US Weapon ATACMS: Massive Strike Against Russian Bases
Story by Jack Walls •
8h

Ukraine has executed a massive strike against Russian air force bases, as reported by German news website n-tv.de, employing ATACMS missiles from the USA.

Mykhailo Podoljak, advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, posted a video on network X, formerly Twitter, purportedly showing the launch of the ATACMS. “A clear and understandable language for the aggressor,” he writes. “Spectacular and correct work of the AFU (Armed Forces of Ukraine, note from the editor). We need more, more often, further.” The ATACMS missiles have a range of 300 kilometers depending on the type – the delivered model corresponds to 165 kilometers according to a spokeswoman for the White House. “We expect that these ATACMS will provide a significant boost to Ukraine’s battlefield capabilities without compromising our military readiness.”

I don't understand the US policy here. They refused to transfer these about a dozen times and then go ahead and give in when it might be too late to make a difference. Is the preferred US outcome to bleed Russia for as long as possible and end in a frozen conflict? Are they allergic to either side having a decisive victory?

Catastrophic loss: Ukraine destroys 11 Russian tanks
Story by Olivia Brown •
5h


Kyiv reports significant losses within the ranks of the Russian armed forces, as reported by the German news platform n-tv.de.

According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, in the last 24 hours, 630 soldiers, 11 tanks, 17 armored vehicles, 39 artillery pieces, 4 missile launchers, an anti-aircraft system, and 34 other vehicles have been neutralized. This information cannot be independently verified, and many experts tend to view it as possibly exaggerated. In war, it can be advantageous for conflicting parties to deliberately spread false information to strengthen their own position or weaken that of the opponent.

Furthermore, the Ukrainian armed forces claim to have destroyed three combat aircraft and seven helicopters in the past three days. The army’s special forces even stated on their Telegram channel that nine helicopters were destroyed in the ATACMS missile attack on air force bases alone.

i think the consensus at this point, quietly, is that it was a mistake for the US/West to slow-roll providing Ukraine with more/better weapons bc they were afraid of Putin escalation (e.g. nuclear, etc)

but now they estimate that Putin's escalation gambles are hot air and willing to give some more

but it is largely too late and the back-channel discussions appeared to be centered on an eastern ukraine that ends up as a DMZ and the war is a stalemate

Feels like a long time since Ukraine took back Kherson now, and Kharkiv ages ago. Would love to see them make another breakthrough.

100%

i also wonder if the US is going to look into trying to replicate starlink in order to reduce dependency on musk

sounds like these wars can be massively tilted by who has wifi

russian fleet prob could have been severely damaged if musk turned starlink on at their request in that area early in the war but he didnt

US having a system that it can ensure its allies have access to internet in times of war would be a powerful asset

Attack ends in disaster: Russia loses thousands of soldiers and hundreds of tanks
Story by Jack Walls •
10h

Avdiivka, formerly a small town with around 32,000 inhabitants, seems to be becoming a new epicenter of the battles between the Ukrainians and the Russians. As merkur.de reports, Russia is suffering massive losses there.

Citing figures from ABC News, Merkur writes that Russia lost more than 6,000 soldiers in just one week on this front section in the east of the country alone. This is in addition to another 400 tanks. The British Ministry of Defence also reports that the number of Russian casualties in the area has increased by 90 percent since the start of the offensive. Forbes writes of 1,380 Russians killed within 24 hours.

Russia 'executing its own troops for retreating' Ukraine
Story by Sara Odeen-Isbister •
3h


Russia is said to be executing its soldiers when they refuse to follow orders and even threatening to kill entire units if they retreat from Ukrainian fire.

US intelligence says it has seen several reports of poor morale among Vladimir Putin’s troops 20 months into the gruelling war.

US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said: ‘It’s reprehensible to think about, that you would execute your own soldiers because they didn’t want to follow orders, and now threatening to execute entire units, it’s barbaric.

‘But I think it’s a symptom of how poorly Russia’s military leaders know they’re doing and how bad they have handled this from a military perspective.’

Throughout the conflict in Ukraine, the White House has released intelligence findings about Russia.

Previously the US government has claimed information is shared so Ukraine’s allies have a clear idea about Russia’s intent, as well as any misinformation coming from Putin’s government.

The intelligence concerning alleged executions, however, comes amid President Joe Biden’s efforts to convince the Republican-controlled House to agree to more funding for Ukraine’s armed forces.

He wants Congress to pass a nearly $106 billion supplemental funding request, unveiled last week, which includes $61 billion for Ukraine.

‘President Putin is not giving up on his aspirations to take all of Ukraine and as long as Russia continues its brutal assault we have to continue to support the Ukrainian people and their self defence, because his intentions are clear,’ Mr Kirby said.

‘Putin basically said that if Western weapons to Ukraine stop, Ukraine would have a week to live.

‘So to ensure that we can continue to do that it’s critical that Congress step up and pass the supplemental requests that the president put forward last week.’

Mr Kirkby did not say how many Russian soldiers had been killed for refusing to follow orders or name any specific units threatened with execution.

There were reports the Wagner Group military contractor, who pulled out of Ukraine after its leader mounted an armed rebellion in June, would execute deserters.

There have also been suggestions from sources, including the British Ministry of Defence, that Russian forces have deployed ‘barrier troops’ that threaten to shoot soldiers trying to flee.

Mr Kirkby added: ‘They are in such desperate need to make some kind of progress, particularly in the Donbas, the Donetsk areas, that they are literally throwing young men into the fight who haven’t been properly trained, haven’t been properly equipped, and certainly are not being properly led.’

Meanwhile, an investigation found drug use among Russian troops in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory is rife.

Getting drugs delivered to the trenches in these areas was easy, the investigation Independent Russian website Verstka found, with one soldier saying: ‘It’s like in Las Vegas.’

The drug use has been linked to boredom and low morale.

Seems about right.

Ukraine rejoices: Russia withdraws from Berdyansk
Story by Olivia Brown •
6h
After the attack with ATACMS cluster munitions on air bases in the Russian-occupied areas of Berdyansk and Luhansk in mid-October, both Ukraine and British intelligence had speculated about significant damage to helicopters. It was suspected that this attack could lead Russia to withdraw troops from the front to protect them from further missile strikes.

According to a report by Defense Express, referencing satellite images analyzed by military analyst Brady Africk, by the end of October, all helicopters had disappeared from the base in Berdyansk. A month earlier, about two weeks before the ATACMS attack, there were still 20 helicopters stationed there, including models like the Ka-52 and Mi-8.

Satellite images also suggest that 21 Russian helicopters were recently relocated to an air base in Taganrog, Russia, as reported by the German news platform n-tv.de. It is believed that these are the helicopters previously stationed in Berdyansk. However, it remains unclear whether they were damaged by the attack and whether they had to be moved to Taganrog overland.

good for them

we can give them the ATACMAS recipe and they can start making their own

but we probably should just stop giving them all of ours

because it's costing americans a billion dollars for every square foot regained now in eastern ukraine and it's just not worth it

time to focus on defensive postures good enough to repel russian advances

rather than losing 10,000 more lives to regain another half kilometer of minefield

sucks

but it is what it is

tie game

The ATACMs are near the end of their service life and the replacements will be built soon.

Seems pretty fucked up we goaded them into staying in it this long, if we never were never willing/ able to support them sufficiently. Their defense Minister's claim is that air superiority is what they need to prevail. If Russia can't establish air superiority over Ukraine, we'd have to lend Ukraine the entirety of NATOs air forces to try to achieve such a thing, with heavy and ongoing losses.

Sorry you lost an entire generation of men, but you're never getting Crimea back, our bad.

yep

very fucked

great job Obama for those peace deals that gave all their weapons to russia

Is this a weird thanks Obama joke? Pro Russian folks accuse his admin of initiating the color revolution in Ukraine. I don't think their claims are totally unfounded.

America has ‘given Ukraine all the crap in the junk drawer and now the the junk drawer is empty’


So what’s next ?

Obama was not behind the revolution. Please.

In new military equipment, Ukraine is about to receive F16’s from Europe. Their pilots have also been training for a long time.

Russia says it will be easy to shoot down the F16’s.

I said alleged by x faction. Obama's admin was very much pro Arab Spring, not to say they made it happen. Lots of wild we can make the world better by promoting democracy thought in that admin after we confirmed that forcing Iraq into a weak democracy did not in fact improve the greater region in any observable way.

People will allege all sorts of things.