 Ukraine crisis4 Feb, 16:17
Mass desertion in Ukrainian army killing Kiev both militarily, politically — media
According to the newspaper, as the Russian Armed Forces advance rapidly, "the situation is straining the Ukrainian military, with soaring numbers of ill-trained and exhausted soldiers going AWOL, difficulty in recruiting new troops and arrests of respected and popular combat officers"
BRUSSELS, February 4. /TASS/. Ukraine's push to convince US President Donald Trump of the expediency of prolonging aid to the country is not being helped by the mass desertions in its army, which is now not only a military problem for Kiev, but also a political one, Politico reports.
According to the newspaper, as the Russian Armed Forces advance rapidly, "the situation is straining the [Ukrainian] military, with soaring numbers of ill-trained and exhausted soldiers going AWOL, difficulty in recruiting new troops and arrests of respected and popular combat officers." For Trump, this is another argument in favor of cutting off American aid to Kiev, supporting the position he took during his election campaign, Politico said.
On January 21, Trump remarked that Washington had spent $200 billion more on military aid to Ukraine than other NATO countries. On January 22, the US leader did not rule out the possibility of a complete cessation of arms deliveries to Kiev.
Recently, the Ukrainian military leadership has been increasingly discussing the difficult operational and strategic situation Kiev’s army is facing. It is experiencing personnel shortages, which the authorities are unsuccessfully attempting to compensate for by intensifying mobilization and transferring niche specialists from technologically advanced units, particularly air defense divisions, to assault brigades. Desertion, at times on a massive scale, has become a serious concern. Meanwhile, Kiev is trying to shift the responsibility for the failures of the Ukrainian armed forces onto its Western partners, accusing them of untimely and insufficient arms deliveries. |
Military operation in Ukraine 4 Feb, 11:28
Russian troops wipe out foreign mercenaries’ formation in Donbass region over past day
Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted roughly 35 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed four enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility in the Kharkov Region over the past day, the ministry reported
MOSCOW, February 4. /TASS/. Russian troops destroyed a foreign mercenaries’ formation of the Ukrainian army in the Donbass region over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.
"Battlegroup South units gained better lines and positions and inflicted casualties on formations of three mechanized and an airmobile brigade of the Ukrainian army, a Foreign Legion formation and two territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Dyleyevka, Konstantinovka, Zelenovka, Ivano-Daryevka, Orekhovo-Vasilevka, Yantarnoye, Chasov Yar and Dachnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said in a statement.
The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 260 personnel, an armored combat vehicle, four motor vehicles and four field artillery guns, including three NATO weapons in that frontline area over the last 24 hours, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed two ammunition depots and three electronic warfare stations of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russian forces strike Ukrainian army’s ammunition, fuel depots over past day
Russian forces struck the Ukrainian army’s ammunition and fuel depots over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck the infrastructure of military airfields, production workshops, storage sites and places of preparing unmanned aerial vehicles for launch, the Ukrainian army’s ammunition, fuel and lubricants depots and amassed enemy manpower and equipment in 149 areas," the ministry said.
Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts 35 casualties on Ukrainian army in Kharkov area
Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted roughly 35 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed four enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility in the Kharkov Region over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup North units operating in the Kharkov direction inflicted casualties on formations of two territorial defense brigades near the settlement of Volchansk in the Kharkov Region," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost an estimated 35 personnel, an armored combat vehicle, four motor vehicles and four field artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed an electronic warfare station of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts over 290 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 290 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed nine enemy artillery guns, including three Western-made weapons in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup West units improved their tactical position and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of two mechanized, an assault and an air assault brigade of the Ukrainian army and two territorial defense brigades near Kupyansk, Peschanoye, Novomlynsk, Novaya Kruglyakovka, Zapadnoye, Zagoruikovka and Zelyony Gai in the Kharkov Region, Nevskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Yampolovka and Yampol in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours totaled more than 290 personnel, a tank, three armored combat vehicles, including two US-made M113 armored personnel carriers and 14 motor vehicles, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed nine field artillery guns, including three Western-made weapons and three ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts 510 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted roughly 510 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy tank and two armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup Center units continued active offensive operations. They inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of five mechanized, a motorized infantry and a jaeger brigade of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade, a National Guard brigade and the Lyut assault brigade of Ukraine’s national police near Krasnoarmeisk, Udachnoye, Sergeyevka, Dzerzhinsk, Druzhba, Novoaleksandrovka, Baranovka, Lysovka, Kotlino, Uspenovka, Andreyevka and Yasenovoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the last 24 hours amounted to 510 personnel, a tank, two armored combat vehicles, including a US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and ten pickup trucks, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed eight artillery guns of the Ukrainian army, including a Polish-manufactured 155mm Krab self-propelled artillery system, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts over 140 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted more than 140 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed seven enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup East units continued advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and inflicted casualties on formations of a tank brigade and two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian army and two territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Bogatyr, Razliv, Burlatskoye, Razdolnoye and Novopol in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost more than 140 personnel, a tank, six armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles and seven field artillery guns in that frontline area over the last 24 hours, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicts 30 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr inflicted roughly 30 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed two enemy jamming stations in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of a mechanized brigade and two coastal defense brigades of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements of Nesteryanka, Novodanilovka, Kamenskoye and Stepovoye in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted to 30 personnel, three motor vehicles and two electronic warfare stations, it specified.
Russian air defenses down 68 Ukrainian UAVs, Neptune missile over past day
Russian air defense forces shot down 68 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and a Neptune missile over the past day, the ministry reported.
"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities shot down a Neptune long-range missile, a rocket of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and 68 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.
Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 653 Ukrainian warplanes, 283 helicopters, 42,406 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 surface-to-air missile systems, 21,023 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,513 multiple rocket launchers, 21,222 field artillery guns and mortars and 31,186 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported. |
Ukraine crisis 3 Feb, 09:07
Ukraine should convict Zelensky for state treason — MP
Zelensky does not deserve forgiveness; he should not be regarded as politically immune after leaving power, Alexander Dubinsky noted
MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. Vladimir Zelensky should be convicted of treason and tormenting the Ukrainian people, Alexander Dubinsky, an opposition-minded member of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (parliament), stated.
"No borders of the years 1991, 2014, and 2022 will be established to help Zelensky save his own skin from the angry mob. <...> Not only should Ukraine make Zelensky leave, but convict him of treason and betrayal of the country’s interests," Dubinsky wrote on his Telegram channel.
Zelensky does not deserve forgiveness; he should not be regarded as politically immune after leaving power, Dubinsky added. Zelensky "thrived in power and bloodshed" all this time and "drove the country into the abyss," so the Kiev regime led by him must answer for everything, the deputy stressed.
Zelensky has repeatedly refused to negotiate with Russia, saying, among other things, that Ukraine should participate in them from a position of strength. As Dubinsky noted earlier, Zelensky should serve a life sentence for neglecting peace agreements and acting against the interests of citizens and the state, which led to mass casualties. On December 16, 2024, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said that the Ukrainian army had suffered nearly one million losses during the special military operation. |
New Wide Front Of Russian Offensive On Dnepropetrovsk
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The main direction of the ongoing Russian advance can gain the joint name of the Dnepropetrovsk direction. The Russian army continues successful offensive operations approaching the border of the Dnepropetrovsk region from the south and east.
After their victory in Velikaya Novoselka, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation completed the mop up operations in the area and resumed attacks north and west of the strategically important stronghold. Over the past day alone, they expanded their zone of control to more than two kilometers deep in Ukrainian rear. The Russian Vostok (East) group of forces is currently preparing the bridgehead for further offensive on the southern frontlines. Russian reconnaissance is revealing Ukrainian positions in the field area, which are immediately pounded by Russian drone strikes, artillery fire etc.
After their victory in Kurakhovo, Russian forces are rapidly developing offensive to the west, approaching the main stage of assault on the Ukrainian stronghold in Konstantinopol and Andreevka, where battles are already ongoing.
Both Russian and Ukrainian military reporters confirm that Russian assault groups are already storming Ukrainian positions on the streets in the southern part of Konstantinopol. At the same time, Russian assault on Andreevka is ongoing both from the northern and eastern directions. Battles are ongoing in the center of the village.
There are no doubts that the Russian army is set to encircle the remaining Ukrainian forces west of Kurakhovo. Battles in Konstantinopol force the Ukrainian military to retreat from positions in a cauldron. Despite Ukrainian attempts to resist, they cannot stop the advancing Russian troops. In recent days, Russian forces largely expanded their zone of control in Dachnoe. Northern, eastern and southern parts of the village came under Russian control. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are still present in the center and on its western outskirts.
Ukrainian positions keep deteriorating in the Pokrovsk direction. While capturing the large urban agglomeration of Pokrovsk and Mirnograd into a pincer grip, Russian forces launched offensive towards the Dnepropetrovsk region on a wide front south of Pokrovsk.
The recent Russian advances revealed a clear line of the new offensive towards the western border of the Donbass republics. The new front of Russian offensive of about 20 kilometers long lays along Udachnoe-Novoaleksandrovka-Nadezhdinka-Serebryanoe line. In some areas, the Russian army has only two kilometers left to approach the border of the Dnepropetrovsk region.
Most recently, Russian forces took control of Serebryanoe (Sribne in Ukrainian) located west of Yasenevoe. They are currently completing the mop up operation there, launching attacks on the village of Zaporozhie on its western outskirts.
Amid heavy battles in Udachnoe, Russian forces are expanding their zone of control around the town. Battles approach the village of Novosergeevka, where the Ukrainian military will fight to secure its control of important supply routs in the region.
In general, the general large front of the further Russian offensive on the Dnepropetrovsk region along Velikaya Novoselka-Konstantinopol-Ispenovka line is clearly visible. The ability of the Russian army to create a joint front is a victory and a clear sign of critical weakness of Ukrainian defense in the Donbass.
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