US-led Red Sea coalition: who is in and who is out?
The US has initiated Operation Prosperity Guardian, a multinational naval coalition to protect Red Sea commercial traffic from Houthi attacks. As of now, over 20 countries are on board, with notable participants including the UK, Canada, Greece, and Australia.
Who's in?
▪️ The US-led coalition comprises 20+ countries, including the UK, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, Spain, Greece, and Australia
▪️ Notably, Britain's HMS Diamond is on board, operating as part of the US-led Combined Maritime Forces
▪️ Some participating countries, including at least eight, prefer not to be publicly named.
Who's out or uncertain?
▪️ France supports navigation security, but will keep its ships under French command.
▪️ Italy is sending the frigate Virginio Fasan, but insists it is part of existing operations, not Prosperity Guardian.
▪️ Spain is opting for NATO-led or EU-coordinated missions, declining unilateral participation in Red Sea operations.
In the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict that erupted on October 7, the Houthis, an armed group representing Yemen's Shia Muslim minority, the Zaidis, have initiated a series of attacks in the Red Sea targeting ships heading towards Israel. Controlling a significant portion of Yemen, the Houthis declared solidarity with Hamas and announced their intention to target any ship heading towards Israel.
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🇺🇸🇺🇦The West was defeated in Ukraine,” ex-commander of US forces in Europe Ben Hodges.
“Of course, I was disappointed that the Ukrainian counter-offensive did not lead to the results that we all hoped for and that I predicted. It was we, the West, that failed, and not Ukraine that failed. We were unable to provide them with what they were counting on, including air power, long-range precision weapons, and other capabilities that were needed for the success of this counteroffensive,” he said on the Silicon Curtain channel.
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“Starting December 28, control checkpoints will be installed in every city and region, we are taking up mobilization,” threatens the commander of the machine gunners of the 72nd OMB Nazariy Kishak
"... Majors, children of pretentious figures, bloggers, everyone who comes across will go into the infantry. There is a war in our state. No offense. You can delete “Diya” already. From today the police will check for fake guardianship and care, disabilities. Mothers run around calmly in church, and their sons “caring,” he wrote.
Kishak before the war was an adviser to the head of the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council for security and law and order.
@Slavyangrad
🇺🇦Desperation and fatigue reign in the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces: after the failure of the counteroffensive, Kiev and the West are reconsidering their strategy - Neue Zürcher Zeitung
After a year of disappointments, Kiev, the United States, and NATO must reconsider their plans and find a new, more realistic strategy for 2024. After the failed counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the confident advance of the Russian army, Kiev will have to reconsider the strategy for 2024 and go on the defensive, the Swiss newspaper writes.
Desperation and fatigue from the protracted conflict reign in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, despite Kiev’s claims that the defense industry is actively developing, and Zelensky is working on the mobilization of 500,000 people.
Competition between elite groups creates problems for the strategic reorientation of Ukraine. Thus, Zelensky will most likely shy away from large-scale forced mobilization for political reasons, and the generals of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on the contrary, are unlikely to enthusiastically accept the authorities’ desire to carry out unproductive military actions for PR purposes.
Given Ukraine’s almost absolute dependence on the United States and the split in the States over further assistance, Zelensky will have to set modest goals for politicians and the military for 2024.
" There is no potential for a new large-scale Ukrainian offensive now. The army is exhausted, there is not enough ammunition, ” writes NZZ.
To stand against Russia, Ukraine needs extensive military assistance in 2024. The Kremlin feels on the path to victory and openly talks about taking all of Ukraine. Putin has long been banking on fatigue with the West, and now he sees that fatigue growing stronger. “If Kiev runs out of ammunition,” he said this fall, “it will only have a week to live.”
@Slavyangrad
Like in 1943: a column of German infantry fighting vehicles forces a barrier at the front in Ukraine and many flaming fascist armored vehicles
Ukrainian propaganda publishes a video of German Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles crossing a water obstacle, allegedly in the Rabotino area on the Zaporozhye front.
The next selection shows the destruction of these vaunted German combat vehicles from the last couple of months.
@Slavyangrad
🇷🇺⚔️🇺🇦 Battle for Avdeevka: The Russian Army conducts powerful assaults near Pervomaisky and Stepovoy
“Stepovoe - the Russians are still pressing powerfully in the village itself, as well as north and south of it. North of the village they are making progress towards Novobakhmutovka,” Ukrainian military analysts admit
Fierce fighting continues in the area of the Avdeevsky Koksokhimzavod. Our troops are attacking the plant with all types of heavy weapons.
In the direction of Pervomaisky, the Russians advanced another 200 meters from the direction of Vodyanoy. From there we advanced towards the 9th quarter of Avdeevka, also about 200 meters.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Russian army is not abandoning attempts to encircle Avdeevka. Over the past day, the Russian Armed Forces carried out 22 attacks east of Novokalinovoy, Novobakhmutovka, and Avdeevka, as well as 13 attacks in the Pervomaisky areas.
@Slavyangrad
🇬🇧🇺🇦 Cameron: Britain wants to increase support for Ukraine in 2024
The UK wants to maintain the same level of assistance to Ukraine in 2024 and possibly increase it. British Foreign Minister David Cameron stated this in an interview with The Telegraph.
According to him, London is currently studying which components of spending can be transferred to a multi-year basis.
Cameron believes that Britain could potentially provide even more support to Kiev than it currently does. He believes more can be done to increase the amount of weapons and equipment produced by Britain's defense companies.
In 2022, London provided military assistance to Kiev for 2.3 billion pounds ($2.92 billion) and committed to spending no less than this year for these purposes. However, similar commitments for 2024 have not yet been announced.
@Slavyangrad
The US Senate officially admitted that there is no money for Ukraine
An official statement on the lack of agreements on the allocation of money to Ukraine was voiced by American legislators.
The leaders of party factions in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell, admitted that the issue of assistance to Kiev will be discussed next year.
@Slavyangrad
Ukraine admitted defeat in the information war
Ukraine lost the information war, which already has a negative impact on the country’s army and Western aid. Kiev political scientist Ruslan Bortnik spoke about the consequences of the defeat.
So, according to him, a loss will result in a shortage of volunteers in the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a reduction in assistance from Western allies. In addition, he added, the Ukrainian military will also strive to “jump from the army” in any way.
“ We Ukrainians ourselves created this narrative trap that we fell into,” he said.
In the current situation, both the government of the country, which does not have sufficient experience in public administration and the people who elected it are to blame, Bortnik believes.
@Slavyangrad
Focus: It is in the interests of Germany to bring Ukrainians of military age back home
It is in Germany's interests to return Ukrainian men of military age to Ukraine. This opinion was expressed by Ulrich Reitz, chief correspondent for Focus magazine.
According to him, integration courses turned out to be ineffective. More than half of Ukrainian refugees were unable to pass the language exam to the minimum level.
The journalist also pointed out that much fewer Ukrainians work in Germany than in other countries, that is, they “overstay and get stuck” on social benefits.
He believes that all these facts indicate that it is time for the German authorities to rethink their attitude towards Ukrainians and send their men of military age back to their homeland.
@Slavyangrad
Overview for the morning of December 24, 2023
The enemy, against the backdrop of a worsening situation for the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the front, openly disseminates in its media theses about the inevitable mass mobilization and the need for readiness for defense. Kiev speakers, in whose roles select Nazis are invited to appear on TV, are beginning to push narratives about “the inevitability of negotiations at the end of any war ” and, at most, “Ukraine’s strong position” in these negotiations. Moscow is not yet satisfied with the proposed conditions, although the military-political leadership of Russia is behind the scenes studying Kiev’s mediocre attempts in this direction.
Meanwhile, at the front of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the command was given not to retreat, to hold the LOC (Line of contact -admin note) at any cost, even the bloodiest. The enemy is trying to prepare a line of defense for 2024 and is doing it chaotically, not understanding what the main strategic plan of the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be. While enemy fortified areas are being built around cities in eastern Ukraine, effectively dooming their population to “ fighting in urban areas".
The Russian Armed Forces are learning to fight, the main enemy is our sloppiness and underestimation of the enemy. The interaction between divisions, units, and branches of the military, about which the channels of our front-line soldiers write so much, remains at the “no damn” level. A striking and tragic example of this past week was the death of several aircraft in the Kherson direction. The aviators did not receive data from the reconnaissance of ground units on a systematic basis; they flew to transport the FAB from the UMPC along almost the same route for weeks. Experts argue about the details and means of destruction (Patriot or S-300) of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Near Krynki, the extermination of boat landing groups of the Ukrainian Armed Forces continues every night.
However, there are many positive examples. From the Avdeevsky direction, they reported effective interaction between aviation and tank units of the Russian Army, as a result of which success was achieved on the northern ledge of this section of the front near Stepovoy. At the same time, enemy FPV drones and UAV bombers remain a serious problem for our troops throughout the LOC.
The Artemovsk ( Bakhmut ) direction is characterized by heavy fighting at Bogdanovka, Ivanovsky ( Krasny ), and Kleshcheevka. Our troops break through the enemy’s defenses, but the completely ignorant soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, intimidated by the command, are forced to hold the line and die as entire units. Experts estimate the daily losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine only in the “two hundredths”, from 800 to 1 thousand people along the entire length of the front.
The Zaporozhye Front reports the enemy's senseless attempts to portray activity in the Rabotino-Verbovoe pocket. Experienced officers write to us about daily attacks by small groups of enemy infantry, constant shelling, and many drones. However, our paratroopers, replenished with a special contingent are leading an offensive at Verbovoy.
The enemy assesses the Maryinsk direction as “critical”: our troops are pressing Novomikhailovka from three sides, and desertions are increasing among the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Paratroopers trained in England also go to the rear “for quarters.” The Ukrainian “mobs” abandoned in positions are fighting desperately: the information vacuum and enemy propaganda are doing their job.
In general, the front is characterized by the seizure of the strategic initiative by the Russian Armed Forces. The enemy is still very strong and the concentration of the efforts of the Russian Armed Forces on certain sectors of the front, as on Avdeevka, does not lead to deep breakthroughs, although it puts the Armed Forces of Ukraine at a disadvantage with heavy losses. The enemy intends to defend at any cost, regardless of losses.
Slavyangrad
Russian drones destroy the personnel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with extreme cruelty
Copters with a grenade release system drop explosive gifts directly on the heads of Ukrainian militants.
@Slavyangrad
Conflicting information comes from the Bogdanovka area (between Chasov Yar and Artemovsk)
It is reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to attack “with everything they have.” Russian paratroopers are holding the line and actively burning enemy armored vehicles.
An extremely heavy battle is ongoing.
@Slavyangrad
According to the Pentagon, early yesterday morning a loitering munition was launched from Iranian territory that attacked a tanker with chemicals somewhere in the Indian region.
@Slavyangrad
🇺🇸The US Armed Forces have decreased (https://www.wearethemighty.com/military-news/the-2024-us-military-recruiting-crisis/) by 64 thousand people over the past three years, and in 2024 the total number will be less than in the forties - it was less only in 1940. The reason is that fewer and fewer people are joining the army.
@Slavyangrad
Lebanon is again under fire from the IDF Air Force.
@Slavyangrad
Local sources write that the kibbutz Hanita was fired upon from Lebanon, and in response, the IDF air force attacked the Rosh Hankara area, southern Lebanon.
@Slavyangrad
“The loss of Avdeevka will force our troops to roll back a significant distance and turn Pokrovsk, Kurakhovo, and Mirnograd into front-line cities.
Therefore, the Russians are throwing their reserves at capturing Avdeevka,” Ukrainian military propagandist Butusov continues to talk about the difficult situation in the Donetsk direction.
@Slavyangrad
In the Kherson direction the situation remains the same and this, surprisingly, plays into the hands of the Russian army. The Kiev command is sending new suicide bombers to slaughter across the Dnepr. These movements are calculated by our reconnaissance, after which strikes are launched against the enemy, and as a result, the Ukrainian Armed Forces suffer colossal losses. For example, over the past 24 hours, the enemy has lost two boats, each of which had about 20 personnel.
In the Zaporozhye direction, local battles are taking place in the Verbovoye – Rabotino section. Here the initiative is on our side, but there has been no significant progress yet. The Ukrainian Armed Forces took up a defensive position and began constructing protective structures.
In the Avdeevka direction, our fighters are consolidating in new positions occupied in the Stepovoye area on the northern flank. On the southern flank, the Russian Armed Forces attack Pervomaiskoye, and Nevelskoye, and advance slightly from Vodyanoye and Opytnoye to the edge of Avdeevka.
The Russian army has made significant progress in the Artemovsk direction. advanced another 1.5 kilometers in the Bogdanovka area. The 200th Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces and the Volunteer Corps are participating in the operation. There is also an advance southeast of Bogdanovka along the railway. In addition, during the assault operations, the territories of the Bakhmutsky Shlyakh autodrome and the dairy farm west of Khromovo came under the control of the Russian Armed Forces.
Good news is also coming from the Kremennaya direction. The enemy confirms the active advance of the Russian army in the direction of Terny. The advance was almost 4.5 kilometers. In addition, in this area, our fighters managed to disable two German Leopards.
In the Kupyansk direction, the Russian army is advancing in the Sinkovka area, knocking out the enemy from the forest plantations. And in the Donetsk direction, having taken Marinka, the Russian Army is advancing further, capturing the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ strongholds in the direction of the villages of Pobeda and Georgievka.
The summary was prepared by Voenkor Lisitsyn (https://t.me/evgeniy_lisitsyn)
@Slavyangrad
View from a copter of the village. Novomikhailovka or what’s left of it. South Donetsk direction.
@Slavyangrad
❗️ The latest updates on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
🔻 The number of Israeli soldiers killed since October 7 has reached 477, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday;
🔻 The death toll of Palestinians from Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 20,258 since October 7, with 53,688 others being injured, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said in a statement on Saturday;
🔻 At least 201 Palestinians were killed and 368 injured in Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said on Saturday;
🔻 Since the start of Israel’s ground operation in Gaza, 144 Israeli soldiers have been killed, report say;
🔻 Hamas has called on the International Committee of the Red Cross to investigate the mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, the movement said in a statement on Saturday;
🔻 Hamas also called for pressure on Israeli authorities to reveal the fate of Palestinians detained by the IDF in the Gaza Strip;
🔻 The military operation in Gaza will continue until all objectives are achieved, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a phone conversation with US President Joe Biden on Saturday;
🔻 Hamas "highly appreciates" Russia’s efforts in the UN Security Council to end the fighting in the Gaza Strip, a member of the political bureau of the movement, Osama Hamdan, said on Saturday.
👉 Follow Sputnik Africa's LIVE UPDATES (https://en.sputniknews.africa/20231223/unsc-adopts-resolution-appointing-humanitarian-coordinator-to-facilitate-aid-into-gaza-1064262371.html) for more information
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November 2023
Russian marines in the small town of Marinka in the Donetsk region.
@Slavyangrad
Artyomovsk direction, northern flank.
Yesterday evening, conflicting information began to arrive about a powerful enemy counterattack in the Khromovo area. In the morning, our sources refuted the information; there was only an attempt to enter by an enemy DRG, which was successfully repulsed.
Our army continues to put intense pressure along the entire line of contact of the flank. In the morning, the enemy gradually leaves Bogdanovka, control 50:50. The movement towards Krasnoye (Ivanovskoye) continues from two directions. The task is to reach Chasov Yar and capture it.
We are working.
@Slavyangrad
AVDEEVSKY DIRECTION 24.12
An accurate hit on the position
What was left of the enemy flew up 10 meters.
@Slavyangrad
Three Su-27s and one Su-24 of the Ukrainian air force were shot down by Russian air defense in a day, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced
Small revenge for lost duck(s), a few days ago.
@Slavyangrad
A Su-24M front-line bomber of the Ukrainian Air Force, carrying Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG cruise missiles, was shot down by air defense forces in the zone of a special military operation.
This is reported by the Military Observer (https://t.me/new_militarycolumnist).
@Slavyangrad
Russian fighters destroyed Ukrainian air defense systems NASAMS made in Norway and Crotale-NG made in France
Aviation equipment, flight navigation aids, and ammunition at the Kanatovo airfields in the Kirovograd region and Dnieper, as well as manpower and military equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
@Slavyangrad
🇮🇱⚔🇵🇸Israel-Gaza Conflict: Decembe 24 (Recap)
1️⃣ US President Joe Biden says he “did not ask for a ceasefire” during a “private” call with Netanyahu.
2️⃣ Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 201 people have been killed in 24 hours as Israeli bombardments of Gaza continue.
3️⃣ UNRWA says it “cannot deliver meaningful aid” under intense Israeli bombardments of Gaza after a UN Security Council (UNSC) called for increased access.
4️⃣ Journalist Ahmad Jamal Al Madhoun is killed in Gaza, bringing journalist death toll to 101, says the government media office in Gaza.
5️⃣ Iran threatens the “closure of the Mediterranean” if the US and its allies continue to commit “crimes” in Gaza, without saying how.
6️⃣ A merchant ship has been hit by a drone strike in the Indian Ocean, with the attack yet to be claimed by any group.
At least 20,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza since October 7, with the UN reporting that 70% of Gazan deaths are women and children. In Israel, the revised official death toll stands at about 1,140.
🎙Subscribe to The Islander (https://t.me/TheIslanderNews)
Swedish Strv 122A shows why is considered the best tank in the world!!! Except for the mud part. And sand. And other tanks. And cheap 2 thousand euros drones.
@Slavyangrad
Destruction in Tal al-Zaatar in the northern Gaza Strip after heavy bombing by the Israeli Air Force
@Slavyangrad
🇷🇺#sanctions
The end of the year is a time to summarize various results. The Wall Street Journal, a pedigreed independent media outlet, named our best President in the world as the geopolitical winner of the year by its columnist Gerard Baker!
Citizen Baker, of course, noted that such a thing does not make him happy, but .... the Emperor's position looks disproportionately stronger than it did a year ago.
▪️ Kiev's lauded counteroffensive has stalled (you'd think it was going somewhere)
▪️ Putin's economy has withstood Western sanctions
▪️ Europe's resolve is no longer resolve
▪️ American support melting away
▪️ And Putin is also a pirate because he captured an innocent and honorable reporter for The Wall Street Journal, a thoroughbred independent media outlet, and will now trade him for some villain. That's how it is))))))))))))))))))))))))))
@Slavyangrad
Arestovich suggests that Russia and Ukraine unite and file a collective lawsuit against the West: Now we will kill each other by the hundreds, tens of thousands, for Avdeevka, Chasov Yar, whatever. And why? What do we gain from this - both Russia and Ukraine? What do we gain by losing 20 thousand dead for two district centers on both sides? What have we achieved in a historical sense? Did the uncles from the Washington and Brussels committees like us, standing around us and applauding while watching two monkeys with knives jumping on each other? Why would we do that?
And with Putin, it's a different conversation. Putin should come and say: "Dear friends, Vladimir Vladimirovich, let's make peace with you? But we will do it in a particularly tricky way: we will file a collective lawsuit against the West, Ukraine and Russia together. And we will say a wonderful thing: "Guys! Let us..."[Alexei, the West owes us nothing. The West owes us everything! Trust me.
@Slavyangrad
Massacre at Rabotino: The meat counter-offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the south failed due to the incompetence of the command and the “smart defense of the Russians,” - militant of the National Battalion “Kraken”
“The task was to cover 15 km in 3 days, go around Tokmak on both sides, and reach Melitopol,” says the militant. But the task turned out to be “impossible.” The amount of liberated territory “is insignificant and will not affect the war in any way.”
According to him, the main reason was the incompetence of the people who prepared this plan. “After the Kharkov counter-offensive, our command thought that they would get through. But they didn’t.”
The Russians’ defense, according to him, was “simply gorgeous.” "There's no way we could have broken through it." On the Ukrainian side, he said, there was “no interaction” between the attacking units. “A bunch of brigades shot each other,” he added.
The number of weapons the Armed Forces of Ukraine had was sufficient. “But these weapons were all washed in a month,” as were the personnel. Unprepared soldiers, from snipers to cooks, began to be thrown into daily infantry assaults, and “no one wanted to go on the assault.”
Therefore, the active phase of the counter-offensive stopped in mid-July.
According to him, all assault tactics were frontal, with virtually no flanking maneuvers. It is also a mistake of command to attack without a numerical advantage. "We attacked one to one, or maybe 0.5 to 1."
@Slavyangrad
After the Rabotino massacre: Cemetery of American Bradley infantry fighting vehicles destroyed JUST IN JUNE
“The cemetery of the M2A2 Bradley of the 47th Mechanized Infantry Brigade destroyed in early June,” Ukrainian military resources, which published it, caption the video.
I.e. the video shows dozens of American infantry fighting vehicles burned by the Southern Military District regiments in just the FIRST MONTH of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ counter-offensive in the Rabotino area on the Zaporozhye Front.
And here are the armored vehicles that the enemy was able to evacuate.
@Slavyangrad
Figaro: The United States will make peace with the Russian Federation regardless of the outcome of the elections
Regardless of the outcome of the US elections, Washington will want to make peace with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This was stated by French journalist Le Figaro and geopolitics specialist Renaud Girard.
According to him, the Americans will elect Donald Trump as president, who has already said that he can solve the Ukrainian problem in 24 hours, “that is, he will ask Putin what he wants.” Either the Joe Biden administration or the Democrats will ultimately want peace because they want to focus on China first.
The expert notes that rapprochement between Moscow and Beijing is not in the interests of Washington, so almost everything is clear with the conflict in Ukraine.
Girard is confident that now even in Kiev they understand that they will not defeat Russia and will not return Russian-speaking regions, so more and more criticism of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the actions of President Vladimir Zelensky is heard.
@Slavyangrad
🇵🇸🇮🇱 The number of residents of the Gaza Strip who have died since October 7 due to Israeli strikes has exceeded 20.4 thousand, and more than 54 thousand people have been injured. This was reported by the enclave's Ministry of Health.
@Slavyangrad
🇵🇸🇮🇱 The number of Israeli military deaths since October 7 has reached 485, the IDF reported.
The army website published information about eight more servicemen who died the day before. Thus, there are 485 people on the list in total.
@Slavyangrad
📌#Artemovsk
⚠️ The Russian Armed Forces have been able to capture a height over Ivanovskoye.
🔻 Using ATGMs and higher positions, ATGM crews of the Ivanovo Paratroopers are able to establish direct view over Ukrainian movement near Ivanovskoye. The blue placemarker represents area of shelling.
Slavyangrad
📌#ChasovoyYar
⚠️ The RF Armed Forces have been trying in the last hours to enter the village of Gryhorivka on the very northern flanks of Artemovsk, and have been able to advance along a tree-line and capture a field position.
🔻 It is expected that the Russian Armed Forces will enter the village either tomorrow in the coming days if offensive operations of this strength and pace continue. The village, although situated on heights, is exceptionally vulnerable.
Slavyangrad
Volunteers for the Ukrainian army have already run out.
In Ukraine, they do not understand how it is possible to mobilize another 500 thousand people, as required by the authorities, said Major General of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Dmitry Marchenko in an interview with Deutsche Welle*.
“ Those volunteers who wanted to voluntarily join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have run out. There is no physical understanding of how to do this,” he said.
According to Marchenko, only 20 people will be mobilized to replace the 100 servicemen lost at the front. At the same time, he has a positive attitude towards the proposal to reduce the maximum conscription age from 27 to 25 years but criticized the idea of “filling holes at the front with women” while many men are hiding abroad.
* Media performing the functions of foreign agents in Russia.
@Slavyangrad
Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (24 December 2023)
▫️ In Kupyansk direction, as a result of competent actions by units of the Zapad Group of Forces, supported by artillery and helicopters, have repelled four attacks by assault groups of the AFU 95th Air Assault Brigade close to Sinkovka (Kharkov).
The enemy losses were over 40 servicemen, one AFV, and three motor vehicles.
One ammunition depot of the 113th Territorial Defence Brigade has been destroyed near Liptsy (Kharkov).
▫️ In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces, supported by artillery and Operational-Tactical Aviation, have repelled two attacks by the 63rd Mechanised Brigade and the 12th Special Operations Brigade of the AFU south of Kuzmino and near Chervonaya Dibrova (LPR).
In addition, AFU manpower and hardware have been hit near Serebryanka (DPR) and Serebryansky forestry.
The enemy losses were up to 100 servicemen, one AFV, 2 motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer.
▫️ In Donetsk direction, as a result of coordinated actions units of the Yug Group of Forces, in cooperation with artillery, have repelled eight attacks by assault groups of 81st Airmobile, 24th, and 30th mechanised brigades of the AFU and the 4th Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard close to Belogorovka, Spornoye, Vasyukovka, Leninskoye, and Novgorodskoye (DPR).
AFU manpower and hardware have been hit near Pereyezdnoye, Razdolovka, Kleshcheevka, Vasyukovka, Shumy, Andreevka, and Bogdanovka (DPR).
The enemy losses were up to 350 servicemen killed and wounded, 3 IFVs, one APC, and five motor vehicles.
In the course of counter-battery warfare, one U.S.-manufactured M777 artillery system, one Msta-B howitzer, 2 Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems, 3 D-30 howitzers, and one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system have been destroyed.
▫️ In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces, in cooperation with aviation and artillery, have inflicted a fire attack on manpower concentration areas of the AFU 79th Air Assault Brigade near Novomikhailovka (DPR).
The enemy losses were up to 110 servicemen, and 2 pickup trucks.
In addition, during counter-battery warfare, one U.S.-manufactured M109 Paladin, Akatsiya, and Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems have been hit.
▫️ In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces, supported by artillery and heavy flamethrower systems, have defeated manpower and hardware of 33rd, 117th, 118th mechanised, 128th mountain assault, and 71st jaeger brigades of the AFU near Rabotino, Verbovoye, Zherebyanka, and Mirnoye (Zaporozhye).
The enemy losses were up to 70 servicemen killed and wounded, one AFV, 3 motor vehicles, as well as one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system.
▫️ In Kherson direction, as a result of the actions by units of Russian troops and artillery, the enemy losses were up to 80 servicemen and 3 motor vehicles.
In the course of counter-battery warfare, one U.S.-manufactured M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system, one Msta-B howitzer, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one D-30 howitzer have been destroyed.
▫️ Operational-Tactical Aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have neutralised Norwegian-manufactured launchers of NASAMS air defence systems and French-manufactured Crotale-NG at Starokonstantinov airfield (Khmelnitsky), as well as aviation equipment, flight navigation equipment, and aviation ammunition at Kanatovo airfields (Kirovograd) and the Dnepr, manpower and military hardware of the AFU in 127 areas during the day.
▫️ Air defence systems have shot down 4 Ukrainian aircraft: 3 Su-27 and one Su-24 of the Ukrainian Air Force near Shirokoye, Odarovka (Zaporozhye), and Grigorovka (Dnepropetrovsk).
3 HARM anti-radar missiles, 3 HIMARS multiple-launch rocket projectiles, and a Neptune anti-ship missile have been intercepted.
18+. Ukrainian militants entered positions mined by their own Lepestok-type mines
The Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers were forced to call evacuation transport for their wounded.
@Slavyangrad
by John Helmer, Moscow
@bears_withThe Iranian intelligence vessel, MV Behshad, at anchor in the Red Sea, is a honey trap intended to lure both the Israelis and US Navy into an attack, according to Russian and other sources.
The French and Spanish navies appear to anticipate or to know: they have announced they will not operate their warships in the area under US command. Instead, the French have said they will restrict their operations to guarding their own French-flagged vessels and cargoes. The French Navy also appears to have agreed to clear the backlog of Maersk container vessels trapped and no longer under way in the Red Sea and in the Gulf of Aden.
The French and similar disclaimers from Spain and Italy follow maritime media reports of acrimonious disputes between the Europeans and the US over the US priority to attack the Houthis and save Israel.
The Europeans, including the Italian and Greek navies, which have also announced they are sending warships, are following the Russian lead in secretly working out an accommodation with Iran and the Ansar Allah (Houthi) leadership for safe passage through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in exchange for agreement to boycott Israel. In defence of their economies and shipping, support from the European allies is dwindling for Israel’s war against the Palestinians; there is no support for Israeli and American threats to expand the war against Iran and the Houthis.
The Pentagon and White House-led plan to save the Israeli port of Eilat and…
https://johnhelmer.net/honey-trap-for-israelis-and-americans-in-the-red-sea/#more-89104
