Ukraine - Russia's perfidious attack, a chronicle of events

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 18.01.23 were approximately:

 

[Alex_Sor]

Military expert Oleg Zhdanov spoke about Russian X-22 missiles. In particular, he explained why the air defense system (air defense) may not detect missiles of this type.

As the expert noted, the X-22 flight range is up to 600 kilometers, which it overcomes in just 7-8 minutes: "When Tu-22M3s with X-22 missiles on board take off in the Kaluga region of Russia, we, unfortunately, do not We know... They can carry out launches at a distance of 100 kilometers from our border... We detect this missile only when it enters the air defense zone of our country."

Speaking about how the X-22 flies, Zhdanov added:

     “This missile is launched from a Tu-22M3 strategic bomber at an altitude of 10 to 14 kilometers. It picks up speed and rises to a height of up to 20 kilometers, entering the stratosphere. at an angle of 30 degrees, it enters the target, gaining supersonic speed. At such a speed, air defense may not even notice it. Such systems that we have."

According to a military expert, Ukraine does not have the technical means to detect the moments of the launch of X-22 missiles, as well as the launches of S-300. As Zhdanov added, at best, S-300 missiles are detected by air defense when they enter Ukrainian airspace.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kh-22

 

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 20.01.23 were approximately:

 

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 23.01.23 were approximately:

Operational information as of 06.00 on 23.01.2023 regarding the Russian invasion
The three hundred and thirty-fourth day of the Russian large-scale invasion has begun.
The threat of Russian strikes using land-based, sea-based and air-based missiles and "kamikaze drones" remains throughout Ukraine.
During the day, the enemy launched 4 missile and 5 air strikes. Also, he carried out more than 40 attacks from rocket salvo systems.
The enemy conducted unsuccessful offensive actions in the Lymansky, Avdiyivskyi and Zaporizhzhya directions. Continues offensive actions in the Bakhmut direction. In other directions, he leads the defense.
Over the past 24 hours, units of the Defense Forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of the settlements of Stelmakhivka and Novoselivske in the Luhansk region and Vyimka, Rozdolivka, Bilogorivka, Paraskoviivka, Bakhmut, Stupochki, Novobakhmutivka, Pervomaiske and Maryinka in the Donetsk region.
No enemy offensive groups were detected in the Volyn, Poliske, Siversk and Slobozhansk directions. Areas of Sopych, Kharkivka and Popivka settlements in Sumy region and Veterinarne, Strelecha, Zelene, Pylna, Vovchansk, Novomlynsk, Staritsa and Dvorichna in Kharkiv region were hit by mortar and artillery fire.
In the Kupyansk direction, the enemy shelled the areas of Petropavlivka, Tabaivka, Synkivka, Krokhmalne, and Kupyansk settlements of the Kharkiv region, as well as Novoselivske and Stelmakhivka - Luhansk region.
On the Lymanskyi direction, Makiyivka, Ploshanka, Chervonopivka, Serebryansk forestry and Kuzmyne in the Luhansk region were hit by fire.
Areas of 21 settlements were affected by fire in the Bakhmut direction. Among them are Verkhnyokamianske, Krasnopolivka, Zalizne, Bilogorivka, Krasna Gora, Bakhmut, Kurdyumivka and Mayorsk of the Donetsk region.
In the Avdiivsk direction, Avdiivka, Nevelske, Pervomaiske, Krasnohorivka, Georgiivka, and Maryinka came under enemy fire.
In the direction of Novopavlivsk, the enemy fired artillery and mortars in the Bogoyavlenka and Mykilsky areas of the Donetsk region.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, more than 20 settlements were affected by artillery fire, in particular, Vilne Pole, Vremivka and Novopil in Donnechyna and Gulyaipole, Pavlivka, Novodanilivka, Stepove, Orihiv, Shcherbaki and Mala Tokmachka in the Zaporizhzhia region.
In the Kherson direction, in particular, the areas of Dudchany, Ingulets, Havrylivka, Burgunka, Monastyrske, Antonivka, and Kherson settlements were shelled by rocket-propelled grenades.
From January 18 to 21 of this year, reinforcements of the occupiers arrived in the settlements of Vynohradove and Brylivka of the Kherson region. The personnel was armed only with small arms, the means of personal protection, such as bulletproof vests, had only units, military equipment was not imported.
The enemy continues to suffer losses. Yes, the city hospital of Dniprorudny Zaporizhzhia region is full of wounded. Only recently, about 150 invaders have been delivered. At the same time, most of the hospital staff refused to cooperate with the occupiers, so doctors are sent from the Russian Federation.
During the day, the aviation of the Defense Forces made 3 strikes on enemy concentration areas. An enemy UAV "Orlan-10" was also shot down. Ukrainian rocket launchers and gunners hit 4 areas where the occupiers were concentrated and 3 ammunition depots.

[Alex_Sor]

On February 24, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russian troops are shelling and destroying key infrastructure facilities,

conducting massive shelling of residential areas of Ukrainian cities and villages.

I am in the capital of Ukraine, the city of Kyiv.
I do not leave the city, I follow what is happening here, reassure my family and friends, explain the situation and follow the press reports.

A lot of panic messages, a lot of fake news from Russian propaganda.
I select only the information that has confirmation.
As a former military man (in the distant past), I have a good understanding of how hostilities are conducted and what weapons are used.

I will answer all your questions.

Since February 24, Russia has attacked Ukraine, many cities of Ukraine have been destroyed.

Because of the war, I lost my business in Ukraine, if you want to help me and my family, my Paypal is: Alex.Sor.2022@gmail.com

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 24.01.23 were approximately:

[Alex_Sor]

This photo shows a kamikaze drone.

(Ukrainian volunteers make such drones for their own money for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine does not finance such developments)

A cumulative mine is installed under the drone frame.

The drone is controlled by the FPV and the operator detonates the charge when approaching an enemy tank or armored vehicle.

 

[Alex_Sor]

As of December 2022, the total direct documented damage to Ukraine's infrastructure as a result of Russia's full-scale invasion is estimated at $137.8 billion.

This was reported by the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), whose analytical division carries out such a calculation as part of the "Russia will pay for everything" project.

"Compared to the latest calculations, as of November 2022, the total amount of losses has increased by almost $2 billion. Russia continues to inflict destruction on Ukraine's infrastructure through massive attacks, shelling and hostilities. According to the experts of the KSE project" Russia will pay "the largest increase in losses according to the results of December, it is associated with an increase in losses from the destruction of housing stock, educational institutions and objects of culture, religion and sports," the report says.

It is noted that the losses from the destruction of the housing stock are estimated at $54 billion. In December, this amount increased by another $1.5 billion. For more than ten months of the war, a total of 149.3 thousand residential buildings were damaged or destroyed, including 131.4 thousand private houses, 17.5 thousand apartment buildings and 280 dormitories.

"The areas most affected by the war are also infrastructure, with inflicted losses of $35.6 billion, industry and enterprises - $13 billion," the report says.

 

[Alex_Sor]

A fresh light cannon for a mobile group.
Everything turned out great. The range of the light beam is 3,600 meters, assembled in the housing of a Chinese searchlight.

Photo 1. The work of air defense in the Strait of Gibraltar in 1942.

Photo 2 of an anti-aircraft searchlight from our "Warriors of Light UA" workshop after 10 days on combat duty.

Photo3 light cannon at 3.6 km.

Hunting for Shahed136 kamikaze drones is very similar to hunting for airplanes in 1939-1945.

Anti-aircraft searchlights are a significant component of this hunt. Yes, the searchlight is not a MANPADS Stinger and not a locator, but MANPADS and locators are few, and machine guns 7.62 \12.7 are enough in every sector of defense, and people who can work on them are much more than MANPAD operators. I found a description of the work of searchlight units in WW2 on the russian war2 resource. I hope this information will be useful to all involved.:
Searchlight installations were part of searchlight regiments, and those, in turn, were divided into companies. Each searchlight company had 9 searchlights and 3 sound detectors. The front line of searchlights was located at such a distance from the limit of fire of anti-aircraft artillery that the anti-aircraft batteries had enough time to prepare to open fire on an illuminated target at the limit range.
The functions of anti-aircraft searchlight parts were defined in a special instruction published in 1941. According to this document, searchlight installations had to be located at a distance of 3-4 km from each other, and their main tasks during night air raids of the enemy were to search for and intercept enemy aircraft with a beam. After capture, the calculation of the searchlight was supposed to continuously illuminate the target until it was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery or fighter aircraft. To ensure the effective actions of night fighter aircraft, searchlights created light fields in the directions of the possible appearance of the enemy. Each such field was 21–28 km wide and 10–15 km deep. In the center of the field was a waiting area for fighter aircraft. With a dense placement of spotlights, separate light fields were flanked, forming a continuous light front.

[Alex_Sor]

Russian missile attack on Ukraine on January 26:
A large-scale air alert was announced throughout Ukraine in the morning.

In the Kyiv region, as a result of a Russian missile attack, a hit on an energy facility was recorded, and civilian infrastructure, private and multi-storey buildings, and cars of local residents were also damaged.

During today's massive attack on Ukraine, the Russians carried out 55 launches of air and sea-based missiles.

According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny, Kh-101, Kh-555, Kh-47 "Dagger", "Kalibr", Kh-59 missiles were fired from Tu-95, Su-35, MiG-31K aircraft and ships from the Chernoy seas.

"Forty-seven cruise missiles were destroyed by the air defense forces and means of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 20 of them in the capital area. In addition, three out of four Kh-59 guided air missiles did not reach their targets," Zaluzhny said.

As a result of today’s attack by Russians with missiles and drones, power equipment was damaged in several regions, and the main high-voltage equipment was destroyed in the Dnipro region.

According to NPC Ukrenergo, on January 26, the enemy again launched rocket and drone strikes on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine. This is already the 13th missile strike and 15th drone attack on the energy system of Ukraine.

"There are hits and damage to equipment in the southern, central, southwestern regions. In the Dnieper region, the main high-voltage equipment was destroyed at one of the power facilities," the report says.

The company said that problems with power supply caused by shelling also exist in the south, including in the Odessa region.

 

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 26.01.23 were approximately:

 

[Alex_Sor]

 

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 27.01.23 were approximately:

 

[Alex_Sor]

During a massive shelling of Ukraine by the Russian occupation forces, on January 26, a Russian X-55 missile with a simulator of a nuclear "special" warhead was shot down near Kyiv. And the X-101 Russian invaders began to mask (hide).

This information was shared by the publication "Defense Express". X-55 was shot down on approach to Kyiv from the southeast direction, and its wreckage was found near the city of Boryspil. This is far from the first time that a Russian enemy has used tricks.

For the first time, the launch of the X-55 with a mock-up of a nuclear warhead was reported in mid-November. Later, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed this information. The Armed Forces of Ukraine said that such missiles had already been destroyed earlier in the Lviv and Khmelnytsky regions at a distance of 40 and 80 kilometers from the borders of NATO member countries.

 

The purpose of launching the X-55 with a simulator of a nuclear warhead was called the distraction of the Ukrainian air defense forces. It is impossible to recognize the type of missile in the air, so the "dummy" must also be shot down.
 

As for the X-101, the Russians began to mask them. The Russians use sandpaper to clean up the serial numbers of the missiles, which indicate the year and quarter of manufacture, the batch and serial number in it. This information allowed the Armed Forces of Ukraine to assess the rate of appearance and use of the Kh-101 by the Russian aggressors. However, missile identification is still possible. All internal units and assemblies of missiles are also marked, and in order to erase it, it is necessary to disassemble and reassemble each sample in the factory. Russians don't do that...

 

[Alex_Sor]

The first in the world: the Armed Forces of Ukraine began to form UAV strike companies
The Ukrainian army will be the first in the world to fully master a new type of troops - unmanned attack aircraft.

In Ukraine, they began to form the world's first strike companies of UAVs, which will operate as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defense.

The decision to create new units was approved by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Valery Zaluzhny. A Coordination Headquarters has also been created, which will implement the necessary reforms and scale up the production of drones for defense needs.

"The most professional military personnel have already been selected to lead the strike companies. Each of them will receive drones and ammunition, Starlink and other necessary equipment to defeat the enemy in hot spots," the message says.

 

[Alex_Sor]

The Russians took the orphans from Kherson to the orphanage, which gained the fame of "Auschwitz"

Children in the orphanage are constantly malnourished. Due to exhaustion, some of them die, according to one of the Russian women who adopted a child there.

The whereabouts of 14 orphans from Kherson, whom the Russian authorities took to the territory controlled by the Russian Federation during the occupation of the city, became known.

As the Layout publication found out, Ukrainian orphans were settled in the Simferopol Yolochka orphanage, which is subordinate to the Crimean Ministry of Health.

The whereabouts of the children became known thanks to the pictures that were published on the website "Adoption in the Moscow Region" as part of the report on the results of the action "Become Santa Claus".

The media noticed that in the letters that were attached to each of the photos, fourteen postcards were written in the same handwriting. Each one mentioned that the child who addresses Santa Claus came from Kherson.

According to media reports, this place gained fame as the German Auschwitz concentration camp because of the cruel treatment of the inmates. In 2020, several mothers who adopted children from Yolochka spoke about the inhuman conditions for orphans.

One of them, Olga Kramnaya, reported that at the time of adoption, her two-year-old son weighed six kilograms. He could not sit, talk or eat on his own. After examination by doctors, the boy was diagnosed with dystrophy, dehydration, rickets and skull deformity.

Also, one of the former employees of Yolochka told how local nurses looked after orphans in the orphanage.

     “It’s even inconvenient to repeat what I heard from them: “Don’t pour juice for children: you leave, and they will spoil us. Don’t take it on your hands: you’ll teach it, the next shift will come, the child will ask. “They didn’t feed at night - you have to sleep. They didn’t give water, only mixtures. Night kefir went into bottles for employees,” she said.

Her story caused a resonance in the media, but after checking the regional Ministry of Health, the Investigative Committee and the prosecutor's office, no violations were found in Yolochka, and they did not even pay attention to malnourished children.

     “There were a lot of checks, but all these checks were mostly of an excursion nature, so they all did not notice the malnourished children who are still there. Some have already died during this time,” Kramnaya added to the words of the ex-employee.

The publication suggests that the children from Kherson, who were photographed, were transported to Crimea in October 2022 during the so-called evacuation of local residents on the eve of the liberation of the city as a result of the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

[Alex_Sor]

The U.S. defense industrial base is not adequately prepared for the international security environment that now exists.

In a major regional conflict—such as a war with China in the Taiwan Strait—the U.S. use of munitions would likely exceed the current stockpiles of the U.S. Department of Defense.

According to the results of a series of CSIS war games, the United States would likely run out of some munitions—such as long-range, precision-guided munitions—in less than one week in a Taiwan Strait conflict.

The war in Ukraine has also exposed serious deficiencies in the U.S. defense industrial base and serves as a stark reminder that a protracted conflict is likely to be an industrial war that requires a defense industry able to manufacture enough munitions, weapons systems, and matériel to replace depleted stockpiles.
 

 
As timelines for a possible conflict in Asia shrink, the goal should be to support the production capacity required to enable the United States and its allies and partners to deter and, if deterrence fails, fight and win at least one major theater war—if not two. “Just in time” and lean manufacturing operations must be balanced with carrying added capacity. The U.S. Department of Defense, in coordination with Congress, should develop a plan now that involves taking steps to streamline and improve production, acquisitions, replenishment, Foreign Military Sales, ITAR, and other policies and procedures. A revitalization of the defense industrial base will not happen overnight for the United States or its allies and partners. It is time to prepare for the era of competition that now exists.

To read the full report, visit

https://www.csis.org/analysis/empty-bins-wartime-environment-challenge-us-defense-industrial-base

 

 

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 28.01.23 were approximately:

Operational information as of 06.00 on 28.01.2023 regarding the Russian invasion
The three hundred and thirty-ninth day of the Russian large-scale invasion has begun.

Over the past 24 hours, the Russian occupiers have carried out 10 missile strikes, one of which hit the civilian infrastructure of Zaporizhzhia, and 26 airstrikes, and fired 81 rockets from multiple rocket launchers, in particular, at civilian objects in the city of Ochakiv. There are wounded and dead among the civilian population.
The threat of air and missile strikes remains throughout Ukraine.
The enemy continues to conduct offensive operations in the Bakhmut, Avdiiv and Novopavliv directions. On the Kupyansk, Lymansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson directions - defensive.
Over the past 24 hours, units of the Defense Forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of the settlements of Bilogorivka, Luhansk region, and Rozdolivka, Krasna Gora, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Druzhba, Vodyane, Maryinka, Pobyeda, Vugledar, and Prechistivka, Donetsk region.
In the Volyn, Poliske, Siversk and Slobozhansk directions, the situation has not changed significantly, and no offensive groups of the enemy have been detected.
On the Siverskyi direction, the enemy shelled the areas of Mykolaivka settlements of Chernihiv region and Rozhkovichi and Bachivsk - Sumy region with mortars.
  In the Slobozhansk direction, the enemy does not stop shelling settlements along the contact line. Areas of more than thirty settlements were damaged by fire, among them: Guryiv Kozachok, Krasne, Staritsa, Okhrimivka, Varvarivka, Novomlynsk, Dvorichna, Zapadne and Kupyansk of the Kharkiv region.
In the Kupyansk and Lymansk directions, the enemy fired fire in the areas of more than 25 settlements. In particular, these are Ivanivka, Kislivka, Krokhmalne and Berestov in the Kharkiv region and Novoselivske, Makiivka, Chervonpopivka and Dibrova in the Luhansk region.
Areas of more than 40 settlements were damaged by fire in the Bakhmut direction. Among them are Spirne, Verkhnokamianske, Rozdolivka, Vesele, Bilogorivka, Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar, Klishchiivka, Kurdyumivka, Mayorsk, Druzhba, Severnye, Zalizne and Toretsk in Donetsk region.
Berdychi, Avdiivka, Vesele, Vodyane, Nevelske, Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, and Novomykhailivka came under enemy fire in the Avdiivsk direction.
In the direction of Novopavlovsk, the enemy again fired at Bogoyavlenka, Ugledar and Zolota Niva.
In the Zaporizhia region, Zalizne, Illinka, Vremivka, and Novopil in Donnechyna, as well as Olhivske, Poltavka, Malynyvka, Chervone, Gulyaipole, Staroukrainka, Charivne, Orihiv, Novodanilivka, Novoandriivka, and Kamianske in the Zaporizhia region were affected. In total, more than 30 settlements.
In the Kherson direction, areas of the settlements of Zolota Balka, Havrylivka, Dudchany, Chervyn Mayak, Monastyrske, Tomarine, Burgunka, Tyaginka, Komysany and Kherson were subjected to shelling from multiple rocket systems, barrel artillery and mortars.
During the past day, the aviation of the Defense Forces carried out 8 strikes on areas where the enemy's manpower, weapons and military equipment are concentrated, and struck the positions of anti-aircraft missile systems.
In addition, our soldiers destroyed a Su-25 aircraft, a Mi-8 helicopter and 2 Supercam type UAVs.
Units of missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces of Ukraine hit 2 control points, 2 positions of the enemy's anti-aircraft defense and 5 areas of concentration of its manpower during the day.

[Alex_Sor]

Daily Mail
What the hell is waiting for the West? In a powerful and emotional appeal, BORIS JOHNSON pleads with allies to give Ukraine the weapons it needs to win NOW
Look at those brave Ukrainians and give me the answer to the question: what the hell are we waiting for?
What happened here, in the suburbs of Kyiv, caused disgust. But this is happening in every part of Ukraine, which Putin continues to occupy: torture, rape, mass murder. While the physical destruction here is appalling, it pales in comparison to the crimes Putin is committing in other parts of the country - destroying entire villages in a typhoon of bombs and missiles. He has no restraint. He has no shyness. He has long since rejected the least respect for the laws of war - and every day more and more innocent people are sacrificed, more brave Ukrainian soldiers die and more and more young Russians fall into the mouth of his meat grinder.
So let me ask the question again. What are the possible reasons for the delay? Why are we not providing Ukrainians with all the help they need now, when they need it? Let there be no doubt. Ukraine is winning and will win this war. Ukrainian hearts are high and their resolve is hardening every day.
You will see where they defeated what was supposed to be the most powerful army in the world. The expulsion of the Russian troops from Kyiv by the Ukrainians will be included in the list of great military feats of our time. They did it again in Kharkiv, and again in Kherson. They can and will expel Putin from all of Ukraine. This is now a war of independence, and history teaches us that wars of independence end in only one way. The question is when.
The sooner we help the Ukrainians achieve their inevitable victory, the sooner their suffering will end and the sooner the whole world, including Russia, will begin to recover from Putin's disaster. This requires all of us in the West, from all friends of Ukraine, to double and triple our support.
Putin's troops are demoralized. But as spendthrift as he is, Putin still has a reserve population that he mobilizes. He demonstrated his complete disregard for the value of human life. Now he is preparing a counterattack. And even if the Ukrainians see it coming and will easily take this blow, they will need our help in the next and decisive stage – the return of the land bridge. This is the continuous strip of conquered land that stretches along the coast from Donbas to Crimea and which currently blocks Ukraine's access to the Sea of Azov.
If they can take back that land bridge [corridor to Crimea] or go through it and cut it in two, the Ukrainians have won. It's game over for Putin. All they need to do this is what the West has in excess and which can now have no higher moral or strategic purpose than helping Ukraine. They need "deep fire" - long-range artillery. Now they see what he is doing on Ukrainian soil. They can recognize his command centers and ammunition depots.
To their great disappointment, they are unable to hit these targets with their existing systems. They need planes to attack these positions from the air, and they need armored vehicles and tanks to fight back and hold the land that Putin has stolen. I am proud that it is the UK that is taking part again. By sending 14 Challenger 2 tanks, our Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace set an example for other countries to follow. It is time for others to follow our example.
The Ukrainians need hundreds of tanks, and they must get them from the Americans, Germans, Poles and many others. Where does the western world need to put these tanks now? Protection of North Rhine-Westphalia? Defend Tennessee? Walk the Wiltshire countryside? The same can be said for every element of conventional weapons that could help Ukraine end this agony.
Don't talk to me about "escalation" or the risk that we somehow provoke Putin by increasing our support to some new horror. Why should we be afraid to provoke him, when he has already shown what he will do without the slightest provocation? How can it "escalate" when it has already reached such a degree of barbarism that it systematically destroys the homes of civilians? Will it escalate with nuclear weapons on the battlefield? indeed? I don't believe it for a second. If Putin were crazy enough to use nuclear weapons, he would instantly lose all the fickle voters in the world - from Africa, the Middle East, Asia - who are now ready to reject him so strongly.
Worse, from his point of view, he will lose to the Chinese. He will become a global pariah and plunge Russia into such a state of cryogenic economic alienation that the current sanctions will look moderate. First of all, he would lose the Russian people, who would be extremely frightened about the consequences of such a move and where it might lead. And it wouldn't even work. This would not stop the Ukrainians from fighting. He won't do that. He wants to get us talking about nuclear weapons because he wants to portray his chosen war as a confrontation between NATO and Russia. This is not such a thing.

What has led to our ten-year failure to fulfill our promise and accept Ukrainians under NATO's defense umbrella? The result is the bloodiest war in Europe in 80 years. For the sake of clarity, stability and lasting peace, it is now clear - which was not the case before Putin's invasion - that Ukraine must join. And yes, I admit that when Putin ultimately and inevitably loses, it will be difficult to explain all this to the Russian public. But he will find a way. It controls the organs of thought. It still has very significant support.
It's not our job to worry about Putin or where his career might go next, or engage in silly Kremlinology. Our job is to help Ukraine win - as soon as possible.
These heroic people are fighting for all of us. Ukrainians are fighting for Georgians, for Moldovans, for the Baltic states, for Poles - for all those who may be threatened by Putin's crazy revanchism and neo-imperialism. They fight for the principle that nations should not change their borders by force.
When Ukraine wins, it is a message that the whole world will hear. So let's help them win, not next year or the year after, but this year, 2023; and don't tell me, finally, about the costs. If you want to minimize the economic pain, if you want to avoid the enormous cost - in blood and treasure - of allowing this tragedy to continue, then let's do the obvious thing together.

[Alex_Sor]

Sky News: Britain's army will not be able to defend the country in case of war for another decade

Sunak is at risk of failing as prime minister if he does not take urgent action in the face of the growing threat from Russia and Putin, according to the military department.

A senior US general has privately told Defense Secretary Ben Wallace that the British Army is no longer considered a top-tier fighting force, Defense Department sources told Sky News.

According to the Americans, London should have taken care of building up military capacities after the start of the Russian war against Ukraine. However, now "it is a whole service, unable to protect the UK and the allies for a decade."

Rishi Sunak is at risk of failing as prime minister if he doesn't take urgent action given the growing security threat from Russia and Putin, military officials say.

The British Ministry of Defense identified the main problems of their army:
(1) The British Armed Forces will run out of ammunition "within a few days" of fighting.
(2) The UK is unable to protect its skies from the missile and drone strikes that Ukraine endures.
(3) It would take five to ten years for an army to be able to field a combat division of 25,000 to 30,000 men supported by tanks, artillery, and helicopters.
(4) About 30% of the British high-readiness forces are reservists who cannot mobilize within the time limits set by NATO.
(5) Most of the army's fleet of armored vehicles, including tanks, was created 30 to 60 years ago, and a complete replacement is not expected in the coming years.

Officials are worried that Sunak, while announcing the transfer of new types of weapons to Ukraine, in turn is silent about plans to replenish British military depots. Currently, the British army has only 76 thousand people, but the force will be reduced even more - to 73 thousand people.

https://news.sky.com/story/us-general-warns-british-army-no-longer-top-level-fighting-force-defence-sources-reveal-12798365

 

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 30.01.23 were approximately:

Operational information as of 06.00 on 30.01.2023 regarding the Russian invasion
The three hundred and forty-first day of the Russian large-scale invasion has begun.
During the past day, the enemy launched air and 3 missile strikes, one of which was against Kharkiv. He carried out 44 attacks from rocket salvo systems, in particular on populated areas. There are wounded and dead among the civilian population.
The threat of Russian air and missile strikes throughout the territory of Ukraine remains high.
The enemy is conducting offensive operations in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiiv and Novopavliv directions. In other directions - defensive.
Units of the Defense Forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of the settlements of Bilogorivka, Luhansk region, and Yampolivka, Rozdolivka, Vasyukivka, Paraskoviivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Kurdyumivka, and Ozaryanivka, Donetsk region.
In the Volyn, Poliske, Siversk and Slobozhansk directions, the situation has not changed significantly, and no offensive groups of the enemy have been detected.
With mortars and artillery, the enemy shelled the areas of Hrinivka and Krasny Khutir settlements of Chernihiv region; Volfine, Pisarivka and Zapsilya - Sumy and Odnorobivka, Chervona Zorya, Veterinarne, Strelecha, Glyboke, Zelene, Neskuchne, Ternova, Staritsa, Verkhnya Pisarivka, Ohirtseve, Vovchansk, Budarky and Novomlynsk of the Kharkiv region.
In the Kupyansk direction, the areas of Dvorichna, Vilshana, Sinkivka, Petropavlivka, Pishchane, Krokhmalne, Berestov, Zeleny Gai, Vyshneve in Kharkiv region and Novoselivske, Stelmakhivka and Andriivka in Luhansk region were shelled.
On the Lymanskyi direction, Makiivka, Nevske, Chervopopivka, Kreminna and Dibrova in the Luhansk region and Terna and Yampolivka in the Donetsk region were damaged by fire.
In the Bakhmut direction, Spirne, Berestov, Bilogorivka, Rozdolivka, Bakhmut, Diliivka, Druzhba and New York of the Donetsk region were affected by fire.
In the Avdiivsk direction Severne, Vodyane, Pervomaiske Krasnohorivka, Georgiivka, Maryinka and Novomykhailivka came under enemy artillery fire.
Bogoyavlenka, Vugledar, Neskuchne and Velika Novosilka of the Donetsk region were fired upon in the Novopavlivskyi direction.
In the Zaporizhzhia direction, the areas of more than 15 settlements were affected by enemy artillery fire, in particular, Vremivka and Novopil of the Donetsk region; Poltavka, Malynivka, Chervone, Gulyaipole, Charivne, Novodanilivka, Orihiv, Novoandriivka of the Zaporizhzhia region and Nikopol - Dnipropetrovsk region.
In the Kherson direction, the Russian occupiers shelled the suburbs and the city of Kherson. There are casualties among civilians.
The enemy continues to suffer losses. About 20 bodies of dead occupiers from the districts of Novobakhmutivka and Mayorsk were brought to one of the local morgues in Horlivka, Donetsk region, only on January 28.
During the day, our aircraft struck the enemy's anti-aircraft missile complex and 2 strikes on the areas of concentration of the occupiers. Missile and artillery units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine hit 2 radar stations, an ammunition depot and one other important enemy object.

[Alex_Sor]

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that a full-scale Russian invasion could have been avoided if countries had consistently and boldly led Ukraine into NATO.

In an op-ed for The Washington Post, Johnson noted that Western countries have used diplomatic ambiguity about NATO and Ukraine for decades - "and it ended in complete disaster."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/01/30/boris-johnson-putin-nato-ukraine/

"We have been telling Ukrainians for years that we have an open door policy in NATO and that they have the right to 'choose their own destiny' and that Russia should not have veto power. And all the while we have made it clear to Moscow that Ukraine will never will not join the Alliance - because so many NATO members will exercise their own veto power. The result is the worst war in Europe in the last 80 years. Russian President Vladimir Putin has destroyed countless lives, homes, hopes and dreams," writes Johnson.

The politician noted that Putin did not invade because he thought that Ukraine was going to join NATO - he always knew that this was unlikely.

     "He attacked Ukraine because he believed - and had abundant evidence of this - that we were not very serious about defending Ukraine." If we had been brave enough and consistent enough to bring Ukraine into NATO - if we really meant what we said - then this complete disaster could have been avoided," he said.

Johnson added that support for NATO membership in Ukraine is very high, 83% of Ukrainians believe that Ukraine should become a member of the Alliance. At the same time, the Ukrainian army is fighting with extraordinary skill and courage using NATO equipment. As Johnson noted, "NATO could not teach the Ukrainians how to fight a war - in fact, there is a lot that they could teach us."

He stressed that "Ukrainians must receive everything they need to end this war as soon as possible."

 

[Alex_Sor]

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 31.01.23 were approximately:

Operational information as of 06.00 on 31.01.2023 regarding the Russian invasion
The three hundred and forty-second day of the Russian large-scale invasion has begun.
The Russian Federation continues to wage full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine.
The enemy does not stop destroying the critical infrastructure of our country, launches rocket attacks, and carries out artillery attacks on civilian objects and homes of the civilian population.
So, during the past day, the enemy launched 3 air strikes and 4 missile strikes. He carried out more than 60 attacks from rocket salvo systems, in particular, on residential buildings in the cities of Kherson and Ochakiv. There are casualties among civilians.
The threat of air and missile strikes throughout the territory of Ukraine remains high.
The enemy continues to conduct offensive actions in the Lyman and Bakhmut directions, suffering heavy losses. Conducts unsuccessful offensive actions in the Avdiyiv and Novopavliv areas. In the Kupyan and Zaporizhzhya directions - defends previously captured lines. The disillusionment of the personnel of the units of the Russian Federation in the decisions of their own military-political leadership and the exhaustion of the personnel from the intensity of combat operations are noted.
Over the past day, units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine have repelled attacks by invaders in the areas of Novoselivske, Bilogorivka, Luhansk region and Yampolivka, Spirne, Krasna Gora, Paraskoviivka, Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Ivanivske, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Pervomaiske and Vugledar in Donetsk region.
In the Volyn, Poliske, Siversk and Slobozhansk directions, the situation has not changed significantly, and no offensive groups of the enemy have been detected. Training of enemy units continues on the training grounds of the Republic of Belarus.
Shelling by the troops of the Russian Federation of settlements near the state border continues, causing casualties among the civilian population and destruction of private property. The occupiers shelled the areas of Hrinivka, Huta-Studenetska and Krasny Khutir settlements of Chernihiv region; Sopych, Volfine, Shpyl, Basivka, Zapsilya, Mezenivka, Velyka Pisarivka in the Sumy region and Veterinarne, Hlyboke, Strelecha, Borisivka, Neskuchne, Staritsa, Ohirtseve, Verkhnya Pisarivka, Vovchansk, Budarky, Novomlynsk and Dvorichna in the Kharkiv region.
On the Kupyansk direction, Sinkivka, Kupyansk, Ivanivka, Kislivka and Kotlyarivka in the Kharkiv region and Novoselivske and Andriivka in the Luhansk region were affected by enemy fire.
On the Lymanskyi direction, Novoyehorivka, Makiivka, Nevske, Chervopopivka, Kreminna in Luhansk region and Yampolivka, Dibrova, Yampil and Spirne in Donetsk region were shelled.
In the direction of Bakhmut, Verkhnokamyanske, Spirne, Bilogorivka, Vesele, Krasna Gora, Paraskoviivka, Bakhmut, Ivanovske, Klishchiivka, Ozaryanivka, Druzhba, Ivanopil'a and New York of the Donetsk region were affected by fire.
Berdychi, Tonenka, Severne, Vodyane, Krasnohorivka, Georgiivka, Maryinka, and Pobeda of the Donetsk region came under enemy tank, mortar, and artillery fire in the Avdiiv region.
On Novopavlivskyi, Vodyane, Bogoyavlenka, Novoukrayinka, Vugledar, Mykilski Dachi and Neskuchne of the Donetsk region were shelled.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, Vremivka and Novopil in Donnechyna, as well as Olhivske, Biloghirya, Charivne, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, Orihiv, Kamianske and Novoselivka in the Zaporizhia region were affected. In total, there are more than 20 settlements.
In the Kherson direction, areas of the settlements of Odradokamyanka, Ivanivka, Tokarivka, Antonivka, Pervomaiske, Veletenske and Kherson came under fire from multiple rocket systems, barrel artillery and mortars.
The enemy continues to suffer heavy casualties and has begun using additional civilian medical facilities to accommodate wounded Russian invaders. In the city of Luhansk, on the territory of the maternity ward of the city hospital No. 3 and the maternity ward of the regional hospital, the occupiers set up a "field hospital" where Russian servicemen are treated. In connection with the enemy's use of two maternity homes for the treatment of wounded Russians in the city, it is possible to give birth only in the Luhansk Regional Perinatal Center, where there is a catastrophic lack of places and risks and unfavorable conditions for childbirth are created.
During the day, the aviation of the Defense Forces of Ukraine carried out 4 strikes on enemy concentration areas, and missile and artillery units hit 3 control points, 4 concentration areas and 2 ammunition depots of the occupiers.

[Alex_Sor]

Military equipment is "raised" and "reanimated" 💪🏻

Servicemen of the 22nd separate motorized infantry battalion work skillfully and conscientiously.

 

 

[Alex_Sor]

The creativity of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during a full-scale war in the use of weapons and weapons often surprises Western partners. So a military expert, director of the information and consulting company Defense Express, Sergei Zgurets, spoke about such cases in an interview with Obozrevatel.

So, for example, the military of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the first time used American-made HARM anti-radar missiles from Ukrainian fighters to destroy Russian air defense systems.

In addition, the expert continued, for the first time British Brimstone missiles, which are usually used from helicopters and aircraft launched from ground-based launchers.

"And one of the last examples: we do not have enough Soviet 152 mm ammunition, and now we have enough American ammunition, and we take our spent cartridge case, give it the gunpowder that remains from American shells, and make a shot from 152 mm howitzers," Zgurets summed up.

Brimstone 2 missiles for Ukraine

On December 18, it became known that Britain had confirmed the shipment of new high-precision Brimstone 2 missiles to Ukraine. These are ground-based or air-based missiles developed by MBDA UK for the Royal Air Force of Great Britain. Air-to-surface and surface-to-surface missiles designed to destroy tanks, artillery mounts, electronic warfare systems, small craft and landing craft.

On January 19, 2023, it became known that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland would transfer 600 Brimstone missiles to Ukraine.