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☆ Ukraine says Russia faced its deadliest day in the war yet, with over 1,000 troops killed in a 24-hour period
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

This would mark the deadliest day for Russian forces since the war began. The Ukrainian military puts the total Russian death toll at 133,190 as fierce fighting continues to rage on in the country's east. Putin announced a partial military mobilization in September, aiming to provide a boost to Russia's struggling war effort. But despite its growing list of setbacks and failures in the war, Russia has shown no signs of giving up. Ukraine is bracing for Russian forces to launch a major offensive in the near future.

☆ Russian Forces Cutting Off Ukrainians From Bakhmut, Says U.K.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Ian Lovett | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

MYKOLAIV, Ukraine—Russian forces are increasingly cutting off the city of Bakhmut from other Ukrainian-held territory, according to the U.K. Ministry of Defense, while the first Leopard 2 tank from Canada is now on its way to Ukraine. Moscow has continued to make slow progress in its efforts to encircle Bakhmut, the British Defense Ministry wrote Sunday on Twitter. After months of assault on the eastern Ukrainian city, the two main roads in and out for Ukrainian forces are now within range of Russian fire, according to the ministry, making efforts to resupply troops in Bakhmut difficult.

A far-right faction of House Republicans is pushing against continued US aid to Ukraine. Those concerns ratcheted up amid House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's tumultuous journey to secure the gavel last month. Kyiv, for its part, has kept a close eye on Congress' dynamics since the GOP won a narrow House majority in the November midterms. "This GOP House majority will demand more oversight, transparency, and accountability to ensure assistance to Ukraine is used as intended," McCaul said in a statement. "Most Europeans don't think that suddenly the US is going to cut support to Ukraine," Araud said, adding that nobody anticipates Washington will "dump Ukraine."

☆ Putin's desperate for a win, and he's throwing troops at some of Ukraine's toughest defenses to get it, former general says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Intense fighting between Ukraine and Russia has been taking place around the eastern city of Bakhmut. Putin has been sending troops into some of Ukraine's most heavily defended areas, a former general said. Mick Ryan argues the Russian leader is trying to get a win before the war's one-year anniversary. Fighting between Ukraine and Russia has intensified in recent weeks around Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region. Ukrainian soldiers shelter in the woods along a road outside of the strategic city of Bakhmut on January 18, 2023 in Bakhmut, Ukraine.

☆ Ukraine's smart air defense threatens one of Russia's most advanced jets, leaving it too scared to use them, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Since the start of the war, Russia's air force has struggled in combat over Ukraine. Moscow has been afraid to use them because of Ukraine's smart air defense, two experts told Insider. But, per an intelligence update earlier this week from the British ministry of defense, Russia has only used the jets from within its own airspace. Dr. Matthew Ford, a professor at the Swedish Defence University, also credited Ukraine's air defense to deterring Russian incursions. "[Ukraine's] air defense is sufficiently credible to make it open to question for the Russians as to whether they want to commit their air power," he added.

☆ Satellite images showing thousands of craters at a battle site in eastern Ukraine capture just how intense the 'savage' artillery fight there actually is
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

New satellite imagery illustrates the Russian campaign to capture the eastern Ukrainian towns of Bakhmut and Soledar. Satellite image ©2023 Maxar Technologies"You're talking about thousands upon thousands of artillery rounds that have been delivered between both sides," the official said. Satellite imagery showing the ongoing fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces over the eastern Ukrainian towns of Soledar and Bakhmut. Satellite imagery showing the ongoing fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces over the eastern Ukrainian towns of Soledar and Bakhmut. Satellite image ©2023 Maxar TechnologiesThe above image shows rows of crushed apartments in Soledar.

☆ Russia nears breakthrough after months of 'savage' fighting in eastern Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Patrick-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Patrick Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Russia has struggled to advance in the area for months, with both sides suffering huge losses as it became a focal point of the conflict after Ukraine's successful counteroffensive in the south. But the Kremlin's forces appeared to have made progress in Soledar in recent days. There is almost no life left.”“The whole land near Soledar is covered with the corpses of the occupiers and scars from the strikes,” he added. The Moscow-backed leader of the occupied areas of Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, told Russian state TV on Tuesday that Russian forces were “very close” to taking Soledar, but that the gains were coming at a high price. Taking the town would create “good prospects” to then take Bakhmut, he said.

☆ Russian prisoners sent to the front lines in Ukraine have been publicly executed for not charging into enemy fire, captured inmates say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Captured members of a Russian mercenary group say disobedient troops and deserters are being publicly executed in Ukraine. The infamous Wagner Group has recruited prisoners to fight on the front lines. One captured former inmate described many of the recruited prisoners as "completely insane." The Russian military has suffered staggering losses since Moscow launched an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine last February. In an effort to address worsening manpower issues, the Wagner Group has fought alongside the Russian military and has recruited Russian prisoners in the process.

☆ Taliban criticize Prince Harry's claim he killed 25 fighters
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Henry Austin | Henry Austin Is A London-Based Editor For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Among the killers of Afghans, not many have your decency to reveal their conscience and confess to their war crimes,” he said. Several British news outlets, including the broadcaster Sky News, have reported that Harry has written that he did not “think of those 25 as people." A poster advertising the launch of Prince Harry's memoir in a store window in London on Friday. His elder brother, Prince William, is the next in line to their father, King Charles III. Among the most serious of Harry's accusations is that his brother physically attacked him during an argument over his marriage to Meghan.

☆ Russia blames its soldiers’ phone use for Ukraine missile strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Rhoda Kwan | Rhoda Kwan Is A Taipei-Based Journalist. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The defense ministry's public stance appeared to do little to quell the criticism from nationalist bloggers and pro-war voices within the country. Semyon Pegov, a war correspondent who was recently awarded an Order of Courage by Putin, cast doubt on the official explanation for the attack. The missile completely destroyed the school building where the Russian servicemen were based, according to the British Defense Ministry. “This incident highlights how unprofessional practices contribute to Russia’s high casualty rate,” the ministry added. Workers clear rubble after a Ukrainian rocket strike in Makiivka, Ukraine, on Jan. 3, 2023.

☆ A war reporter decorated by Putin says the Kremlin's story that cellphones are why a lot of Russian troops died in a Ukrainian strike is 'not very convincing'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

But the Kremlin's story is getting pushback, including from a decorated Russian war reporter. Battlefield cellphone use has been a problem for Russian troops, but other factors may have played a role here. Over the weekend, Ukrainian forces used a US-provided High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) to deliver a devastating strike on Russian positions in the occupied Ukrainian city of Makiivka. Ukraine's military, meanwhile, offered a much higher figure and said as many as 400 Russian troops were killed with another 300 injured. He said Russian forces could have been detected by drones or Ukrainian troops could have been tipped off by an informant, CNN reported.

☆ Russia’s army is so ineffective it will probably not be able to take much territory in Ukraine for ‘the next several months’, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The UK MOD said Russia looked unlikely to make any big gains in Ukraine for months. It's highly unlikely that Russia can generate an effective striking force in the coming months, it said. Ukraine, meanwhile, predicted an increase in its offensive moves once the ground freezes. The British defense ministry said in an intelligence update on Monday that "Russian ground forces are unlikely to make operationally significant advances within the next several months." On December 3, Avril Haines, the US National Intelligence Director, said that winter conditions are expected to slow the war, and that there was already a "reduced tempo."

☆ UK says attacks on Russian bomber bases could be 'most strategically significant' force protection failure of the Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russian air bases have faced deadly drone attacks thought to be carried out by Ukraine. The drones involved in attacks on two Russian bases on Monday were launched from Ukrainian territory, the New York Times reported, citing a senior Ukrainian. "Ukrainian forces likely sought to disrupt Russian strikes against Ukrainian critical infrastructure and demonstrate Ukraine's ability to target Russian strategic assets," ISW added. The attacks on Russian air bases seemingly mark a new chapter in the conflict. "Why didn't Russian air defenses track and identify the targets so deep inside the country?"

☆ Russia firing unarmed missiles to deplete Ukraine air defense, says U.S. military official
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Russia is firing unarmed cruise missiles that were designed to carry nuclear warheads at targets in Ukraine to try to deplete Kyiv's stocks of air defenses, a senior U.S. military official said on Tuesday. The official, who declined to be named, was asked about a Nov. 26 assessment by Britain's military intelligence which said that Russia was "likely" removing nuclear warheads from cruise missiles and firing the unarmed munitions into Ukraine. Asked about the assertion, the U.S. military official told Pentagon reporters: "It's certainly something that they're trying to do to mitigate the effects of the air defense systems that the Ukrainians are employing." For that reason, the United States and other allies have focused on providing air defense supplies for Ukraine. The United States has already provided a range of air defense capabilities to Ukraine, including NASAMS air defense systems as well as more than 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft systems and counter-artillery and air surveillance radars.

☆ Russian fighter jets can't control the air over Ukraine, and Russia's attack helicopters are paying for it
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The toll has been especially high for Russia's Ka-52, one of its newest attack helicopters. Because it's been the most active, the Ka-52 also appears to be taking the most losses of Russia's helicopters. The AlligatorA Russian Ka-52 helicopter at the Dubai Airshow in November 2021. A wrecked Russian Ka-52 helicopter at Hostomel Airport near Kyiv in July. Russia's helicopters have changed tactics in response to Ukraine's successful use of shoulder-fired missiles and other air-defense systems, but Russian forces still need close air support.

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine faced widespread power outages Thursday as the country’s energy system struggled to cope with the damage from a wave of Russian attacks. Ukraine’s energy minister, Herman Halushchenko, said Thursday the government was seeking a 20% reduction in energy use and that Ukrainians had responded to the appeal to ease pressure on the country’s grid. She also has a sleeping bag designed for below freezing temperatures, a thermal blanket and even skiing clothes in case temperatures continue dropping and the strikes on energy targets continue. Current restrictions are worth it.”For months, the Kremlin said it was only after military targets — not civilian or critical infrastructure in Ukraine. The British Defense Ministry also said in an assessment this week that causing widespread damage to Ukraine’s energy network is likely the “key objective” of the Kremlin’s strike campaign.

☆ The army Putin spent 2 decades building has been largely destroyed in Ukraine, and Russia's 'strategic defeat' could threaten his grip on power
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-14 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Russia's military will have to be rebuilt because of the war in Ukraine, experts say. But the war in Ukraine has decimated the Russian military that Putin spent years building, while raising questions about his grip on power, Russia experts and military analysts told Insider. Russia's military is going to have to be rebuilt," George Barros, a military analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, told Insider. These losses have forced the Russian military to resort to pulling obsolete Soviet-era equipment, such as T-62 tanks, out of storage. The Russian military is "not nearly as powerful as we thought it was," he said.

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