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Ukraine – Killing Surrendering Soldiers, Shelling Civilians
At 8:30 UTC today I checked the priorities of the day on major U.S. news websites.
- On the New York Times homepage the word "Trump" appeared 10 times, "Ukraine" appeared 5 times.
- On the Washington Post homepage the word "Trump" appeared 12 times, "Ukraine" appeared 5 times.
- On the Wall Street Journal homepage the word "Trump" appeared 9 times, "Ukraine" appeared 3 times.
The Google Trends graph for Ukraine has fallen to near zero.
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This is a problem because it takes pressure off the Biden administration to negotiate with Russia over Ukraine and the future security architecture in Europe.
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Today's daily 'clobber list' by the Russian Ministry of Defense includes an additional chapter taken from the verbal briefing:
I would like to note that in recent weeks, incidents involving the shooting of Ukrainian servicemen in the back by nationalist units have become more frequent in areas of military operations.
Thus, after a fire preparation for an attack by Russian troops near Novomikhailovka in Donetsk People's Republic, more than 30 servicemen of the 25th Battalion of the 54th Mechanized Brigade of the AFU decided to lay down their arms and surrender.
Ukrainian servicemen occupying a stronghold near Zvioroferma asked the Russian unit command via radio to cease fire and provide a corridor for exit.
Around 10 p.m., AFU servicemen with white flags began moving towards Russian positions.
At that moment, a Ukrainian nationalist barrier unit arrived at the stronghold in armored vehicles and opened crossfire in the back on the servicemen of the 54th Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
As a result of this shooting, 32 Ukrainian servicemen were fatally wounded and killed.
This incident, as well as many others like it, clearly demonstrates that amid growing military failures and demoralization of Ukrainian troops, the Kiev nationalist regime is trying to stop the retreat and surrender of its units by punitive actions of barrier squads.
I have seen no evidence that supports the details of the above incident. But there have been public reports that somewhat prominent people who are opposed to the war or criticize the Zelenski regime get picked up the Ukrainian SBU (the former KGB) or some 'nationalist', ie. fascist goons to then vanish. It is thereby not astonishing to read that similar events, on a likely larger scale, are happening at the frontline of the war.
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The Ukrainian artillery is said to fire only 6,000 rounds per day for lack artillery ammunition. Yesterday 300 projectiles were fired by the Ukrainian army or by 'nationalists' onto civilian areas of 'rebel' held city of Donetsk. There were at lest 7 dead and 22 wounded. Graham Phillips provides a video report of the impacts and damage (vid). To use 5% of the daily ammunition ration to terrorize civilians in Donetsk is not only despicable but dumb as those artillery troops will now receive intensified attention they deserve.
Levi @Levi_godman – 11:42 UTC · Jun 14, 2022
❗️The DPR asks Russia to use additional Iskanders and aircraft to destroy the artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Meanwhile Russia is providing a humanitarian corridor for civilians and surrendering Ukrainian troops who leave the Azot chemical plant in Severodonetsk. The scheme is similar to the corridors at the Azov steelworks in Mariupol where it worked well.
Fascinating Twitter thread I saw today for your consideration.
https://twitter.com/MarkHertling/status/1536474296578621442
Mark Hertling @MarkHertling
5:23 PM · Jun 13, 2022
188 Following 379.3K Followers
Due to the 1/6 report, 2A legislation & economic issues, details of Donbas battles & the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine are not at the forefront.
UA isn’t “losing” & the action isn’t stalled. It remains a slugfest in the east.
Here’s a new 🧵on equipping UA. 1/21
As I said in past threads, the “new phase” of the fight (which started in early April), brought change.
-RU focus is on massing artillery, attempts at breakthrough.
-UA focus is logistics, active defense & maintaining will.
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I’ve used this slide to describe the major shifts. 2/
[ed: https://twitter.com/MarkHertling/status/1536474296578621442 ]
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In the last few days, the @nytimes,@washingtonpost,@WSJ & others have reported Ukraine’s demand for more combat equipment.
UA needs support, lots of it. It’s important to understand the scope of their “asks,” the art of the possible & the associated logistics requirements. 3/
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I’ll provide some of context for all that, from a soldier’s perspective & battlefield experience as a Division Commander.
Some of what I say will be met with “they know more than you on what they need.”
So please understand I’m just giving my perspective. 4/
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Many reports today said the west is “lagging” & “indecisive” in providing equipment.
Those reports also say Ukraine needs nations to provide 1000 howitzers, 300 MLRS, 500 tanks, 2000 armored vehicles.
I’d offer some context for those requests. 5/
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Let’s talk artillery.
There are 10 active US Army Divisions. Depending on the “type” division (Armored, Infantry, Airborne, Air Assault, Light), each one is equipped differently.
Each has a Division Artillery Brigade -called a “DIVARTY”- which normally has 3 Battalions. 6/
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During combat, each artillery battalion in DIVARTY isattached to the 3 combat brigades of the Division.
Each of those arty battalions has between 16-24 howitzers (either self-propelled M109A7 or towed M777) & usually 9 different “types” of rocket artillery (MLRS or HIMARS). 7/
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To make it easy for math purposes, let’s round up and say each Division has 24 howitzers & 9 rocket systems.
That’s a TOTAL of 240 howitzers & 90 rocket systems in all ten of the active US Army Divisions .
That’s an indicator of the scope of the UA “asks.” 8/
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The US provided 108 M777 to UA a few weeks ago, the equivalent of almost 5 artillery battalions. Those came with 200,000 rounds of ammunition.
The US also sent 4 HIMARS as a proof of principle. There will likely be more of those in the next tranche. 9/
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NATO countries are also sending cannons & ammunition, some w/ different chassis, fire control systems, training requirements.
They wont match RU guns 1:1, as western militaries have other methods to counter the RU artillery threat. (That is hard to explain in a thread). 10/
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Part of the “ask” that is required but usually not discussed in the requirement for support for all this equipment. Parts, mechanics, maintenance, etc.
That comes from elsewhere.
Along with a “DIVARTY,” each US Division also has a Division Support Command, or “DISCOM.” 11/
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NATO countries are also sending cannons & ammunition, some w/ different chassis, fire control systems, training requirements.
They wont match RU guns 1:1, as western militaries have other methods to counter the RU artillery threat. (That is hard to explain in a thread). 10/
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Part of the “ask” that is required but usually not discussed in the requirement for support for all this equipment. Parts, mechanics, maintenance, etc.
That comes from elsewhere.
Along with a “DIVARTY,” each US Division also has a Division Support Command, or “DISCOM.” 11/
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The DISCOM is a very large organization w/ mechanics, part suppliers & parts, truck drivers, fuelers, equipment handlers & all other things that are part of supply chain operations.
That DISCOM “supports the supporters” that exists internally to each battalion/brigade. 12/
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What these soldiers do is ensure each piece of high-tech equipment continues to work, is supplied with ammo/fuel/spare parts/electronics.
When delivering cannons…there’s requirements to deliver all the “stuff.”
There’s more supporters than trigger pullers in a US Division.13/
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It’s relatively easy to train soldiers to operate cannons. But there’s also the need for EXTENSIVE training of mechanics, suppliers, & other supporters.
And…you must ensure the supply chain (including the route for all this to take place) operates smoothly. 14/
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It’s an estimated 400 miles from Ukraine’s western border to Kyiv…another 200+ from Kyiv to the front lines.
The military calls that a “line of communications” or LOC. Keeping LOCs secure & open in combat is tough work, but it’s required. 15/
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Add to this, the different kind of equipment Ukraine is requesting is coming from a variety of NATO and non-NATO nations.
Not all of it is the same. That exacerbates parts & maintenance requirements. This compounds supply chain & LOC challenges. 16/
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In this thread, we’ve talked just artillery.
Now multiply cannon issues to fielding new & technologically advanced tanks, infantry vehicles, aviation, etc.
In effect, UA is wanting to field a new army, w/ western equipment, w/unfamiliar processes, while fighting a war. 17/
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As a division commander in combat, I fielded several weapons systems -some complicated, some not- during a 15-month deployment.
The easy fieldings took weeks…hard ones took longer. Units are pulled off line & trained. Mechanics learn their stuff. Supplies are restocked. 18/
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And I had the advantage of a great DISCOM, practiced processes, secured supply lines, soldiers that knew what they were getting, the ability to pull folks offline and replace them with others while equipment was fielded.
UA has none of that. 19/
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Make no mistake, UKR requires support from the US & NATO.
The courage & tenacity UA has shown is exemplary & they are fighting for all of us. [ed: Liar! Traitor!]
UA will win, but it will be a tough fight. [ed: sad trombone noise]
And…supporters ought understand the dynamics of what they’re facing. 20/ [ed: some LSD might help here]
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Sorry if this thread has pissed anyone off, but these are the challenges associated with transforming and modernizing an army…and it requires more than just people saying “give them everything they need.” 21/21
Rather than the thread ‘pissing me off’, I think this former division commander’s thread does a fine job of making the case for NEVER have and certainly NOT now sending ANY more kill toys to UA because it’s f’king pointless – something the author seems oblivious to. [sigh…]
This is so in-your-face preposterous that I’m starting to think it’s all a ploy to send a bunch of these weapons somewhere else. Either another evil nation that shouldn’t have them, or maybe just to the bottom of the Atlantic ocean [MIC champagne glasses clinking at the profit windfall].
Posted by: PavewayIV | Jun 14 2022 18:07 utc | 80
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