⚡️ Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine
(21 December 2022)
Russian Federation Armed Forces continue the special military operation.
💥In Kupyansk direction, as a result of a complex shelling of the enemy up to 60 Ukrainian servicemen, 2 armoured personnel carriers and 3 pickup trucks have been eliminated near Petropavlovka, Peschanoye and Berestovoye (Kharkov region).
◽️In addition, the Russian Air Force destroyed a bulk storage plant near Andreyevka (Kharkov region), which was used to supply fuel for the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ military equipment.
💥In Krasniy-Liman direction, more than 30 Ukrainian servicemen, 1 tank and 5 pickup trucks have been eliminated by army aircraft and artillery fire at places of concentration of enemy troops and military equipment near Terny and Torskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic). 6 Ukrainian servicemen laid down their arms and surrendered.
💥In Donetsk direction, Russian troops have taken new dominant heights and lines in the course of the offensive.
More than 80 Ukrainian servicemen, 1 tank, 3 infantry fighting vehicles and 4 motor vehicles have been eliminated.
💥In South Donetsk direction, as a result of artillery fire the AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade near Novomikhailovka and the AFU 108th Brigade of Territorial Defence near Prechistovka (Donetsk People’s Republic) have been hit. The enemy suffered up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen killed and wounded, 2 armoured fighting vehicles and 4 pickup trucks.
◽️Operational and Tactical Aviation, Missile Troops and artillery of groups of troops (forces) of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised 63 artillery units of the AFU at firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 87 areas.
💥1 Ukrainian Buk-M1 surface-to-air missile system and one P-18 target designation radar have been destroyed near Belozyorka (Kherson region).
💥1 radar station of the Ukrainian S-300 anti-aircraft missile system has been destroyed near Andreyevka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
💥3 U.S.-made M-777 artillery systems have been destroyed near Zelyonovka (Kherson region) and Trudovoye (Donetsk People’s Republic).
💥2 hangars with foreign-made weapons and military equipment have been destroyed near Temirovka (Zapororozhye region), and Artyomovsk (Donetsk People’s Republic).
💥2 munition depots belonging to the AFU have been destroyed near Berestovoye (Kharkov region), and Veselyanka (Zapororozhye region).
💥1 Grad multiple-launch rocket system has been destroyed near Vodyanoye (Donetsk People’s Republic).
💥1 Su-25 aircraft of the AFU has been shot down by the Russian Air Force near Krasnogorovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).
💥In addition, 1 Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter has been destroyed near Artyomovsk (Donetsk People’s Republic).
◽️ 2 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down by anti-aircraft defence forces near Knyaze-Grigorovka (Kherson region), and Nikolayevka (Donetsk People’s Republic). 2 HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems’ missiles have been also intercepted near Novokrasnyanka (Lugansk People’s Republic).
📊 In total, 348 airplanes and 187 helicopters, 2,691 unmanned aerial vehicles, 399 air defence missile systems, 7,179 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 932 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 3,696 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 7,693 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
#MoD #Russia #Ukraine #report
@mod_russia_en
https://t.me/mod_russia_en/5488

Posted by: summary | Dec 21 2022 10:56 utc | 104

Posted by: anon2020 | Dec 20 2022 18:39 utc | 26
Iirc, there was a Canadian general with similar name to Cloutier who got in legal trouble back home, so packed his bags & headed to Ukr as a merc. His name turned up as the likely General trapped w/Azovs in Mariupol.
Posted by: Mary | Dec 21 2022 7:14 utc | 87

His name is Ret. General Trevor Cadieu and he was formally charged with sexual assault in June 2022, for incidents dating back to 1994. He retired from the military in April but was assisting in Ukraine. He stated to the media he was returning to Canada to face the charges. Retired General Rick Hillier went to Ukraine to take over his role, which is reported to be in charge of the logistics of getting outside weapons to secure locations inside the country.
Obviously Cadieu was not captured in Azovstal either.

Posted by: Opport Knocks | Dec 21 2022 11:19 utc | 106

unimperator | Dec 21 2022 11:00 utc | 105
“There’s no practical way to counter… the HiMARS attacks on civilian Donbass”…
After 8 years and now 8+ SMO months…. I still don’t understand *why* they can’t counter the shelling.
I’d really appreciate an explanation….
I’m obviously missing something… but to my thinking… they know the range of the HiMARS and the other MLRS …. they know the locations where the shelling originates.
Take a stand-off surveilling drone overhead 24/7 like the USUK has on 24/7 patrol of Poland Romania and the Black Sea…. Have one of these drones do laps of Donbass 24/7. Once shelling is detected… call in the response by way of Russian arty or missiles or a fucking FOAB.
[Wtf shoigu???]
Anyone want to ELIM5 about why this ^ is not an option?

Posted by: Melaleuca | Dec 21 2022 12:28 utc | 108

Re: Donetsk shelling
Waiting for the freeze on the southern part of Ukraine?

Posted by: osi | Dec 21 2022 12:57 utc | 110

Posted by: Outraged | Dec 21 2022 13:10 utc | 111
More likely against the drones. But those don’t even have the thermal sights I’ve seen on other anti drone dual mounted machine guns.
It does look like France has now sent more Crotale’s.

Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 21 2022 13:38 utc | 112

@Posted by: Peter AU1 | Dec 21 2022 10:37 utc | 102
Agreed on your general impression of the matter. There were posts from senior LDPR and Kadyrov during and after the Azovstal siege about Big Fish, some names given, and odd travel arrangements at the end.
The video Opport Knocks linked to looks genuine enough for Cloutier so needs to be accepted at face value or dismissed as a competent enough fake. It’s reasonable to note that the the dating evidence in the video is limited and that 14th April is long enough into SMO that fraudsters had plenty of time to get their media shit together and use the Izmir meeting as an opportunity to stage Cloutier’s presence.
I’d take the video as authentic, pending a convincing argument against it, but that’s Cloutier alone out of the frame.
@Posted by: Opport Knocks | Dec 21 2022 11:19 utc | 106
Now you’re getting ahead of yourself. If there’s evidence to back up your position beyond the written word of Hoser-Protectorate mouthpieces I’m happy to consider it in good faith but other than that it is most certainly not obvious that Cadieu wasn’t in Azovstal, nor even where he is now.
Cadieu has come up before, comment search for “c1ue cadieu”. It is sometimes an unpleasant surprise to discover where commenters insist on bestowing the benefit of the doubt.

Posted by: anon2020 | Dec 21 2022 13:51 utc | 114

RF forces are celebrating the 301-st day of their 3-day SMO by capturing the buildings of the KNAUF Gypsum factory and the entire Molodizhna Avenue.

Posted by: CommiesGOFY | Dec 21 2022 13:58 utc | 116

Washington Post Hit Job –
WASHINGTON, December 21. /TASS/
Won’t join in to even quote the Post’s left-handed way of saying perhaps Russia may not have destroyed Nordstream II after all.
Thanks for nothing, as my father used to say.

Posted by: Elmagnostic | Dec 21 2022 14:02 utc | 118

Biswapriya Purkayast #3
No. Bout was traded for one of the NATO generals captured in Ukraine and that part has been kept secret.”
interesting!

Posted by: annie | Dec 21 2022 14:14 utc | 120

Posted by: Melaleuca | Dec 21 2022 12:28 utc | 108
I think the answer is simpler than one thinks.
HIMARS, as their name implies, are mobile mounted on trucks. They get their coordinates from satellite data filtered by Nato command. HIMARs can have up to a 90km range.
All this means they have a huge area to operate, where they can hit a target, and they don’t even need to be stationary waiting for a target. They can shoot from anywhere where their radius of up to 90km standard covers the target. So the problem is that there’s not a luxury to fly drones 10s of kilometers behind enemy front lines looking for single Himars. Obviously front line targets and equipment take priority over hunting Himars with less discovery likelihood deep in the rear.

Posted by: unimperator | Dec 21 2022 15:02 utc | 122

Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Dec 20 2022 16:31 utc | 3 Posted by: annie | Dec 21 2022 14:14 utc | 120
“Bout was traded for one of the NATO generals captured in Ukraine and that part has been kept secret.”
Why would Russia keep this secret?

Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 21 2022 15:16 utc | 124

The Ukrainian Embassy hosted a reception last week in honor of the 31st anniversary of the country’s armed services. Events like this are part of the social calendar of Washington’s smart set, with hobnobbing diplomats, think tankers, journalists, and US officials. Guests took photos with the Ukrainian ambassador. Even Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley showed up.

Posted by: jodoy72560 | Dec 21 2022 15:38 utc | 126

Posted by: anon2020 | Dec 21 2022 15:42 utc | 127 “It is blatantly obvious”
Russia could get more mileage by showing they actually have one of these NATO generals. At this point its all so secret, it didn’t happen.

Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 21 2022 15:53 utc | 128

Pepe Escobar at his VK informs us that his appearance on RT’s CrossTalk:
“Welcome to French and EU “law”, a.k.a. CENSORSHIP/CANCEL CULTURE.
“This content is accessible EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE GLOBAL SOUTH.
“I was in Turkey, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Brazil recently, so I tend to forget I’m back in REAL Barbaria.”
Pepe also tells us that Medvedev’s been sent on an errand to Cina and has met with Xi as the video he posted attests. Here’s what Pepe says about that:
“Unplugged Medvedev is DEFINITELY on a roll.
“Brought a personal message from Putin.
“And they discussed everything about the post-Soviet space, including what will happen to country 404.”
According to RT, Medvedev “delivered a personal message from Putin to Xi” that couldn’t be done via a phone call. Given that, IMO what was said to media was mostly smoke. A PR provided by RIA Novosti says:
“‘Medvedev conveyed to the head of the Chinese state the message of the President of the Russian Federation V. V. Putin, which, in particular, notes the unprecedented level of Russian-Chinese political dialogue and practical cooperation, expresses confidence in the constant progressive development of interstate and inter-party relations in close cooperation with the new leadership of the CPC, elected following the results of the recent party forum of Chinese communists,’ the release says.”
And that couldn’t be conveyed by phone? I guess Putin’s speech today at the Ministry of Defense took precedence over a phone call to Xi.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 21 2022 16:30 utc | 130

Putin speech today at Ministry of Defence. Here’s Putin’s initial statement:

At the same time, the military actions have certainly identified issues that we, as they say in such cases, should work on in particular. Including those that we have discussed more than once. I am referring to communications, automated command and control systems for troops and weapons, counter-battery tactics, target designation, and so on.
This is the combat experience that we must and will use in the further construction and development of the Armed Forces.
Today, our task is to implement all the necessary measures for the qualitative renewal and improvement of the Armed Forces.
What would you like to pay special attention to?
We are well aware of all the information about the NATO forces and means that are actively used in the course of a special military operation and counteraction to us. You have all this, and all this should be carefully analyzed and used to build our Armed Forces, as I have already said, and to improve the combat capabilities of our troops, as well as our special services.
Huge combat experience was gained by our units during this special operation.
The task of the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff, as I have already said, is to thoroughly analyze this experience, systematize it as quickly as possible and include it in the programs and plans for training personnel, training troops in general, and supplying the necessary equipment to the troops.
In addition, the experience of the special military operation, as well as the experience gained by our troops in Syria, should, as I have already said, become the basis for serious improvement of combat training, including being used in the preparation and conduct of exercises and training at all levels.
In turn, officers and sergeants who proved themselves during a special military operation should be promoted to new command positions as a priority, and be the first personnel reserve when entering military universities and academies, including the General Staff Academy.
Secondly, I would like to draw the attention of the Government, the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and other departments to the need to work very closely with each other within the framework of a specially created structure – the Coordination Council. Including with the heads of regions and representatives of the military-industrial complex.
I also expect that our designers and engineers will continue their practice of visiting the front line. I want to express my gratitude to them for this, they regularly visit there, make the necessary adjustments to the work of the equipment. I hope that this practice will continue in order to test the tactical and technical characteristics of weapons and equipment in real combat conditions, as I have already said, and improve them.
In general, we need to work closely with relevant ministries and departments. We can see what works brilliantly and what needs to be improved. Engineers see, technicians, scientists. And this whole machine works. When I said that we are improving and will continue to improve our weapons and equipment, I also had this process in mind. The Military-Industrial Commission should become the headquarters of cooperation between the defense industry, science and the Armed Forces to solve the most urgent and promising tasks, including, first of all, the logistics of the troops: I mean both equipment and ammunition, and so on.
Third – we will continue to maintain combat readiness and improve the combat readiness of the nuclear triad. This is the main guarantee of preserving our sovereignty and territorial integrity, strategic parity, and overall balance of power in the world.
This year, the level of modern weapons in the strategic nuclear forces has already exceeded 91 percent. The Strategic Missile Forces ‘ regiments are being re-equipped with a modern missile system with an Avangard hypersonic warhead.
In the near future, Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles will be put on combat duty for the first time. We know that there is some movement to the right [in time], this does not change our plans, everything will be implemented. The troops continue to receive Yars missile systems. We will continue to develop hypersonic missile systems that are unique in their characteristics and have no analogues in the world. At the beginning of January next year, the Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov frigate will enter combat service with the newest, I repeat once again, sea-based Zircon hypersonic missile systems that have no analogues in the world.
We will continue to equip our strategic forces with the latest weapons. I repeat, all the plans outlined will certainly be implemented.
Further, it is important to increase the combat capabilities of the Aerospace Forces, including fighters and bombers, when they work in the area of modern air defense systems.
The current task is to improve unmanned aerial vehicles, including strategic and reconnaissance-strike ones, as well as their application methods. The experience of a special military operation has shown that the use of drones has become almost ubiquitous, and such an arsenal of tools should be in combat units, platoons, companies, and battalions. The target must be detected as quickly as possible, and the information transmitted to strike in real time.
Unmanned vehicles should be linked to each other, integrated into a single intelligence network, and have secure communication channels with headquarters and commanders. In the near future, every fighter should be able to receive information transmitted from drones. It is necessary to go to this, to strive for this. Technically, this can be implemented in the very near future, almost right now. Please pay special attention to this when finalizing the entire range of equipment and tactical equipment of personnel.
We know that there can be no small things on the battlefield, so we need to pay special attention – I know that the Ministry [of Defense] deals with this, but I want to emphasize this again: first-aid kits, food, dry rations, uniforms, shoes, protective helmets – bulletproof vests-everything should be on the same level. the most modern and high level. It is necessary to saturate the troops with night vision devices, high-quality sights, and new-generation sniper rifles. I will not list everything, but I will say the main thing: everything that a fighter needs should be modern, convenient and reliable, and the supply should be based on real needs. If some departmental regulations are outdated, they need to be changed quickly.
I would like to draw the attention of the Minister of Defense, the Chief of the General Staff, and all the commanders who are represented here. We do not have any restrictions on funding. The country and the Government give everything that the army asks for, everything. I hope that the answer will be properly formulated and appropriate results will be achieved.
Returning to the topic of drones, I would like to note that we have a good experience in developing unique underwater drones. I know that the industry has all the capabilities to create a wide range of aerial and ground-based unmanned vehicles with the best, highest tactical and technical characteristics, including elements of artificial intelligence. In addition, we will generally need to work out the issues of expanding the arsenals of modern shock weapons.
Fifth – it is necessary to improve the control and communication system in order to ensure the stability and efficiency of troop management in all conditions. To do this, it is necessary to actively use artificial intelligence technologies at all levels of decision-making. As experience shows, including in recent months, weapons systems that operate quickly and almost automatically are the most effective.
Further, the partial mobilization revealed certain problems, as everyone knows very well, which should be resolved promptly. I know that the necessary measures are being taken, but we still need to pay attention to this and build this system in a modern way. First of all, we need to modernize the system of military commissariats. This applies to the digitalization of databases, interaction with local and regional authorities. The system of organization of civil and territorial defense, interaction with industry requires updating. In particular, it is necessary to improve the system of accumulation and storage of weapons, military equipment, material resources for the deployment of units and formations for mobilization.
As you know, 300 thousand people are called up to join the Armed Forces. Some of them are already in the combat zone. According to the Defense Minister and Chief of the General Staff, 150,000 people are trained at military training grounds, and this is a sufficient reserve for conducting an operation. This is practically a strategic reserve, which is not used in combat operations today, but people receive the necessary training there.
Dear colleagues!
I would like to sincerely thank our citizens who, following the call of their hearts, help the Armed Forces, send cars, additional equipment, warm clothes to the front line, send letters and gifts to the wounded to hospitals. Even if the Ministry of Defense provides everything necessary in some segment, you still need to say a big thank you to people for this and bow low.
I ask the Ministry of Defense to pay close attention to all civil initiatives, including taking into account criticism and responding to it correctly and in a timely manner. It is clear that the reaction of people who see problems, and problems in such a large, complex work, of course, always appear, such a reaction can also be emotional. But we should certainly listen to those who do not keep silent about existing problems, but strive to contribute to their solution.
I am sure that the Ministry of Defense will be in constant dialogue with people. As we know, the unity of the army and the people has always been our strength, and it is still the same today.
Let’s move on to the reports. Please give the floor to the Minister of Defense.

There’s quite a lot more as Shoigu gives his report then the transcript says it is to be continued. More on all that later.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 21 2022 16:49 utc | 132

@ Bill Smith | Dec 21 2022 15:13 utc | 123
What radio link back to HIMARS?
Back in HIMARS laucher. Bad formulation.
HIMARS launcher has 3 radio links VHF/FM voice/data, HF link long distance link and a situational awareness system on the battlefield.
It should light up like a Christmas tree on any EW system.
The only radio signal that the missile transmits is FM continuous wave Doppler to know where it is in a relation to a target.
Apparently that is jam prone, as well as GPS-M signal. Or take it off the track, or convince it to explode far before it reaches the target.
Or both.
I do not know what and which stuff they really use in Ukraine and what modifications have been done, and I can just assume how RF would be tackling that.
In early versions of certain missiles from 1990’s, there was a radio link enabled to prematurely detonate it in the case of ‘blue on blue’ scenario, as it was the part of a Blue Force system.
HIMARS is not very good system on its own, and it is very imprecise without a pile of CPUs in its expensive missiles. As for unguided missiles, it is useless.
A lot worse and more complicated than any similar Russian system.
But if handled right and in a jam free zone it can be very precise, but then again it carries too little explosive to be really effective. But as stated before there are many missiles that can be fired out of the system, and we can only assume. I am sure that some ‘suppliers’ are even testing stuff.

Posted by: whirlX | Dec 21 2022 16:55 utc | 134

Melaleuca @72–
Thanks very much for your kind words! All those MoD reports are also Primary sources and far more credible than anything published by the West. The question needing to be asked: Do the Russians openly lie to their own people like those in the West? My answer is no. Why? Because Russian’s have nothing to hide from their citizens–Russia’s leaders trust their people and have learned the hardway that being honest is the right policy.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 21 2022 16:59 utc | 136

. . .and from the media, ever faithful to the masters of our fates–
CNN: President Volodymyr Zelensky’s White House visit Wednesday will symbolically bolster America’s role as the arsenal of democracy in the bitter war for Ukraine’s survival and send a stunning public rebuke to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 21 2022 17:13 utc | 138

Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 21 2022 17:13 utc | 138
another example of our watchdog press from Caitlin Johnstone
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2022/12/21/us-military-thanks-and-praises-retiring-cnn-journalist-for-her-service/
“a standing ovation at the Pentagon”

Posted by: pretzelattack | Dec 21 2022 17:20 utc | 140

Yevgeny Prigozhin, owner of the PCM Wagner Group, sends messages to Zelenski from Bajmuth, as he is there. Let’s meet up for a drink…
https://t.me/Eurekapress/8224

Is This Winning?
Recently, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen carelessly revealed the devastating cost of the Ukraine war.
“It is estimated that more than 20,000 civilians and 100,000 Ukrainian military personnel have died to date,” she said. The comment drew sharp backlash and the E.C. later deleted the comments from video recordings of the address. The censorship was left unexplained and demonstrated the confusion of the purveyors of the approved narrative. …
As Ukraine loses its grip on heavily defended and important crossroads around the city of Bakhmut, the Western press has commenced a campaign to downplay the importance of the loss. …
Ukraine has lost an estimated 20 percent of its territory. At least 22 percent of Ukrainian farmland is under Russian control. …
As a result of the recent Russian missile attacks on the Ukrainian power grid, even more people are fleeing Ukraine. …
The Ukrainian Central Bank estimates the nation’s 2022 GDP will decline by 32 percent, inflation will hit 30 percent, and unemployment will reach 30 percent. …
On the ground, Ukraine has had difficulty taking any territory actively defended by Russia. …
According to the CEO of Raytheon, Ukraine has used thirteen years of Javelin production in ten months. …
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/is-this-winning/

Posted by: ? | Dec 21 2022 17:30 utc | 142

I’m listening to Mercouris on YouTube — 21 December:”Russia advance on Kupiansk …”
He’s talking about a 300k mobilization in Poland that supposedly is going on now. The Poles were very quiet about this, he says, until some semi-famous rock singer was called up who subsequently put out a public statement about his own induction/drafting. Mercouris says the mobilization in Poland is “very ominous.”
Just thought you’d like to know — here’s the URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgcyxCRWb_k

Posted by: KR | Dec 21 2022 17:36 utc | 144

Putin in his speach actually agreed with many russian war correspondents – drones, precision artillery, decision making structures, stagnation in military hierachy, night-vision equipment were the issues that were found there, in the Telegram posts and reports practically from the moment the SMO started.

Posted by: js | Dec 21 2022 17:49 utc | 146

Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 21 2022 15:53 utc | 128
I’m tempted to agree. They’re giving the west the opportunity to not only pretend that higher rank people weren’t cruising around UA in the run up to SMO but also utterly deny any of the quite explosive facts that could be confirmed by the testimony of senior NATO captives.
The thing is, even after putting NATO captives through a media circus, they could still be traded back as high value POWs, and I don’t think RF has or ever will receive anything of lasting value in return for keeping NATO secrets.
They could’ve traded Bout back with an over-the-counter deal, and whatever trades they are making aren’t dialling down the pain in SMO.
I suspect the POW strategy, particularly the secrecy / courtesy, is a holdover from a bygone era of grudging but mutual professional respect that still exists in the RF worldview but has been replaced by corruption, larceny and sexcrime in the western perspective.

Posted by: anon2020 | Dec 21 2022 17:56 utc | 148

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 21 2022 16:49 utc | 132
Thats a great speech from VVP. Thanks, as ever, for brining this high level perspective.

Posted by: anon2020 | Dec 21 2022 18:01 utc | 150

from WaPo . .packed with symbolism
Mr. Zelensky goes to Washington in trip packed with symbolism

The United States has said “no” to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky before. But he wasn’t in Washington to hear it in person. Today, that changes, as he makes the United States his first foreign destination since Russia expanded its war in his country 300 days ago, on Feb. 24.
In subsequent weeks and months, Washington nixed his request to facilitate getting his air force Soviet-era jets from Poland. President Biden bluntly and publicly rejected Zelensky’s emotional appeals to impose a “no-fly” zone over Ukraine, warning that could lead to World War III.
Still, Biden and Congress found ways to say “yes” to a lot of other requests. The $45 billion for Ukraine in a $1.7 trillion package to fund government operations and avoid a shutdown at week’s end would bring total U.S. military and economic assistance to over $100 billion.
Zelensky will hear more “yes” during his visit.
The United States is expected to confirm it’s sending another $1.8 billion in aid to Ukraine, including the Patriot missile system to defend against air attacks Russia has used over the past few months to cripple its neighbor’s power plants as winter deepens, my colleagues Dan Lamothe and Karen DeYoung reported.
Dan reported last week the administration is poised to give Ukraine “advanced electronic equipment that converts unguided aerial munitions into ‘smart bombs’ that can target Russian military positions with a high degree of accuracy.” . .here

Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 21 2022 18:10 utc | 152

@ 153
Thanks Don,
Yes but they are definitely frowned upon and use by Russia/Donbas is always condemned, especially by NATO , so I am wondering why there seems to be a media block of any discussion of the escalation of their use by kiev-Ukraine.

Posted by: olaf22 | Dec 21 2022 18:42 utc | 154

Indeed, that’s my opinion about what should be done with the UN–the UN Charter needs to be retained and reworked to be more democratic, mainly in the realm of the Security Council, and it must be relocated from its current location to somewhere that’s currently underdeveloped, like Malawi.
Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 20 2022 19:33 utc | 36

The phrase I put in bold reminded me of the book The Yes Men: The True Story of the End of the World Trade Organization. So as not to spill the beans, I won’t elaborate on the connection. But I suspect that many of the regulars at MoA would appreciate the book.

Posted by: David Levin | Dec 21 2022 18:53 utc | 156

Thanks for the replies! I had a hiatus–exercise class–and now I see b has posted a new article. I’ll post Shoigu’s Report and Putin’s remarkable closing speech to that thread.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 21 2022 19:50 utc | 158

. . .from Newsweek
Republicans Bash Zelensky Visit Ahead of Appeal for Aid: ‘Welfare Queen’

Ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s surprise visit to Washington D.C. on Wednesday, several Republicans preemptively criticized what they expect to be an appeal for additional aid to help fight Russia in the war.
“Zelensky is basically an ungrateful international welfare queen,” Donald Trump Jr. tweeted Wednesday.
He was responding to an excerpt from an Associated Press report on Zelensky’s visit, which mentioned remarks that the Ukrainian president made earlier this week during another surprise visit to the embattled city of Bakhmut in Ukraine. After being handed a Ukrainian flag during that trip, Zelensky hinted that he would deliver it to U.S. officials. . .here

Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 21 2022 21:03 utc | 160

Zelensky is expected to address a joint chamber of Congress at 7:30 p.m. ET.
CNN
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is preparing for an inspiring speech to Congress tonight in which he will address the American people, noting shared values and directly thanking Americans and politicians of both parties, sources tell CNN. 
The biggest news, these sources say, is that he will discuss a peace formula he told US President Joe Biden about and express a willingness to have a peace summit of some sort this winter to achieve the peace. . . .here

Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 22 2022 0:12 utc | 162

The comedy hour at CNN featuring a US administration which is helpless to end a war it started.
White House spokesman John Kirby reiterated Wednesday that while the US is hopeful for “a just peace,” in Ukraine, President Joe Biden is deferring to his Ukrainian counterpart when it comes to negotiations.
Biden “obviously wants to seek a just peace here in accordance with what the Ukrainian President [Volodymyr] Zelensky desires to be the outcome there,” Kirby told CNN Wednesday.
“He gets to determine if and when he negotiates, and he gets to determine what is or what isn’t negotiable, if you will, and so we obviously would support a diplomatic path forward here, we want to make sure that we’re doing it in lockstep with the Ukrainians, and in keeping with what they want to see done as a result of this just peace, but we’re not going to dictate the terms to them and we’re not going to push them to the table,” he said. . .here

Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 22 2022 0:42 utc | 164

Brother Ma @113

My main theory is those Himars are “shoot and scoot“

Some time ago I saw a vid of the Himars firing from the road, right from within the traffic jam that this operation had created. So, yes, they are very hard to catch and deal with properly.

Posted by: Nomad | Dec 22 2022 2:03 utc | 166

Translated from Russian FYI, MOD Summary Dec22.
ПЕРЕХВАТ (Z) Transformation (Z) (No account, TG Link):

Summary by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of a special military operation on the territory of Ukraine (22.12.2022)
The armed forces of the Russian Federation continue to conduct a special military operation.
◽️ In the Kupyansk direction, up to 15 Ukrainian servicemen and two vehicles were destroyed in the areas of Kucherovka, Kharkiv Oblast, and Novoselovskoye, Lugansk People’s Republic, as a result of strikes against accumulations of AFU manpower and military equipment.
◽️ In the Krasno-Limanskoe direction, during a Russian artillery raid, enemy units concentrated in the areas of Serheevka of the Lugansk People’s Republic and Terny of the Donetsk People’s Republic were hit. The losses of the AFU in this direction during the day amounted to more than 20 Ukrainian servicemen killed and wounded, two armored combat vehicles and three pickup trucks.
◽️ In the Donetsk direction, Russian forces continued their offensive actions. During the day, up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen, two tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles, and five vehicles were destroyed in this direction.
◽️ In the South Donets direction, army air strikes, artillery fire and active actions of Russian troops defeated Ukrainian armed forces units in the areas of Nikolskoye, Novomayorske and Novopol of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
💥 Two sabotage groups of the Ukrainian armed forces were destroyed near the settlements of Sladkoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Levadnoye in the Zaporozhye region. In total, up to 30 Ukrainian servicemen, two armored combat vehicles and three pickup trucks were destroyed in this direction during the day.
💥 Operational-tactical aviation, missile forces and artillery of groups of troops (forces) of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation hit 57 artillery units in firing positions, manpower and military equipment in 93 areas.
💥 In the vicinity of Veseloye settlement, Kherson region, a position was uncovered and a Ukrainian electronic warfare station was destroyed. A M777 artillery system repair station was destroyed near Ptichiye settlement of Donetsk People’s Republic. Three ammunition depots of the Ukrainian Artyomovsk in Donetsk People’s Republic, Gulyaypole in Zaporizhzhia region and Ochakov in Mykolaiv region were destroyed.
💥 In the course of counter-battery warfare, two missile strikes were carried out against Ukrainian Grad and Smerch multiple-launch rocket systems in the areas of Berdychi and Krasnoarmiisk in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
✈️ Russian Air Force fighter aircraft shot down two MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian air force in the areas of Shevchenko and Bogatyr settlements.
💥 In addition, a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter was destroyed near the Dobropillya settlement of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
💥 Three unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by anti-aircraft defense forces near Volodino, Torske and Voykovskiy settlements of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
◽️ Two HIMARS multiple rocket launchers were also intercepted in the areas of Popasna and Baranikivka of the Luhansk People’s Republic.
📊 In total, since the beginning of the special military operation destroyed (Since yesterday (+?)):
– 350 (+2) aircraft,
– 188 (+1) helicopters,
– 2,694 (+3) unmanned aerial vehicles,
– 399 anti-aircraft missile systems,
– 7,191 (+12) tanks and other armored combat vehicles,
– 934 (+2) multiple rocket launcher combat vehicles,
– 3,700 (+4) field artillery guns and mortars,
– 7,707 (+14) pieces of special military automotive equipment.

Posted by: Outraged | Dec 22 2022 11:52 utc | 168

Translated from Russian FYIFYI, SITREP2 Dec22.

ПЕРЕХВАТ (Z) Transformation (Z) (No account, TG Link, Situ Map at link):
Starobelsk direction
Situation as of 12:00 on 22 December 2022
🔻The Ukrainian command expects an active offensive by the Russian Armed Forces at the Dvurechnoye-Liman 1 line in the Kupyansk-Svatovsk area. To uncover the Russian army’s plans, two DRGs of the 134th battalion of the 114th RR TRO are conducting reconnaissance along the line of contact.
▪️ Units of the 32nd Integrated TRO Battalion are deployed to the area of the crossing of the Oskol River at Dvurechnoye to reinforce positions in Dvurechnoye, where position fighting is taking place.
▪️ In Kupyansk and Petropavlivka, the 3rd battalion of the 14th AFU Mechanized Brigade received additional Javelin missile launchers.
▪️The personnel of the 2nd battalion of the Ukrainian armed forces are being rotated at the outposts of the 92nd Army Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces in Kolesnikovka and Boguslavka.
🔻In the Liman area, position fighting is taking place to the south and southeast of Dibrova. Strongpoints in the vicinity of the settlement are changing “from hand to hand”. Mortar and artillery crews of the Russian Armed Forces are firing massively at Ukrainian positions.
There are pontoon crossings near Serebryanka and Dronivka, through which the Ukrainian grouping in the Kremenna area is supplied.

Posted by: Outraged | Dec 22 2022 12:00 utc | 170

No roast pheasant under glass, no chicken either, & NO Abrams MBTs, for you !

US rejected top Ukrainian arms request RT (WaPo)
The Pentagon told Kiev that M1 Abrams tanks are too difficult to operate, the news outlet has reported
The United States will not supply Ukraine with M1 Abrams main battle tanks to help in its fight against Russia, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday night, citing US defense officials.
Senior Ukrainian presidential adviser Mikhail Podoliak included the Abrams on the “Christmas wishlist” he posted on Twitter earlier this month. President Vladimir Zelensky repeated the request during his speech to the US Congress on Wednesday, saying that Ukrainian soldiers were “capable of operating American tanks and aircraft.”
However, officials cited by the Post argued that the Abrams are “too difficult to maintain and complex to operate,” adding that “Ukraine has enough tanks already.” (Ah, that’s a NO)
The Pentagon, nevertheless, approved one of Kiev’s other requests, agreeing to provide (One) MIM-104 Patriot air defense missile systems as part of an additional military aid package worth $1.85 billion announced during Zelensky’s trip to Washington. The aid includes wheeled armored vehicles, mortars, and grenade launchers, as well as artillery and tank rounds. (Damn shame AFU has very few MBTs left to actually fire tank main gun rounds. 2500-5000 rounds would likely have been sufficient)
…
Anatoly Antonov, Russia’s ambassador to the US, described Zelensky’s trip to Washington as “Hollywood-style.” He alleged the glowing reception given the Ukrainian president demonstrated that US assurances of not wanting a wider confrontation with Moscow are “just empty words.” Antonov reiterated Russia’s statements that if Patriot systems arrived in Ukraine, they would be treated as legitimate targets by Moscow’s forces.

Posted by: Outraged | Dec 22 2022 12:55 utc | 172

Posted by: Outraged | Dec 22 2022 12:17 utc | 171
“Currently, Ukrainian forces are firing 2,000 to 4,000 artillery shells a day” from here: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/25/us/ukraine-artillery-breakdown.html#:~:text=Currently%2C%20Ukrainian%20forces%20are%20firing,as%20far%20or%20as%20accurately.
Since that 2k to 4k per days is a mix I would do the math (45,000 152mm + 20,000 122mm) / 3,000 = 21 days. That leaves 50,000 Grad rockets to be used over that number. Plus the HIMARS rounds. Plus whatever 500 units of 155-mm high-precision projectiles equals in non precision rounds. 7 to 1?
An unanswered question is where does the 152 and 122 rounds come from. At least two Eastern European counties now have production lines for them working. Does this really mean that the US paid from the other countries to make them and send them to Ukraine? Later one we will see double counting for them> Here by the US and eventually by the country of manufacture?

Posted by: Bill Smith | Dec 22 2022 13:42 utc | 174

@Richard Steven Hack 93
A vulnerable upstream dam capable of flooding the field of battle is always a problem.when your opponent has no scruples about attacking civilian infrastructure. A practice normalized by the US and UK. Particularly in this age of drones. The dambusters of “Operation Chastise”, who flooded the Ruhr valley in WW II, never had it so good.
So long as Russians remained downstream and vulnerable to flooding, the Ukronazis were strongly tempted to blow up the dam, which would take years and a fortune to rebuild. By withdrawing and allowing the Ukronazis to occupy the city, the Russians guaranteed that the last thing the Ukronazis would want is for the dam to be damaged, be meaning that after the completion of the ongoing program of demilitarization and denazificarltion, the Russians will take the dam over intact.

Posted by: Hermit | Dec 22 2022 14:33 utc | 176

@ Hermit | Dec 22 2022 14:33 utc | 176
that is how i see it too.. smart move…

Posted by: james | Dec 22 2022 16:32 utc | 178