Some news from the past few days. First, the Kupyansk area:
Russia has claimed to have capture Hryanykivka. The most reliable account I have is from a Russian officer in the area who claims they broke the first line of Ukrainian defense.
The narrow river allows Ukraine to counterattack from Dvorichna. This could explain the difference in perspective where Russia could claim control over the town of Hryanykivka while simultaneously believing they only penetrated the main line of defense. Both can be true.
Russians are also attacking Synkivka, which will become the primary focus of attack in the coming days. Russia will then shift their focus south to Petropavlivka and attempt to push toward Kupyansk. This is their stated goal, which they hope to accomplish in the next 2 weeks.
In the Kreminna area, Russia is attacking west from Chervonopopivka toward Nevske and west from the Dibrova area toward Terny, Yampolivka, and Torske. They are also attacking south from Kuzmyne toward Serebryanka.
The fighting in this area is very intense, and it is difficult to gauge what is happening due to the thick pine forest. There are rumors of successful Ukrainian counter attacks in this area. Likely, the ground is going back and forth with little overall change.
In the Siversk area, there is ongoing fighting around Bilohorivka, Verkhnokamyanske, Spirne, Vyimka, Rozdolivka, and Fedorivka. I don't know of any changes in this area.
There is contradictory information about the area north of Bakhmut. First, the parts everyone agrees on: Russia captured Paraskoviivka. They are attacking Berkhivka. They are attacking the forest north of Berkhivka and the area south of the M03 highway north of Berkhivka.
Now, for the controversial parts. I have multiple sources confirming to me that Ukraine attacked and pushed Russian forces out of the area of 2nd Ushakova street.
Others claim Russia has pushed all the way through this entire northern portion of Bakhmut down to Yahidne. I haven't seen evidence to support this.
In the west of Bakhmut, Russian attacks have reportedly slowed in number and intensity. They are attacking along Gorky Street, Dobroliubova Streete, and Ivana Franka Street.
Several days ago Ukraine launched a successful counter attack to clear Chernyshevskoho street, Dobroliubova Streete, and Ivana Franka Street of Russian forces. It is unclear to me whether Ukraine held these streets or pulled back out after the attack.
I have seen rumors that Russia has pushed Ukraine back to Vulytsya Abrykosova. It is possible, but it goes directly against what my sources have told me.
South of Bakhmut, Ukraine reportedly completed a successful counter attack in Opytne, clearing two blocks of the town. It is possible Russia has recaptured one of these blocks.
West of Bakhmut, Ukraine successfully counter attacked south of Chasiv yar, clearing about 1-2km of forest from Russian control. Russia is attempting to take this ground back, and are also attacking Ivanivske.
Overall, the western, southern, and eastern parts of Bakhmut are relatively stable. The northern part of Bakhmut is under threat.
In the Avdiivka area, Russia is having success near Novobakhmutivka and Vesele.
Russian forces captured and cleared Ukrainian trenches in the western side of Novobakhmutivka (including an infamous video posted by Russians of them murdering wounded Ukrainian soldiers). They are now fighting in the western outskirts and towards Oleksandropil.
Near Vesele, which is a town so small it isn't labelled on the map, Russians have crossed the main highway, coming from Novoselivka Druha. Russia was determined to make this advance and suffered enormous casualties in repeated assaults, but they have in fact made progress.
After massive shelling, Russia is assaulting the southern part of Avdiivka. I don't see much realistic chance for success in an assault here.
West of Avdiivka, Russia is attacking north from Vodyane toward Sjeverne. Reportedly they have minor progress.
Russia is attempting a breakthrough in Nevelske. They are reportedly calling up reinforcements to continue their attack. I don't know of any progress in this attack, and it has been going on for several days now.
In Marinka, Russia successfully attacked a pig farm north of the city. They are also attempting to attacking Pobjeda south of the city. They are attempting to surround Marinka to force Ukraine to withdraw.
I stopped here for a reason, because all the info I have about Vuhledar is unconfirmed rumors. Russian sources I have speak of successful Ukrainian counter attack in the the Mykilske dachas.
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The "stupid westerners, sanctions do not work, we smuggle goods in illegally. muahaha, Russia unstoppable" people tickle me. Sanctions are not for stopping goods entirely, they are for increasing friction because the resources you spend smuggling are resources not spent growing
People fundamentally don't understand the purpose of a sanction. Sanctions are not to stop the war now, although they do damage Russia, the real goal of a sanction is long term economic damage to permanently shrink their economic growth on the timescale of decades.
The sanction is basically saying "okay, you're a threat to me today, and maybe I can't do much about it now, but I will shrink you and outgrow you so in 50-100 years you are no longer a threat to me at all". It is a long term play.
The Russians claim they shoot down Ukrainian aircraft the moment the missile leaves the tube, but we're supposed to believe they shot down two Black Hawks on Tuesday and only announced it after Ukraine leaked Black Hawk footage on Friday. These Black Hawks join the 650 F-16s and 450,000 M777s Russia has 'destroyed.'
GUYS. I AM GOING TO POST A VIDEO WHERE I WILL BLUR THE UNIT LOGOS TO SHIT SO NOBODY CAN TELL I STOLE THE VIDEOS FROM THE ARCHIVE AND THEN POST IT TO THE INTERNET SAYING I KILLED ALL THE SPECIAL FORCES
And then media outlets and super smart think tank people all over the world will believe me for some reason and then everyone will be like omg all the special forces died.
Guys I took my division and charged them into combat and while we lost 50% of our armored vehicles and 45% of our infantry are dead, and several of our HQs were destroyed and most of our best officers are dead, we captured a village where 200 once lived so we’re winning the war.
Tomorrow we will send our next division to assault the next village. That one had a population of 1200. Its actually considered a huge city, when you think about it. If we can capture that, we will send our third division to capture the hamlet behind it.
I wrote 2 years ago about why I was worried about Molniya drones. They are long range and capable of very large warheads. For whatever reason they were oddly scarce for a while, but they have become very common items on the battlefield and exactly everything I feared.
They can destroy a house in a single hit. Even small concrete buildings. They can dive straight down into dugouts, fly along trenches and fly into bunkers. They are being used to target infantry now, too. Russia clearly has a lot of them and are using them to destroy things that used to require helicopters.
They cost around $1000 each, roughly 2x a base level drone or roughly the same price as a higher end fpv drone. But they can carry a 6-7kg bomb and can fly over 40km.
The United States government is built on the concept that Congressmen will have the swagger to take pride in their station. The government hinges on congress enforcing their will upon others. They are supposed to be arrogant sons of bitches who look down on others.
The moment you have a congress that is unwilling or incapable of being arrogant, condescending assholes and you instead have weak placating losers, the whole foundation of the government crumbles. The supreme arrogance of congress is what lets them reign in power of president.
Right now the US has the weakest congress in its history. A bunch of spineless losers who are incapable of even having independent thought. They are owned entirely by others, especially the republican party who bows to a president. Imagine, a CONGRESSMEN bowing to a PRESIDENT.