Russia kills over 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers in one day in post-Avdeevka push West of Donetsk city

Russian Defence Ministry Report 21 February 2024.

Russian Zapad Group of Forces T-72B3M tank

DONETSK

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the situation along the front line and defeated units of the 93rd mechanised, 81st airmobile brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and 241st Territorial Defence Brigade in vicinity of Belogorovka, Kleshcheyevka, and Razdolovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The losses of the Armed Forces were over 425 troops, two tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured fighting vehicles, 20 motor vehicles, one D-30 howitzer, as well as the AN/TPQ-36 counterbattery radar. In addition, an ammunition depot of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed close to Mayaki (Donetsk People's Republic).

In Avdeyevka direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces' units took more advantageous lines and positions and inflicted fire defeat on AFU manpower and hardware of the 24th, 53rd mechanised brigades, 59th motorised infantry, and 3rd assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Rozovka and Vodyanoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

Furthermore, the Russian troops repelled seven counter-attacks launched by the Ukrainian units close to Lastochkino, Kirovo, and Pervomayskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy lost up to 450 troops, one tank, four infantry fighting vehicles, six armoured fighting vehicles, five motor vehicles, one Grad MLRS vehicle, as well as one D-30 howitzer.

In South Donetsk direction, the Vostok Group of Forces repelled the enemy’s counter-attack near Novozlatopol (Zaporozhye region) and inflicted a fire defeat of the 72nd Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the 128th Territorial Defence Brigade close to Vladimirovo and Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy’s losses amounted to up to 210 troops, two tanks, three motor vehicles, as well as the AN/TPQ-37 counterbattery radar.

NORTH

In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces repelled seven attacks of assault groups of the AFU 14th, 32nd mechanised, 25th Air Assault brigades, and 115th Territorial Defence Brigade close to Chugunovka (Kharkov region) and Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People's Republic). Moreover, the Russian troops repelled five counter-attacks of the enemy close to Sinkovka (Kharkov region).

Up to 30 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, four pick-up trucks, and one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery system of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been eliminated.

SOUTH

In Kherson direction, the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted comprehensive fire damage on the units of the 65th mechanised, 82nd air assault, and 128th mountain assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Rabotino, Verbovoye, and Lugovoye (Zaporozhye region).

AFU losses amounted to 75 troops, one tank, two armoured fighting vehicles, eight motor vehicles, one Slovak-made Zuzana self-propelled artillery system, and two D-30 howitzers.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have engaged a fuel depot as well as AFU manpower and hardware in 123 areas during the day.

Russia's air defence systems shot down 12 HIMARS MLRS projectiles and one JDAM bomb. Moreover, 99 unmanned aerial vehicles close to Kremennaya, Rubezhnoye, and Lisichansk (Lugansk People's Republic), Yampolovka, Verkhnetoretskoye, and Staromlynovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Pologi, Veseloye, Ulyanovka, and Vasilyevka (Zaporozhye region), and Novaya Mayachka (Kherson region).

In total, 572 airplanes and 266 helicopters, 13,042 unmanned aerial vehicles, 471 air defence missile systems, 15,149 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,223 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,124 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 18,900 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

NB: There are likely more Ukrainian casualties as there’s fog of war in several areas.

THE ECONOMICS OF U.S. MILITARY SPENDING

Planet Money’s latest episode digs into ‘Two indicators of the economics of the defense industry’.

“As the U.S. continues to send weapons to Ukraine and Israel, we first look at why defense costs are getting so high. Then, we dive into whether bare-bones manufacturing styles are leaving the U.S. military in a bind.”

RECOMMENDATIONS

After the 24th, which is 2 days time, I will stop my daily posts and only publish on a Sunday.

I’m starting that reduction by not delivering my weekly summary of the war in Ukraine, just sharing the above as a lozenge. In future, I will be comprehensive once per month, and try offer you a perspective away from screaming news. That alone will save me approximately 7-8 days, allowing me to research better articles.

However, if you wish for an informative hour any day, these sites will give you that:

• Military Summary Channel (video)

• Weeb Union (video)

• Russian Defence Ministry Report (Kremlin)

• A Skeptic (Substack war aggregator)

Unfortunately, there’s no decent Ukrainian source, the propaganda having been outlandish at the start, and now worse as the situation deteriorates for them. Zelensky may have banned the opposition and media but Ukrainians are aware via word-of-mouth. The latest poll shows that 70% want peace negotiations but that’s contradicted by only 32% believing they’ll have to concede territory. Thus, it may prove more effective that ‘Nearly 70% of Americans want talks to end war in Ukraine’.