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☆ Ukraine's forces are facing 'tough battles' and taking losses early in its offensive, but war experts say it has a lot left to hammer Russian lines
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

There are reports of heavy personnel and equipment losses in some sectors. Ukrainian forces gained ground in areas around Bakhmut, a city of limited strategic value that Russia only recently captured at tremendous cost. Through its counteroffensive operations, Ukraine is confronting these hardened Russian defenses with a force that while experienced is employing new weapons with, in some cases, new tactics. Ukrainian forces will suffer losses, including of both Western and Soviet equipment, during any offensive operations," ISW said. "Loss of equipment — including Western equipment — early on in the counteroffensive is not an indicator of the future progress of Ukraine's counteroffensive," it said.

Persons: —, ISW, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ANATOLII STEPANOV, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Serhii Naiev, Yevhen, it's, Mark Hertling Organizations: Service, Ukraine, Institute for, CNN, Getty, for Strategic, International Studies, DC, Wagner Group, Joint Forces of, Armed Forces of, Operational, Publishing, US Army Locations: Bakhmut, Russia, Donetsk Oblast, Zaporizhia Oblast, Donetsk, Ukraine, AFP, Europe, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Armed Forces of Ukraine, Kyiv Region, Soviet, Ukrainian

☆ Ukraine is kicking off its big offensive armed with powerful Western tanks and weapons, but breaking Russian lines may be anything but easy
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Ukrainians are armed with Western weapons, including tanks and armored vehicles, but they are facing tough Russian defenses. There appear to be Ukrainian offensive operations against Russian defenses in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk oblasts, among other locations along the front lines. As some experts have said, the stakes for the Ukrainian offensive are high. Unlike last summer's sweeping offensive around Kharkiv, Ukrainian forces are facing much more heavily defended positions. The think tank added, as Russia makes claims of thwarting Ukraine's offensive, that "the success or failure of this phase may not be apparent for some time."

Persons: —, Klaus, Dietmar Gabbert, Mark Milley, Laurent van der, ISW, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: Service, Ukrainian, Washington Post, Financial Times, Kyiv hasn't, ABC News, NBC, Institute for, Bundeswehr, Getty Images, US, Joint Chiefs of Staff, CNN, New York Times, 81st Airmobile Battalion, Le Monde, Russian Ministry of Defense, Wall Locations: Ukraine, Donetsk, Russia, Russian, Klietz, Germany, Ukrainian, Kharkiv, Seversk, Novopokrovka

☆ Russia bragged that it easily defeated a Ukrainian tank attack, but even pro-Russia bloggers say the battle didn't go well
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Kelly Mclaughlin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russia's defense ministry bragged that its troops defeated a Ukraine attack over the weekend. One said the situation was "becoming more and more disturbing with each passing hour," the Kyiv Independent reported. The defense ministry said its military took down 16 tanks, 21 armored combat vehicles, and 250 Ukrainian troops. But pro-Russia bloggers described a more dire situation for Russia in the Donetsk region, the Kyiv Independent reported. Blogger Alexander Khodakovsky said Ukraine had "suppressed" Russian communications and put Russian troops in a "difficult position," the Kyiv Independent reported.

Persons: —, Alexander Khodakovsky, Semen Pegov Organizations: Kyiv Independent, Service, Reuters, Kyiv Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, Donetsk Oblast, Donetsk, Kyiv, Velyka Novosilka

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Ukraine refuses to accept loss of Bakhmut; Wagner mercenary boss downplays army's role in 'capture'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A Ukrainian soldier of the 28th Brigade's Aerial Reconnaissance Regiment preparing equipment on a mission to the front south of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on May 17, 2023. Ukraine is refusing to concede defeat in the largely ruined eastern town of Bakhmut after Russian mercenary forces claimed they were now fully in control of the town after months of fighting. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that "Russia did not occupy Bakhmut" as he attended a news conference at the Group of Seven summit in Japan, rebuffing claims by Russia's mercenary Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin that his forces had fully captured the town in the Donetsk region on Saturday. The head of Ukraine's ground forces Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Sunday that his forces still controlled parts of Bakhmut and that they were not ready to give up. Meanwhile, Prigozhin downplayed the contribution of the regular Russian army in the claimed capture of the town, saying his fighters had been let down by the Russian Defense Ministry leadership.

☆ Ukraine's Zelenskyy denies that Bakhmut is occupied by Russian forces
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Her comments came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at the Group of Seven summit in Japan, appeared to suggest that Bakhmut had fallen. And the spokesman for Ukraine's Eastern Group of Forces, Serhii Cherevaty, said that the Ukrainian military is managing to hold positions in the vicinity of Bakhmut. Russian forces still seek to seize the remaining part of the Donetsk region still under Ukrainian control, including several heavily fortified areas. Prigozhin tried to use the battle for the city to expand his clout amid the tensions with the top Russian military leaders whom he harshly criticized. "We fought not only with the Ukrainian armed forces in Bakhmut.

☆ China doesn't really care who wins the war in Ukraine — it just wants to win the peace, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

There's little doubt that China wants the war between Russia and Ukraine to end, and soon. Political analysts and China watchers note that, ultimately, Beijing doesn't really care who "wins" the war — or what form a peace deal takes. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping via phone line, in Kyiv on April 26, 2023. Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands during a signing ceremony following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21, 2023. Any peace will be hard-wonNo-one is underestimating the challenges any would-be peace broker has before them.

☆ Ukraine says it controls key supply route into Bakhmut
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Ukrainian soldiers are seen at their artillery position on Donetsk frontline as the Russia-Ukraine war continues in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on April 24, 2023. Ukraine remains in control of a key supply route into Bakhmut, a military spokesperson said on Saturday, as the head of Russia's mercenary Wagner Group threatened to withdraw some of his troops from the eastern city if Moscow did not send more ammunition. Kyiv has pledged to defend Bakhmut, which Russia sees as a stepping stone to attacking other cities. "It would have had been five times fewer if we had more ammunition," Prigozhin said in an audio statement published on the Telegram messaging app of his press service on Saturday evening. "We need to stop deceiving the population and telling them that everything is fine," Prigozhin said in the interview.

☆ Western countries have scrambled to deliver billions of dollars of military gear to Ukraine. Getting it to the frontlines is a whole other problem.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

For a military at war, it's a challenge to get the right gear to the right troops at the right time. Western countries have scrambled to deliver that gear to Ukraine, overcoming political debates and logistical hurdles, but getting it to the frontlines presents a whole other problem. Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesThe restricted operational environment makes Ukraine's logistics that much harder. Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesFurther complicating the situation is the fact that the Ukrainian military is a dynamic force. Many Ukrainian troops are also rotating through the US and European countries for training.

☆ NATO's chief is talking openly about alliance membership for Ukraine as Putin's war continues to shoot Russia in the foot
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine has long sought NATO membership, something Vladimir Putin deeply opposes. Ukraine has long sought NATO membership. As early as April 2008, NATO said it "welcomed" aspirations from Ukraine and Georgia — the latter was attacked by Russia later that year — to join the military alliance. Finland officially became the 31st member of the military alliance earlier this month, a huge setback for Putin. in a Friday tweet that included a link to a media report about Stoltenberg telling Zelenskyy Ukraine belongs in NATO.

☆ Ukraine forces pull back as Russia mounts 're-energised' Bakhmut assault, UK says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Ukrainian artillery fires towards the frontline during heavy fighting amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Bakhmut, Ukraine, April 13, 2023. "Russia has re-energised its assault on the Donetsk Oblast town of Bakhmut as forces of the Russian MoD and Wagner Group have improved co-operation," it said, referring to Russia's defence ministry and its main mercenary force. "Ukrainian forces face significant resupply issues but have made orderly withdrawals from the positions they have been forced to concede," Britain's military said in a daily intelligence update. It said Wagner units were now focusing on advancing in the centre of Bakhmut, while Russian paratroopers were relieving them in attacks on the city's flanks. Moscow says it would open a route to capturing more territory in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, a major war aim.

[1/2] Ukrainian artillery fires towards the frontline during heavy fighting amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Bakhmut, Ukraine, April 13, 2023. Western countries have in the past pointed to acrimony between the Russian defence ministry (MoD) and the country's main mercenary force Wagner as a major Russian weakness. Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said Russian commanders had redirected troops to Bakhmut from other areas. The British update said the Ukrainians still held western districts of the town but had been subjected to particularly intense Russian artillery fire over the previous 48 hours. Moscow says it would open a route to capturing more territory in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, a major war aim.

☆ Russian jamming may have hamstrung a US-made bomb kit being used in Ukraine, leaked documents say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Leaked Pentagon documents highlighted concerns about the Joint Direct Attack Munition weapon. The American-made bomb kit used by Ukraine may have been hamstrung by Russian jammers. One document in particular highlights concerns about US-made bomb kits which have been sent to Ukraine in recent months. One factor is the bomb fuses aren't arming at their release, which Ukraine's air force has worked to fix. Photo by Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesThe Pentagon documents first became public last week and circulated through social media platforms like Discord, Twitter, and Telegram.

☆ More than twice as many Russian troops as Ukrainians have been killed in Putin's war, leaked estimates show
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Leaked estimates show more than twice as many Russians and Ukrainians have been killed in the war. The documents, which were recently leaked on social media and are currently the focus of a federal investigation, offer estimates for Russian and Ukrainian casualties. The Center for Strategic & International Studies, meanwhile, assessed that same month that between 60,000 and 70,000 Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers of the Aidar battalion training at an undetermined location in Donetsk oblast on April 4, 2023. For example, in some cases, information about Russian casualties appears to have been altered to show a much lower killed in action figure for the Russian forces.

☆ Exhaustion pervades Russia and Ukraine's forces fighting for Bakhmut's ruins
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A lull in recent activity had been due to poor weather, officials said, as well as "exhaustion on both sides." Despite defense analysts assessing that Bakhmut has been gradually encircled by Russian forces to the north, east and south, Ukraine has refused to tactically withdraw from Bakhmut, instead vowing to reinforce and defend it. "We've been hearing this for months now," Sak told CNBC Monday, referring to claims that Bakhmut is under Russian control. Ukrainian soldier of the Aidar battalion fires artillery in the direction of Bakhmut in Donetsk oblast, 4 April 2023. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

☆ Russia is trying to cover up the decline of a once elite unit that was rendered 'combat ineffective,' UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia is trying to fix the reputation of a once elite brigade hammered in Ukraine, the UK MOD said. The military is worried the brigade's reputation reflects how military leaders are seen, it said. In an update published Monday, the UK Ministry of Defence said the once celebrated 155th Naval Infantry Brigade of the Pacific Fleet had been rendered "combat ineffective" multiple times when fighting in Ukraine. Experts told Insider that the brigade once had an elite reputation, but that this had been eroded by repeated defeats. Russia's military overall has experienced the same issues.

☆ Russia's newest army corps lost many of its tanks in an offensive because it simply copied tactics that failed in the past, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia's new army corps is losing tanks at a fast rate as it tries to encirle Avdiivka, the UK said. And that's because it's repeating tactics that have failed Russia's military in the past, according to UK intelligence. Avdiivka is a town in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, which the UK MOD said Russia has recently made a priority. Videos show Russian tanks and armored vehicles being blown up by mines and anti-tank missiles in and around Vuhledar. The UK MOD said that the 3rd Army Corps has been "particularly dogged by problems with ill-discipline and poor morale," referencing open-source accounts.

☆ Before-and-after photos show how Russia's invasion reduced a Ukrainian city to a post-apocalyptic wasteland
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Drone footage showed how a city in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region was reduced to rubble. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyBefore-and-after photos show how Russia's invasion reduced a Ukrainian city to a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Located around 80 miles from Bakhmut, Marinka has recently found itself at the center of renewed battles between Ukrainian and Russian forces. It used to be…until Russia's war criminals razed it to the ground," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs captioned the photos. At the time of writing, the territory was roughly split between Russian and Ukrainian control, the Associated Press reported.

☆ Russia will emerge from the Ukraine war a 'shattered military power,' top Pentagon official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Chris Panella | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia will emerge from war in Ukraine a "shattered military power," a senior Pentagon official said. Colin Kahl told lawmakers that Russia lost the war — echoing a similar remark by the top US general. He added that US military support for Kyiv has been, and will continue to be, flexible and dynamic. "They intended for Russia to emerge out of this war a great power in a multi-polar world — they will emerge from this conflict a shattered military power," he added. His remarks in November, and again on Tuesday, echo what other top US officials and generals have said in stating that Russia has already lost and failed in Ukraine.

☆ Russia's struggles in Ukraine are showing US special operators that they'll need to fight without their 'tethers' to win future wars
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

For US special operators, the war is a reminder that such a network won't always be available. Ukraine thwarted Russia's initial attack and, with extensive Western support, has driven Russia's forces back. Logistics and special operatorsRomanian, Ukrainian, and US Army Green Berets conduct close quarters battle training in Romania in May 2021. We are trained and mentally prepared to fight without much logistical support," said the Green Beret, who was granted anonymity to discuss potential future operations. "Again, depending on the unit and the mission, we will require some sort of logistical support eventually.

☆ After a year of war, Ukraine's military is facing a new test of its resolve, holding the line until key weapons arrive
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Military experts told Insider that Russia is pushing forward with an offensive in eastern Ukraine. Putin has a small window to attack before Kyiv receives advanced Western armor, but Ukraine will need to hold out. The challenge for Kyiv's forces will be absorbing assaults by Russia's numerically larger force long enough for more advanced Western tanks and artillery to arrive that could drive the Russians back. The Russians have that same problem, and Ukraine is trying to attack Russia's logistics system to degrade its ammunition stockpiles. Just as the Russians have been trying to exhaust Ukrainian forces, the Ukrainians have been delivering heavy losses to the Russians.

☆ Russia has likely suffered its highest rate of casualties since the beginning of the war in the past 2 weeks, UK Defense Ministry says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In the last 2 weeks, Russian casualties are likely the highest since the war began, the UK said. The Ukrainian General Staff estimated that the mean average for the last seven days was 824 Russian casualties. While it is difficult to accurately track the death toll of the war, Western officials estimate that Russia could be approaching nearly 200,000 casualties. A Ukrainian soldier fires towards Russian positions outside Bakhmut, Ukraine, on November 8, 2022. Although Prigozhin does not speak for the Russian military, his comments provide insight into Russian expectations of the war.

☆ Russia's war in Ukraine backfired by uniting NATO, even as cracks emerged over nearly a year of fighting
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Jake Epstein | John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

When Putin invaded Ukraine, he miscalculated the response from Western countries. NATO has been largely united in its response to Russia's war, consistently providing Kyiv with military aid. Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively succeeded in remaking the Western bloc, Araud said, adding that "the Western alliance is back." After the Soviet Union collapsed, both Finland and Sweden became NATO partner countries but stopped short of pursuing full membership. Even under the intense pressure of war, the alliance is "holding the way that they have in the past," he said.

☆ Ukraine's battlefields look like World War I but with a new and terrifying addition that leaves troops with almost nowhere to hide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The conflict in Ukraine has emerged as the first major war involving drone use on both sides. By the late 1990s, Predator drones were being used by the US and NATO for reconnaissance missions in the Kosovo War. Ukraine has in many ways emerged as a guinea pig for drone warfare. Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesLater in the war, Russia began launching swarms of Iranian-made Shahed-136 "kamikaze" drones, striking targets across Ukraine. Drones have significantly shortened the so-called kill chain, Cancian explained, helping troops swiftly locate targets and provide coordinates for artillery.

☆ As shelling over Ukrainian cities continue, Putin claims he's ready for talks that could end the war. Others says he's bluffing or growing weary.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-25 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A leading think tank says Russian forces are growing weary in their offensive attacks. The Russian president has previously made comments about wanting to end the war. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, suggested that Russian war efforts are weakening. The ISW suggested that the developments could lead Russian forces to initiate a tactical or operational pause. In an effort to break from Russian traditions, some Orthodox Ukrainians celebrated Christmas on December 25, as opposed to January 7 in line with the Russian Orthodox Church.

☆ Russian fighter jets are struggling in Ukraine, but Ukraine can't beat their missiles and radars, researchers say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Russian air force's lackluster performance in Ukraine has been scrutinized throughout the war. Despite its failings over Ukraine, Russia's air force still has advanced jets and missiles. Russian pilots have modified their operations in order to make the most of those advantages. But that doesn't mean that the Russian air force is stupid. Yuri Smityuk\TASS via Getty ImagesDespite initial fears that they would be smashed by Russian missiles and jets, Ukrainian air defenses have had a major impact.

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