Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 22:02 Ukraine in the coming days will officially open with the European Commission the process of assessing its legislation for compliance with EU legislation - a screening process, Zelensky said in an evening video message. “We are also preparing to work on the negotiating framework for Ukraine - we expect it in the spring. The negotiation process will not be easy, but the main thing is that historically we have decided: Ukraine will always be part of our common European home,” the president emphasized.
21:40 Publics write that Russian air defense shot down its own Su-25 aircraft. Commander of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Nikolai Oleshchuk confirmed the information, emphasizing the non-involvement of Ukrainian air defense in the destruction of the Russian attack aircraft.
19:58 The Russian Freedom Legion took responsibility for the operation in the Belgorod region. They confirmed the destruction of the Russian platoon stronghold.
19:35 During the day, the Russian army attacked Nikopol, Dnepropetrovsk region, three times with kamikaze drones and twice with heavy artillery. The infrastructure facility was damaged, but no people were injured, said the head of the OVA, Sergei Lysak.
18:53 A shooting battle took place in the Belgorod region near the village of Terebreno, said Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. He blamed the Ukrainian Armed Forces for this. In turn, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine confirmed the fact of military clashes, saying that the attack was carried out by “opponents of the Kremlin regime.” As a result of the attack, a platoon stronghold of Russian troops was destroyed. An unexpected attack on the positions of Russian army units caused a panic reaction among the personnel of the local garrison, and on the orders of Russian commanders, chaotic artillery fire was opened on the surrounding villages, Ukrainian military intelligence claims.
16:31 Ukrainian media write, citing sources, that today’s attack on the Morozovsk airfield in the Rostov region was a joint special operation of the SBU and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to them, at the airfield where the 559th Bomber Aviation Regiment of the Russian Aerospace Forces is stationed, at the time of the attack there were up to 20 Su-34 aircraft, three radar stations and other equipment. As a result of the strike, enemy equipment was significantly damaged.
Other sources say that the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense was involved in the drone attacks on the Lipetsk and Volgograd regions; the consequences of the strike are still unknown.
15:16 The Russians fired at the civilian infrastructure of Krasnopolye, Sumy region, from a self-propelled artillery unit. One shell hit a private house, killing a person, the prosecutor's office said.
13:24 The Russian army shelled the center of Kherson, one person was killed, OVA reported.
12:59 The enemy has activated sabotage and reconnaissance groups in the Sumy and Kharkov regions, the State Border Service reported. One of the last groups was exposed in the Sumy region - the saboteurs were driven beyond the state border.
11:27 There is growing dissatisfaction among Russian power engineers brought to Zaporizhzhya NPP due to unfulfilled promises regarding the duration of business trips - instead of two months, they have to work for six months or longer, since it is difficult to find those who want qualified specialists to replace them, reports the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
At the same time, the occupiers are increasing pressure on Ukrainian citizens working at nuclear power plants to force them to obtain Russian passports and sign contracts with Rosatom. Ukrainian specialists are subject to psychological pressure, selectively, without warning, are deprived of access to work places, and their passes are revoked. Among Ukrainian workers who refuse to sign contracts and receive Russian passports, Russian intelligence services are trying to sow distrust in each other by encouraging anonymous denunciations, in particular through telegram bots.
11:02 The National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption has suspended the war sponsor status of the Austrian Raiffeisen Bank. The day before, Reuters reported that Austria lifted its veto on the 12th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation in exchange for Ukraine’s agreement to exclude the Austrian banking group Raiffeisen Bank International from the Ukrainian blacklist of war sponsors. And Radio Liberty correspondent Rikard Jozwiak reported that the EU will officially adopt the 12th package of sanctions against Russia next week.
09:59 Putin said that Russia has no interest in fighting with NATO: neither geopolitical, nor economic, nor military. According to him, Moscow is allegedly interested in developing relations with the countries of the Alliance.
09:04 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of December 17:
personnel - about 346,070 (+1250) people,
tanks - 5739 (+19),
armored combat vehicles - 10,692 (+25),
artillery systems - 8137 (+37),
MLRS - 923 (+3),
air defense systems - 609 (+4),
aircraft - 324 (+0),
helicopters - 324 (+0),
UAV of operational-tactical level - 6278 (+40),
cruise missiles - 1610 (+1),
ships/boats - 22 (+0),
submarines - 1 (+0),
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 10,766 (+56),
special equipment - 1194 (+4).
08:36 Over the past 24 hours, the Russians carried out 174 strikes on 21 settlements in the Zaporozhye region. As a result of the shelling of the village of Gulyaipolskoye, two people were wounded, said the head of the OVA, Yuri Malashko.
07:58 Over the past 24 hours, 89 military clashes took place at the front, reported the General Staff in the morning report . In particular, in the Avdeevsky direction, the Defense Forces repelled 17 enemy attacks east of Novobakhmutovka, Stepnoy, Avdeevka and another 13 attacks in the Nevelsky and Pervomaisky districts of the Donetsk region. Another 14 enemy attacks were repelled in the Kupyansk direction (near Sinkovka, Kharkov region and Stelmakhovka, Lugansk region).
In addition, in the Liman direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled attacks in the Serebryansky forestry area of the Lugansk region and east of Ternov, Donetsk region; on Bakhmutsky - near Bogdanovka, Ivanovsky, Kleshcheevka and Andreevka, Donetsk region; on Maryinsky - in the districts of Marinka, Pobeda and Novomikhailovka of the Donetsk region; on Zaporozhye - west of Novopokrovka and Rabotino, Zaporozhye region.
07:42 During a night attack, one of the downed enemy Shahed drones fell in a residential area in the Odessa region and exploded. A fire started that spread to private homes and a warehouse of a private sports institution. Rescuers quickly put out the fire, and a dead person was found in one of the houses, said Oleg Kiper, head of the Odessa Police Department.
07:13 The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that air defense systems allegedly destroyed and intercepted 35 “Ukrainian drones” at night. over the Lipetsk, Rostov and Volgograd regions. Russian publics report that in the Rostov region there were explosions in the area of the Morozovsk military airfield, where Su-24, Su-24M, and Su-34 front-line bombers were stationed.
07:01 At night, air defense destroyed all 20 attack UAVs and one X-59 guided missile, the Air Force command reported. Russia attacked with Shahed-type attack drones from the Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Crimean Cape Chauda areas. In addition, the enemy used an Iskander-K cruise missile and a Kh-59 guided missile, which were fired from Crimea and the occupied territory of the Kherson region. The Iskander-K missile did not reach its target, all other air targets were shot down within the Odessa, Kherson, Zaporozhye and Khmelnytsky regions.
December 16
23:22 European leaders understand that Ukraine may lose US military support and will have to be compensated, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in an interview with Welt am Sonntag. "Of course, we talk about it. We clearly understand that, probably, sooner or later we will have to compensate for something that may no longer come from Washington,” he noted.
Pistorius also admitted that there are areas in which this will be difficult to do: in particular, it will not be possible to quickly increase the volume of weapons production.
22:03 First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said that Ukraine missed the opportunity to conclude a beneficial peace agreement, and “now any possible deal will reflect its capitulation.”< /span>
18:59 Zelensky said that he held the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief: “Different issues, different aspects of defense. Military questions. Veterans' questions. Brigade questions. Issues of fortifications. Issues of weapons production. We are working separately to implement all our agreements with partners on new weapons production.”
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Maxim Sokolov
[RIA] In Minsk, at the XIX Meeting of the heads of security agencies and intelligence services of the CIS member states, the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) S.E. Naryshkin announced that the CIA was working on a plan for the establishment of the “Russian Republic”.
For now, of course, outside Russia. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, called upon, among other things, to protect the state from external attacks by all necessary means, even the most sensitive ones, have not been abolished and are not going to be abolished in the future.
Nevertheless, the overseas dreamers are going to not only establish on their territory (or the territory of their satellites, which, incidentally, is the same thing) some symbolic structure, obviously believing that the various “Free Russias” already existing not enough, but they want to put a “temporary administration” at the head of the so-called Russian Republic.
And this is already changing things. Of course, this entire administration can, in practice, engage in fairly innocent matters. Distribute grants (and sort out the squabbles that inevitably arise in connection with this, which can be quite Shakespearean in nature), organize gatherings and symposiums, and raise funds for needy emigrants. True, the current foreign structures cope with these functions just fine.
But the phrase "temporary administration" changes things somewhat. The question immediately arises: what exactly, and also where exactly - in Prague and Riga or directly in Moscow - this administration is going to administer. For the word "administration" presupposes appropriate authority.
You can, of course, not find fault with words. So far we know very little. Perhaps we are just talking about the fact that in Langley or somewhere else there was a brainstorming session and some storming clerk, whose powers are unclear, came up with the idea of establishing a Russian government in exile.
If this hypothesis is correct, then perhaps it was proposed to repeat the Venezuelan experience with Juan Guaido, who for four years (from January 23, 2019 to January 5, 2023) claimed the title of president of the country. And also the Belarusian - S.G. Tikhanovskaya, declared the true winner of the 2020 presidential elections, is either the President of Belarusor not. Only the Dietof Lithuania definitely considers her the head of Belarus, the rest are in confusion.
Perhaps the hope here is not so much for the transfer of power to the government in exile (here successful precedents are unimportant, not only with more or less modern ones, but also with ancient ones), but rather for the opportunity to deliver to Moscow within a few years at least some troubles. True, the belief in these troubles is greatly exaggerated. If completely unsatisfactory relations with the EU and the USA are not very scary for Moscow, then the deteriorated embodiment of the movie "The Crown of the Russian Empire, or The Elusive Again" will frighten you even less.
It should be taken into account that the tradition of governments in exile, dating back to the English rebellions of the 17th century, if not earlier, suggests that a foreign contender for the crown (presidency), in principle, could have possessed this crown, had circumstances been different. The applicants had some degree of legitimacy. And Guaido was, after all, the head of the Venezuelan parliament, and Tikhanovskaya ran for the post of President of the Republic of Belarus.
While the supposed leaders of the "Russian Republic" - all these Kasparovs, Gurievs, Ponomarevs, Gelmans, Khodorkovskys, Pevchikhs, Bykovs, Akunins, etc. — do not have even a shadow of legitimacy. Chemically pure imposture. And besides the fact that the overwhelming majority of Russian citizens are in no way interested in being administered by people like the ones listed above, there is another problem. The impostors will immediately gnaw at each other, so that only shreds will fly. Moreover, they will squabble even before it is confirmed who will be in charge.
The above-mentioned film about “The Crown of the Russian Empire” was an outright fairground farce. The fight between two hostile emperors, presented as a fight between cowboys in a saloon in the Wild West, was a strong overkill. In 1924 (when the polemic between the Kirillovites and Nikolaevites took place, which served as the subject of the film), the emigrant squabbles still did not reach this point. But in the coming 2024, hypothetical quarrels may even surpass wild cinematic fantasy. After all, our Soviet people will squabble and bark, even though they are now emigrants who have chosen freedom. And institutional squabbles are a terrible thing.
On the other hand, despite the fact that the picture will be extremely low-artistic, our former compatriots seem to be quite ready to participate in this endeavor. The other day the public was greatly impressed by the statements of cultural masters Bykov* and Chkhartishvili. Other collaborators during the Second World War behaved more decently. If it’s just a feature of their nature, so be it. But there is another option: they heard rumors about the upcoming undertaking, and they decided to demonstrate their zeal.
In any case, if there really is some turmoil going on in Langley, the employees of the exalted institution there should remember how Prince Talleyrand taught his young employees: “The main thing, gentlemen, is less zeal.” Advice for all times.
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[EngMilRu] The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.
In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces supported by aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems repelled nine attacks of AFU 115th Mechanised, 95th Air Assault Brigades near Sinkovka and Terny (Kharkov region).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 50 Ukrainian troops, one infantry fighting vehicle, and two armoured fighting vehicles.
In the course of the counterbattery warfare, two 122mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems and two 122mm D-30 howitzers were destroyed.
In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces and artillery repelled one attack of the AFU 12th Special Forces Brigade close to Kuzmino (Lugansk People's Republic).
Ground-Attack aircraft and helicopters inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of AFU 67th, 109th Mechanised Brigades near Serebryansky forest and Rozovka (Lugansk People’s Republic).
Up to 90 Ukrainian troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, and three motor vehicles were destroyed.
In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces supported by artillery and heavy flamethrower systems repelled four attacks launched by assault groups of AFU 24th Mechanised, 5th Assault, and 79th Air Assault Brigades near Krasnoye, Kirovo, Maryinka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
Aviation and artillery launched attacks at manpower and hardware of AFU 30th, 67th Mechanised, 57th Mechanised Infantry, 3rd Assault, 79th Air Assault, and 112th Territorial Defence Brigades close to Vesyoloye, Artyomovskoye, Krasnoye, Kleshcheyevka, Kurdyumovka, and Andreyevka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
The enemy has lost up to 250 Ukrainian personnel, one tank, three armoured fighting vehicles, and five motor vehicles.
In the course of the counterbattery warfare, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, one U.S.-made M119 gun, and one 122mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system were eliminated.
In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces, Operational-Tactical aircraft, helicopters, artillery, and heavy flamethrower systems repelled two attacks of the AFU 79th Air Assault Brigade near Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
Manpower and hardware of AFU 58th Mechanised Infantry, 127th, 128th Territorial Defence brigades suffered losses close to Urozhaynoye, Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic), and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region).
Up to 100 Ukrainian troops, one tank, and three pickups were destroyed.
In the course of the counterbattery warfare, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, one 152mm D-20 howitzer, one 122mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery radar station.
In Zaporozhye direction, the Russian Group of Forces’ units, aviation, and artillery inflicted losses on AFU 65th, 33rd Mechanised, 128th Mountain Assault Brigades near Rabotino and Pyatikhatki (Zaporozhye region).
The enemy lost up to 50 servicemen killed and wounded, one tank, and three motor vehicles.
In addition in the course of the counterbattery warfare, one French-made Caezar artillery system, one 152mm Msta-B howitzer, and one 152mm D-20 howitzer were destroyed.
In Kherson direction, as a result of the Group’s units, artillery, and aviation strikes the enemy losses were up to 95 troops, one tank, and 12 motor vehicles.
In the course of the counterbattery warfare, one 152mm Msta-B howitzer, one 152mm D-20 gun, one 122mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one Nota electronic warfare station were eliminated.
Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged the AFU 47th Mechanised Brigade’s command post. One HIMARS MLRS launcher was eliminated near Konstantinovka (Donetsk People’s Republic), as well as fuel depots and aircraft close to Kanatovo airfield in Kirovograd region and Starokonstantinov airfield in Khmelnitsky region, and manpower and hardware of the AFU in 132 areas during the day.
Air defence systems shot down two MiG-29 and one Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Forces near Yelizavetovka (Nikolaev region), Druzhkovka and Dobropolye (Donetsk People’s Republic).
Two HIMARS MLRS projectiles and one JDAM guided aerial bomb were intercepted.
In the past 24 hours, 91 unmanned aerial vehicles were eliminated close to Staromikhailovka, Berestovoye, Belogorovka, Spornoye (Donetsk People’s Republic), Zmiyevka, Krovosheyevka, Novodruzhesk, Zolotoryovka (Lugansk People’s Republic), Pershotravnevoye (Kharkov region), Novoye, Mirnoye (Zaporozhye region).
In total, 553 airplanes and 259 helicopters, 9,836 unmanned aerial vehicles, 442 air defence missile systems, 14,135 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,189 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,369 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 16,407 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 23:55 Official summary of the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC from 00:00 12/17/2023 to 00:00 12/18/2023
Over the past 24 hours, the Representation has recorded 36 incidents of firing by the Ukrainian forces.
Information was received about the injury of a civilian, a man, in the Kirovsky district of Donetsk.
Five residential buildings were damaged in the Kuibyshevsky district of Donetsk and the Nikitovsky district of Gorlovka, as well as one civil infrastructure facility.
The areas of three settlements of the Republic were under enemy fire: Gorlovka (Tsentralno-Gorodskoy, Nikitovsky districts), Yasinovatsky district, the capital city of Donetsk (Kuibyshevsky, Kirovsky, Petrovsky districts).
In the Donetsk direction, the enemy carried out seven attacks from 155mm artillery, incl. with a cluster warhead.
At Gorlovka there were 26 artillery attacks from artillery with calibers of 152mm and 155mm, incl. with a cluster warhead.
On Yasinovatsky there were three artillery attacks from 155mm artillery.
A total of 129 units of various ammunition were fired.
In the previous day, 30 artillery attacks were recorded from the Ukrainian Federal Unitary Forces.
22:15 Russian Ministry of Defense transmits: For bravery and military skill
Trooper "Voron" was awarded the St. George Cross, III degree, for his distinction in battles in the Artemovsk direction. His assault squad occupied a height near the village of Berkhovka and repelled all enemy attacks.
“For me, this is a very valuable award, because it is given to fighters for personal courage,” the fighter shared his emotions.
21:30 Front bird broadcasts: Bouquets in the sky. Dry people - get ready. 17.12 21:00
The launch of a group of geraniums in the southern regions of Ukraine is reported.
Enemy military targets are target number one.
20:30 «WarGonzo»:
We'll wait until Monday. 95th week of SVO: main thing
Kherson-Crimean direction.
The main attention is focused on Krynki, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to hold a bridgehead on the left bank of the Dnieper. We can say that at the moment there is a stalemate in this area. Neither side is able to win this chess game. However, this state of affairs is still more satisfactory to the RF Armed Forces. The Ukrainian Armed Forces failed to transform a tactical bridgehead into an operational one.
Zaporozhye direction.
Over the past week, the LBS has changed in only one area. Russian troops managed to advance west of the village of Rabotino. At the same time, they also carried out tactical offensive actions from Novoprokopovka and Novofedorovka. In the latter case, an attempt to regain control over previously lost heights. The Ukrainian Armed Forces showed some activity near Verbovoy. But, rather, by inertia. The Ukrainian command is not thinking about operational successes now.
Ugledar direction.
Here, one might say, the front has calmed down. The Russian Armed Forces several times tensed the Ukrainian Armed Forces west of Staromayorsky. But these were symbolic actions that did not pose a threat to Ukrainian defensive positions.
Donetsk direction.
On the southern flank, the Russian Armed Forces managed to achieve serious tactical successes at Novomikhailovka. This was caused by simultaneous offensive actions from the south and east. In the first section, Russian troops reached a village where a powerful Ukrainian fortified area is located.
Novomikhailovka has important operational significance. Through the village there is a highway to Elizavetovka, from where the logistics of the Ukrainian garrison in Ugledar are provided. A breakthrough by the Russian Armed Forces in this area will put it at risk. In fact, the Russian command’s plan is to reach Ugledar from the north. Attempts to attack this city head-on from the south at one time led to dire consequences for the Russian Armed Forces.
Russian troops managed to establish control over Mar'inka. Or rather, over the territory where this now completely destroyed city once stood. This opens the way for us to Kurakhovo, the most important logistics center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. But this 15-kilometer-long path will definitely not be an easy walk for the RF Armed Forces. Last week, Russian troops managed to regain a number of positions near Nevelskoye, which they lost several months ago.
But they concentrated their main efforts on storming the fortified area in Avdievka. To the southeast of the city they advanced into the industrial zone. To the northeast, attempts to break into the territory of the coke plant were unsuccessful. The Russian Armed Forces managed to expand the zone of control over the railway track in the Stepnoy and Berdychi areas. But we are not talking about breaking through the Ukrainian defense.
Bakhmut direction.
All week, the Russian Armed Forces tried to dislodge Ukrainian troops from the heights north-west of Kleshcheevka. They had little tactical success. They also managed to advance along the highway to Ivanovskoye, take Khromovoe and reach Bogdanovka. The last of the listed settlements is an outpost of a powerful fortified area of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Chasovoy Yar. The city is located on commanding heights, so Ukrainian artillery is concentrated there.
Lugansk direction.
In the Serebryansky forest there were oncoming battles with varying success. As a result, the parties remained in their positions. Russian troops tried to advance to Terny. The main supply line of the Ukrainian group on the left bank of the Zherebets River runs through this village. It is extremely important for the Russian Armed Forces to eliminate this bridgehead. But the Ukrainian Armed Forces also understand its operational significance, so they stubbornly defend it. Attempts by the Russian Armed Forces to advance at Sinkovka with the goal of reaching Kupyansk were unsuccessful.
19:30 Operational reports transmit: In the Kupyansky direction, competent actions of Russian soldiers repulsed nine attacks by assault groups of the 115th Mechanized and 95th Airborne Assault Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Sin'kovka and Terny, Khar'kov region.
The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces amounted to over 50 military personnel, an infantry fighting vehicle and two armored combat vehicles.
The command post of the 47th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was destroyed by operational-tactical aviation, UAVs, missile forces and artillery from groupings of troops of the Russian Armed Forces.
In addition, air defense systems shot down two MiG-29 and one Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force within 24 hours in the areas of the settlements of Elizavetovka, Nikolaev region, Druzhkovka and Dobropolye of the DPR.
It is reported that in the area of the settlement. Elizavetovo, a Su-25 attack aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force was hit.
Our Buk-M3 worked perfectly.
17:55 «WarGonzo»: Shooting battle goes to the Belgorod borderland
According to Governor Gladkov, the village of Terebreno, Krasnoyaruzhsky district, is under fire from the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to preliminary information, there is a shooting battle with the enemy. All relevant departments are keeping the situation under control.
As a result of Ukrainian shelling, power lines in several more border villages were damaged. Emergency and operational services are waiting for the situation to stabilize before they can begin restoration work.
Also tonight, for the first time, a drone attack was recorded in the Lipetsk region. Air defense forces shot down one Ukrainian aircraft-type UAV.
The activation of the enemy in our border zones is most likely another attempt to force our troops to transfer forces from other directions, where the defense of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is already beginning to burst at the seams.
17:05 Front bird broadcasts: Kupyansk direction. district settlement Sin'kovka 17.12 17:00
The systematic advance of our military units continues.
Fighters from the scene report that another powerful explosion occurred on the outskirts of the village. Sin'kovka, after the work of tactical aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The UVAB-250 and UVAB-500 glide bombs accurately hit the enemy's fortified positions.
16:00 Front bird broadcasts URGENT Donetsk direction. Ugledar. 17.12 15:40
It is reported that in the area of the village of Ugledar of the Donetsk People's Republic, our soldiers from the 39th Motorized Rifle Brigade and other units repelled several attacks by Ukrainian Armed Forces militants and mercenaries.
Let us note that there were more sushniks than our soldiers conducting defensive actions.
The enemy lost up to one squad of personnel and several pickups.
15:30 Front bird broadcasts: Nikolaevkskaya area. Air defense. 17.12 15:20
Local public pages report on the work of enemy air defense.
The hum was heard in the southern part of the region in the port area.
Information about arrivals is being clarified.
Our UAV has undergone preliminary testing.
14:15 Under shelling of militants of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the village of Terebreno, Belgorod region
“According to preliminary information, there is a shooting battle with the enemy on the border of the village. All relevant departments are keeping the situation under control,” the regional governor wrote in his Telegram channel.
13:35 Russian Ministry of Defense transmits Statement by the head of the press center of the "South" group
In the Donetsk direction, units of the “Southern” group of troops, supported by artillery fire, repelled attacks by assault groups of Ukrainian Armed Forces brigades in the areas of the settlements of Kleshcheevka and Pobeda.
– We defeated the enemy’s manpower and equipment in the areas of the settlements of Kurdyumovka, Kleshcheevka, Bogdanovka, Artemovskoye, Razdolovka, Krasnoye, Andreevka and Maryinka.
“The enemy lost up to 290 troops killed and wounded, a tank, two infantry fighting vehicles, a pickup truck, and a 120mm mortar were destroyed.
– Artillery, heavy flamethrower systems and loitering ammunition inflicted fire on eight enemy strongholds.
12:50 Russian Ministry of Defense transmits Statement by the head of the press center of the Center group
Units of the Center group of troops continue to carry out combat missions of a special military operation in the Krasnolimansk direction.
– In the area of Serebryansky forest, with the support of artillery crews, the assault group of the 12th Special Forces Brigade “Azov” was defeated.
– The artillery crews of the group inflicted defeat on three strong points and areas of concentration of manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian troops.
– Enemy losses amounted to up to 100 military personnel.
12:15 Front bird broadcasts: Avdeevskoe direction. district settlement Krasnogorovka 17.12 11:50
Tactical aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces struck enemy positions and concentration points.
In particular, a strike was struck on the stronghold and command post of one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces brigades.
In addition, it is reported that once again Su-34 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces sent parcels to enemy rear positions using UFABs.
11:40 Russian Ministry of Defense transmits Statement by the head of the press center of the "West" group
Units of the West group of forces continue to carry out combat missions of a special military operation in the Kupyansk direction.
– During the active defense, four counterattacks of assault groups of 14 and 115 Mechanized Brigades in the direction of Ol'shan were repelled. The enemy retreated in a southwestern direction.
– During the counterbattery fight, the group’s artillery destroyed three enemy mortar crews in the areas of the settlements of Stepovaya Novoselovka, Kislovka and the Bedny Yar ravine.
– The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces amounted to up to 35 servicemen, six servicemen were taken prisoner.
10:40 Frontline bird broadcasts: Sumy region 17.12 10:00
Local telegram channels report the sound of an explosion on the outskirts of the city.
The landowners again mine the area, and then blow themselves up.
The air raid warning did not sound in the area.
09:40 Criminal Kyiv regime continues to fire at the civilian infrastructure of settlements on the left bank of the Kherson region, yesterday during the day the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired from cannon artillery:
-- n.p. Krynki 23 rounds;
-- n.p. Alyosha 12 rounds;
-- n.p. Kazachi Lagery five rounds;
-- n.p. Dnepryan four rounds;
-- n.p. Obryvka of three rounds;
-- n.p. Podlesnoe two rounds;
-- n.p. Novaya Mayachka four rounds;
-- n.p. Korsunka two rounds.
During the night, the Kiev regime continued to shell civilian infrastructure in the village. Novaya Kakhovka, n.p. Kakhovka, n.p. Podstepnoye, n.p. Korsunka, n.p. Aleshki, n.p. Dnepryany, n.p. Krynki, n.p. Golaya Pristan, firing a total of 28 rounds from cannon artillery.
As a result of the shelling, wo civilians were killed, the destruction of infrastructure is being clarified.
09:20 Telegram channel “Two majors“: Overview Summary for December 17, 2023
Ukraine is preparing for defense along the entire front line. The previous volumes of assistance from the West to the enemy are not expected in the near future, but the owners of Ukraine are not canceling the task of causing long-term damage to Russia. Kyiv in 2023 stepped on the same rake as Moscow at the beginning of 2022: underestimating the enemy, a long period of “beautiful reports”, mischief in the media.
The latter leads in Ukraine to a gradual enlightenment of part of the enemy’s population, but in the wrong direction. We remain enemies for them, and it’s all the fault of the specific Zelenskys, who need to be replaced with Zaluzhny ones, and everything will work out. Such sentiments are promoted by massive attacks on Zelensky in the Western media, the headlines of which directly link the failures of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the name of the Ukrainian president.
In Russia and the world, many followed the speech of the Supreme Commander on a direct line, some of whose answers indicated that information was conveyed to him in a “smoothed out form.” Emotions among military bloggers were caused by words with a reference to the military department about “only sanitary losses” of the Russian Armed Forces at the ill-fated Krynoki. The key issue before March 17, 2024 remains the stability of the state management system; this will be the basis for making management decisions.
Western military circles are already frightening the public with the risks of the defeat of Ukraine and the entry of the Russian Army onto the borders with the EU, and the preparation of industry and infrastructure on the eastern flank of NATO is intensifying. To the front.
– The Kherson direction has not undergone significant changes. The enemy in Krynki, which had been razed to the ground, even tried to become more active, hitting the rear areas with cannon artillery and HIMARS MLRS. He organized massive raids on the region and neighboring Crimea with his UAVs, but did not achieve his goals.
The enemy is experiencing problems in the front sector in manpower: they urgently began to transfer personnel from territorial defense to the Marine Corps. In the Western and Ukrainian press, the unsuccessful operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is explained by Zelensky’s personal PR, which is achieved at the expense of losses.
– On the Zaporozhye Front, the Russian Armed Forces began to push back the enemy near Rabotino in local battles. Verbovoy has counter-fights. Units of the 7th Airborne Division carry out daring raids on armored vehicles on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Here, as in the Kherson region, our aviation carries out constant strikes from FAB and UMPC against enemy rear lines.
– Mar'inka has been taken, the outskirts are being cleared. The movement of the Russian Armed Forces from the city to the south, to the village, became important. Victory. The simultaneous activation of our troops in the direction of Novomikhailovka indicates a plan to reach Ugledar from the northeast. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are also preparing for defense in Kurakhovo, west of Marinka.
– The Russian army, as a result of heavy fighting, broke into the outskirts of Avdievka, the remnants of the enemy in the “Vinogradniki” cottage village near the industrial zone are being eliminated. At the neck of the “Avdievka Sack,” our zone of control is gradually expanding, the enemy is withdrawing troops from other sectors of the front and transferring them to Avdievka. The fighting is fierce and bloody.
– From the Artyomovsky direction there is an advance of our troops in the direction of Chasov Yar. The city must be taken from the north due to the terrain; battles are taking place near the village. Bogdanovka, Khromovo, Kleshcheevki. Our offensive actions were reported north of Soledar.
– Local battles are taking place near the Torsky ledge, in Serebryansky forestry and in the Kupyansky direction.
“Geranium UAVs are constantly striking throughout the entire depth of enemy territory.” Hypersonic Kinzhal missiles hit Western air defense systems near Zhitomir. The enemy does not stop artillery attack the civilian population of the front-line regions, tries to accumulate aircraft-type UAVs for massive attacks on our rear areas, but does not achieve success: most of his missiles and drones do not reach their targets.
The Russian Army seizes the initiative along the entire front and creates conditions for offensive actions.
08:35 Telegram channel "Fisherman": Chronicle of a special military operation for December 16, 2023
– The most active battles are now taking place in the Yuzhnodonetsk direction, where the Russian Armed Forces managed to approach the outskirts of the village of Pobeda and partially bypass the “Zverinets” fortified area. In the Novomikhailovka area, units of 68 AK are advancing on the southeastern outskirts of the village.
– In the Kupyansky sector, the Russian Armed Forces are advancing in the Sin'kovka area, but the exact configuration of the front is unknown. In the Soledar direction, assault operations continue in the area of Bogdanovka and Kleshcheevka, but there are no significant changes.
– In the Avdeevsky direction, Russian units are fighting along the railway near Stepovoy, as well as on the approaches south of Novokalinovo. Fierce clashes continue on the northern flank in the area of the Yasinovat industrial zone.
– In the Orekhovsky sector, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a series of local counterattacks in the Verbovoy area, but were thrown back, and the Russian Armed Forces were able to improve the tactical situation. In Krynki in the Kherson direction, the enemy continues to transfer reinforcements to the left bank of the Dnieper, but is unable to advance further than the center.
08:10 Official summary of Representative offices of the DPR in the JCCC from 00:00 December 16, 2023 to 00:00 December 17, 2023
Over the past 24 hours, the Representation has recorded 30 incidents of firing by the Ukrainian forces.
Information was received about the injury of a civilian, a woman, in the Kirovsky district of Donetsk.
Three residential buildings were damaged in the Kuibyshevsky district of Donetsk and the Nikitovsky district of Gorlovka, as well as two civil infrastructure facilities.
The areas of three settlements of the Republic were under enemy fire: Gorlovka (Nikitovsky district), the capital city of Donetsk (Budennovsky, Kyiv, Kuibyshevsky, Kirovsky, Petrovsky districts), Makeevka (Chervonogvardeysky district).
In the Donetsk direction, the enemy carried out 22 attacks from MLRS and 155mm artillery.
On Gorlovsky there were eight artillery attacks from MLRS and 155mm artillery.
A total of 109 units of various ammunition were fired.
In the previous day, 12 artillery attacks were recorded from the AFU.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Regnum] Ukrainians are massively avoiding service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the effect of those forcibly mobilized is zero, since those who wanted to go to the front themselves came to the military registration and enlistment offices for the first six months, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said on December 17 at the discussion panel “2024: Challenges and Prospects” Kirill Budanov.
“We don’t have that many people willing to do anything. I’m not even talking about fighting,” he said.
Budanov said that there are 1.1 million people in the Ukrainian army and new troops need to be recruited to maintain this number due to constant losses at the front. He called forced mobilization in Ukraine inevitable.
The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate also generally rated the moral and psychological qualities of the majority of the country’s residents low. He said that they call themselves Ukrainians, shout Bandera slogans like “Ukraine above all,” but are running away from mobilization. According to Budanov, the country’s residents do not feel like its citizens.
The Kiev regime, against the backdrop of heavy losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, is looking for new ways to herd citizens into the army. Former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of UkraineIgor Mosiychuk said on December 17 that mobile checkpoints had been deployed in the Kyiv region at which subpoenas will be handed out.
Ukrainian edition “Country. ua" reported on December 16 that military registration and enlistment office employees and SBU agents in a number of cities are conductingraids in restaurants to hand out summonses. On December 17, men were caught in a shopping and entertainment center in Dnepropetrovsk. In the Lvov regiona summons was issued to a priest of the Greek Catholic Church for calling the deceased “servant of God” at the funeral.
Deputy of the Ukrainian Parliament Maryana Bezuglaya On December 17, she reported that the Verkhovna Rada was considering a bill on mandatory womenfor military registration. She noted that the military wants to establish fairly strict standards in this matter.
[Regnum] Additional check revealed that the listening devices were in the possession of employees of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny, just like him, the online publication “Ukrainian Pravda” reported, citing sources.
Earlier, information appeared in the media that similar equipment was found in Zaluzhny’s office. It was noted that these devices consist of elements of an unknown type, and therefore it is allegedly impossible to find out who placed the spy products in the premises.
As reported by IA Regnum, in April The Washington Post wrote that the US intelligence community was tracking all messages from the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kirill Budanov. Such information was allegedly contained in American secret documents leaked online.
According to these data, the surveillance was organized due to distrust of the Ukrainian general. Journalists suggested that Budanov knew about this activity. The publication specified that during interviews the newspaper conducted with the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, he turned on music or created static noise.
In addition, in April, CNN reported that secret US documents found on the Internet contained information that the head of the Kyiv regime Vladimir Zelensky spied on the Pentagon. At the same time, a source close to Zelensky, with whom journalists spoke, called this situation expected.
#1
How surprising - it does explain why Russia didn't conqueer "Ukraine" in a week. After WWII Russia had to deal with Banderistas for two decades. And never really won - they abandoned armed struggle for infiltrating educational institutions. This time around, Russians letting everybody willing to fight for Independent Ukraine die in Russian build meat grinder.
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics.
Note that SMERSH was a Soviet era, post WWII counterintelligence agency established in 1944. The title of this Live Journal post is taken from the jumbotron, where a question to Putin is posed about reviving a counterintelligence agency, like SMERSH
[ColonelCassad] From Putin's latest statements.
Russia will not give up its sovereignty in exchange for sausage. Russia will either be a sovereign and self-sufficient power, or it will not exist at all. Western "recipes" will not work against Russia.
Russia will make all decisions itself. without tips from abroad. Russia has the right and vital need to be strong.
The scale of the historical tasks facing Russia requires the unity of all the patriotic forces of the country.
PS. The public break with the West continues. One of the voluntary or involuntary consequences of Putin’s rule over a long historical period will be the historical defeat of Westernism in Russia and its further marginalization. It's ironic that this is happening after decades of the "March to the West".
PS2. It was time to revive SMERSH in the spring of 2022.
After the collapse of the USSR, Western countries wanted to destroy Russia. President Vladimir Putin announced this on December 17.
“After the collapse of the USSR, [the West] believed that we had to be patient a little, now we’ll completely collapse Russia. This is the largest country by European standards <…> not needed,” Putin said in an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin. a>.
At the same time, as the Russian leader noted, the West wanted to subjugate the country and use its resources.
So, as the famous politician in the USA proposed Zbigniew Brzezinski to divide Russia into five parts. He proposed to subordinate these parts separately and use its resources. Provided that all of them individually will not have the weight and ability to defend interests, as the unified Russian state does, Putin explained.
As reported by IA Regnum, in March, the Russian President said that geopolitical interests were more important for the West than the elimination of ideological contradictions associated with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Putin noted that after the collapse of the USSR, it seemed that the ideological basis for the confrontation between Russia and the West had disappeared, but this was not the case. As the head of state explained, modern problems in the world began after the collapse of the USSR, since the structure of the world was determined by the results of the Second World War. Putin then added thatThe West was trying to rock post-Soviet Russia.
#4
You guys / gals are smart, name it: what natural resource, and or any resource that Russia does not have access to and need to import?
I dont see it. There might be a matter of quality of product, but that can be fixed with better method. Outside of inferior product, Russia has what it needs to be self-sufficient.
US too.
Global Economy is to make countries inter-dependent and weaker from this inter-dependence.
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.
