Xmas is no defence against missiles, and prayers don’t relieve the cold in the trenches. This morning, the real feel temperature in Avdeevka was -8°C (17.6°F). Have sympathy for all the soldiers.
I’m in no mood for a full update that most people won’t read whilst eating turkey and opening presents, but the war continues so let me at least post this whilst silently mocking that Zelensky has changed their Xmas from January 7 to today for political effect. Religion and war have always been a tool against the masses.
RUSSIAN DEFENCE REPORT
In Kupyansk direction, as a result of competent actions by units of the Zapad Group of Forces, supported by artillery and helicopters, have repelled four attacks by assault groups of the AFU 95th Air Assault Brigade close to Sinkovka (Kharkov region). The enemy losses were over 40 servicemen, one armoured fighting vehicle, and three motor vehicles.
In addition, one ammunition depot of the 113th Territorial Defence Brigade has been destroyed near Liptsy (Kharkov region).
In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces, supported by artillery and Operational-Tactical Aviation, have repelled two attacks by the 63rd Mechanised Brigade and the 12th Special Operations Brigade of the AFU south of Kuzmino and near Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).
In addition, AFU manpower and hardware have been hit near Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic) and Serebryansky forestry. The enemy losses were up to 100 soldiers, one armoured fighting vehicle, two motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer.
In Donetsk direction, as a result of coordinated actions units of the Yug Group of Forces, in cooperation with artillery, have repelled eight attacks by assault groups of 81st Airmobile, 24th, and 30th mechanised brigades of the AFU and the 4th Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard close to Belogorovka, Spornoye, Vasyukovka, Leninskoye, and Novgorodskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
AFU manpower and hardware have been hit near Pereyezdnoye, Razdolovka, Kleshcheevka, Vasyukovka, Shumy, Andreevka, and Bogdanovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy losses were up to 350 soldiers killed and wounded, three infantry fighting vehicles, one armoured personnel carrier, and five motor vehicles.
In addition, in the course of counter-battery warfare, one U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system, one Msta-B howitzer, two Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems, three D-30 howitzers, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system have been destroyed.
In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces, in cooperation with aviation and artillery, have inflicted a fire attack on manpower concentration areas of the AFU 79th Air Assault Brigade near Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy losses were up to 110 servicemen, and two pickup trucks.
In addition, during counter-battery warfare, one U.S.-manufactured M109 Paladin, Akatsiya, and Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems have been hit.
In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces, supported by artillery and heavy flamethrower systems, have defeated manpower and hardware of 33rd, 117th, 118th mechanised, 128th mountain assault, and 71st jaeger brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Rabotino, Verbovoye, Zherebyanka, and Mirnoye (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses were up to 70 servicemen killed and wounded, one armoured fighting vehicle, three motor vehicles, as well as one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system.
In Kherson direction, as a result of the actions by units of Russian troops and artillery, the enemy losses were up to 80 servicemen and three motor vehicles. In the course of counter-battery warfare, one U.S.-manufactured M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system, one Msta-B howitzer, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one D-30 howitzer have been destroyed.
Operational-Tactical aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised Norwegian-manufactured launchers of NASAMS air defence systems and French-manufactured Crotale-NG at Starokonstantinov airfield (Khmelnitsky region), as well as aviation equipment, flight navigation equipment, and aviation ammunition at Kanatovo airfields (Kirovograd region) and the Dnepr, manpower and military hardware of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 127 areas during the day.
Air defence systems have shot down four Ukrainian aircraft: three Su-27 and one Su-24 of the Ukrainian Air Force near Shirokoye, Odarovka (Zaporozhye region), and Grigorovka (Dnepropetrovsk region).
Three HARM anti-radar missiles, three HIMARS multiple-launch rocket projectiles, and one Neptune anti-ship missile have been intercepted.
In addition, 49 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been destroyed close to Staromikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Zolotaryovka (Lugansk People's Republic), Vasilyovka, Golaya Pristan (Kherson region), Berdyansk, Novogorovka, and Mirnoye (Zaporozhye region).
In total, 558 airplanes, 261 helicopters, 10,040 unmanned aerial vehicles, 442 air defence missile systems, 14,299 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,189 fighting vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,479 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 16,660 special military motor vehicles have been destroyed during the special military operation.
MILITARY ANALYSIS
NEWS LINKS
https://piersrobinson.substack.com/p/update-on-the-opcw-douma-controversy
NEWS VIDEOS
INTERVIEW/DISCUSSION
AFTERNOON UPDATE
On Xmas, the third major victory is also Russia’s. First it was Mariupol, then Bakhmut, and now Marinka. Will Avdeevka be next?
Header image credit to Icheinfach.
Happy Christmas Mike, by the way! Thank you for writing this - not everyone bothers with the turkey stuffing and present unwrapping malarkey and I for one am glad of the news.
Everything can be potentially used as a tool against the masses, including family ties, friendship, food and other undoubtedly good things. Religion may be on occasion a tool against the masses, but it is also a huge bulwark against evil, which is precisely why successive tyrannical governments have always tried to kill it (and are now trying in the West today).