Andrew Perpetua Profile picture
Sep 13, 2022 45 tweets 12 min read Read on X
My update for September 10th-12th. #ukrdaulyupdate

Russia is out of gas, but not out of ammunition.

If you would like to view the map, here is the link: google.com/maps/d/u/0/edi… Image
First, Russia launched a few hopeless attacks on Sosnivka (1) during the day on September 10th, and at night they attacked Sosnivka again along with Velyki Prokhody (2). Fortunately, these attacks were hopeless and did little more than briefly slow down everything else. Image
Russia tried to hold on to the Kharkiv front and sent reinforcements to Kupyansk by road and helicopter. Still, casualties on the western side of the Oskil River were so severe, and the troops were so uncoordinated and chaotic that they had no choice but to begin to withdraw. Image
To help Russia along with this decision, Ukraine crossed the Siverskyi Donets river at Khotimlya and marched north toward Vovchansk (3). Image
Simultaneously, forces from the recently liberated Martove and Artemivka marched north (4), and troops from Kupyansk moved north and captured Velykyi Burluk (5).
Russia rapidly abandoned all its strongholds in Kharkiv west of the Oskil River (6), including Kozacha Lopan and Vovchansk. Image
In doing so, they left behind vast amounts of equipment, including tanks, artillery, arsenals full of ammunition, and the paperwork and documents belonging to officers and an entire headquarters. Not to mention soldiers and officers killed or captured in the retreat.
Further south, Ukraine moved into Izyum (7) and at least superficially seized control over everything west of the Oskil and Siverskyi Donets rivers. However, Ukraine will have to deal with the roving bands of Russians still in the area. Image
It will likely take ten or more days to clear Izyum fully and even longer to clear all of the newly liberated territories.
I have marked a subset of officially and unofficially liberated towns (the blue and white flag icons). Image
After Russia abandoned the western side of the Oskil, they began to shell the area, especially around Kupyansk, heavily. Image
As a result, downtown Kupyansk, where Ukraine had filmed liberation videos (and where they had been in control since September 9th), has been effectively turned to rubble as of September 12th.
There are rumors of Ukraine controlling areas east of the Oskil river, but all of my sources have told me they know nothing about this. I have not seen any evidence, and I believe it is a baseless rumor.
It is likely that Ukrainian special forces are operating on that side of the river, perhaps even recon. Still, I have not seen evidence of regular Ukrainian troops crossing the river.
On September 12th, Russia ordered the evacuation of the border towns of Nekhoteevka (8) and Zhuravleva (9). I believe they are doing this because they intend to build artillery positions in these locations to shell the Kharkiv area. Image
As you see on the map, this area, along with Sereda, a bit to the east, are the closest areas of Russia to Kharkiv city. Zhuravleva is 36km from downtown Kharkiv.
One final note about the Kharkiv area, yesterday, Ukraine used drones and artillery to destroy a mortar position near the Russian town of Logachevka (10) on the 12K-33 highway (road?). Image
They destroyed three 2S12 Sani 120mm heavy mortars and three 2F510 mortar transport trucks. Russia claims Ukraine targeted and killed local people. If true, maybe the locals should not have been manning heavy mortars and shelling Ukrainian towns. ImageImage
Ukraine has been building and establishing bridgeheads over the Siverskyi Donets river in the Slovyansk and Siversk areas. Image
On the 12th, Ukraine liberated Svyatohirsk (11), and on the 10th and 11th, they crossed the river near Zakitne and assaulted Yampil (13) and captured Bilohorivka (14), and crossed the river near this area (15).
Russia has been continuously counterattacking Bilohorivka, trying to dislodge Ukraine (16). Unfortunately for Russia, the forces in this area have not been combat ineffective for many weeks and likely do not have the power to push Ukraine away.
Ukraine now controls areas near Svyatohirsk, Satryi Saltiv, Ozerna, Zakitne, and Bilohorivka. Five significant crossing points. Ukrainian engineers have built strong enough crossings to allow the transfer of tanks and heavy equipment.
For Russia, the crossing near Bilohorivka is the most threatening because it is behind their main defensive line near Lyman and Yampil and threatens an attack on the much more critical Kreminna (17).
On September 12th, I heard that the intensity of the shelling and fighting around Bakhmut had lessened compared to previous days. Image
In Soledar, Russia claims to have captured a block of buildings adjacent to the Knauf Gips factory. I marked this area on the map. It represents the total net gain of the Russian position in Soledar since August 23rd. Image
There is minor skirmishing on the eastern outskirts of the town and in Bakhmutske to the south, although Russia seems to be focusing on moving west (18).
In Bakhmut, Russians have reached the industrial zone in the east after having abandoned this position and withdrawn several weeks ago. There is fighting near the Ceramic factory (19). Image
I have the factory marked as the easternmost Ukrainian fortification marker in the city. The map may exaggerate the extent of battle in the city's south (20).
Around Vesela Dolyna, several weeks ago, I had heard that the fighting was primarily near the electric substation. Still, given that so much time has passed, I had assumed the action migrated either north or west.
Fortunately, I was mistaken, as the Russian forces triumphantly declared they had begun fighting near the substation on September 12th (21). As if this were progress. Progress in the sense that nothing has changed since August 2nd.
There is ongoing fighting around Zaitseve (22). I do not have any particular knowledge about this town, but someone in the area told me that my map gives Russia too much credit and that they have made much less progress than depicted. And I show them making almost no progress. Image
Russia is pushing toward Odradivka (23), Mykolaivka Druha (24) and Kurdymivka (25). The latter two are heavily fortified towns and will be very difficult to attack. It is unknown to me how much progress Russia has made in these areas. Image
Russia claimed to have captured the Mayorsk train station (26), but there is still fighting in the area. I do not know if the fighting is still at or north of the train station.
On September 11th, Ukraine stated they repelled a Russian attack near Ozeryanivka (27). An odd statement. I do not know how to interpret it. I marked some of the ground as contested. Very confusing. Image
On the same day, Ukraine stated that they repelled an attack on Novobakhmutivka (28), which is now labeled contested. In light of the recent news that Ukraine liberated all or most of Novoselivka, you could charitably say Ukraine is expanding its area of control south of New York
Or perhaps little has changed, and the Ukrainian General Staff is taking too many liberties with their language. Unfortunately, I have not been able to confirm any news about this area.
Russia desires to capture Avdiivka. It is one of the primary objectives of the war. Given the past few days' events in Kharkiv and what is happening in Kherson, you would think Russia may abandon its attack on Avdiivka and maybe reposition these troops to more essential areas. Image
But no, they are doubling down on their attack.

They are attacking Krasnohorivka (29), Avdiivka (30), Pisky (32), and Marinka (35) and in the directions of Vodyane (31) and Pervomaiske (33). Ukraine launched a failed counterattack near Pisky (34). ImageImage
South of Donetsk, on September 12th, Russia attacked Novomykhailivka (36). This attack in itself is not notable because Russia has been attacking this town on an almost daily basis. However, an (unconfirmed) report that Ukraine rebuffed this attack with a counterattack is notable Image
Supposedly Ukraine pushed the Russians back a bit, then opened up a massive artillery barrage.
According to Russian reports, Ukraine is building up forces in Krasnohorivka (A), Vuhledar (B), Prechystivka (C ), Hulyaipole (D), Orikhiv (E), and Stepnohirsk (F). If true, the goal of these buildups would be to disguise the intent of any future Ukrainian offensive. ImageImageImageImage
They want Russia to believe they could attack anywhere, so Russia does not know which attack may be a feint or a genuine offensive. Of course, it could be that all of these attacks are a feint, and the actual attack could be somewhere else entirely. Or there may not be any attack
Last night there were reports of significant fighting near Vasylivka (G). I believe this was most likely a large artillery strike. Image
On September 11th, Russia launched a massive missile strike on Ukraine's electrical infrastructure, targeting four power plants. This strike did significant damage to Ukraine's electrical infrastructure. Image
This is all I have. I do not have enough information about Kherson to talk about it at the moment.

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More from @AndrewPerpetua

Jun 9
Seeing Russia use BM-35 to attack the front line is funny. These drones were supposed to take out Ukrainian logistics, the way ukrainian drones are destroying Russian logistics, but elon musk snapped his fingers and poof. Without America, Russian "technology" is garbage.
They use these things like molniya now. A mockery of their original purpose.
Whats funny is that Ukraine has taken their own Darts and Blyskavka and turned them into long range logistics hunters while Russia has them tied to the front line to blow up random houses.
Read 8 tweets
Jun 6
Russian telegram channels are going through their old videos editing out war crimes. Things they were once proud to show are being secretly removed. They apparently don’t realize their videos and messages are archived.
Example: here is a video uploaded April 10th, at 1:20 in the video you see of the deadliest terrorist attacks on Ukraine this year (filmed from far away, don't worry about gore or anything)
(i sincerely didn't think it would take telegram 1 metric eternity to download this video)

and here is the edited reupload, removing the terrorist attack
Read 7 tweets
May 23
For the past two years, we have discussed how Ukraine is building drones that can hit targets 100 to 150 kilometers away. These drones are being produced in enough numbers to disrupt Russian logistics. During this time, some people doubted this was possible, calling it too optimistic or asking, "Why can't Russians do the same thing?"

To me, the answers were clear. Ukraine has better technology across various forms of communication, either on its own or with allies' help. Starlink is one example, but it is not the only or even the most important one.

Ukraine also has more experience and stronger command-and-control systems for drones. While these systems are not perfect, they are better than what Russia has, especially at the scale needed for this kind of operation.

Ukraine developed many different technologies and weapons in parallel, and for a good deal of time, none of these projects had much, if any, impact on the war itself. So, for a long time, it seemed nothing was happening, and this, along with Russia's media narrative (and the profound willingness of people to fall for Russian propaganda), led many to believe Russia was inevitably winning, which was never true, and is certainly untrue now.

Now, these technologies and weapons have reached the front line at about the same time, within a few weeks or months of each other. Some are better or more specialized than others, and some will be countered or may fail. Still, the fact that they all appeared together makes it very hard for Russia to adapt and stop them.

Ukraine will be able to send very cheap drones with a range of over 100 kilometers into Russia's rear areas. These drones can be guided by many different methods to hit every important target at first, and probably, in time, every target.

Russia has already had to close some roads and routes because of the threat. This is just the start. The danger will only grow as Ukraine increases production over time. These drones are cheap and easy to make, and Ukraine will produce them in large numbers. Russia does not have any technology that can handle this threat right now.

SHORAD can create small protected areas, but if it is used often, it will eventually be destroyed.

Electronic warfare probably will not solve the problem, but it might help a little.

Nets along highways will help, but only slightly. And nets can pose risks and hazards of their own. When they collapse, they can close roads, forcing vehicles through chokepoints that can be mined and attacked.

Interceptor drones can work, but they need a lot of resources that would otherwise go to offensive operations.

The Russian military is dealing with a problem no army has faced before, and there is no clear solution. Their best option is to spread supplies across many vehicles and use every possible road and path to move them forward. However, this is very inefficient and only helps as much as Ukraine's drone production allows.
The "russia will figure it out" crowd should sit down and give me your list of excuses for how Russia still doesn't have heavy bombers after more than 4 years of trying to replicate them.
Russia doesn't have an answer to bombers or their own bomber. They have nothing. And you think they can solve strike drones? Something an order of magnitude harder to develop and harder to stop? On what basis do you think this? It is just cope.
Read 5 tweets
May 22
Russians waving flags in Verkhnia Tersa, a lesser known highly pro-Ukrainian town in Zaporizhzhia. I remember reading the news story about the first civilian KIA in this town, and how shocking it was to them, in 2023 I think. Seeing the place like this now is sad.

47.695845, 36.086336Image
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47.692360, 36.081397 Image
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47.692939, 36.084317 Image
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Read 8 tweets
Apr 29
Here is translated text from Al Ta about the situation in Ukraine. He is a Russian propagandist, a soviet anti-Putinist who views reviving the full Soviet Union (including Poland) as the primary number one goal of this war. He's also pretty honest about the situation. Its long. (racial slurs and whatnot are removed btw)
Preservation of one’s own forces and resources (including manpower).

On paper, everything looks neat and classical: we strike the enemy at its foundations and core, while we ourselves conserve strength and wait for the right moment for a decisive blow. But in reality, everything is both simpler and more complicated at the same time.

If you think through the basic principles of a classical war of attrition, then at the initial stage, when the enemy’s potential is being destroyed, when strikes are delivered against its economy, communications, and supply routes for raw materials and weapons, the side that holds the initiative should remain on the defensive, abandoning unimportant territories and максимально protecting its soldiers. This attrition is carried out through the remote destruction of the enemy’s potential.
Strictly speaking, the correct strategy in such a war should include:

1. Readiness for total and continuous mobilization.
We remember that this kind of war is one of mobilizing all the strength of the people. Total mobilization is necessary to achieve a manpower advantage, which should allow final military actions to be carried out quickly once the enemy’s ability to resist is completely broken. In addition, prolonged combat, even in a well-organized defense, still leads to losses, which are unavoidable. Therefore, there is a constant need to replenish the front with personnel.

2. Readiness for total destruction and the deaths of the enemy’s civilian population (and your own, if the enemy is not weaker than you).
It is extremely difficult, more likely impossible, to “delicately” destroy a country’s economic foundation. Therefore, a country that begins such a war must be prepared to act decisively and harshly. This is the price of survival.

3. Defense as the foundation of the first phase of such a war.
Preserving soldiers’ lives is the key to a future victorious offensive. It is physically impossible to conserve personnel while conducting offensive operations. Many are familiar with the standard ratios required for an attacking force to outnumber a defending one. Even taking into account more advanced and destructive weapons, the need for such a ratio remains, it will never be 1:1. In essence, the main function of troops (infantry supported by tanks, artillery, and aviation) in such a war is to occupy territories where the enemy can no longer resist. Frontal or stubborn assaults are not characteristic of a war of attrition.

4. Seizing territory in the initial and main stages of such a war is not the primary objective.
Territory should be taken either after the course of the war has been turned and the enemy’s ability to resist has been broken, or through the imposition of postwar conditions.

5. Emphasis on firepower.
The enemy should be subjected to an overwhelming barrage of destructive force using every possible means. Everything available should be directed at the target. Naturally, this places emphasis on highly destructive weapons: artillery and aviation. The nature of the current war has also added UAVs (unmanned systems). We already see strike systems in the air and at sea, and soon ground systems will be added.
The goal is to inflict unacceptable losses on the enemy before you yourself suffer unacceptable losses. If you like, it resembles a boxing match: both sides exchange blows, but in the end the stronger one wins. At the same time, for every artillery shot fired at you, ten should be fired in return; for every drone launched, ten drones should respond. Only this way.
Yet, for example, by the results of March 2026, “so-called Ukraine” surpassed us in the number of drones launched at our territory.
Each of you can compare these principles with what is actually happening at the front. After all, “we haven’t even started yet,” if some leaders are to be believed.
Read 9 tweets
Mar 30
I want to start by saying I don’t have access to official documents or meetings, so I’m piecing together their motivations based on what I observe and logical reasoning. Keep that in mind as you read on.

This year, Russia's goals are threefold. First, to capture the eastern bank of the Dnipro River. Second, to capture Kostyantynivka. Third, to capture Slovyansk.

Each of these goals has necessary steps. To capture the bank in Zaporizhzhia, you must first capture Orikhiv. To capture Slovyansk, you must first capture Lyman. You could argue that to capture Kostyantynivka, you must first capture Chasiv Yar.

These goals are very ambitious and, honestly, impossible to fully achieve. So let’s think of them as aspirations and focus instead on how close Russia might get to reaching them.Image
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Ukraine launched several counterattacks in the Verbove and Ternove areas of Zaporizhzhia. They were quite successful, pushing Russia out of several settlements and possibly capturing some. This also threatened Russia’s main supply route to the west. Because of this, Russia has to do two things: divert resources from their main attack to stabilize the area and try to recapture this ground to keep pushing west toward Orikhiv. Meanwhile, Ukraine gains time to strengthen defenses, plan their strategy, and prepare for more counterattacks, something Russia worries about given their timeline.

This has already delayed Russia’s offensive by months, and it will take many more weeks for them to regain their previous position.Image
Recently, Russia tried an armored assault on Orikhiv, which failed badly (A). They also tried to advance through Mala Tokmachka (B) before, but that failed too. A direct attack on Orikhiv is unlikely to succeed without heavy losses, so Russia wants to avoid it unless they have no choice. Still, based on past experience, they might end up having to take the town this way.Image
Read 10 tweets

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