World Politics

[Babycakes]

5 hours ago, Tracker said:

Russia Loses ‘Entire Battalion’ on Blown Up Bridge: Satellite images appear to show the remnants of tanks and other Russian military hardware around a destroyed pontoon bridge over a river in the Luhansk region.

(This means a loss of 1500 troops and 12-15 armoured vehicles.)

Retired Admiral did a solid thread on this:

 

 

[Tracker]

Ukraine 'Appears To Have Won Battle Of Kharkiv,' Entering New Phase Of War

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian troops are withdrawing from Ukraine’s second-largest city after weeks of heavy bombardment, the Ukrainian military said Saturday, as Kyiv and Moscow’s forces engaged in a grinding battle for the country’s eastern industrial heartland.

Ukraine’s general staff said the Russians were pulling back from the northeastern city of Kharkiv and focusing on guarding supply routes, while launching mortar, artillery and airstrikes in the eastern Donetsk province in order to “deplete Ukrainian forces and destroy fortifications.”

Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Ukraine was “entering a new - long-term - phase of the war.”

After failing to capture Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, the Russian military decided to concentrate on the Donbas, but its troops have struggled to gain and hold ground. Before the war, Ukraine had its most highly trained soldiers in the region to stave off the Russia-backed rebels.

Russia has captured some villages and towns during its invasion. The Ukrainian military chief for the Donbas’ Luhansk province said Friday that Russian troops had nearly full control of Rubizhne, a city with a prewar population of around 55,000.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s forces had also made progress, retaking six Ukrainian towns or villages in the past day.

Western officials said Ukraine had driven Russian forces back around Kharkiv. The largely Russian-speaking city was a Russian key military objective in the early phase of the war, when Moscow was still hoping to capture and hold major Ukrainian cities.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said Ukraine “appears to have won the Battle of Kharkiv.” It said, “Ukrainian forces prevented Russian troops from encircling, let alone seizing Kharkiv, and then expelled them from around the city.”

Regional governor Oleh Sinegubov said in a post on the Telegram messaging app that there had been no shelling attacks on Kharkiv in the past day.

He said Ukraine had launched a counteroffensive near Izyum, a city 125 kilometers (78 miles) south of Kharkiv that has been under effective Russian control since at least the beginning of April.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/russia-kharkiv-withdraw_n_627f935fe4b050d9519247f3

[Fred C Dobbs]

More details on the above story:

Quote

 

If you want detailed info about the fighting in Ukraine this ISW outfit is the place to go (the BBC uses them a lot):

https://www.understandingwar.org/

[Tracker]

 

Bucha: April 7 and May 10

 

 

russo ukrainian warukrainebucha

[Tracker]

 

 

                                      

[bustamente]

If Putin is removed or dies how long will it take for Trump to take credit and say he didn't like him and barely knew him

[Goalie]

If he dies, he dies!

[Tracker]

Russian Troops Are Now Deliberately Wounding Themselves to Get Out of Putin’s War

Almost 90 days later By Vladimir Putin “Special Military Operations” in Ukraine, Russian Army apparently becoming demoralized and desperate to quit, they began intentionally injuring themselves.

The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on Saturday announced the sound of what it says is a blocked call reveal new trend batshit.

A man identified as a Russian soldier in the assault brigade based in the Kherson region of Ukraine can be heard venting his frustrations to his mother and explaining why he wants to give up the war.

“Why do they [the Ukrainians] not surrender? We are on their land,” the soldier told his mother. “This is not going to end anytime soon. What do I need this for? At the age of 20… I have no interest in Ukraine at all. I need to come back and resign,” he said.

His mother asked in surprise why there were no Russian troops in Ukraine determined to continue fighting for “patriotism”, but soldier Nikita simply scoffed.

“I have a commander… who shot himself in the foot just to get out of here. And that’s right from the start! What to talk about? He served in Chechnya. ”

His shocked mother went on to argue that someone must “defend Russia” to prevent the West from attacking, echoing the Kremlin’s dominant narrative on Russia’s state-controlled news that Russia’s war Putin was launched to prevent an impending NATO attack.

“They will kill us all, it will be World War 4 and Russia will lose!” she declared.

“Well, then Putin might change his mind… No people, no ammunition,” he said, adding that his commander had sent letters trying to withdraw his brigade but to no avail.

 

[Tracker]

 

 

                               

[Tracker]

The 227th battalion of the 127th troop brigade reached the borders of the state border of Ukraine and Russia today in the Kharkiv region. The  moment of installation of the boundary pillar was reported to the President of Ukraine by video.

[bustamente]

Blowed up real good

 

[Babycakes]

This is a surprising turn of events... the retaking of Crimea and Donbas are on the table. USA support on these objectives must mean that they see Ukraine as likely victors in this war.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And wow, this pic:

 

 

Edited May 16 by Babycakes

[do or die]

Looking at the maps, of the North-East, it looks like if the Ukrainians can advance Eastward about another 15 miles - they will be able to block supplies lines to Russians in Donbas, and be in good position to launch flanking attacks, from there. 

[Tracker]

North Korea Orders ‘Thousand Tonnes of Salt’ to Fight COVID, Even Though It Won’t Stop Virus
-Reuters
North Korea is battling its first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with salt, honeysuckle leaf tea, and ginger, as it resists aid offers from other nations. While the traditional remedies recommended, including over-the-counter fever relievers, may be some help to people with mild symptoms, those who are severely ill are at a greater risk for complications without antiviral drugs. State media also recommended gargling with saltwater twice a day. The BBC reports that a “thousand tons of salt” was sent to the North Korean capital to make some sort of antiseptic solution. It is unclear how many people are infected or how many have died since the pandemic began. The Hermit Kingdom has rejected all offers of vaccines or other medical assistance.

[iHeart]

well it still sounds better than the horse medication

[Wideleft]

 

 

[Tracker]

5 hours ago, iHeart said:

well it still sounds better than the horse medication

Plus, it gives protection from zombies.

[Wideleft]

15 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Plus, it gives protection from zombies.

I don't like the garden slugs' chances either.

[Tracker]

                                                         

[Tracker]