Thursday, July 21, 2022

A War of Attrition with High Losses and Little Movement so far.

 It has been a busy couple weeks around here. Last week Tanya finished her English class for the summer. I went to Saskatoon to visit my daughters and friends and relatives. Friday was a general reunion of Agriculture Graduates at the University of Saskatchewan. I got to visit with dozens of people I had not seen in years. Mostly grads from the 60s and 70s, some from the 80s. All retired of course. The younger grads are all gainfully employed.

This week both Tanya and I are doctoring, making use of our good Canadian medical system to catch up on long time problems that go with age. We both have good doctors. Tanya's speaks fluent Russian. 

On the Ukrainian front not much movement since the Russians took Lysychansk. Russians have no success in taking Bakhmut, Sloviansk or Siversk. Attacks are repeatedly driven back with high losses. In fact reports are that 25 Battalion Tactical Groups have been pulled back into Russia because they are no longer able to operate with any effectiveness. Ukraine is making good use of the HIMARS and 155 mm artillery to hit ammunition dumps and command centres. This has dramatically slowed the Russian ability to use WWI tactics of  carpet shelling an area to oblivion then moving in.

In response to Ukrainian pinpoint targeting, the Russians have retaliated by increasing attacks on civilian targets, including those far from the front. They have admitted that if they do not bomb schools, hospitals, malls, and residential areas they cannot win the war. The terror bombing is intended to force the Ukrainians to sue of peace. Won't happen.


On the southern front, Ukraine has been slowly moving forward and are preparing for a major counter offensive, likely Kherson. Russians have reportedly moved 15,000 troops from Melitopal to Kherson. HIMAR rockets have hit the Antonovsky bridge across the Dnepr River which is now closed to traffic. It is the only retreat for Russians on the west side of the river including Kherson. If Kherson can be taken then the way is open to take Crimea. For that they need 300 km range rockets which I hear they are getting from America.

The logistics of maintaining supply and repair of the wide assortment of Equipment supplied by various countries to Ukraine is overwhelming when I think about it. More HIMARS are useless unless the rocket pods can keep up. All the countries are trying out their new equipment. I have not kept track of all the different artillery platforms provided.

One sour note. Canada has been blackmailed by Germany to return a repaired turbine for Nord Stream I. Germany says either return it or we will no longer support Ukraine. I wish Trudeau had told them GFY. 

Detailed daily reports can be found at Euromaidan Press website. 
https://euromaidanpress.com/2022/07/21/russo-ukrainian-war-day-148-ukraine-continues-to-destroy-russian-ammunition-depots/ 

8 comments:

  1. I wish that Trudeau had told the Germans where to go and what to do with themselves too. That little gem has not hit any of the media here.
    This is indeed a war of attrition, and likely to continue to be so. Which makes my heart ache. For all the good that does.

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  2. I think Germany is the weak link in NATO solidarity because of its extreme dependence on Russian oil & gas. I always thought that dependence was a bad idea and would come back to bite them in the ass, and it has.

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    1. You can thank Merkel for that. I used to respect her but her policies have bad consequences for Ukraine

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  3. Such a tragically sad photograph. That should never never happen.

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    1. There was a worse one I could not post. A video of a little special needs girl in Vinnitsa pushing her doll stroller walking with her mother. Another picture 30 minutes later showed the little girl dead and her mother severely injured from a rocket strike on the medical centre. The Russians are monsters.

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  4. that picture of the father and his child beaks my heart...and that's just one of many....judas priest

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    1. There are so many pictures like that. It is infuriating and so sad

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