Running Newsticker for the War in Ukraine

It means avoiding a direct statement.

 

There's a hint that some NATO members already have personnel in Ukraine to provide training.

Ukraine Conflict Updates
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 20, 2024

Click here to read the full report.
Key Takeaways:

• Ukrainian sources indicated that Russian forces are concentrating limited, understaffed, and incohesive forces in the Sumy direction, but even such a Russian grouping of forces will be able to achieve the likely desired effect of drawing and fixing Ukrainian forces in the international border area.
• Kremlin officials expressed their condolences to senior Iranian officials following the announcement of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's and Foreign Affairs Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian's deaths on May 20.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin fired Russian Deputy Defense Minister Colonel General Yury Sadovenko on May 20, replacing him with former Deputy Economic Minister and current Federation Council Accounts Chamber Auditor Oleg Savelyev.
• Putin also dismissed Presidential Advisor Alexandra Levitskaya on May 20, but the reason for Levitskaya’s dismissal is unclear.
• US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reiterated the White House's unwillingness to approve Ukraine's use of US-provided weapons in strikes against military targets in Russia following a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (also known as the Ramstein format) on May 20.
• Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas stated that some unspecified countries, presumably NATO member states, have already sent personnel to train Ukrainian soldiers "on the ground."
• Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev amplified a known Russian information operation aimed at directly undermining Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's legitimacy as president.
• Russian forces recently made confirmed advances near Vovchansk, Chasiv Yar, Avdiivka, and Donetsk City and in western Zaporizhia Oblast and the Dnipro River Delta.
• Russian opposition outlet Vazhnye Istorii (iStories) reported that Russian military authorities and Kazakh law enforcement acting on Russian orders detained at least two more servicemen in Kazakhstan who had deserted from the Russian military. . . .

 

Gutless appeasement led directly to WWII. When will they ever learn?

Ukraine 'urgently' needs more air defenses, says German ...
politico.eu
https://www.politico.eu › article › germany-annalena-ba...
27 minutes ago — German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned Tuesday that Ukraine “urgently” requires further air defense systems to protect itself against Russian strikes.
https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-annalena-baerbock-renews-call-for-more-air-defence-for-ukraine-amid-heavy-russian-attacks-on-kharkiv/

 

W hat they learned if how to foolishly repeat history

 

There is churn among Russian senior officers.

Ukraine Conflict Updates
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 21, 2024

Click here to read the full report.
Key Takeaways:

• The Kremlin continues to time its nuclear saber-rattling to coincide with major policy discussions in the West as part of a Kremlin reflexive control campaign to influence Western decision-makers.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky indicated that the limited Russian offensive in northern Ukraine is achieving its goal of drawing attention away from intense Russian offensive operations in eastern Ukraine.
• The Russian military command reportedly initially planned that Russian forces would quickly make significant advances in northern Kharkiv Oblast, but the limited force grouping deployed to the area suggests that the Russian military command likely changed these plans in the lead up to offensive operations in Kharkiv Oblast.
• Russian authorities recently arrested the former commander of the 58th Combined Arms Army (CAA), Major General Ivan Popov, on fraud charges.
• The Kremlin is likely using the pattern of recent arrests of high-ranking officials on corruption charges in the Russian MoD to conceal the real reasons for Popov's punishment almost 10 months after his conflict with the Russian military command and subsequent dismissal from his command position.
• Satellite imagery indicates that Ukrainian forces likely damaged the Russian Black Sea Fleet's (BSF) Tsyklon small missile ship in occupied Sevastopol, Crimea on May 19.
• Russian forces recently made confirmed advances near Vovchansk, Kreminna, Chasiv Yar, and Donetsk City.
• A Russian milblogger claimed that frequent Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian vehicles that lack electronic warfare (EW) systems along the frontline have created an "urgent" shortage of off-road vehicles.
• Russian authorities continue to illegally and forcibly deport Ukrainian citizens, including children, to Russia and to forcibly remove Ukrainian citizens deeper into occupied Ukraine. . . .

 

A decision to put an air cap over Ukraine on Day 1 would have saved countless Ukrainian -- and Russian lives.
Now Western Europe is facing the threat of Russian imperialism directly. The West's political class had better start thinking faster.

Pressure mounts on US over restriction for Ukraine to hit ...
Euromaidan Press
https://euromaidanpress.com › 2024/05/22 › pressure-...
46 minutes ago — Ukraine has intensified its appeals to the Biden administration to lift the ban on using US-provided weapons to strike targets inside Russia.
https://euromaidanpress.com/2024/05...on-for-ukraine-to-hit-russia-with-us-weapons/

 

link to video =

and the effects....



link to video =

 

Full article link.....

 

What a mess.

Russia arrests fourth senior defence figure
Financial Times
https://www.ft.com › ... › Europe › Russia
30 minutes ago — ... Ukraine. Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, on Thursday told reporters that “the ... Latest on Russian politics. News in-depthWar in Ukraine · Russia's military ...

 

Pressure is increasing toward a wider war.

Ukraine Conflict Updates
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 23, 2024

Click here to read the full report.
Key Takeaways:

• The Kremlin is pursuing a concerted effort to remove senior Russian defense officials and has likely expanded this effort to senior officers commanding Russian combat operations in Ukraine.
• Russian border guards removed buoys in Estonian waters of the Narva River, which demarcates the Estonian-Russian international border, likely to set conditions to further question maritime borders and test NATO resolve.
• Select US officials are reportedly pressing for a reconsideration of the White House's current policy prohibiting Ukraine from using US-provided weapons to strike within Russia.
• Polish Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pawel Wronski stated on May 23 that Poland is considering using its air defense to protect Ukrainian airspace against Russian strikes.
• Ukraine’s Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) conducted a series of drone strikes against Russian defense industrial facilities in the Republic of Tatarstan on May 23.
• Iranian leaders have used the occasion of President Ebrahim Raisi's funeral events to emphasize close ties with Armenia even as tensions between Yerevan and Moscow continue to increase.
• Ukrainian forces advanced near Lukyantsi and Kreminna, and Russian forces advanced near Berestove, Chasiv Yar, Avdiivka, Donetsk City, and Velyka Novosilka.
• The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) proposed applying regular military punishments to volunteers, likely as part of the MoD's continued formalization efforts. . . . .

 

No wonder Putin is asking for a ceasefire.


The Telegraph
Ukraine-Russia war live: Ukraine launches counter attacks after 'stopping' new Russian invasionUkrainian forces have “stopped” a Russian ground offensive from advancing further into northeastern Kharkiv, the military have said, and was now launching a...
LIVE43 minutes ago [5/24/24]

 

Ukrainians are striking key components of Russian air defense. Could this be preparation for introduction of the F-16?

Ukraine Conflict Updates
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 24, 2024

Click here to read the full report with maps
Key Takeaways:

• Western media continues to report that Russian President Vladimir Putin is interested in a negotiated ceasefire in Ukraine, although Kremlin rhetoric and Russian military actions illustrate that Putin remains uninterested in meaningful negotiations and any settlement that would prevent him from pursuing the destruction of an independent Ukrainian state.
• Russian sources that have spoken to Western media have also offered mutually contradictory characterizations of Putin's stance on negotiations.
• These Russian sources notably highlighted territorial concessions as part of Putin's alleged envisioned ceasefire but have sparsely addressed the wider strategic objectives of Putin's war in Ukraine.
• A ceasefire does not preclude Russia from resuming its offensive campaign to destroy Ukrainian statehood, and Russia would use any ceasefire to prepare for future offensive operations within Ukraine.
• Russia is currently preparing for the possibility of a conventional war with NATO, and the Kremlin will likely view anything short of Ukrainian capitulation as an existential threat to Russia's ability to fight such a war.
• The Kremlin will continue to feign interest in negotiations at critical moments in the war to influence Western decision-making on support for Ukraine and to continue efforts to extract preemptive concessions from the West.
• Putin directly rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's legitimacy as president on May 24, the latest in a series of efforts to dismiss Zelensky's authority to engage in or reject negotiations with Russia and undermine Ukrainians' trust in Zelensky.
• Unnamed Russian government officials and sources within the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the Kremlin told the independent Russian outlet The Moscow Times that the ongoing effort to remove senior Russian defense officials and uniformed commanding officers will likely continue in the coming weeks and months.
• Ukrainian forces conducted a series of successful missile strikes against military targets in Russian-occupied Ukraine on May 23 and 24.
• Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted a drone strike against a Russian early warning radar system in Krasnodar Krai, Russia on the morning of May 23.
• The Ukrainian military command continues to address Ukraine's manpower challenges.
• The US Department of Defense (DoD) announced a military assistance package worth $275 million on May 24 to help Ukrainian forces repel Russian offensive operations in northern Kharkiv Oblast.
• NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated on May 24 that NATO member states should consider lifting restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western-provided weapons to strike military targets in Russia.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Vovchansk, Svatove, Kreminna, and Donetsk City.
• The Financial Times (FT) reported on May 23 that Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Lytvynenko stated that Russia recruited more than 385,000 military personnel in 2023. . . .

Ukrainian forces conducted a series of successful missile strikes against military targets in Russian-occupied Ukraine on May 23 and 24. Geolocated footage published on May 24 shows that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian S-400 air defense system, destroying four of its missile launchers and its radar station in occupied Obrizne, Donetsk Oblast.[46] Ukrainian and Russian sources stated that Ukrainian forces used ATACMS missiles in the strike.[47] Geolocated footage published on May 23 shows a strike near occupied Alushta, Crimea, and Ukrainian Crimean-based "Atesh" partisan group stated that Ukrainian forces struck a Russian military communications center.[48] "Atesh" stated that the strike likely significantly damaged equipment and possibly destroyed the control center. Crimean occupation administration head Sergei Aksyonov claimed that Ukrainian forces struck an unspecified target in Simferopol and an empty commercial property near Alushta.[49] A Russian milblogger claimed that Ukrainian forces launched up to 16 missiles toward Crimea, including ATACMS, and that some missiles penetrated Russian air defense systems.[50] The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed that Russian forces destroyed three ATACMS missiles over Crimea and three naval drones in the Black Sea overnight.[51]

Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted a drone strike against a Russian early warning radar system in Krasnodar Krai, Russia on the morning of May 23. Ukrainian and Russian sources posted photos of the aftermath of a Ukrainian drone strike on a Voronezh-DM ground-based early warning radar station on the territory of the Russian 818th Radio Technical Center near Armavir, Krasnodar Krai.[52] The sources noted that Russian forces used the radar to detect intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) at a range of up to 6,000 kilometers.[53] Radio Svoboda published satellite imagery from shortly after the strike showing damage to the radar system.[54] . . . .

 

There is no better use for Russian money than stopping Russian aggression.
U.S. and allies move to tap frozen Russian funds despite Kremlin threats
Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen is close to securing European support for a plan to repurpose seized Russian assets for Ukraine.
By Jeff Stein

 

Russian battlefield capability is softening even as their propaganda hardens.

Ukraine Conflict Updates
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 25, 2024

Click here to read the full report with maps
Key Takeaways:

• Ukrainian and Russian sources stated that Ukrainian forces are increasingly contesting the tactical initiative in northern Kharkiv Oblast and characterized Russian operations in the area as defensive, although Russian forces are likely attempting to bring the Northern Grouping of Forces up closer to its reported planned end strength before possibly intensifying offensive operations in the area.
• The likely premature start of Russian offensive operations appears to have undermined Russian success in northern Kharkiv Oblast.
• Russian forces continue to leverage their sanctuary in Russian airspace to strike Kharkiv City to devastating effect, likely as part of efforts to depopulate the city and demoralize Ukrainians.
• Russian electronic warfare (EW) capabilities reportedly impacted the effectiveness of select Western weapon systems in Ukraine in 2023 as Ukraine and Russia continue to compete in a technical offense-defense race.
• Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov categorically rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's legitimacy and outlined Russia's maximalist conditions for peace negotiations during an interview with Newsweek on May 25.
• Russia is likely helping North Korea develop its defense industrial base (DIB) in exchange for North Korean munitions supplies, and US officials reportedly assess that Russia may also be supplying North Korea with military equipment, weapons, or technology.
• Russian forces recently made confirmed advances near Donetsk City.
• The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) has cancelled its annual "Army Games" international competition for the second year in a row, prompting celebration among critical Russian ultranationalist milbloggers. . . .

 

The latest Russian "defense" boondoggle exposed:

Newsweek
Video Shows Russia's T-90 'Breakthrough' Tank Blown Apart by Ukraine DronesNew footage appears to show the moment Ukrainian drone crews targeted and destroyed a Russian T-90 tank as fighting rages on in the east of the country.
41 minutes ago
https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-t90-tank-video-russia-drones-1904826


Probably a related story:

Firstpost
Putin launches purge of Russia's defence leadership, goes after top generals & ministers with graft charges: Reports
Russia's security and intelligence service FSB is leading the purge against the Russian defence leadership with President Vladimir Putin's blessing,...
7 hours ago
https://www.firstpost.com/world/rus...s-arrest-corruption-ukraine-war-13775249.html

 

Business goes on in Ukraine.

Reuters
FedEx reinstates services in Ukraine after two-year suspensionParcel delivery firm FedEx Corp said on Friday that it has reinstated international priority inbound and outbound services in Ukraine.
https://www.investing.com/news/stoc...s-in-ukraine-after-twoyear-suspension-3456605

 

The Russians can manufacture lots of poor quality stuff.

Ukraine Conflict Updates
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 26, 2024

Click here to read the full report with maps
Key Takeaways:

• Russian forces are reportedly concentrating forces of unspecified size in western Belgorod Oblast near the border with Ukraine, likely to fix and draw Ukrainian forces to the area and prepare for offensive operations that aim to expand the Russian foothold in the international border area in northeastern Ukraine.
• Western officials continue to publicly debate Ukraine's right to use Western-provided weapons to strike military targets in Russia amid Russian efforts to persuade the West to continue its self-imposed limitations and divide the NATO alliance.
• Russia's defense industrial base (DIB) will reportedly manufacture and refurbish three times as many artillery shells as the West will produce in 2024, although Russian shells reportedly suffer from quality-control issues and Ukrainian artillery is reportedly more precise than Russian artillery.
• Kremlin officials continue to indicate that Russia is not interested in meaningful negotiations with Ukraine and promote Kremlin information operations that aim to push the West to make concessions on Ukraine's sovereign territory and people.
• Russian forces recently made confirmed advances near Svatove, Avdiivka, and Donetsk City.
• Former Wagner Group fighters reportedly continue to form new units under Rosgvardia and Chechen Akhmat Spetsnaz. . . . .

 

A tendency toward statism is inevitable wen nations are in existential armed conflict is inevitable, but the contrast between Ukraines rapid innovation and Russian and Belarusian stagnation has become very obvious to any objective observer.


NEW EASTERN EUROPE, An involuntary war of economic models? The economies of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine in the first quarter of 2024, In October 2022, the Ukrainian researcher Volodymyr Ishchenko wrote a piece titled “Russia’s military Keynesianism”. While the Kremlin – in his assessment – was implementing policies of statism and redistribution, Kyiv focused on the neoliberal limitation of state participation. Belarus – as it frequently happens, sadly – was omitted from this comparison despite likely looking much like Moscow., May 27, 2024 - Kacper Wańczyk - Analysis.

New Eastern Europe
An involuntary war of economic models? The economies of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine in the first quarter of 2024In October 2022, the Ukrainian researcher Volodymyr Ishchenko wrote a piece titled “Russia's military Keynesianism”. While the Kremlin – in his assessment...
.
40 minutes ago
https://neweasterneurope.eu/2024/05...sia-and-ukraine-in-the-first-quarter-of-2024/

 

Finally. This should have been announced as soon as the first Russian invasion force appeared near the border with Ukraine.
Might have stopped Putin from going in.

Kyiv Post
NATO Considers Defending Skies Over Western Ukraine - BILDThere is a proposal to train Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) soldiers within Ukraine itself, rather than transporting them across Europe.
.
10 minutes ago

https://www.kyivpost.com/post/33351

 

.....all talk of shells.....never any mention of barrels......1,000 shells per barrel then it's pretty much useless......so then putting dodgy shells in dodgy barrels you get



...ooooops....

 

Cartoonish.

 

....tis isn't it....

 

Both sides are ramping up.

Ukraine Conflict Updates
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 27, 2024

Click here to read the full report.
Key Takeaways:

• The NATO Parliamentary Assembly called on member states to lift their prohibitions against Ukraine using Western-provided weapons to strike within Russian territory.
• Spain signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement with Ukraine on May 27.
• Ukrainian forces continued to target Russian long-range early warning radar systems and oil and gas infrastructure within Russia on May 26 and 27.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine that Ukraine is not an independent state and that Russia can unilaterally and forcibly change Ukraine's borders.
• The New York Times (NYT) reported on May 26 that Western intelligence officials stated that the Russian General Staff's Main Directorate (GRU) are behind a series of low-level sabotage operations throughout Europe that aim to disrupt Western arms supplies to Ukraine and create the appearance of a European movement opposing support for Ukraine.
• Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi stated on May 27 that he signed documents that will allow French military instructors to visit training centers in Ukraine.
• The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) offered to help Armenia mitigate the effects of flooding in northern Armenia, although Armenia has not publicly requested help from Russia.
• Russian officials are considering delisting the Taliban as a prohibited organization in Russia and will likely do so in the near term.
• Russia may sign an agreement with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) exchanging weapons for a Russian logistics hub at Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
• Ukrainian forces recently made confirmed advances near Lyptsi and Russian forces advanced near Svatove and northwest of Avdiivka.
• Russian forces continue formalization efforts for irregular units. . . .

 

...FFL on the move...was thinking that there must be a fair number of Ukrainians nearing the end of their contracts so this could make sense....I mean a Ukrainian FFL trained Cpl or senior Cpl would be a bloody godsend to the Ukes!