news from Russo-Ukraine Front

[Gooner1]

First shipment of Bradleys on their way

They've got a lot less attention than the tanks but the provision of Western IFVs are going to at least if not more important than the provision of Western tanks to Ukraine.

[Cult Icon]

The battle of Vuheldar looks to be:

Ukrainian 72th and 68th brigades vs. elements of 40th and 155th Naval infantry brigade plus DPR elements.

Vuhledar is on high ground, with high rises that overlook steppe country in three directions. It is also approx. 70 KM (straight-line) north of Mariupol. The Vuhledar salient has no 'little stalingrads' outside of the city.

The taking of the Vuheldar would open up possibilities in three directions. This battle looks like a preliminary/shaping operation.

[Cult Icon]

Past couple days the left wing of Z-Oblast has the Russians testing Ukrainian defenses, the information environment seems to be very confused.

[Tom Peters]

Will Germans accept to pay more taxes which will go to Ukraine ?

So far the answer is yes. Will this continue longer than the ability of the RU economy to support the war ? Hard to tell.

Mad Dog

[mezsat2]

Does Russia have a contingency plan in the event of the meltdown of all 7 reactors at the ZPP? One would think after Chernobyl they sort of know what would happen. Does Putin care? He may split for Venezuela from what I'm hearing.

[Yuri]

Does Russia have a contingency plan in the event of the meltdown of all 7 reactors at the ZPP? One would think after Chernobyl they sort of know what would happen. Does Putin care? He may split for Venezuela from what I'm hearing.

Which 7 (seven) reactors are you asking about?
There are only 6 (six) reactors at the Zaporozhye NPP, the largest in Europe.
Actually, the reactors themselves at these nuclear power plants are indestructible for artillery shells, aviation bombs up to 500 kg. and aircraft falling on them. The danger lies in the possibility of destruction by artillery shells of a repository with nuclear waste, which will lead to contamination of the area with nuclear materials.

[Cult Icon]

[Cult Icon]

[Gooner1]

"Ukrainian Ground forces continue to grow and form additional brigades to counter the Russian invasion.

Amid the threat of a new large-scale Russian offensive, the pace of mobilization in Ukraine is gaining momentum. The Ground Forces of Ukraine have started forming new mechanized, tank and artillery brigades to reinforce its combat capabilities. According to the rumors, new brigades are also being formed in the structure of Air Assault troops and Marine Corps. It’s planned to mobilize about 30 000 Ukrainian citizens in January alone, which is a sharp increase compared to previous months.

The new brigades will be equipped primary, but not exclusively, with the Western vehicles such Abrams, Leopard 2 tanks and CV-90 infantry fighting vehicles. Most of the recruits are, or will be, trained abroad."
https://militaryland.net/news/ukraine-i ... -brigades/

[Cult Icon]

"Stoltenberg noted that Russia may mobilize upwards of 200,000 personnel and is continuing to acquire weapons and ammunition through increased domestic production and partnerships with authoritarian states such as Iran and North Korea."

" Head of the Council of Reservists of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, Ivan Tymochko, relatedly stated that Russian forces are strengthening their grouping in Donbas as part of an anticipated offensive and noted that Russian forces will need to launch an offensive due to increasing domestic pressure for victory.[5]"

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgr ... ry-30-2023

NATO Secretary general in his interview is basically claiming a 'second round' of mobilization.

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Battery of SP guns.

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"Local residents forced to leave their homes in Chasiv Yar, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, as the fighting with Russian troops approaches."



Clearly related to the Wagner Salient

[mezsat2]

Does Russia have a contingency plan in the event of the meltdown of all 7 reactors at the ZPP? One would think after Chernobyl they sort of know what would happen. Does Putin care? He may split for Venezuela from what I'm hearing.

Which 7 (seven) reactors are you asking about?
There are only 6 (six) reactors at the Zaporozhye NPP, the largest in Europe.
Actually, the reactors themselves at these nuclear power plants are indestructible for artillery shells, aviation bombs up to 500 kg. and aircraft falling on them. The danger lies in the possibility of destruction by artillery shells of a repository with nuclear waste, which will lead to contamination of the area with nuclear materials.

The danger lies in the cutoff of power to the plant. Without power, there's no way to cool the reactors. That means meltdowns. Only 6? Well, that's not too bad. LOL

[Cult Icon]

"Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov stated in a January 31 interview with Sky News that Russian forces are preparing for a "maximum escalation" in Ukraine within the next two to three months and may do so as soon as the next two to three weeks to coincide with the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[20] Ukrainian Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) Head Kyrylo Budanov stated in a January 31 interview with the Washington Post that Russian forces will focus on occupying a larger area of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, supporting ISW’s assessment that Russian forces appear to be preparing for an imminent offensive in eastern Ukraine, particularly in Luhansk Oblast.[21] Budanov stated that there are currently 326,000 Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, excluding the roughly 150,000 mobilized personnel still in training grounds that Russian forces have reportedly not yet committed to hostilities.[22] The Russian military will likely continue to accumulate conventional forces in Luhansk Oblast and increase the deployment of remaining mobilized personnel to eastern Ukraine in support of an imminent decisive strategic effort in western Luhansk Oblast.[23]"

"A Russian milblogger published footage on January 29 reportedly of Russian tank units of the 36th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 29th Combined Arms Army of the Eastern Military District engaging Ukrainian tank units in the vicinity of Vuhledar.[51"

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgr ... ry-31-2023

So my personal estimate of 300,000 men in Ukraine was not far from his claim. Eventually the Russians will add more than 200,000 additional troops to Ukraine.

Ukraine: 326,000 men (approx. 160K reservists/volunteers, 50K Russian military professional-contract cadre, 70,000 DPR/LPR and 50,000 PMC.)

Reserve army: over 200,000 men (approx. 150K reservists, XX,XXX volunteers, and perhaps another 50K-70K Russian military professional-contract cadre).

Battle of Vuhledar:

Ukrainian 72th and 68th brigades vs. elements of 40th and 155th Naval infantry brigade, elements of 36th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade, plus DPR elements.

[mezsat2]

The next NATO tranche of aid will include humanitarian assistance of appx. 100,000 bodybags to Russia. Which they will subsequently fashion into tents of some sort, no doubt.