Russian special military operation in Ukraine #20

caveat emptor wrote:

Arkanghelsk wrote:

I think Kharkov, because it will push them from Belgorod and that's important- also Kharkov is nearer to attack, then chasing Pavlograd or Dnipro, although it could all happen at the same time

Slow it down a little. First Slovyansk- Kramatorsk agglomeration, then south to Avdeyevka, then Pokrovsk and Dobropolye. In order to attack Dnepropetrovsk you need to take both Pavlograd and Zaporozhie first.
Especially, Dnepropetrovsk has natural defence from the east and it will not be easy to attack.
We are talking months here.
Also, why do you call Dnepropetrovsk Dnipro? What kind of Russian are you?

The Russian name of that city is Ekaterinoslav, not Dnepropetrovsk... That was the Soviet name given in 1925.

Ekaterinoslav was the Russian name given in 1787 during the official inauguration of the city (previously there was probably a smaller fortified town).

Ispan wrote:
What it says on the label.

About artillery tactics and hostage taking

https://guerraenucrania.wordpress.com/2022/07/04/noticias-de-la-guerra-04-07-2022-canones-y-rehenes/

War news 07/04/2022 - Cannons and hostages
July 4, 2022 Zhukov

Artillery tactics

Since this is an artillery and infantry war, I was looking for signs that would confirm the numbers of destruction of artillery pieces and rocket launchers given by Russian communiques. Not that I think they lie, although inevitably there is always a margin of error that leads to overestimating losses, and some of the material taken for granted can be repaired. But on the other hand, Ukraine's huge losses in both troops and materiel are confirmed by the Ukrainian side itself.

An explanation already raised above is that Ukraine has received many pieces and ammunition of Soviet calibers, from the countries of the former Warsaw Pact, in particular from Poland. I estimate that a couple of hundred minimum, more than the hundred American guns is likely to be, as it happens with aviation, Ukraine has lost more aircraft than they theoretically had in service, and we are not in times of world wars or even Korean, in which the claims of shootdowns were always exaggerated.

It seems that the artillery fire in the Donbass salient has decreased, which is logical, defeats and setbacks follow and pieces are lost. On the static fronts, this is Kharkov, the Central Zaporozhe and the Southern Kherson Front reports speak of artillery duels along the entire front, which indicates that the Ukrainians still have quite a few cannons left, although from rocket launchers very few and large-caliber ones are running out of ammunition. But that could also indicate dispersion of the surviving pieces along the entire front, and the profusion of artillery duels simply reflects the tactics of firing and changing positions before the arrival of the response.

I found this report that explains the situation and confirms what I suspected:

Tactics of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Cosmetic changes.

The Kiev regime is now relying on relatively high-precision Western weapons, and attacks such as stabbings for the destruction with accurate fire of command posts, artillery ammunition depots and the accumulation of material of the allied forces. The artillery of the Ukrainian army is now scattered along the front, and the enemy is trying to disrupt the command of the troops and the supply of advanced forces. Is it painful? Definitely. Is it possible to minimize the damage caused by such actions? Definitely. And to do this, you just need to read the regulations. Everything is there, everything was invented a long time ago.

In fact, you can see how Western military experts mold the Ukrainian army plasticine. At the cost of the lives of the personnel of the regime formations, the theoretical postulates of military science are tested in practice. Well, there was a lot to fight for. In this sense, it is valuable that our national army also has organizational and military-technical methods that allow us to overcome the enemy. The main thing is not to be lazy.

@epoddubny

Observations: This confirms that artillery is scarce and that it is a question of maximizing its effect by taking advantage of the advantage given by American intelligence, through satellites and other means, to attack sensitive and vulnerable targets with a few shots. After all, it only takes one lucky projectile to blow up a powder magazine or injure or kill officers at a command post. But this is in itself an admission of weakness. There are no mass gatherings or prolonged shelling because there is no ammunition. This also means that there is no possibility of defensive fires, of barrier shots to support the infantry in defending their positions. This is confirmed by all the reports from the front that the Ukrainians are overwhelmed by the Russian shelling.

What Poddubny says about the need to resort to the old Soviet methods and tactics is confirmed by another correspondent



Sent from Older than the Edda – Старше Адды
I have a friend, an excellent soldier and a very competent officer. So, just now he uttered a wonderful phrase: Forget about what you were taught at the Academy and read books about the Great Patriotic War, everything is written there. It is clear that he exaggerated a little about the Academy, but the fact that the chronicles of the Second World War contain a lot of useful information for the current war is an indisputable fact. I myself am reading a book from 1975, "At the Kharkov address". The same places, exactly the same assaults, only the forces of the opposing sides are smaller.
Unfortunately, although the bombings against Donetsk have decreased, Ukrainians still have cannons and rocket launchers for terrorist attacks against other populations, as reported on July 2
Older than the Edda – Старше Адды

For a relatively long time, the city of Balakleya has not been shelled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, although it is located almost on the line of contact. Peaceful life has begun to improve in the city, the city administration and services are functioning. Unlike Izyum, Balakleya was relatively calm. I was surprised myself when I came to see that the city located almost on the first line, lives a relatively normal life.

But for several days now, Balakleya has been shelled by artillery and rockets. Moreover, they attack the city itself, and not the positions of Russian troops. What is the reason, I don't know, most likely it will be banal, like all the attacks on residential areas of Ukraine in this war. The troops of General Lapin (Central group) are actively advancing, destroying the enemy and liberating settlements, and in response, the Ukrainian army is shelling those cities that are within its reach.

On July 3, the same correspondent again reported on the war crimes of the Ukrainian army, which has turned into a routine both the use of civilians of the occupied territory as human shields and the revenge bombings against the liberated villages and cities

An extremely revealing story happened earlier this week in the Kharkov region. It's no secret that the Kharkov regionhas become the scene of intense fighting at the moment. From Izyum, our troops are moving towards Slaviansk, in the north of the region, the enemy tried a counteroffensive, and Belgorod was also shelled from there today. Russian troops are carrying out heavy attacks on Ukrainian Forces, and some of the territories lost during the Ukrainian counteroffensive have returned to Russian control. And so on.

At the beginning of the week, a very typical case occurred in the Kharkov suburb, the locality of Pokatilovka. The village did not become a stronghold of the Ukrainian forces. It is a small, compact and friendly town, with a millenary history. Around the village there are many ancient monuments, the most famous of which is the Donetsk Hill castle.

Instead of protecting this historical heritage, the city became a hostage of the Ukrainian army. The Armed Forces of Ukraine concentrated several armored vehicles in the village, deployed cannons and rocket artillery on the streets and began firing. It is clear that the response was not long in coming and the Russian artillery retaliated by shelling the Ukrainian positions.
The reaction of the residents was remarkable. They elected a group of representatives and sent it to the military command of the forces in the village, asking them to withdraw their units and not to fire from the streets of the city, provoking retaliatory attacks suffered by residents.

The civilians were handed over by the military to the SBU (political police). They were arrested and taken to an unknown destination. Some of them were released, but most of them remain in the hands of the SBU. No official charges have been filed, but the relatives of the detainees have been told that they are "traitors" and "accomplices of Russia," who are awaiting trial and imprisonment.

Once again, the truth is confirmed. The population of the south-east of Ukraine, even despite the fact that the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are full of natives of these very places, are hostages of the Kiev regime that does not consider them at all as people. As after the occupation of each population by Russian troops, Ukrainian artillery begins to lay waste to it, and before the city/village/village was occupied, the locals act as a human shield.

A bit off topic but wasn't sure where to post seems Latvia is now going to tear down all Soviet monuments. There will be nothing worthwhile to visit and see for tourists, all the Soviet monuments are pretty amazing, however they will replace them with nothing. Such a dumb move. When I visited Kiev in 2019 (had visited a few times previously) they had removed quite a lot just empty concrete plinths Looked terrible. Yet majority of the monuments are to celebrate Soviet victory in WW2 and to remember the dead who sacrificed their lives, including Latvians. They really are a bunch of dumb orcs.


https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/latvia-to-tear-down-hundreds-of-soviet-monuments-kchkx885w