Russia/Ukraine Update: 14 February 2024

The Butcher of Bakhmut, Zelensky's unpopularity, Russian Defence Ministry Report, and the USA's funding effort to keep killing Ukrainians...

Feb 14, 2024

BEST QUOTE & ARTICLE OF THE MONTH

“The war in Ukraine is the West’s greatest military, geopolitical and economic defeat since World War II. But that is not the worst of it. The West, especially the Federal Republic of Germany, betrayed all of its moral values in this war. We are stained with the blood of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians, for whose deaths we, the German politicians, military officers, arms managers and journalists, are also responsible. Again, we sit defiled among the nations.” - European Suicide: The Economic War against Russia: “The USA gives guarantees, the US companies earn money, and the EU pays the bill”

LAST WEEK’S POLL RESULT

THE BUTCHER OF BAKHMUT

If I had to choose only one article of mine from the past year for you to read it would be ‘Bloody Bakhmut is Falling… into Zelensky’s Shame’. I was distressed by the slaughter when I wrote it (and you should watch the video I embedded there).

I can only imagine how Ukrainian soldiers are feeling now that General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the vigorous hand on that meatgrinder, has been put in charge of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). How will Zelensky be thanked later?

Bakhmut fell after 9 months, like a still born baby. Now, 9 months later, Avdeevka is falling, and General Syrskyi is sending more troops to die (after Zaluzhny was withdrawing).

Expect massive action before mud season begins next month. Thereafter, Chasiv Yar, a strategic hill for a Ukrainian stronghold, will be Russia’s next main target on the way to controlling the Donbas.

RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY REPORT

In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces repelled four attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 30th, 44th, and 60th mechanised brigades near Sinkovka (Kharkov region) and Terni (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 180 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured personnel carriers, and five motor vehicles.

In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the situation along the front lines, as well as repelled two attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 60th and 63rd mechanised brigades near Torskoye and Yampolovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 310 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, eight armoured fighting vehicles, 27 motor vehicles, and one Grad MLRS combat vehicle.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions, as well as inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 53rd Mechanised Brigade and 129th Territorial Defence Brigade near Novgorodskoye and Novokalinovo (Donetsk People's Republic). Moreover, five attacks launched by units of the AFU 24th Mechanised Brigade, 5th Assault Brigade, 79th, 80th air assault brigades were repelled near Kleshcheyevka, Leninskoye, Shumy, Krasnogorovka, and Georgievka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to 325 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, one tank, four armoured fighting vehicles, and 25 motor vehicles.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery inflicted losses on AFU manpower and hardware near Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region), Vladimirovka, Vodyanoye, Urozhaynoye, Prechistovka, and Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 250 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, and one electronic warfare station.

In Kherson direction, units of the Russian Groups of Forces supported by artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 65th Mechanised Brigade, 82nd Air Assault Brigade, and 23rd Ukrainian National Guard Brigade near Verbovoye, Rabotino (Zaporozhye region), and Nikopol (Dnepropetrovsk region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 80 Ukrainian troops and two motor vehicles.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces wiped out one ammunition depot of the AFU 126th Territorial Defence Brigade, as well as engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 114 areas during the day.

Air defence units shot down 63 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near Kremenets, Aleksandrovka, Kleshcheyevka, Mezhevoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Lyubimovka, Dudchany (Kherson region), Basan (Zaporozhye region), as well as intercepted three HIMARS MLRS projectiles.

In total, 570 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 12,292 unmanned aerial vehicles, 464 air defence missile systems, 14,994 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,219 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,021 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 18,574 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

MILITARY ANALYSIS

“Let's not forget that Turkey is a NATO country. And I do not know how Turkey differs from other NATO countries if it supplies weapons to Ukraine, builds a factory for the production of Bayraktar drones in Ukraine, and ensures the operation of the ‘grain corridor’ through which weapons enter Ukraine. In addition, Turkey is pursuing a fairly transparent policy to restore the ‘Great Turan’ in Central Asia. If Russia has such friends, then what can we expect from Russia's enemies?” - A Skeptic