Russian forces have made advances in two areas in Donbas since 7th February 2023, with control of the northern outskirts of Bakhmut and gains in the western edge of Vuhledar.

However, there have been heavy casualties in Vuhledar, with inexperienced units being committed and the abandonment of armoured vehicles after a failed assault.

According to a British Ministry of Defence intelligence update,

“Since 7 February 2023, Russian forces have likely made tactical gains in two key sectors. On the northern outskirts of the Donbas town of Bakhmut, Wagner Group forces have pushed 2-3km further west, controlling countryside near the M-03 main route into the town. Russian forces increasingly dominate the northern approaches to Bakhmut.

To the south, Russian units have made advances around the western edge of the town of Vuhledar, where they re-launched offensive operations in late January 2023.

However, Russian units have likely suffered particularly heavy casualties around Vuhledar as inexperienced units have been committed. Russian troops likely fled and abandoned at least 30 mostly intact armoured vehicles in a single incident after a failed assault.”

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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maurice10
maurice10
1 year ago

Some scenes are reminiscent of the WW1 front with trenches and scarred landscapes. The slaughter being inflicted on both sides is also an echo from that time. What an indictment on us all when human tolerance and intellect are abandoned on the field of battle.

DMJ
DMJ
1 year ago
Reply to  maurice10

Pretty much an indictment on Putin, who started his invasion a year ago.

davidbrown
davidbrown
1 year ago
Reply to  DMJ

Putin is responsible for all the deaths and destruction. Something we all believed would never happen again I our “civilised world “

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  maurice10

I think, if in defence, I would rather be in a trench than a vehicle – but with a vehicle nearby to whisk me away to a fall back position as required.

Sunday boss
Sunday boss
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

Not with drones shifting bombs

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  Sunday boss

No place in a battlefield is safe unless you are in a deep underground concrete bunker.

FormerUSAF
FormerUSAF
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

“Retreat, hell! We’re advancing in a different direction.”–Maj.Gen. O. P. Smith, Commander, 1st Marine Division (during the Battle of theChosin Reservoir) 😉

Steve
Steve
1 year ago
Reply to  maurice10

I think any war will ultimately end up similar. Fancy jets and columns of tanks etc only get you so far, raw numbers of troops defending villages with artillery raining down is how things will quickly end up with once the top end stuff is taken off the board. It’s why doing the easy job of cutting troops numbers Vs having to deal with cancelling long term procurement contracts is such a bad idea and realsitically why the British army is getting to a point of being combat ineffective, just not the strength in numbers.

AlexS
AlexS
1 year ago
Reply to  maurice10

When both sides have similar capability it is bloodbath for both.

TypewriterMonkey
TypewriterMonkey
1 year ago
Reply to  maurice10

You only have to watch Kanal13 @Kanal13AZ on YouTube to see how tough the war is and how important drones are… to spot the enemy and for situational awareness. Trenches don’t even provide protection.

Expat
Expat
1 year ago

That vehicle looks shiny I thought the paint is supposed to be matt and less reflective, the Russia pop to the Halfords equivalent to get the paint I wonder.

Supportive Bloke
Supportive Bloke
1 year ago
Reply to  Expat

Probably car paint from one of the plants ‘gifted’ to the Russian state.

I wouldn’t be too surprised if one of the car plants had in fact been turned into a tank refurbishing facility.

At the rate the orcs are loosing them they will need to replace them pretty fast!

Mark Forsyth
Mark Forsyth
1 year ago
Reply to  Expat

I may have it all wrong, but don’t the Ukraine Army have the “yellow” armband, so one might assumed that it is a captured vehicle, with the standard “squaddie happy snap” being taken.

ChariotRider
ChariotRider
1 year ago
Reply to  Mark Forsyth

Hi Mark,

Looks to me like the Uhrainians gave that vehicle a good clean for the camera as well. Makes it look like they got a really nice new piece of kit to add to the ORBAT.

I read soewhere recently that Russia was Ukraines biggest arms supplier at the moment…

Hope you are keeping well, mate.

Cheers CR

Monkey spanker
Monkey spanker
1 year ago
Reply to  ChariotRider

On oryx Russia has lost over 1000 tanks with another 544 being captured by Ukraine. That number is only the vehicles that can be verified with pictures, drone footage etc.

Steve
Steve
1 year ago
Reply to  Monkey spanker

We will have to wait some time for the real truth to come out. Ukraine is playing the information war better than any nation ever has. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of the pictures are staged to make it look like things are going really well for them and bad for Russia. Based on the combat maps it seems things aren’t going great for either side, Russia is throwing troops to their deaths but it’s working and they are slowly advancing. This war will be an interesting case study once the dust settles and the closer to the… Read more »

farouk
farouk
1 year ago
Reply to  Steve

Steve wrote: “”We will have to wait some time for the real truth to come out. Ukraine is playing the information war better than any nation ever has. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of the pictures are staged to make it look like things are going really well for them and bad for Russia. “” Here’s a very recent video from Vuhledar. In the first clip I count 4 vehicles already immobilised as 4 more rush through the middle and bang (minefield) instead of stopping dead, and getting a lay of the land they continue. Bang, and then another… Read more »

farouk
farouk
1 year ago
Reply to  farouk

And heres another video clip of 4 vehicles (3 disabled) in what looks to be the same area. So that’s at least a third of that 30 vehicle tally.

farouk
farouk
1 year ago
Reply to  farouk

Ive knocked together a short Gif, of some of the knocked out armour from photos published on line, theres loads more, and I can’t be asked. The follow post to this will have a link to them:
https://i.postimg.cc/GtbN3xqm/Untitled-2.gif

farouk
farouk
1 year ago
Reply to  farouk

Said link

Steve
Steve
1 year ago
Reply to  farouk

Yeah saw them, also saw one of a bear bomber being shot down that was very clearly CGI at one point. You have a combo of infomation warfare, selective photography and true pictures, hard to tell which is which For sure Ukraine is giving Russia a hard life and is making Russia pay for ground heavily, but at this point I’m not sure how many of the photos of taken gear are real and how many are staged. Wouldn’t be surprised if same tanks being used for a lot of different fake shots. Can’t blame Ukraine, it’s fight for survival,… Read more »

Zippy
Zippy
1 year ago
Reply to  Steve

Let’s see this CGI plane?

700 Glengarried men
700 Glengarried men
1 year ago
Reply to  Mark Forsyth

Mark its a russian bmp3 tell bu 100mm main gun and 30m Co ax gun, Ukraine has captured many of them intact and reuses them after removing Russian tactical markings

Jon
Jon
1 year ago
Reply to  Expat

Looks matt to me. I think the white is paint not reflection.

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
1 year ago

“BERLIN, GERMANY — Jordan could become an indirect supplier of British tanks to the Ukrainian army. This is the first series of British tanks that participated in the Gulf War. However, the proposal to send them to Ukraine came from Germany. The German military concern Rheinmetall has made an offer to Amman to modernize the British Challenger 1 tank. BulgarianMilitary.com recalls that London has agreed to send 14 units of its Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Kyiv. German newspaper Handelsblatt says Rheinmetall is ready to buy a “double-digit amount” of Jordanian Challenger 1 tanks, bring them to Germany, refurbish and repair them,… Read more »

Mr Bell
Mr Bell
1 year ago
Reply to  Nigel Collins

The C1s could well be the answer to Ukraines request for hundreds of MBTs.
I’m surprised the UK/ Germany haven’t already started buying them up. If Rheinmetal are prepared to refurb them then great. Win win.
Less risk to the UK sending C2s which we may well need sometime soon in defence of NATO or our allies around the world from the Sino Ruskie axis.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr Bell

We only sent 14 CR2 tanks out of 227 but of course we could be pressed to provide more.
Many of us have expressed surprise that no-one is doing anything to acquire the CR1 fleet, do whatever is deemed necessary (may not need a full refurb), and ship them to Ukraine.
Rhinmetall are spotting a commercial opportunity but can’t get the ball rolling as that needs politicians to act first.

Rudeboy
Rudeboy
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

Rheinmetall would need UK permission to do so and will have none of the data packs for CR1 either.

They’re just trying to drum up business…the fact that BAE aren’t is unusual as they are the OEM.

James
James
1 year ago
Reply to  Rudeboy

Being realistic how many of the C1’s are even remotely close to being useable?

Its probably not data anyone has even the owners of the stored tanks have!

Its all well and good a company offering to refurb them but the actual work may be alot more than expected which in turn takes into much more time than expected and of course cost.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  James

Wikipedia says that 190 are ‘in-service’, the balance being ‘in storage’ and probably robbed for spares at times. They have been in a kind climate and not used on punishing operational missions. I think there is a good chance that many of those 190 will be useable. The Jordanian Army is pretty good at maintenance.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  Rudeboy

Rheinmetall is of course teamed with BAE in RBSL, which is building CR3s from CR2s.

Quentin D63
Quentin D63
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

Morning Graham, yes, looks like the UK is being a bit slow out of the blocks on this one. They’re British tanks after all. And maybe a few dozen extra for the UK as well? You’d hope things are going on behind the scenes as the UK has previously shown that it’s good shopping around for older kit.
Carry On 🇬🇧

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr Bell

I thought this would be the best option given the numbers and for allies to contribute monies to buy up as many as possible for the long haul.

No doubt some upgrades to them could be applied to them, comms ect.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr Bell

I agree the CR1s have promise, with 190 being decribed as being in service so assuming that means they are in better conditin than those described a sbeing in storage. I have been talking up CR1 for a long time. KADDB Jordan can refurb them if that is needed and we should pay for that.

We have only sent 5% of our CR2s but it would be an issue if we were to send a lot more.

John Stevens
John Stevens
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

I wonder if in the end we could send around 42 CR2’s leaving around 180 which could then be upgraded to CH3. So a slight up-lift on the planned 148 CR3 upgrades. Not sure if that is possible, just a thought.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  John Stevens

By 42 CR2s, you are talking about a further 28 to the 14 already agreed? That would give UA enough for a 31-tank battalion and 11 extra (another tank company’s worth).

We would have 185, which we could put through the CR3 conversion process. We could have two Type 56 regiments and a Type 44, with just enough over for Trg Org, Repair Pool, Attrition Reserve.

Great idea!

John Stevens
John Stevens
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

Hi Graham. Thanks for the reply. Cheers.. Have a good weekend.

edwinr
edwinr
1 year ago
Reply to  John Stevens

We need to send way more CR2s. No point in having them sit around the UK. In for a penny…

We can make up for the donated CR2s some other way.

Quentin D63
Quentin D63
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

Tongue in cheek, but we could almost double the UK tank fleet with that number too! Ukraine seriously needs them as a priority.

Monkey spanker
Monkey spanker
1 year ago
Reply to  Nigel Collins

I saw that article on Bulgarian military site. I don’t know how trust worthy it is. I can’t read German newspapers and haven’t looked at the companies website. Just this morning I read rhienmetal have said they can supply KF51 panthers by the end of the year. Lots of talk not much action. If and it’s a very big if the challenger 1 tanks are in a suitable state to be refurbished and can be fitted with modern sensors cheaply enough and have spares or spares can be made it’s viable. I’m sure ex army boys who operated and maintained… Read more »

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
1 year ago
Reply to  Monkey spanker

You can use google translate.

German industry offers more than 100 main battle tanks for Ukraine

Allied states and industry increase the pressure on Berlin. In addition to Leopard 1 and 2, the British model Challenger 1 is also up for debate. Now it’s the chancellor’s turn.

LINK

Last edited 1 year ago by Nigel Collins
Monkey spanker
Monkey spanker
1 year ago
Reply to  Nigel Collins

I could use google translate but I’m lazy 😂😂😂😂😂🙈
Thanks for the link

Last edited 1 year ago by Monkey spanker
farouk
farouk
1 year ago
Reply to  Monkey spanker

MS wrote: “”I don’t know how trust worthy it is.”” I’ve come across the site a number of times, I find it somewhat inaccurate such as this yesterday: https://i.postimg.cc/g0fbDB3T/Opera-Snapshot-2023-02-10-171356-bulgarianmilitary-com.png where it states: “”There aren’t many options, they’re actually missing. Britain has Tornado fighter-bombers. It is very unlikely that they will end up in Ukraine. These are aircraft for bombing deep into the enemy’s rear. And if we are talking about bombing the Russian positions in eastern Ukraine, the Tornados will have to counteract the Russian air defense. Without fighter jets, this cannot happen.”” and somewhat biased towards Russia, That said… Read more »

Monkey spanker
Monkey spanker
1 year ago
Reply to  farouk

I have read stuff on the website before and thought is this written by a Russian fanboy. I don’t know if it’s actually the official Bulgarian military’s website or just someone’s hobby. At I guess I would say the latter.
Most people should know that tornados are not viable and Ukraine already has SU24

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  Monkey spanker

190 of the Jordanian tanks are described as ‘in service’ rather than ‘in storage’. I expect they have used some/many of the 210 in storage as a source of spare parts if they have not been able to get certain items from the UK, suppliers having gone bust etc.

Monkey spanker
Monkey spanker
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

My other thought is can the large numbers of T72, T64 that Ukraine has be stripped down and made into suitable tank for Ukraine? It has lots of them. A modern PT91 twardy.
They bring broken tanks to the border, they get modernised and delivered back.

Last edited 1 year ago by Monkey spanker
Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  Monkey spanker

Possibly. I recall that Ukraine used to build tanks for the USSR and Warsaw Pact. Perhaps they can re-establish that ‘tank factory’ somewhere away from the fighting.

farouk
farouk
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

That factory (Kharkov Locomotive Factory) is in Kharkiv and has been extensively targeted by the Russians after their plan to decapitate the Government and instal a puppet government fail . That said the workers are still alive and currently beavering away in a hidden location

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
1 year ago
Reply to  Monkey spanker

Agreed 👍

George Amery
George Amery
1 year ago

Hi folks hope all is well.
Upon a closer glance zooming in using a magnifying glass, it does look like mat paint and the white streaks look like paint, not shiny reflection of glossy finish.
Anyway, well done to that Ukraine military unit they could do with the extra kit.
Cheers,
George

Bringer Of facts
Bringer Of facts
1 year ago

My fear is that Russia is playing ‘The Long game’ here, i.e they know they have more artillery and ordinance than Ukraine and hence using tactics of attrition.

I think some of the news reports we have been seeing about Russia running out of Tanks and Ordinances were a bit premature, the evidence is they are still firing and still attacking.

Chris
Chris
1 year ago

They are taking deliveries from North Korea, who has one of the largest artillery ordnance stockpiles in the world.

Mr Bell
Mr Bell
1 year ago
Reply to  Chris

That might be why Kim Jong and his family are looking tubby again. They are getting Russian food in exchange for artillery rounds and other ammo.
Wonder if Russian/ Chinese food shipments in exchange for ammo is going to filter down to the destitute North Korean population?

NorthernAlly
NorthernAlly
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr Bell

Speaking of North Korea, Kim’s daughter has been making a lot of appearances as of late. Speculation she’s the new heir to the throne, shes been very much centre stage in some photo shoots. Come of ladies break the glass ceiling we need more women dictators.

Wes Hardin
Wes Hardin
1 year ago

Russia borders Ukraine so they haven’t even got any logistical problems. it’s a huge advantage when you look at some other world conflicts where weapons and supplies have had to be transported hundreds or even thousands of miles.

PeterS
PeterS
1 year ago

Couple of vaguely related points. Wavell Room article states the T14 Armata is not being produced and almost certainly won’t be. Kremlin promising to modernize thousands of tanks with Medvedev tasked with increasing production. Further evidence of both the losses sustained and the inability of Russian industry to respond.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  PeterS

I last heard there are only 20 Armata T-14 and they are still going through Acceptance tests.

Nick C
Nick C
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

Could these be organised by the same people who brought us Ajax?

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  Nick C

Nick, which of my posts are you replying to?

Nick C
Nick C
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

The reply to Peter S. The Armata seem have been the future for a long time, like the Ajax programme.

David
David
1 year ago

Just a quick question – does anyone know if the equipment we are sending and the West in general has sent and continues to do so, is a loan or gift? I’m thinking this may vary from country to country but take the M1 Abrams or Leopard 2s Ukraine will be getting – will the US and Germany get these back once hostilities end? I think I read our C2s were gifted. If we do ever send Typhoons at some point, I can’t see the RAF allowing the Ukrainian AF keep them, given how expensive they are and how few… Read more »

Mr Bell
Mr Bell
1 year ago
Reply to  David

We can’t gift Ukraine any Eurofighter. The RAF already has too few high performance jets.
Purchasing Grippers or F16s from reserve stocks or used stocks is a much better idea. Typhoon is going to be needed for RAF.
I think the only way RAF can give tranche 1 typhoons is if they are replaced asap by tranche 3/4 aircraft.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr Bell

Weren’t the RAF binning the Tr1 Typhoons without replacement anyway?

Simon
Simon
1 year ago
Reply to  Mr Bell

Ukraine can’t pay, it’s being gifted. Of course challenger and typhoons were designed to take on bear.

JohninMK
JohninMK
1 year ago
Reply to  David

Ukraine has no money, its tax base has collapsed. It is currently being supported monthly by the US. Much of the money going in now is gifted but there is a lot of loans (old and new) which are unlikely to be ever be repaid. The debts are just too large for any realistic tax base to repay after the war has ended.

farouk
farouk
1 year ago
Reply to  JohninMK

JIMK wrote:

“”Ukraine has no money, its tax base has collapsed. It is currently being supported monthly by the US. Much of the money going in now is gifted but there is a lot of loans (old and new) which are unlikely to be ever be repaid. The debts are just too large for any realistic tax base to repay after the war has ended.””

To be fair, thats much like the aid the US and Uk provided Russia with during WW2

Anobium
Anobium
1 year ago
Reply to  farouk

And the USA did to the UK in WW2
It was called lend lease. We only finished paying them back in the 80s.

Monkey spanker
Monkey spanker
1 year ago
Reply to  JohninMK

The EU has been giving loans on great terms. No repayments until 2035 and the EU countries are picking up the interest. So basically we can imagine how much 15 billion euros will be worth by 2035. Certainly a lot less than today.
I doubt europe is going to let Ukraine go under.
The Ukrainian economy is actually exceeding expectations.
Still Russia needs to withdraw. Nobody wants to invade there

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  David

I assumed we had gifted most, if not all, of the materiel sent so far. Doubtless the Americans have sold everything at high price or come up with some sort of Lend-Lease deal whereby the Ukrainians are given x years to pay them.

Chris
Chris
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

The US assistance has no repayment clause.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  Chris

Thanks. Great that the US is gifting their equipment and not seeking payment.

Spyinthesky
Spyinthesky
1 year ago
Reply to  David

The majority of the major equipment the US has sent was, or was getting towards end of life even the M777 was going to be reduced substantially in numbers though experience in Ukraine has likely reversed that proposal it’s been reported. There are exceptions of course HIMARS being the most obvious but that’s probably why to a degree they have been only filtered through conservatively. And we know how reluctant Biden is to send Abrams, be easier to get a prisoner of Colour off of Death row,

farouk
farouk
1 year ago

Came across this tweet the other week and its a fairly recent video clip of what it is inside a BMP3

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago

Need to also report any Ukrainian failures to have a full picture.
BTW, who started this trend of using the word ‘likely’ in place of ‘probably’? – it sounds very American.

Nick C
Nick C
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

“Likely” is used a lot by the Institute for the Study of War, which is indeed based in Washington DC. Well worth a daily look at their website, which is very informative.

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  Nick C

Nick, You likely have the answer on this!
I stumbled across their recent Ukraine war report – very detailed!

Jonathan
Jonathan
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

Hi Graham it’s actually risk manager speak…both likely and probably are very specific risk management terms from a standardised risk management matrix ( the Australian risk matrix) everyone who deals with and assesses life and limb risks tend to use it now as a way to explain and quantify risk, giving a risk a score between 2 and 25…with 25 being a catastrophic risk that will happen ( this was the risk score for a pandemic on the national risk register, which was over egging the pudding a bit but in any one year we where always expecting it to… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Jonathan
syd
syd
1 year ago

the Russian soldiers are fighting just to please putin. the Ukrainian soldiers are fighting to save the lives of everybody in there country everybody as to support them

John
John
1 year ago

The World is looking at a catastrophe in the making.

Ukraine is in urgent need of fighter Jets!! Not promises of further debates!!

Without Jets they will loose!!!!!

David Owen
David Owen
1 year ago

The war in ukraine has been a wake up call for us,bottom line get our armed forces up to scratch, buy off the shelf stuff we know that works ,money for the defence budget cancel hs2 monstrosity ,1billion a mile makes me sick ,there’s the money for defence alone for years,hospitals, schools, more for our beautiful nhs ,but get objections from greedy people who are tied up in hs 2 money and it has been stated ,so come on next decent government get the finger pulled from ones arse,OUR ARMED FORCES NEED THE PEOPLE AND EQUIPMENT THAT DEFEND OUR COUNTRY… Read more »

Graham Moore
Graham Moore
1 year ago
Reply to  David Owen

I agree. In 1934 a governmental Rearmament Committee was set up – we just got ready for WW2, some 5 years later. With todays sophisticated kit and less of a manufacturing sector, then perhaps we need 10 years to be ready for a major conflict, especially the army.

David Owen
David Owen
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

Graham bang on,action required very urgently,

Mark B
Mark B
1 year ago
Reply to  Graham Moore

Across the defence sector we need to supplement traditional weapons with inteligent defensive weapons in significant numbers. Javelin and NLAW made a significant difference over the last year and I’m sure new weapons could be created to plug the gap until we have restocked.

Mark B
Mark B
1 year ago
Reply to  David Owen

Wow 😀 The HS2 project has left the station and would probably cost more to scrap than complete. At the end of the day we need to invest wisely in all areas of society. As for our leaders it should perhaps be remembered that we all picked them. It should also be remembered that Ben & Boris quickly agreed a plan which surely saved Kiev from being overrun in the early days of the war whilst foreign governments dithered. The best people to run our country would not be seen dead anywhere near politics – personally until we choose our… Read more »

Jack Sullivan
Jack Sullivan
1 year ago

Why can’t the Ukrainians utilize the abandoned armored vehicles and use them against the Russians?

Wes Hardin
Wes Hardin
1 year ago

It all ‘likely’ ‘most probably’ information suggests! None of it’s worth a light.