Russia Ukraine Update Thread - part 2

a reply to: Freeborn

No, no, no. It was the evil EU and WEF.

Do pay attention at the back.

Putin signed the new law today that essentially changes there economy over to a hybrid war economy.

14 July update

Key Takeaways

* Russia continued its campaign of systematic attacks on residential areas in Ukrainian cities with strikes on Vinnytsia, Kharkiv City, and Mykolaiv City.

* Russian forces continued efforts to advance on Siversk but their progress is unclear.

* Russian troops conducted limited ground assaults around Bakhmut and Slovyansk but made no gains.

* Chechen Leader Ramazan Kadyrov claimed that one of the four new battalions he has been forming deployed to Ukraine.

More at URL above.

Cheers

i had seen other reports on this, but this is the first legit source. it looks like Ukraine will get a limited number of HIMARS with 300km range.

Reznikov confident Ukraine will receive more HIMARS, including 300 kilometers-range version. "We give them (the U.S.) proof that we can use it with precision and sophistication and we get more, and longer range,” Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov told the Financial Times.

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I cant help but think that these will be used to take out the bridge linking russia to Crimea.

originally posted by: WeDemBoyz
I cant help but think that these will be used to take out the bridge linking russia to Crimea.

I asked at the beginning of this conflict why they didn't try to take out the Kerch Strait Bridge. It would make a further mess of Russia's resupply efforts.

Taking out the bridge has been on Ukraine's to do list for quite some time. They just never had the right equipment to do it. Since they got HIMARS, it changed things. Even more since we found out that Russian air defense is not capable of taking the HIMARS incoming rockets out. The Russian company responsible for the S-400/C-400 etc guaranteed to the Kremlin that its main selling point was being able to take the rockets out so they might be in some trouble with the Kremlin.

15 July update

Key Takeaways

* Russian forces are likely emerging from their operational pause, launching ground assaults north of Slovyansk, southeast of Siversk, around Bakhmut, and southwest of Donetsk City.

* Russian forces continued to defend occupied positions in the Kharkiv City direction to prevent Ukrainian forces from advancing toward the Russian border in Kharkiv Oblast.

* Russian forces continued their systematic attacks on civilian infrastructure targeting residential infrastructure, recreational facilities, and educational institutions in Mykolaiv City on July 15.

* Chelyabinsk Oblast officials announced the completion of a volunteer battalion on July 15.

* Russian occupation authorities continued to institute new societal control measures in occupied territories.

More at URL above.

Also: Russian volunteer battalions

"Recruits are not required to have prior military service and will undergo only 30 days of training before deployment to Ukraine. " Volkssturm.

Cheers

A great synopsis of the Artillery war that Ukraine has devolved into.



This guy always provides a good balanced analysis imo and just says it like it is with a real good understanding of what he is discussing as he approaches it from a logistics POV. Probably a bit long for a lot but it is worth the time to watch it if you have an interest in these type things.

a reply to: Xcathdra

A bridge is very hard to knock out and very easy to repair. Plus, now with the land bridge to Crimea complete via Donetsk and Zaporizhia and Kherson oblasts, temporarily disabling Kerch bridge has very little strategic value but may provoke Russia to declare total war and mobilize. It may also provoke Russia to attack dams on Dnipr river which would cause massive flooding. It's just not worth it IMO.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Crimea is well supplied by heavy airlifters and ships. Temporarily knocking out the Kerch bridge for a week or two before it's repaired does little to hamper supply.

a reply to: guaman

Russia sure seems to fear it though. They've put decoys and SAM batteries around the bridge.

a reply to: WeDemBoyz

300 km range is good but falls short of Iskander's 500 km range. Iskander is more accurate and shoots both ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

a reply to: Cutepants

Putin is just wishing Ukraine bomb Kerch bridge and knock it out of operation for a week or two so he can declare war and mobilize.

a reply to: guaman

Maybe he'll make a speech saying they destroyed their own bridge as a gesture of goodwill?

a reply to: Cutepants

There's no way Kiev will bomb Kerch bridge. Moscow would bomb Kiev dam as retaliation and lead to heavy flooding and loss of power.

a reply to: guaman

I just think they'll do that either way once they get desperate enough, if they can.

a reply to: Cutepants

Thus far, Russians have not targeted dams for humanitarian reasons. But if Kerch bridge is knocked out for 2 weeks, they may change their mind.

a reply to: guaman

And why do you think Kerch bridge will change their minds? You just said it lacks importance, lol

a reply to: Cutepants

Crimea is considered Russian territory by Russian government. Attacks on civilian infrastructure on Russian territory = declaration of war.