What's going on in Ukraine?

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[tabascoboy]

Prigozhin, well don't let us stop you from fucking the fuck off right back to the Russian border if you're that unhappy...

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It seems the Spanish are not just doing a service and repair job on the 10 Leopard 2A4s they are giving to Ukraine, but rather a comprehensive upgrade. Fire control system, optics, comms all being replaced and additional armour being added. Seems they'll be closer to 2A5s when delivered which is expected to be around 1st April.

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https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/05/worl ... index.html

[geordie_6]

Bodging two antiques together, the "might" of the Russian Army?

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Bodging two antiques together, the "might" of the Russian Army?

A 75 year old gun on a 70 year old APC....

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The Russians genuinely are attempting to recreate WWI....

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https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-supreme ... 02084.html

[tabascoboy]

The ongoing clash between Prigozhin and Girkin/Strelkov is entertaining, we can only hope the RU forces starts to turn in on itself in a civil war...

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Bodging two antiques together, the "might" of the Russian Army?

A 75 year old gun on a 70 year old APC....

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Budanov is saying Russia will exhaust its remaining offensive capacity by the start of the Summer.

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Not directly related to Ukraine but it's passed with basically no comment that come April the Netherlands and Germany will have a single combined army. The last independent brigade of the Royal Netherlands Army, the 13th Light, will be integrated into the Bundeswehr command structure this Spring. That's absolutely remarkable given the bitterness the Dutch have held for decades after the WWII occupation.

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[Uncle fester]

Not directly related to Ukraine but it's passed with basically no comment that come April the Netherlands and Germany will have a single combined army. The last independent brigade of the Royal Netherlands Army, the 13th Light, will be integrated into the Bundeswehr command structure this Spring. That's absolutely remarkable given the bitterness the Dutch have held for decades after the WWII occupation.

Seemed so out there that I googled it myself.
Germans are good at this war lark. Best to have them on your side

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[tabascoboy]

Rumours that the decision has been made for a strategic withdrawal from Bakhmut? As ever, hard info not out in the open.

[Flockwitt]

Reports with Shoigu in Ukraine for 3 days now of conflict within Russian leadership regards the demand to take Vuhledar. The new Colonel General Rustam Murado has got problems with the Russian units not so keen to obey orders to take it at any cost.

[tabascoboy]

[_Os_]

Quite a few videos of heavy fighting in Bakhmut today, as well as some reports Ukraine has taken heavy losses in the area (and at least one bit of video evidence, a failed Ukrainian counter outside Bakhmut, looked like Russian artillery destroyed four BMP1s and one got away, hard to tell how many dead but 10+). There's also video of Russians executing a Ukrainian POW. The uploads aren't real time so this would've been in the last 5 days max, probably most on the weekend.

Ukraine have pulled out of the eastern part of the city, and have entrenched on the western bank of the Bakhmutovka river that flows through the city, bridges blown. Ukraine is still standing and fighting inside the city, Ukraine moved hardened volunteer units in there which was an indication they would keep fighting awhile longer.

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[_Os_]

Ukrainian battalion commander on the ground in Bakhmut saying the cost is high, which implies basically they should withdraw ...

[Flockwitt]

Wagner has already been cut off from the resources it requires, they are not getting any further conscript waves and right now it is the Ukrainians deciding where and when to fight, they can withdraw or not as they choose. I mentioned this at the other place but it's become like Verdun, it's the Russians who have actually burned up their resources now with a universal lack of ammunition and human cannon fodder. The Russians had one final opportunity with their mobilisation to make meaningful gains and they've failed miserably, not even taking this one city despite its extremely difficult supply lines. And Wagner is being exhausted in the process. And been put at odds with the rest of the regular Russian army. All of which means the circumstances have become far more favourable for the Ukrainians when they choose to retake the initiative

[Uncle fester]

Verdun was a failure for the Germans. Can't see how repeating the same strategy is going to work for the Russians.

[lemonhead]

Both sides suffered horrible losses. Russia would absolutely jump at a Verdun outcome at the minute, especially with the disparity in personnel.

Have to hope UKR know when to pull the plug, but there's a fair few civilians still stuck there.

[Gumboot]

Both sides suffered horrible losses. Russia would absolutely jump at a Verdun outcome at the minute, especially with the disparity in personnel.

Have to hope UKR know when to pull the plug, but there's a fair few civilians still stuck there.

I don't understand how they're stuck. The city's been virtually levelled and everyone's known for weeks that it will fall at some point, if only temporarily. Anyone in their right mind surely would've already left, with or without military assistance. What am I missing here?

[lemonhead]

Last reports at the weekend between four and six thousand still there.

Some fleeing on foot, won't expect many interviews anytime soon.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/ ... ld-bakhmut

[Gumboot]

Last reports at the weekend between four and six thousand still there.

Some fleeing on foot, won't expect many interviews anytime soon.

Didn't expect anywhere near that many civilians to still be there. Fuck that's grim.

[Flockwitt]

Verdun was a failure for the Germans. Can't see how repeating the same strategy is going to work for the Russians.

I was referencing the quote from Prigozhin there. He's saying his game is/was to attrit the Ukrainians - instead the most effective unit in the Russian army has been worn down to a nub without any significant gains for it.

[tabascoboy]

And still mixed messages from Prigozhin - not so bright now he hasn't got an influx of convicts to throw into the grinder? Continue to hope that the apparent divisions between him and the RU MOD flare up, although of course it could be psyops to try and lure UA forces away from other possible counter-offensives into Bakhmut area ( which they seem to expect very much and prepare defences for in the Zaporizhzia region )

[TB63]

Spoiler

Show

Russian army kills POW..

Spoilered for a reason. Fucking hell, they need to be taken out pdq..

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Poland will transfer another 10 Leopard 2A4s to Ukraine this week.

[Sards]

Spoiler

Show

Russian army kills POW..

Spoilered for a reason. Fucking hell, they need to be taken out pdq..

That is shocking. But war would be the perfect playground for psychopaths

[Flockwitt]

Article on Ukraine troops training in the UK. Estimated another 20K will receive training in 2023.

https://us.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-soldi ... 00378.html

[tabascoboy]

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A Ukrainian soldier who was murdered in cold blood by Russian soldiers after shouting “Glory to Ukraine’ has been named as Tymofiy Shadura, a serviceman with the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said on March 7, referring to statement from the brigade.

The statement said Shadura had gone missing on Feb. 3 during fighting in the Bakhmut area. The body of the soldier is in Russian-occupied territory. The final identification will be established after the return and examination of his remains.

“The command of the 30th Separate Mechanized brigade and the brothers of the hero express their sincere condolences to his family and friends. Revenge will be inevitable,” said the brigade’s command said in its statement.

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A brutal evisceration of Noam Chomsky.

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The commander of Kraken Regiment just disclosed that Budanov personally took part in the assault to retake Rus'ka Lozova outside Kharkiv last April. That's fairly nuts; he's a Major General and head of the GUR. It's somewhat akin to a SOCOM commander personally leading a SOF operation. I think the last time a US general was involved directly in combat was in Korea and that was by accident rather than design.