Don's Weekly, 18 March 2024: Part 1

Hello everybody!

The last few days, I’ve been busy finalising my next book. Thus, have found too little time to finish several of analyses I’m preparing for this blog: indeed, there are even a few invitations for an interview from the Ukrainian media I have to address yet. That said, don’t worry: that piece of work has been completed and I’ll re-focus on the war in Ukraine in the coming days again. There is a number of very important issues to address (the last week’s ‘Me and My Questions’ was ‘just an appetizer’ in this regards), and discuss, and also a few ‘popular’ (gauging by the number of views) features to complete. Between others, these are including the Part 3 of ‘It’s the Range, Stupid’, and the one about Russo-Iranian cooperation. Therefore, ‘please, stay tuned’. I’m getting there.

Meanwhile, Don was so kind to ready his next weekly summary. Therefore, let me post it straight away.

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Western Luhansk

There is still fighting around Tabaivka, Terny and southwest of Kreminna but territory has not changed hands.

A Russian air defense system near Synkivka was destroyed by the 14th Brigade…

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1767571701435412660

The 14th also destroyed a 152mm self-propelled gun…

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1767573161350951037

A compilations of attacks from the 45 Artillery Brigade on Russian targets near Kreminna…

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1767577541768786139

A Russian 240mm SP mortar is destroyed…

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1768662230222946615

South of Terny, a towed 152mm guns is destroyed…

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1768735593708564798

One kilometer east of Terny, Russian infantry is engaged…

https://twitter.com/EjShahid/status/1769084696355377164

A Russian MT-LB and infantry are attacked in the forests west of Kreminna…

https://twitter.com/EjShahid/status/1768687504771719210

Ukraine was able to buy a Blackhawk helicopter with crowdfunding, the only one in its service at one point. There was a report of the Blackhawk being downed 1700 meters from the Russian border, but the report was subsequently updated to identify the aircraft as an Mi-24 due to the paint scheme and tail rotor. And Ukraine says they now have two Blackhawks in service, probably adding the second one through a donation last November…

https://twitter.com/EjShahid/status/1769314780043522155

From a month ago, fighting around Tabaivka…

https://twitter.com/EjShahid/status/1768707832499618056

Bakhmut

Ukraine is building and repairing defensive positions around and in all the neighborhoods of Chasiv Yar. This includes minefields. Russia is using artillery and airstrikes to degrade the defensive positions and destroy the high-rise buildings. The fighting on the ground was mostly limited to Ivanivske. Russia lost a T-90, 3 BMPs and six supply vehicles. For that cost and an unknown number of lives, Russian troops were able to push to the center of the village.

A panoramic image taken in September, 2021, when Bakhmut and Ivanivske had houses and trees. Feel free to zoom in and out and see what life was like before Russian liberation. This is the exact location where Ukraine has an elevated observation post. To the east, you can see Bakhmut. To the southeast and south is Ivanivske. From this location you can observe all movement from Bakhmut to Ivanivske, and you can see all the fighting inside Ivanivske. This observation post has been targeted many times by artillery and airstrikes.

South of Bakhmut, the 92nd Brigade uses multiple drones to destroy a T-72…

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1768629623904985132

GRAPHIC: West of Horlivka, Russian infantry suffering from drone attacks…

https://twitter.com/moklasen/status/1769133050682548229

Two weeks ago a large Russian assault on Klishchiivka was stopped. This video documents the 15 vehicles that were knocked out…

https://twitter.com/moklasen/status/1768720888155828325

(….to be continued…)