added.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. By Sergey Adamov
[REGNUM] Over the past decades, the United States has managed to convince much of the world that its armed forces are the strongest and most modern. The American approach to the conduct of hostilities in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, and Libya was, in the opinion of the United States, the best proof of superiority.
In all of these conflicts, the US Army has relied on high-precision missiles equipped with a GPS-guided system that disable military infrastructure. Aviation and ground forces could only "finish off" the disorganized enemy.
However, it seems that the era of American dominance in missile weapons is gradually coming to an end. According to The Economist, citing US government adviser and president of the non-profit Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation Dana Howard , the Pentagon has been warning Congress for years that the military is too dependent on GPS systems. And now the American military has to pay the price for the carelessness of politicians.
According to The Economist, the vulnerability of GPS-guided projectiles has been clearly demonstrated in Ukraine. UAF-supplied JDAM glide bombs, Excalibur precision-guided artillery shells, and GPS-guided GMLRS missiles for HIMARS jet systems are facing serious opposition.
“When the GPS fails, how will the weapons find their targets?” the authors of the article ask.
As military expert Alexander Mikhailovsky told IA Regnum , the main means of countering missiles and GPS-guided projectiles are electronic warfare systems (EW). In many ways, it was they who were able to neutralize the effect of the supply of precision-guided munitions to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“The mechanism for countering guided munitions looks like this: there is a JDAM planning bomb. It has a control unit into which the target coordinates are loaded. After launch, the bomb begins to glide on retractable wings, changing direction with the help of controlled tail fins.
When a bomb enters the range of electronic warfare systems, the guidance system is disrupted, causing the bomb to deviate from a predetermined target. To simplify, the electronic warfare means "deceive" the guidance system and give it a false coordinate system. The electronic warfare complex imitates a signal from a satellite, but transmits unreliable navigation information.
The second scenario assumes that the electronic warfare complex “hacks” the guidance system of a guided munition, intercepts control over it and directs the missile away from the target.
And there is also an option when the electronic warfare complex clogs the communication channel between the satellite and the GPS receiver with interference, but this rather refers to the fight against drones , ”the expert notes.
Problems with guided weapons supplied by the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been previously reported. In March-April, Pentagon official documents were published on the Web , which reported problems with the operation of JDAM-ER bombs.
Later, CNN reported that Russian electronic warfare systems had seriously reduced the effectiveness of the use of HIMARS installations for delivering precision strikes.
According to Alexander Mikhailovsky, it was the use of electronic warfare systems that nullified the successes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine achieved with the use of HIMARS systems in the first months after they were delivered to Ukraine. Recently, Ukrainian troops have been using less and less GMLRS-M30 guided munitions and more often use the less accurate M26 or M28.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine are actively using Storm Shadow/SCALP air bombs to strike at communications and rear areas of Russian troops, but even these munitions are less and less likely to reach their targets. True, the expert notes, this is not a reason to believe that the guided weapons supplied by the West turned out to be useless.
“In the case of the supply of more and more new weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the same scheme works: first, the enemy has some success, then effective means of combat are found. After that, Western partners are asked to stop using the same JDAM-ER bombs, due to the fact that they are too expensive to be destroyed without any positive effect.
And even if we assume that the Ukrainian troops will receive ATACMS tactical missiles, the effect will be about the same.
But, firstly, they were able to drink a lot of blood for us, disrupting the supply of the Kherson group of troops. And secondly, it is quite possible that specialists are now analyzing failures and preparing modernized versions of new weapons , ”the specialist noted.
For the first time, the successful use of Russian electronic warfare systems against American missiles became known in 2017. As a result of a missile attack on the Al-Shayrat Syrian Air Force base, out of 59 high-precision missiles, 36 did not reach the target. Then there were suggestions in the media that the Krasukha electronic warfare systems were used to intercept the missiles.
“Everything related to electronic warfare systems is a secret with seven seals,” said Alexander Mikhailovsky. “Therefore, certain aspects of the work of electronic warfare are known only to specialists. It is possible that many complexes are still classified.
There is information that the Samarkand electronic warfare systems are jamming the GPS signal, but the features of their work have never been advertised. R-330 Zhitel complexes can also be used. The "Shipovnik-AERO" complexes can be used to hack and intercept drones and guided munitions. To suppress communication channels, Palantin complexes are used, which specialize in creating interference.
In short, there is a wide range of electronic warfare tools that can really turn American “smart bombs” into stupid ones, so the Pentagon’s concerns about the vulnerability of GPS weapons are quite understandable.
As The Economist notes, the US military is considering a number of ways to counter electronic warfare systems. In particular, it is supposed to be equipped with high-precision autonomous guidance systems that will be able to analyze the "picture" of the target obtained using a video camera, comparing it with satellite images.
To replace GPS, American specialists are developing inertial guidance systems that allow the ammunition control complex to obtain coordinates on its own, without relying on external data. It is also proposed to introduce ammunition into the troops, the guidance system of which relies on the geomagnetic field of the Earth.
However, journalists admit, it takes years to develop such systems, but for now, GPS systems have to be dispensed with. As the publication summarizes, the easiest way to counter electronic warfare systems is to destroy them.
And it seems that this is the tactic Ukrainian troops are trying to use.
“Both the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Western experts who advise them also analyze their failures and make adjustments to the tactics of using high-precision systems. Yes, they refused to strike with HIMARS "packets" on our rear communications. But recently, these systems are increasingly being used to strike at single targets located in the immediate vicinity of the front line: artillery mounts, anti-aircraft systems, etc.
The good news is that they cannot get to the electronic warfare systems. And most likely it won't work. The bad news is that they analyze threats and look for countermeasures. And this means that we won the round, but not the fight as a whole , ”notes Alexander Mikhailovsky.
Nevertheless, the expert continues, the era of global dominance of American guided weapons is gradually coming to an end. And if these means can still be used extremely successfully against Iraq or another country with not the most modern army, then the plans for a global confrontation with Russia or China will have to be reviewed by the Pentagon.
#1
Nevertheless, the expert continues, the era of global dominance of American guided weapons is gradually coming to an end. And if these means can still be used extremely successfully against Iraq or another country with not the most modern army, then the plans for a global confrontation with Russia or China will have to be reviewed by the Pentagon.
#6
Like every weapon system in real life, the truth is far more complicated than what is put in print.
When Ukraine got western guided weapons (GPS), they had success, then the Russians started using their jammers again. They had stopped because they were fucking with their own planes. This did cause issues with HIMARS and guided bombs at first and increased the error radius of the impact point. Meaning that instead of a 2 meter impact point from target you get a 10 meter or so.
Of course all the anti-western media sources preached from the highest points that the western weapons were done, crap, not worth it, etc. Militaries are not stagnate and change and adapt, including the Russians. So, the western weapons guys looked at how the jammers worked, what was going joinkie and then changed the programing of how the weapons were guided in. Now the jammers don't work again and we see videos of HIMARS, Excalibur and smart bombs hitting the actual jammers. But, since militaries aren't stagnate, the Russians will change up their jammers to counter this.
Putin's doghouse apparently is in Rostov.
[News.RU] General Sergei Surovikin is currently on vacation in Rostov, Readovka writes, citing its sources. Earlier, the head of the Duma Committee on Defense Andrei Kartapolov reported that the commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces was resting.
Prior to this, the Public Monitoring Commission (ONC) of Moscow reported that the general was not in Matrosskaya Tishina and Kremlin Central.
Alexey Melnikov, Secretary of the PMC of Moscow, stated that he could not confirm or deny that Surovikin was in the Odintsovo pre-trial detention center , since this is the territory of the PMC of the Moscow region. At the same time, he expressed doubt that Surovikin could be under arrest at all.
At the end of June, Western media wrote about the detention of Surovikin after an attempted rebellion by PMC Wagner. Surovikin 's daughter denied reports of his arrest.
Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that he had no information about the whereabouts of Surovikin. He advised to address these issues to the Ministry of Defense.
[Regnum] Foreign Ministers of Russia and Turkey Sergey Lavrov and Hakan Fidan discussed by phone alternative options for supplying grain to needy countries independent of Kiev and the West, the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on its website on July 18.
As stated in the release, the conversation took place on the initiative of the Turkish side. During the talks, the Foreign Ministers exchanged views on the regional agenda with an emphasis on the latest developments around Ukraine.
So, Lavrov and Fidan discussed the results of joint work within the grain deal. “As an alternative to the Black Sea Initiative, the ministers considered other options for supplying grain to the countries most in need, not dependent on the subversive actions of Kiev and its Western patrons,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
An exchange of views also took place on a number of issues of bilateral relations.
As IA Regnum reported, on July 17, Russia officially notified the UN, Turkey and Ukraine of the termination of the grain deal. In this regard, the guarantees for the safety of navigation along this corridor have also been withdrawn.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called the results of this deal disappointing. Thus, during the period of existence of the agreements, a total of 32.8 million tons of cargo was exported from the ports of Ukraine, of which more than 70% (26.3 million tons) were sent to countries with high and upper middle income levels, including the EU. The poorest countries, notably Ethiopia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Sudan and Somalia, accounted for less than 3%.
Keeping the deal in the face of such blatant sabotage of the agreements makes no sense, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The department also stated that the Kiev regime used the ports controlled by it and the corridor opened by Russia not only to export Ukrainian grain, but also to carry out terrorist attacks.
Without Russia's participation, the grain deal will cease to function from July 18, the Foreign Ministry said.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned at a briefing on July 18 that attempts to continue the grain deal without Moscow's participation would lead to risks, since the grain corridor adjoins the war zone.
The United States of America and its allies will look for ways to export grain from Ukraine, but in a smaller volume than they could export as part of the Black Sea initiative, John Kirby, White House strategic communications coordinator, stated on July 17 .
“There is no possibility, just mathematical, that we will get as much grain now as we could through the grain deal, if it were extended,” he said.
Exporting grain through European countries requires EU approval, but transporting grain via the European route is more cumbersome and less efficient than the Black Sea, Kirby added.
As IA Regnum reported, on July 17, Russia officially notified the UN, Turkey and Ukraine that the deal was terminated. In this regard, the guarantees for the safety of navigation along this corridor have also been withdrawn.
The grain deal should not have ended, it should be extended as soon as possible, said US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken . According to him, Russia did not have a single argument not to agree to the extension of this agreement.
Since its conclusion in July 2022, the grain deal has been extended several times. The Kremlin and the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the promises given by the Russian Federation under the agreements are not being fulfilled (in terms of exporting agricultural products, importing components, connecting banks to the SWIFT system), and therefore the deal may be suspended.
The White House turned the initially humanitarian Black Sea initiative into a commercial project to enrich Western agricultural holdings. This was stated to journalists by the Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov.
“Washington did not lift a finger in order to eliminate the “distortions” it created in the functioning of agricultural agreements,” Antonov believes.
According to the diplomat, for almost a year, agricultural products were sent not to the needy, but to "mostly well-fed states", thus, the US humanitarian initiative was turned into a process of enrichment.
“Moscow's decision not to renew participation in the grain deal is “absolutely adequate to the prevailing realities,” the Russian ambassador summed up.
As IA Regnum reported, the grain deal should be extended as soon as possible, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on July 17.
The poorest countries, contrary to the terms of the deal, received only 3% of exported products, the Ukrainian authorities used the corridor provided to them exclusively for making money, said Russian President Vladimir Putin .
On July 17, Russia formally notified the UN, Turkey and Ukraine of the termination of the deal. In this regard, the guarantees for the safety of navigation along this corridor have also been withdrawn.
Kindly note that several entries in this article may have been removed because they included discussions of the grand strategic level.
[NewsFrontInfo] 23:32 The Russian Armed Forces are actively advancing in the Kupyansk direction, and according to sources, they have approached the line of sight to Kupyansk. There are fights. The enemy is in big trouble, according to the Spetsnaz Archangel telegram channel. 21:55 Video- Artillery destroyed the point of temporary deployment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Volchansk, Kharkiv region.
21:30 Video- FLV-drone of the 1st Slavic brigade flew into the position of the ATGM crew.
21:00 Video– Sudoplatov’s deadly FPV drone flew right into the driver’s hatch of a moving BTR-70, after which the armored vehicle of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was torn apart in a minefield
FPV kamikaze drones cause great damage to the enemy in battles on all sectors of the front, especially in those where the APU is trying to attack.
20:30 Video- In the Kupyansk direction, another self-propelled artillery installation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed by loitering ammunition.
19:55 Russian troops for the first time destroyed Swedish self-propelled unit Archer
19:55 Battery of 122mm self-propelled guns "Gvozdika" of the Naval Infantry destroys enemy stronghold
18:11 Artillery destroys Armed Forces Armed Forces in the Kharkiv direction
17:30 Consequences of arrival of the "Lancet" on the Ukrainian self-propelled gun Crab
16:49 Personnel destruction of a self-propelled artillery mount of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by loitering ammunition in the Kupyansk direction
15:55 Personnel combat work of the army special forces "Osman" to destroy the equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and NATO, with the help of the kamikaze drone "Lancet" and the high-precision unmanned aerial vehicle "Cube" in the Zaporozhye direction
15:54 Petty hooliganism and going to the draft board.
In Boyarka near Kiev, the guy was given a summons for listening to Russian rap on the street. A caring citizen, having heard a Russian song, made a remark to the guy, and then turned to the police.
Law enforcement officers quickly found the offender and his companion, handed them an administrative protocol for petty hooliganism, and the guy was also issued a summons to the military registration and enlistment office.
14:59 Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile system destroys enemy drone in the Kherson direction
Earlier it was reported that a Bayraktar TB2 strike drone was shot down in the area,
13:54 Loitering ammunition "Lancet"destroyed stronghold of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kherson direction
13:53 The main thing from the new briefing of the Ministry of Defense:
🔹The RF Armed Forces repulsed two attacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Krasnolimansky direction;
🔹The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation repelled 12 attacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Donetsk direction in a day;
🔹Air defense systems of the Russian Federation destroyed 43 UAVs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine per day;
🔹The troops of the Russian Federation continue successful offensive operations in the Kupyansk direction, the advance was up to 2 km;
🔹The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Krasnolimansky direction amounted to up to 100 servicemen;
🔹Russian troops repulsed three attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Vladimirovka and Urozhaynoye in the DPR;
🔹The RF Armed Forces hit accumulations of manpower and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the settlements of Stupochki, Konstantinovka and Krasnoe in the DPR;
🔹The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation stopped the actions of the sabotage and reconnaissance group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Krasnolimansky direction;
🔹Russian troops destroyed the ammunition depot of the 79th Airborne Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the village of Krasnogorovka in the DPR;
🔹The Armed Forces of Ukraine lost up to 65 soldiers in the Kupyansk direction per day;
🔹Losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine per day amounted to 400 servicemen in the Donetsk direction;
🔹Losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Yuzhno-Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions during the day exceeded 200 people;
🔹Russian troops destroyed three ammunition depots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Zaporozhye region.
12:36 Russian Armed Forces strikes in the regions of Nikolaev and Odessa destroyed fuel storage facilities with a total volume of about 70,000 tons, from which military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was provided with fuel - Russian Defense Ministry
12:36 Russian Armed Forces delivered a group precision strike on facilities where terrorist acts against Russia were being prepared using unmanned boats, as well as on places of their manufacture in the Odessa region - Russian Defense Ministry
11:54 Disabled armored car evacuation RG-31 Nyala army of Ukraine
11:54 Soldiers of the "West-Akhmat" battalion struck Ukrainian DRG near the village of Udy
11:00 The RF Armed Forces thwarted an attempt by a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group in the vicinity of Vasilkov Island and an attempt by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to force the Dnieper near Antonovka in the Kherson region in a day.
Five boats and 27 servicemen were destroyed, a spokesman for the region's emergency services told reporters.
11:00 Russian army discovered and destroyed group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Orekhov area in the Zaporozhye direction
09:52 Over the past day:
As a result of fire damage by formations of the Dnepr group of troops in the island zone, the following were destroyed:
- an attempt to penetrate the DRG in the area of Vasilkov Island was prevented, two boats, seven fighters of the VFU were destroyed;
- two 120 mm mortars, crews and ammunition for them, in the areas of the settlement. Kizomys, losses: six VFU militants were killed, three were injured of varying severity in the area;
As a result of fire damage by formations of the Dnepr group of troops in the Kherson direction, the following were destroyed:
- an attempt of the AFU to force the Dnieper River in the areas of the settlement was suppressed. Antonovka, as a result of fire damage, three boats and 20 VFU militants were destroyed;
- 152mm ACS "Acacia" with ammunition in the area of the settlement. Fifth village, losses: three VFU militants were killed, two were injured of varying severity;
As a result of fire damage by formations of the Dnepr grouping of troops in the Kakhovka direction, the following were destroyed:
- the position of the armed formations of Ukraine in the areas of the settlement. Mikhailovka, losses: eight VFU militants destroyed; two - received injuries of varying severity.
08:22 Crews of helicopters "Alligator" provides round-the-clock air fire support to our units in the zone of the NMD
08:20 Su-25SM crews inflicted missile attack on enemy firepower in the Krasno-Limansky direction of the NVO
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFrontInfo] 23:55 Official summary of the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC from 00:00 07/18/2023 to 00:00 07/19/2023
Over the past day Representationreportedabout 102 facts of firing by the VFU.
Information was received about the death of two civilians in the Kirovsky district of Donetsk and the previously liberated Vladimirovka.
Wounds of varying severity were received by seven civilians, incl. teenager born in 2005 in the Kirovsky district of Donetsk, Chervonogvardeisky district of Makeevka and Staromikhaylovka.
A total of 17 residential buildings were damaged in the Kirovsky, Kuibyshevsky, Kievsky and Petrovsky districts of Donetsk, Chervonogvardeysky district of Makeevka, Staromikhaylovka and Yasinovataya, as well as 6 civilian infrastructure facilities.
The region of nine settlements of the Republic came under enemy fire: Horlovka (Nikitovsky, Kalininsky districts), Yasinovataya, Yasinovatsky district, the capital city. Donetsk (Kuybyshevsky, Kirovsky, Kievsky, Petrovsky districts), Makeivka (Chervonogvardeysky district), Aleksandrovka, Staromihailovka, Yelenovka, Volnovakhsky district.
In the Donetsk direction, the enemy made 88 artillery attacks from MLRS, artillery 155mm and 152mm.
On Gorlovsky five artillery attacks from artillery 152mm, mortars 120mm. On Yasinovatsky eight artillery attacks from 155mm artillery.
On Volnovakhsky one artillery attack from 155mm artillery. Having fired 542 units of various ammunition.
A previous 36 artillery attacks were recorded from the VFU side in 24 hours.
22:00 Svatovsko-Kremenskaya section setting by the end of July 18, 2023:
After a successful assault on two strongholds at a height northwest of Novovodyanoe, Russian units went on the defensive. For the past two days, Ukrainian formations have been attacking positions, trying to regain lost control.
Today, footage appeared on the Web confirming the control of the RF Armed Forces over the area near Karamzinovka. Now the Russian fighters are holding all-round defense. Artillerymen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine conduct a massive shelling, but the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation beat off the rolls.
To the south, positional battles are taking place in the direction of Krasnopopovka, where formations of the 411th battalion of the 141st Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired on the strongholds of the Russian army from small arms.
On the Torsky ledge, the military personnel of the RF Armed Forces "probe" the enemy's defenses, carrying out regular attacks on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Similar battles of low intensity are observed in Serebryansky forestry.
Due to the increased activity of the RF Armed Forces, the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine began the forced evacuation of citizens from Yampol in case the front was broken. Artillery fire and UAV strikes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are trying to hold back the advance of the RF Armed Forces.
In addition, in the vicinity of Zolotye Prudy, the battalion-tactical group of the Lyut' MAF was deployed. In total, about 600 people arrived in 12 Kirpi AFVs and 161 vehicles.
It is not yet clear where exactly the unit of the so-called "offensive guard" will be sent. Earlier, the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine considered the option of using the brigade near Bakhmut, however, the complication of the situation in the Kremensky sector may force the Armed Forces of Ukraine to adjust their plans.
This is also indicated by the beginning of the transfer of assault detachments of the 121st Brigade of the defense to the Liman from the Kherson direction. 121 mod SRW was originally prepared for forcing the Dnieper and hitting the Energodar sector. Her appearance in the LPR was clearly not included in the initial plans of the Ukrainian leadership.
21:30 Massed blow drones in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Presumably, about 10 Geranium-2 drones are involved in the raid. There are several important military facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the region at once: the headquarters of the operational command "Vostok", training bases and locations of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade and 93rd Separate Motorized Brigade, as well as the 239th combined-arms training ground, where Ukrainian military personnel are trained.
20:30 District Worked. A tank attack of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was repulsed. The enemy lost two "Leopards" and confidence in the future.
20:00 Russian Army comes to Kupyansk, knocking out the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Liman the First
Heavy fighting continues in the Liman Pervy - Sinkovka - Masyutovka area.
Ours knocked out the Armed Forces of Ukraine from several oporniks, occupying enemy trenches.
“North-west and west of the village of Liman First, the advance of Russian troops in a forest plantation was recorded,” Ukrainian military analysts report in today's report.
Earlier, enemy resources reported that Russian troops were advancing near Liman Pervy, actively using Solntsepyoks, artillery, aircraft and demining vehicles - Ur-77 Serpent Gorynych.
The report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also states that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are conducting offensive operations west of the First Liman in the Kharkiv region.
The Russian Aerospace Forces carried out airstrikes in the areas of Kislovka and Kotlyarovka. The positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Novomlinsk, Dvurechnaya, Zapadnoye, Kupyansk and Kislovka were subjected to enemy artillery and mortar shelling.
t.me/RVvoenkor
19:30 Ukrainian formations continue to strike at the settlements of the Zaporozhye region.
The village of Burchak, Mikhailovsky district, came under fire: warehouses and the territory of the utility services base were damaged.
Also, Russian air defense systems intercepted Ukrainian missiles over Molochansk and Melitopol: there were no casualties or damage.
19:00 NATO armored vehicles attack near Orekhova: blazing Bradley and the battles at the trenches on the Zaporizhzhya Front:
In recent days, the 47th and 65th Brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been regrouping, pulling up armored vehicles and personnel to the Novodanilovka areas and to positions code-named “Barcelona”.
Around 04:00, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (they love the time of the Nazi attack) launched an offensive operation at the Rabotino-Kopani line, sending American infantry fighting vehicles, tanks and a significant number of militants to try to break through our defenses.
The enemy was covered by howitzers, incl. from the area of ??Malaya Tokmachka.
The attack was detected in time by our reconnaissance and fire was opened on the enemy.
Special Forces guided missiles with anti-tank systems burned 2 American Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, later a third was hit by a kamikaze drone.
The infantry of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, covered by fire, lost up to two platoons killed and wounded, but the Ukrainian command threw new waves of meat to increase pressure.
Several dwarf groups of survivors of 3-4 militants managed to run to the trenches on the front line and lie down there.
The fighting continues, ours are being finished off by the remnants of the militants who cannot evacuate and receive full-fledged reinforcements.
18:25 From the very morning Ukrainian formations conduct a massive artillery attack of the settlements of the Donetsk agglomeration.
In the capital of the republic, civilian objects were damaged in the Kyiv, Kirovsky, Petrovsky and Kuibyshevsky districts: in the latter, one of the direct hits on a residential building led to the injury of three people and the death of one woman.
At the place of arrival, fragments of TR-122 missiles with a range increased to 40 km, delivered to Ukrainian formations by Turkey, were also found.
In addition, Horlivka, Makiivka, Yelenovka, Yasinovataya, as well as the suburbs of Donetsk, were under fire from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to the latest data, three civilians were killed, and at least four more were injured.
At the moment, the artillery attack of the enemy continues. It is possible that by the end of the day the list of victims and victims will be replenished.
17:45 Orekhovsky section situation according to conditions at 17.00 July 18, 2023
In the Orekhovsky sector, assault detachments of the 65th Brigade on two tanks tried to penetrate the defenses of the RF Armed Forces north of Rabotino, but to no avail. Spetsnaz archangel @rusich_army reports the destruction of two units.
At the same time, to the east of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, they still hold the positions previously captured from the soldiers of the 7th company of the 71st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the RF Armed Forces. According to the landings, Ukrainian formations transfer small groups of infantry and rotate.
Self-propelled guns of the 128th Guards Rifle Brigade were transferred to Malaya Tokmachka and Novoselovka to support the forces of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Also, artillery units of the 116th and 118th Separate Mechanized Brigades occupied the lines on the Primorskoye-Kamyshevakha line.
Our fighters bravely hold the onslaught of the Ukrainian formations. Yes, there are small gaps in the defense, but the Ukrainian command did not achieve significant results, which forced the Marun tactical group to be withdrawn to the front line.
However, regular, even continuous, surges of the Armed Forces of Ukraine exhaust our servicemen. The lack of rotation, the problem of which was raised by Major General Popov, has not gone away. Recently reported that Gen. Popov was ordered to Syria
Whatever the plan of our command, without rest and regular replacement for reserves, the human resource of fighters on the front line will simply dry up. And this can already lead to extremely sad consequences.
Ukrainian formations are well aware of this and put pressure on exactly where there are prerequisites for this. And they rotate regularly, which allows them to constantly attack. We hope that the leadership of the Dnepr group of troops understands this.
17:25 Video- Statement by the head of the press center of the "South" group:
Aviation of the "Southern" group of forces delivered strikes with UPAB-500 guided munitions at the points of temporary deployment of the 112th Brigade of the territorial defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Serebryanka and Seversk settlements. Helicopters of the group's army aviation carried out strikes on concentrations of enemy manpower in the areas of Kurdyumovka and Kleshcheevka.
The missilemen of the Southern Military District formation hit the ammunition depot, fuel and lubricants and the location of the SBU in Kramatorsk, as well as the temporary deployment points of the 3rd Mountain Assault and 53rd Mechanized Brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Konstantinovka.
The artillery of the group carried out a fire raid on the enemy's ammunition depot in the Verkhnekamensk region, as part of the counterbattery fight, 120mm mortars were destroyed at firing positions in the areas of the settlements of Belogorovka and Stupochki.
The crew of the Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile system near the village of Spartak shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valkyrie.
17:00 Sudden attack of a powerful Russian armored group broke through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Donetsk near the Trudovskaya mine for one km:
The unexpected attack that began yesterday with significant forces allowed our fighters to significantly advance, ours are gaining a foothold on the achieved lines and clearing the complex of buildings near the mine from the enemy.
The enemy is actively resisting, including carrying out large-scale remote mining of our forward positions and the nearest rear.
Also, our artillery hit the ammunition depot of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Krasnogorovka.
So far, all attempts by enemy counterattacks have been thwarted.
During the fighting, ours took about one km of territory towards Krasnogorovka. The enemy was taken by surprise and now we continue to expand the zone of control. The Armed Forces of Ukraine put up fierce resistance, sparing no carloads of rounds.
16:25 Video- statement by the head of the press center of the Vostok group:
- In the South-Donetsk direction, the advanced units of the group of forces "Vostok", with the support of artillery, repelled several enemy attacks in the direction of Staromayorsky, a tank and infantry of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed. An attempt by the enemy to carry out a rotation of personnel in the area of the Oktyabr State Farm was thwarted.
By means of aerial reconnaissance, a pickup truck of nationalists in the Maksimovka area was opened and artillery fire destroyed, and places where militants gathered in the Staromayorsky area were hit. During the counterbattery fight, a 152mm towed Msta-B howitzer was destroyed in the Neskuchny area and a MANPADS crew with ammunition west of Makarovka. The forces of the army and assault aviation destroyed the places of accumulation of manpower of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Staromayorsky and Urozhayny. Air defense systems shot down two UAVs "Fury" and "Leleka".
- In the Zaporozhye direction, motorized rifle units destroyed enemy infantry groups that were trying to gain a foothold in the forest belts in the vicinity of Rabotino. Aerial reconnaissance and artillery fire destroyed a pickup truck with nationalists in the Zaleznichny area and a 152mm Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer in the Malaya Tokmachka area. The forces of the army and assault aviation destroyed the places of accumulation of manpower of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of Rabotino, Pyatikhatka and Priyutnoye.
The servicemen of the group of troops "Vostok" show high professionalism in the performance of combat missions. An officer of the army of the Air Force and Air Defense of the group, senior lieutenant Anton Dzhunkovsky, during the counteroffensive of Ukrainian troops in the South-Donetsk direction, carried out combat missions to guide aviation. Within a few days, in a difficult operational situation, Senior Lieutenant Dzhunkovsky carried out 34 air guidance on ground targets of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
As a result of the competent and professional actions of the officer, helicopter crews and pilots of attack aircraft of the Vostok group of forces hit six enemy strongholds, four pickup trucks with militants, five armored combat vehicles and more than 50 nationalists.
15:50 Kherson direction setting as of 15.00 July 18, 2023
The Ukrainian command, after several weeks of fighting near the Antonovsky bridge, shifted its focus to the Golopristan sector. In two days, the Armed Forces of Ukraine made seven attempts to cross the Dnieper and drop DRGs on the islands of Vasilkov, Belogrudy, Maly Belogrudov and Veliky.
Our fighters, having established minefields in advance, as well as artillery strikes, destroyed three boats with personnel. Four boats left for the starting area to Kizomys, and two groups of four or five people landed on Belogrudy and Maly Belogrudovo.
Guidance of the Ukrainian DRGs was provided by two Bayraktar drones from the Shkolny and Uman airfields. One of them, armed with MAM-L missiles, flew too close, for which he was punished by the air defense crew of the 80th Brigade over Herosky.
At the Antonovsky Bridge, the DRG of the Grom tactical group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine once again tried to land on Antonovsky Island, moving along the Koshevaya River. However, the UAV operators found the boat, and the gunners worked on the DRG, forcing the enemy to withdraw.
And along the coastline of the Dnieper, Ukrainian artillery and mortars, as well as copters with FOG, are intensively working. The UAF strikes do not subside, which is used by the DRG, trying to infiltrate under cover of fire.
15:25 Enemy again threw NATO armored vehicles on the offensive near Orekhov, attacking our trenches on the front line of the Zaporozhye Front:
In the morning, the Armed Forces of Ukraine began an offensive operation at the Rabotino-Kopani line, sending armored vehicles and many militants to try to break through our positions.
The enemy was detected by drones in time and hit.
Two American Bradley guided missiles were immediately destroyed, and a third was later shot down.
The infantry of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, covered with fire, also suffered significant losses, but the Ukrainian command threw new waves of meat to increase pressure.
The hard fighting continues.
15:00 Ukrainian formations continue artillery terror in the border area of the Belgorod region.
Under enemy fire were the settlements of the Shebekinsky urban district: the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka and the village of Shamino.
In the latter, five local residents were injured. Four victims received minor injuries, one man was in a moderate condition with a shrapnel wound to the chest.
14:40 Satellite intelligence service Kherson region
American military satellites continue to survey some areas of the Kherson region. As a rule, it is Topazs that determine the importance of an object and the validity of a strike against it with Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles.
Over the past month, satellites have been most actively monitoring the situation at the Tavria recreation center in Strelkovoe, near the bridge in Chongar, in the village of Novoalekseevka, at the Armyansk border checkpoint, as well as in Alekseevka and Sokologorny.
The fact that the Americans are focusing on reconnaissance of these areas indicates a possible preparation for a strike on them. And so that another tragedy does not happen, as happened in Berdyansk, it is necessary to pay special attention to such activity.
14:25 Vremyevsky section -Circumstance as of 12.00 July 18, 2023
Enemy advances continue in the Staromayorsky area. Now the village is under the control of the Russian army - naval infantry of the 35th detachment of the Ukrainian Navy are trying to stay on the northwestern outskirts, taking up positions in a couple of houses.
In this area, the Ukrainian command, under the cover of tanks, is deploying additional units to hold positions. Artillerymen work on them. One of the tanks was destroyed north of Harvest.
At the same time, assault detachments of the 36th infantry regiment of the Ukrainian Navy, under the cover of two tanks, attacked the landings north of Priyutnoye, trying to squeeze out the fighters of the RF Armed Forces from there. A total of 40 people were transferred to the forest belt to the north-west to support the offensive.
Ukrainian formations continue to advance with "creeping" tactics, regardless of the losses. The exhaustion of the Russian defense by constant surges partially allows the Armed Forces to advance, but the price of this is really huge.
13:50 Ukrainian formations continue artillery attacks on the border settlements of the Kursk region.
In the Glushkovsky district, the village of Elizavetovka was hit: two residential buildings and buildings on the territory of the machine and tractor yard were damaged
13:30 Summary of Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation (as of July 18, 2023)
During the day, the armed forces of Ukraine continued to attempt an offensive in the Donetsk, Krasnolimansk and South-Donetsk directions.
- In the Kupyansk direction, units of the "Western" group of troops continue successful offensive operations in their area of responsibility. The total advance was up to two kilometers along the front and up to one and a half kilometers in depth. In addition, air strikes and artillery fire hit units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Kalinovo, Berestovoe, Kislovka, Tabaevka in the Kharkiv region and Novoselovskoe in the Luhansk People's Republic.
An ammunition depot of the 103rd Territorial Defense Brigade was destroyed near the village of Kotlyarovka, Kharkiv region. The losses of the enemy amounted to 65 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, three vehicles, as well as a US-made AN/TPQ-50 counterbattery radar.
- In the Donetsk direction, as a result of well-coordinated and active actions of the units of the "Southern" group of troops, air strikes and artillery fire, twelve enemy attacks were successfully repelled during the day in the areas of the settlements of Pervomayskoye, Veseloye, Krasnogorovka, Maryinka and north-west of Kleshcheevka of the Donetsk People's Republic.
In addition, in the areas of the settlements of Stupochki, Konstantinovka and Krasnoe of the Donetsk People's Republic, accumulations of manpower and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit. An ammunition depot of the 79th Airborne Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed near the settlement of Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
During the hostilities, enemy losses in this direction amounted to up to 400 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, three pickup trucks, an M777 artillery system made in the United States, three Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery mounts, a 122mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery mount, two 152mm MSTA howitzers -B", as well as guns 152mm D-20 and 122mm D-30.
- In the Krasnolimansky direction, units of the "Center" grouping of troops, air strikes, artillery fire and heavy flamethrower systems repelled two enemy attacks in the areas of the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova and Makeevka of the Luhansk People's Republic. Also, in the areas of the settlements of Terny of the Donetsk People's Republic, Chervonaya Dibrova, Kovalivka and Karmazinovka of the Lugansk People's Republic, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit by fire.
In the area of the settlement of Kuzmino, Luhansk People's Republic, the actions of a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group were stopped. During the day, up to a hundred Ukrainian servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, three cars, a Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery mount, and two 122mm D-30 howitzers were destroyed in this direction.
- In the South-Donetsk direction, strikes by operational-tactical and army aviation, artillery fire of the Vostok group of troops defeated the manpower and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Urozhaynoye of the Donetsk People's Republic and Priyutnoye of the Zaporozhye region. Three enemy attacks were repelled in the areas of the settlements of Vladimirovka and Urozhaynoye in the Donetsk People's Republic.
- In the Zaporozhye direction, coordinated actions of Russian units repelled three enemy attacks in the area of the settlement of Novodanilovka, Zaporozhye region. In the areas of the settlements of Malaya Tokmachka and Orekhov, Zaporozhye region, fire damage was inflicted on accumulations of manpower and equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In addition, three ammunition depots of the 23rd and 33rd Mechanized Brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of Malaya Tokmachka and Uspenovka in the Zaporozhye region.
Enemy losses in these areas per day amounted to more than two hundred servicemen, a tank, two armored combat vehicles, four pickup trucks, a 152mm MSTA-B howitzer, and a 152mm D-44 cannon.
- In the Kherson direction, as a result of fire damage, up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen, four pickup trucks, two MSTA-B howitzers, as well as a 152mm Akatsiya self-propelled artillery installation were destroyed during the day.
Operational-tactical and army aviation, missile forces and artillery of groups of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation during the day defeated 89 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 98 districts.
Air defense systems intercepted three rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system per day.
In addition, 43 unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed in the areas of the settlements of Tavolzhanka, Zhovtneve of the Kharkiv region, Novodruzhesk, Berestovoe, Zaliman of the Luhansk People's Republic, Krasnaya Gora, Podgorodnoye of the Donetsk People's Republic, Novohorivka, Rabotino, Gulyaipole, Mirne of the Zaporozhye region and Heroiskoye of the Kherson region.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the following have been destroyed: 455 aircraft, 242 helicopters, 5,090 unmanned aerial vehicles, 426 anti-aircraft missile systems, 10,740 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,139 combat vehicles of multiple launch rocket systems, 5,504 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 11,735 units of special military vehicles.
12:55 Locals report about the sound of an explosion near Melitopol in the Zaporozhye region.
According to preliminary information, Russian air defense systems intercepted an air target over the city.
12:30 Massed raid of Ukrainian drones to the Crimea
On the night of July 18, Ukrainian formations carried out a mass launch of drones in the direction of Crimea. Five groups of UAVs from the Shkolny airfield in Odessa took off in several directions.
Approximately, from one in the morning until early morning, Russian air defense units destroyed 17 drones from the Pantsir anti-aircraft missile and gun system and small arms near Capes Tarkhankut and Priboyny, as well as Razdolie, Olenevka and Portovoy.
Another 15 drones were suppressed by means of electronic warfare on approach to the Crimea at Capes Peschany, Priboyny and Tarkhankut. The total number of affected UAVs was at least 32 units.
Curiously, at least one reconnaissance UAV of an unidentified type took off from the airfield in Chernobaevka near Kherson, which provided visual tracking for kamikaze drones from Karkinitsky Bay. After the raid, he returned.
This attack was the most massive in recent months, but our servicemen successfully repelled it. None of the UAVs reached the target. Moreover, only a couple of drones were shot down by anti-aircraft weapons - the air defense rifle detachments achieved the greatest result, which proves their effectiveness against low-flying targets.
11:45 Video- statement by the head of the press center of the "Center" group:
- In the Svatovsky direction, artillery fire from the "Center" grouping of troops thwarted two attempts to attack the positions of Russian troops by assault groups of the 66th Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- In the Krasnolimansky direction, the aircraft of the "Center" grouping carried out 12 missile and bomb strikes on the areas of concentration of manpower, enemy firepower, as well as on the command and observation post and two ammunition depots.
In the area of Serebryansky forest, units of the 42nd Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with the support of equipment, made five attempts to regain lost positions. As a result of the fire damage of artillery and army aviation, the enemy retreated, having suffered losses in manpower and equipment.
During the counter-battery fight, a 122mm D-30 gun and two 120mm mortars of Ukrainian troops were destroyed.
11:30 At the very beginning of the Bayraktary NWO, they wanted to use as attack aircraft, but having lost up to 90 percent of the vehicles, they abandoned this idea. Since then, they have been used at a great distance from the front line (the optical system can detect targets at a distance of up to 40 km) and with their help they corrected artillery strikes.
KABAs were again hung on this "Bayraktar". Did they really want to test our air defense? Have you believed in the myths about the invincibility of Turkish cars again? The result was predictable.
11:20 Video- statement by the head of the press center of the group "West":
In the course of hostilities in the Kupyansk direction, assault and army aviation of the Zapad group of forces delivered fifteen missile and bomb strikes on the concentration of manpower, armament of military and special equipment from the 14th brigade and territorial defense units.
The artillery of the group thwarted two attempts to rotate the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the forefront from the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade and 103rd arr TerO in the area of the settlement. Novoselovskoe and Timkovka.
In addition, in the course of counter-battery fire, artillery fire from the 152mm Msta-S self-propelled howitzer under the command of junior sergeant Sergei Avdeev destroyed two enemy mortar crews in the area of the settlement. Novoselovskoe and Razovka.
By means of air defense by the calculation of the Buk-M2 complex in the area of the settlement. Pilipovka was destroyed by an UAV of the Sinitsa aircraft type.
10:55 Chronicle of the special military operation:eventsJuly 17, 2023.
Ukrainian maritime drones attacked the Crimean bridge connecting the peninsula with the mainland.
As a result of the terrorist act, two spans of the automobile part of the structure were damaged, two people were killed.
Russia has notified all parties of its withdrawal from the grain deal that has not been in effect for a month now.
The western part of the Black Sea has again been declared a territory dangerous for navigation.
In the Starobelsky direction, Russian units attacked the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine northwest of Novovodyanoe.
During fierce battles, two enemy strongholds on the opposite bank of the Zherebets River were occupied.
To the north of Bakhmut, the battle continues near the Berkhovsky reservoir.
The Ukrainian command is again using the tactics of "meat assaults", trying to realize its advantage in manpower.
The situation remains stably difficult on the southern flank, where the assault groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are again attacking the heights west of Kleshcheevka.
Nevertheless, Russian troops successfully hold the line on this sector of the front.
Ukrainian formations have again increased the intensity of artillery strikes on the front-line cities of Donbass.
In the past three days alone, as a result of artillery attack in the Donetsk agglomeration, one person was killed and at least ten people were injured, including a child.
In the Vremievsky sector, as a result of fierce fighting, Russian units retained control over Staromayorsky.
The armored group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which was trying to storm the settlement, lost most of its equipment and retreated to the Makarovka area.
10:25 Over the past three days, Ukrainian formations undertake attempts to attack objects on the territory of the Crimean peninsula.
Tonight, the enemy used 28 drones to strike targets in the east of the republic. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, air defense systems intercepted 17 drones, and another 11 were suppressed by electronic warfare equipment.
As a result of the successful reflection of the raid, there were no casualties and no damage.
09:58 Kherson direction at 08:00, 18.07:
Front Bird reports that the night passed quietly for us, but not for the enemy. At several lines, the receiver worked out for planned targets on the right bank. Aerial reconnaissance is constantly being carried out on our part to prevent the enemy from suddenly crossing the Dnieper.
According to updated data, the number of troops on the right bank of the enemy has decreased due to its local failures in other directions. The transfer was carried out at the expense of those who were supposed to break through here on Kherson. But attacks on the islands separating the two banks along the Dnieper are carried out by the enemy more often than before the explosion of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station. Haven't had any success so far. He was met with fire and thrown back to his former lines.
09:30 The criminal Kiev regime continues to shell the civilian infrastructure of the settlements on the left bank of the Kherson region, yesterday during the day the Armed Forces of Ukraine were fired from barrel artillery:
-- to n.p. Great Kardashinka fired seven rounds;
-- Nine rounds were fired at the village of Solontsy;
-- Seven rounds were fired at the village of Peschanovka;
Civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure are being specified.
During the night, the Kiev regime continued to shell civilian infrastructure in the settlement Nova Kakhovka, n.p. Kakhovka, n.p. Sagi, n.p. Dnipro, n.p. Novaya Zburyevka, n.p. Berilevka firing a total of 37 rounds from cannon artillery
Civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure are being specified.
08:40 Ukrainian troops shelled Donetsk three times on Tuesday, firing a total of 16 rounds of 155mm caliber, the DPR representative office in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of Issues Related to War Crimes of Ukraine (JCCC) reported on its telegram channel.
“Fire was recorded from the side of the VFU (armed formations of Ukraine - ed.) in the direction: 02.00 (coincides with Moscow time) - the settlement of Zhelannoe Pervoe - the city of Donetsk (Petrovsky district): five rounds of 155mm caliber were fired," the representative office said in a statement.
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin
[ColonelCassad] Efforts are being made to further increase the production of tanks. As a result, the number of T-90s in the troops continues to rise. But the T-72BZM, as before, remains the main workhorse.
In general, it is worth thinking about creating/restoring at least one more tank factory and a couple of factories for the production of light armored vehicles.
It should be borne in mind that the current war will pretty much deplete the stocks of equipment in warehouses, and we still have to fill them for posterity.
Text taken from a Telegram post by Russian military correspondent Kotenok
[ColonelCassad] Answers to questions about the course of the SVO for the channel "Voenkor Kotenok" - Is Kyiv changing its offensive tactics against the background of the slippage of the original plan?
- The nature of the offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine after the failure of the June offensive has changed. The enemy spends equipment more economically and has abandoned attempts to break through the defense by throwing large masses of armored vehicles through minefields, switching to the tactics of intensive attacks by small assault groups.
This reduces the loss of armored vehicles, but maximizes the loss of personnel, and also eliminates the possibility of deep breakthroughs, which leads to a slow push of the Russian defense into the ground, and this is fundamentally contrary to the plans for the summer campaign. The transition to such tactics in itself is a sentence for the ambitious plans of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to break through the front.
- How serious resources did the Ukrainian command use in trying to break through the front in the Zaporozhye direction?
- The enemy is not yet playing "all-in" and continues to gradually use up reserves, trying to maintain pressure by quickly restoring the combat capability of units and formations. By mid-July, the enemy had used up 60% of his operational and strategic reserves. At the current rate of spending, he will be able to operate in the current mode for another 3-5 weeks.
- What are the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in modern equipment and personnel that he suffered during June-first half of July 2023?
- According to Western estimates, since the beginning of the offensive, the enemy has lost at least 30% of all armored vehicles that the advancing group had. The irretrievable losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in personnel reach 26-28 thousand people. These are huge losses, which exceed, for example, all the losses of the Wagner PMC during the 7 months of the assault on Artemovsk or all the losses of the Mariupol grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the battle for Mariupol.
At the same time, the main tasks of the summer offensive were not completed in 1.5 months. If the enemy fails to reverse the current trend, the Zaporozhye defensive operation will become one of the biggest defeats of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2014.
- What other areas are the most threatening in terms of the possibility of new attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine?
- The enemy, most likely, will continue to try to push through our front in the Artemovsk area (primarily to the south of the city) in order to achieve operational and tactical results here. There are also possible attempts to push through our front in the Vremievsky and Ugledar directions.
– Why was General Popov “exiled” to Syria and is it appropriate to “clean dirty linen in public” during the active phase of hostilities?
- In a war, the reshuffle of military leaders is the prerogative of the military leadership. It is difficult to assess the results of Popov's work without knowing operational documents, statistics on the losses of troops subordinate to him, as well as the operational plan of the General Staff, within the framework of which Popov's army operated.
The fact that the existing conflict between Popov and unnamed persons from the leadership of the Ministry of Defense/General Staff exists in the public field indicates the persistence of tendencies towards unsteady management of information processes in the course of the SVO and the continuation of those unhealthy processes in the management of the SVO that have already led to Prigozhin's attempted military rebellion.
We see a continuation of public clashes between law enforcement agencies on how to manage the operation. The failure to resolve these issues in a working intra-agency and inter-agency manner is a problem that has not yet been resolved. And this problem seems to be more serious than the transfer of Popov to Syria.
- In early July, Kyiv actively dispersed "the planned undermining of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant by Russian troops." Then this topic abruptly disappeared.
– It seems that the pressure of a number of European countries forced to postpone the plan to undermine the ZNPP. However, the preparation of Ukrainian troops for operations in conditions of radiation contamination of the area continues. These measures imply the possibility of such a situation at least in the medium term.
A provocation from the Zaporizhzhya NPP is still on the agenda, just as for a long time in Kyiv the option of blowing up the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station remained on the table, until it was finally implemented. I would estimate the probability of undermining the ZNPP during the war as high.
- Is the fact that Erdogan gave Zelensky the commanders of Azov (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation) caused by unprecedented pressure on Ankara from the West, or is it about yet another political intrigue of Erdogan?
The reasons for the transfer are not known for certain. Türkiye claims to have given Russia some tacit explanations that satisfied Russia. Russia does not officially comment on this, although it has previously publicly expressed dissatisfaction with Turkey's actions. Rather, it is a matter of secret diplomacy, which is left behind the scenes. This situation would not have arisen in principle if the leaders of Azov had not been replaced by Medvedchuk. For what? Why? For what? We will probably find out after the war.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] US authorities claim that the Russian pilot allegedly created a dangerous situation for the crew members of the American MS-12 aircraft in the sky over Syria, the Associated Press agency reports, citing sources in the White House.
It is noted that on July 16, a Russian fighter allegedly flew very close to the MS-12, forcing it through a turbulent wake.
According to the interlocutors of the agency, we are talking about "a new level of unsafe behavior that can lead to an accident or death."
As IA Regnum reported , the Pentagon is concerned about the increased, in their opinion, Russian activity in the skies over Syria and intends to fight it. Now the defense department is considering a number of military options.
In the United States, it is not ruled out that Russia will begin to shoot down Reaper drones.
Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov, in response to US accusations of unprofessional behavior in the Syrian sky of Russian pilots, said that they go beyond the bounds of decency and lack common sense.
#1
As long as I can remember, planes from Russia, Iran, Eastern Europe, China, North Korea and the Little Sisters of the poor have created incidents with American planes. Our response uniformally has been to bend over and say, 'oh please, can I have another.'
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
