Yep. Know exactly how you feel. Worked in one of those for many years. Freaked me out.
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We lost quite a few bushies in Afghanistan but not a single one was penetrated. We had guys cop broken bones from the blast concussion or being hit by stuff flying around the cabin, but none actually directly hurt by blasts. I have photos from the vehicle boneyard in Tarin Kot and you wouldn’t believe the condition they ended up in.
Edit: I will caveat this with the fact they weren’t shot at with Javelins and the like in Afghanistan. Some were shot at woth RPG-7s, but none were hit that I know of.
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Speculation that one of the drones looks like a model sold on Alibaba
Lengthy Article of 22 June on the refinery attack in the Warzone section of
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Yes, I totally agree. It is awful. Russia must be held to account.
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UNHCR is active in Russia. It has a special help site for Ukrainians in Russia, but is limited in what it can do, including in regard to those forcibly deported who would not have refugee status as such. It needs to maintain its presence in Russia and to avoid being expelled ( as does the Red Cross)
- see UNHCR data portal for refugees from Ukraine.
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6.22.22 Update, day 119 of Russian invasion.
Belarus:
Belarusian armed forces continue to maneuver along the border region with Ukraine. There are reports that Belarus is attempting to iron out the protocols for conscription for new units. Belarusian troops have reportedly been installing wooden fake tanks in defensive positions, for unknown purpose. Belarusian SOF continues to practice sabotage and recon activities. Per the UA government, there is “absolutely no threat from the Belarusian side” and the exercises are set to conclude on June 25th.
Kyiv/ West Ukraine (1):
RU forces have brought additional SAM rockets for their long range S-300 air defenses in the border regions N of Kyiv.
Sumy/Chernihiv (2):
RU has deployed up to 3 BTGs from the 1st Guards Tank army and VDV forces to cover the border along the Sumy and Chernihiv regions, as well as deploying an additional S-300 long range anti-air battery. They continue to shell with mortars as they have for several weeks, but now increasingly with longer range artillery guns. RU is entrenching in the area of Tetkino, a RU town immediately across the border and about 10km N of Bilopillya and Vorozhba, to the NW of Sumy City.
N Kharkiv (3):
RU forces continue to shell positions to the N of Kharkiv, and lost an SU-25 to a MANPADS launch near the international border. In response to this, and potentially the deep strike on RU oil depots in RU territory, there has been very heavy shelling along the front line.
Per the UA general staff, RU artillery continues to hold back the UA offensive in this area.
Izyum (4):
RU forces did not take major action towards Slovyansk, while they have escalated the volume of rocket artillery fire in order to make preparations for yet another push towards Slovyansk.
Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions at Dolyna and Bohorodychne, along the M03 highway towards Slovyansk. This attack was repelled. The front here has followed a pattern for the last several weeks- days of preparation of RU units coupled with softening fires from artillery and MLRS, followed by a ground assault that is repelled by UA, cycle repeats.
RU forces have reportedly brought 2 tank units into Izyum, along with TOS-1 thermobaric launcher systems in preparation for further assaults. In this area, RU reportedly has deployed units from the 1st Guards Tank Army, the 20th, 29th, and 35th Combined Arms Armies, 68th Army Corps, and some VDV forces.
Lyman (4):
There was no change around Lyman, where RU forces continue to consolidate for possible operations across the river into Raihorodok.
Severodonetsk/Lysyschansk (5):
Fighting continues in the urban residential areas of Severodonetsk, where RU forces have established round the clock aerial surveillance via UAV and other methods. Fierce artillery duels persist overhead as counter-battery fires commence following artillery missions in SVD proper. RU forces are within tube artillery range of southern Lysychansk from the Ustynivka breakthrough, further complicating matters.
UA forces continue to hold the W industrial district, where RU forces have apparently focused on firing on the W suburbs of Severodonetsk, along the E bank, specifically near Pavlohrad. RU forces reportedly have increasingly brought mortars to bear on UA forces, as one RU POV video shows RU forces striking UA forces at relatively close range with mortars from a concealed position outside the industrial area. RU continues to heavily utilize air strikes against both Lysychansk and Severodonetsk, causing mass damage to the taller residential structures.
Further S along the E bank of the river, where UA forces have been able to hold out against RU forces attempting a complete southern encirclement of Severodonetsk, RU forces are focusing on Borivske and Voronove
Popasna/Bakhmut:
RU forces continue to advance from the Popasna front towards Lysychansk, from the Toshkivkha/Ustynivka breakthrough, towards Bila Hora along the P-66 highway. UA forces further S, near Zolote and Hirske who were under threat of encirclement, have withrawn from their positions to more defensible lines to the N.
There are reports that RU forces have surged W from the P-66 highway breakthrough to occupy the towns of Rai-Oleksandrivka and Loskutova, 6km W of the P-66 highway, and 12km S of Lysychansk urban center. Currently, this appears to be an attempt to further flank UA forces that are to the S, near Komyshuvakha and Mykolaivka who have successfully stalled out RU forces. We will have to see if the RU offensive is rebuffed, or if the UA forces continue to withdraw out of the potential pocket.
RU forces have reportedly brought 1 more BTG to reinforce the assault towards Lysychansk, along the P-66 highway. This BTG was brought from the Central Military District, or the units surrounding the Moscow area.
The highway from Bakhmut to Lysychansk is “impassable” per the UA government, and states that UA forces are using alternate routes of supply.
Donetsk (6):
The intensity of RU shelling persists along the front line N of Donetsk city, with RU forces attempting a push towards Myronivka towards the Coal power plant there of Uglehirskaya. This attack was repelled, as was apparently other RU attacks along the front line that happened in concert. Overall, the RU offensive out of Donetsk city appears to not be making significan progress, with RU forces reportedly ceasing offensive operations towards Marinka to the W after numerous failed attempts.
Ukrainian forces conducted a twin drone strike (potentially with a converted drone crashing into the target as a guided munition, based on video) on a Russian oil refinery in Novoshakhtinsk, in Rostov Oblast. This target is at least 150km from the front line currently known, if the most direct route was taken over RU territory in Donetsk. There are concerns expressed among RU channels regarding their air defenses.
Mariupol (7):
Per the Ukrainian SBU, there are hopes to secure the release of a “significant number of [UA POW] in the very near future”. Reportedly, it would be a series of many small exchanges rather then a single massive exchange. There are still concerns about the senior commanders of the 36th Marines and Azov Regiment. Currently, all 2449 Azovstal defenders are being held in Olenivka, a POW camp location near Donetsk
Zaporizhia/Southern Axis (8):
RU forces continue to leverage artillery and rocket fire across the front, but attempted no offensive actions otherwise. It appears that RU may have a lack of experienced forces and inadequate replacement equipment.
There are unspecified reports of a battle south of Vuhledar, where UA forces are attempting to push towards Yehorivka. This is very generally in the direction of Mariupol and Volnovakha.
Kherson (9):
RU forces continue to fight via counter-battery fire along the front line, but have been unable to constitute enough forces for a counteroffensive. There continue to be RU helicopter strikes attempted along the frontlines, repelled by UA Anti Aircraft methods.
UA artillery eliminated 20 RU soldiers, 1x SPG, 1x AA system, and 2 Ammo dumps in the Kherson region.
Per the UA government, in the area NW of Kherson the RU 8th and 49th Combined Arms Armies, 22nd Army Corps, and VDV forces are working to blunt the offensive towards the city. UA forces have secured area near the town of Kiselivka, placing them within 16km of Kherson city, and thus within conventional artillery range.
In the port city of Skadovsk, 65km south of Kherson city, there were reportedly explosions and fires. The cause is not yet known.
In Kherson City, the RU collaborator government official Oleksii Kovalov had his car exploded by unknown means. His condition is unknown. In more positive news, the vice-president of Kherson University who was kidnapped last week, was released unharmed today.
Odessa/Black Sea/Transnistria (10):
Reportedly in the black sea, there are 5 missile ships equipped with 40 Kaliber cruise missiles, as well as 3 troop transports. The threats of the sea mines drifting after recent storms continues.
2 missiles were fired at Odesa, but were destroyed by UA air defenses. Per the UA Southern Command, 8 P-800 Onyx Anti-ship cruise missiles have been launched towards the Odesa region in the last week, but have been shot down. The fact that RU is using anti-ship missiles for strikes on ground targets further indicates the degradation of RU long-range missile capabilities. Additionally, given that these supersonic missiles which supposedly travel up to Mach 3 to kill NATO carriers are being shot down, doubts about RU missile capabilities continue to mount.
Reportedly, another strike on Snake Island was conducted, damaging or destroying another Pantsir-1 SAM system.
RU propaganda currently is claiming the existance of nazi organizations basing in civilian infrastructure such as opera houses, theaters, and schools in Odesa. This may be a prelude to targeted strikes on this civilian infrastructure.
General:
Yesterday Ukrainian forces eliminated
200x troops (to date 34,430 casualities)
8x Tanks
18x Armored vehicles
6x vehicles
5x Artillery (1 MLRS)
1x Air defense system
1x Helicopter
6x UAV
The greatest losses were along the Severodonetsk/Bakhmut front
A two-day summit of EU heads of state and government will begin in Brussels on June 23 to discuss Russian aggression and consider granting Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia EU candidate status. Per Bloomberg sources, the decision to grant UA membership status will be confirmed.
Looking forward:
RU forces will likely redouble efforts to secure Severodonetsk, as they continue to push for political goals of securing the city. The UA forces to the S of the city along the E of the river should be the leading indicator for UA defense of the city- it is highly unlikely that UA forces will be forced to withdraw from the industrial area before these troops to the south.
The ongoing RU push towards Lysychansk deserves attention, specifically whether they attempt
The ongoing UA offensive along the front lines of Kherson, including now the NW portion, will likely force RU units further NE from the city to withdraw towards closer defenses around the city, and thus shrink the frontline. The fact that UA forces are within artillery range of the city proper will likely motivate RU forces to withdraw more.
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If Russia wants to disassemble as much industry as they can in occupied areas, deport most of the people from there all over Russia, do they just want these areas to be occupied wastelands?
I still find it amazing the underlying vindictiveness of the Russian occupiers against the Ukrainian people. I know the leader has lost his mind, but the senselessness of this war knows no bounds.
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Part of the former Soviet Union along with Belarus, the largest east European country most closely culturally identified with Russia, the one which had not formally aligned with the EU, but which was drifting further west economically and culturally, isolating Russia within Europe and reducing its international status even further.
The initial justification was an army of liberation. Now it is one of punishment and destruction for aligning with the old enemies of Russia.
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ukrinform site has a pic of a Russian reconnaissance drone allegedly shot down
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Ukraine has pulled their troops out of the pocket south of Lysychansk to prevent them being encircled and captured. Consistent theme of valuing troops over land, to fight another day.
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New $500 million aid package includes 4 additional HIMARS systems. With UK and Germany it brings Ukraine up to 14 systems.
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Has there been any further announcements about HIMARS rocket supplies? The vague announcement of 100 rockets a while ago didn’t make much sense, but even 100 rocket pods is nowhere near enough
Not that I’ve seen, but to be honest I expect the ammo stuff will be kept under wraps for opsec reasons.
On the ground video next to a Russian ammo dump cooking off after a Ukrainian strike.
Intense.
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