re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict

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Having trouble with post image, but ISW is showing Ukraine breaking through the first line of defense between Robotyne and Novoookrova (may not be quite correct spelling as a line runs through the second town on the map).

ETA: this is south east of Zaporizhzhia

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Can we get a link?

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We have gone from Ukraine being a corrupt shithole to them being the shining beacon of freedom simply through a media blitz, crazy times and scary AF.

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I haven’t seen that. And Ukraine is fighting for their sovereignty. Their right not to live under Russian rule. This never had been a fight for democracy.

And yes Ukraine has earned my respect by not rolling over and for having so many of their young people pay the ultimate price to try and keep Russia out of Ukraine.

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Some are griping about Russia and China making inroads in Africa while they advocate the US getting out of Europe.

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Coherent arguments and logic are not their strong suit

German defense analyst Nico Lange visited the southern front in Ukraine this month and posted a report. I have added in a few comments of my own.

LINK

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In southern Ukraine, the extensive and managed Russian minefields continue to be the biggest obstacle to the Ukrainian offensive. Mines are constantly being re-laid with mortars as Ukraine removes or detonates mines.

Mine removal in flat, open terrain with wide visibility and under constant surveillance by many Russian drones is difficult and dangerous for Ukraine. 

Russia has more drones and seems better able to use them. Ukraine's previous advantage in drones is diminishing, in part because powerful Russian electronic warfare is becoming more effective against Ukrainian drones. 

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This is definitely something that I think is an underrated Russian advantage. When the war started, both sides had relatively few drones, and individual military units crowdsourced drones.

Now, though, Russia's friendship with China is paying dividends, and China is supplying a massive amount of drones directly to the Russian MoD, and Ukraine doesn't have any source that comes close.

Both sides are innovating and manufacturing a lot of their own drones. Ukraine has a lot of interesting projects, but just on its own, the Russian factory now making "Iranian" Shahed kamikaze drones is significant.

More Lange, on the artillery battle:

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The newly delivered cluster munitions put Ukraine in a recognizably better position against the expanded Russian defenses. The new Ukrainian advances in southern Ukraine and south of Bachmut are also made possible by cluster munitions.

The protracted and arduous fight against Russian artillery in recent weeks reduced the Russians' traditional superiority in artillery, improving the conditions for Ukrainian attacks.

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Ukraine has definitely seems to advance more quickly in the last week or so, and cluster munitions is really the only explanation for it, along with attrition of Russian artillery.

Lange's conclusions:

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Ukraine needs more technology to remove and detonate mines. It may need entirely novel solutions for huge, managed minefields, which urgently need to be thought about in the West as well.

Ukraine continues to need more artillery ammunition and support for ammunition logistics, even though it is now able to gradually build up its own production capacity for 155mm caliber ammunition. The EU has produced paper since March so far, but unfortunately no ammunition yet.

EU and member states should think about increasingly producing ammunition, spare parts, and technology directly in Ukraine or scaling production there. Ukraine is creating the conditions for this.

Ukraine is rapidly expanding its own drone production, but needs support for critical components. Ukraine needs more drone defense systems and better electronic warfare to counter Russian drones.

Ukraine further needs more air defense systems and guided missiles. It is possible that the MIM-23 Hawk repurchased by the U.S. from Taiwan can improve the situation on the front lines in this regard. 

A steady supply of accurate long-range weapons and ammunition is particularly important for Ukraine. In addition to Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG, Taurus and ATACMS should finally be delivered.

Ukraine still needs multi-role combat aircraft as soon as possible, and the planned delivery of F-16s should be accelerated to the maximum.

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There are far more rational UA supporters than RU supporters ITT.

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Most posters in this thread do the exact same thing when there’s bad news for Ukraine posted. This thread is like a game thread on the rant where neither side’s fans are capable of seeing things logically.

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At least you now acknowledge you are pulling for Russia in this game thread.

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At least you now acknowledge you are pulling for Russia in this game thread.

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lol

This war is like watching a Stanford/Oregon game late at night. I don’t really care who wins but it’s late and west coast games are the only thing left on tv.

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This war is like watching a Stanford/Oregon game late at night. I don’t really care who wins but it’s late and west coast games are the only thing left on tv.

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I just don’t understand why you believe it doesn’t matter. There’s nothing good about Russia conquering Ukraine. Nothing.

There’s nothing good about any nation conquering another nation for power and control.

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There’s nothing good about Russia conquering Ukraine. Nothing.

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Of course not. It’s a dick move. Russia is a bad actor and ball that. But let’s be honest, whether Ukraine falls or Russia gets pushed all the way back to Moscow is going to have a very minimal affect on my or any other American’s life.

https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1684926082980442112

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An Explosion has Rocked the the Southwestern Russian City of Taganrog in the Rostov Region this morning; the cause of the Explosion is claimed by Regional Officials to have been a Missile which is reported to have Targeted a Cafe resulting in the Injury of at least 12 Civilians, with Search-and-Rescue Crews still searching through the Rubble for additional Survivors.

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Videos in the tweet.