Ukraine War, 8 May 2024
Good morning everybody!
Guess, meanwhile, you can gauge the ’general state‘ of the situation by ‘intensity’ of my updates: when these are ‘rather slow and/or sporadic’ – there’s ‘not really’ much to report.
Of course, this shouldn’t mean that there’s no fighting. Far from that! Indeed, the Russian assaults have been continued over the last few days, all the time. It rather means that the ZSU has managed to stabilise the frontlines, to – de-facto – stop the Russian winter offensive, and that the Russians are running out of steam. Not that they’ve stopped trying, though.
….and, gauging by specific reports from the Ukrainian side… well, I would say that Kyiv is now waiting to see what might Pudding and his Keystone Cops in Moscow come up with as next. Especially because it seems they all expect the Russians to ‘do something special’ for the 8-9 May.
….which reminds me that he, Pudding, then announced nuclear exercises near the border to Ukraine. Has silenced something like half the talking-heads in the EU and the USA, the last few days.
Of course, this is serious. Damn serious. Must be taken seriously. I just can’t help it, though: I promptly have an entire set of my usual, ‘unpleasant’ questions. For example, why does Pudding need to bluff with his nukes again, if:
- Everything in Ukraine is developing precisely according to the plan for his ‘special military operation’?
- Western sanctions are not working?
- The VSRF is nowadays launching 1 golfcart and 10 troops into attacks on the same ZSU position in the Stelmakhivka area, where one year ago it was running such attacks with 2 BMPs, 1 T-80, and 30 troops?
- Western arms- and ammunition deliveries do not matter. And,
- Russia is victorious?
Ah yes, you’re right: this reminds me that I’ve been taught, again and again – by professional diplomats and anonymous experts here on this blog alike – that I do not understand international relations and diplomacy…
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BATTLE OF DONBAS
As far as not deploying Iskander-M ballistic missile(s) loaded with cluster bomb ammunition to strike civilians in Odesa - or BM-27s, BM-30s, S-300s, and UMPK glide bombs to massacre Ukrainian civilians elsewhere (or, Russian civilians inside Russia; for example with help of UMPKs that malfunctioned on release) - the VKS spent the last few days focusing on three areas.
The first is in northern Kharkiv, where – and this ‘just for example – it bombed unknown targets in the Zolochiv area (demolishing about a dozen of public- and private houses in the process), and in Slobozharske (where the attached still from a video was taken):
It was ‘somewhere there’ that the VKS also suffered its latest loss: the Su-34 ‘Bort 21 Red’ – ‘famous/notorious’ as one of first jets of this type deployed to Syria, back in late summer of 2015. According to the Russians, the jet heroically crashed somewhere in the southern Belgorod Oblast, killing the crew of two (named Evgeny Kuznetsov and Vladimir Strelkov). And the Russians already know it was an ‘engine malfunction’ that caused the loss. From afar, and without any kind of investigation: indeed, they know that BOTH of two engines have malfunctioned at the same time, and then everything else, too, so the jet flew into the ground.
I simply love that.
No, not because I would be gleeful. How can you think that way of me? It’s just because that Su-34 (yes, the very same ‘Bort 21 Red’) was one of those that was bombing civilians all over north-western Syria, back in 2015-2016, driving hundreds of thousands of them to Turkey, in turn causing what became known as the ‘Refugee Crisis’ in the European Union. ‘Was fantastic times, really: especially because all the Pudding-fans in charge of the EU have failed to understand the repercussions of the Russian (and IRGC’s) ethnic cleansing of millions of Sunny Arabs from that part of Syria; and the resulting overburdening of Turkey and the EU with millions of refugees, too.
But, of course: nah, that wasn’t Russia. That was all the ‘IS’. Who cares is this was never present in north-western Syria, which was the area hit by about 99% of the Russian air strikes? ‘Fact’ is: the Russians were fighting against the IS and the CIA-Mossad-al-Qaeda conspiracy, and, and, and, defeated all of them. It was such a marvellous victory, and Syria is now a pure democracy, too… can’t say…
But, I’m digressing…
The second sector was that of Pokrovsk-Avdiivka, where the VKS has bombed really a lots of places 5-10km behind the frontline, back on 4-5 May. For example: Vozdvyzhenka, Kalynove, Novooleksandrivka (OK, this is directly on the frontline, meanwhile), Prohres, Vovche, Ivanivka, Novoselivka Persha, Mykhailivka, Halytsynivka, and Karlivka.
Elsewhere? Well, the Russian reach to the Siversky Donets – Donbas Canal turned out to be tenuous at most. See: although knocking out a few of Ukrainian armoured vehicles and causing some losses, the VSRF eventually lost so much it’s back to positions about 300-500 metres east of it, and meanwhile assaulting positions of the 5th Assault, about 1,500 metres further south.
I’m sure this means that the effort in question therefore cannot but be characterised as another major victory for Pudding..
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SOUTHERN DONETSK & ZAPORIZHZHYA
The third sector was that of Staromaiorske. Think I’ve mentioned it in one of my recent updates: some 4-5 days ago, the Russians claimed ‘break through’ of the Ukrainian frontline there. Turned out they’ve advanced for about 200 metres. Meanwhile, the ZSU recovered these 200 metres, and the Russians are down to bombing Staromaiorske, ‘instead’.
….now all the Pudding-fans - all the way to the Californian coast - are celebrating in delirium of happines, because they’ve missed all the latest news, and caught only those form 4-5 days ago…
Meanwhile, indeed, even the 42nd Motor-Rifle Division is still struggling while attempting to secure at least the centre of what was once Robotyne, in southern Zaporizhzhya… Therefore, ZSU positions north of it are regularly pounded by multiple rocket launchers and UMPK glide bombs.
***
Overall… Well, if this goes on for a day or two longer, I think I’ll have no other options but to ready another Q&A. After all, have received lots of questions from you, thus it would be about the time to do so. And of course, updates on supporting initiatives to collect for the 3rd Assault and the 72nd Mechanised are due, too.
Thank you for supporting my 72nd and for your reviews as well.
Tom, thanks for your great job as always!