There’s quite a lot of combat footage of Russian Special forces having little protection, no helmets. The footage is extremely graphic so not going to post it. (If you want to see it, Reddit r/combatfootage). The Russians were identified as Special Forces by the vehicle they were in (unique to Special Forces) before it was hit. Drones finished them off. Really sad that they are being sent in as disposable.
Ukraine has widened the bridge head across the Dnipro River out to 20km in Kherson and taken a number of villages back. They have also established a second bridgehead east of there nearer where the dam was blown by the Russians.
Near Bakhmut Russia lost more troops and equipment than in the first few days of the war. The Ukrainians have pushed east and Russia is trying to outflank them from the north and the south. Ukraine is wiping them out. The Russians have slowed aerial sorties because they have lost five jets and lots of helicopters.
So now they have pushed toward Tokmak which is a vital link in the Russian supply line. I was listening to a podcast about war economics and how it affects use of resources. In most modern armies mines are used to a particular formula. Least cost v chances of casualty v chance of tanks being destroyed in a mined environment. The Russians have thrown that out the window and mined most of the eastern and SE front with 5 mines per square meter. Instead of the defensive mine field extending 50m, they are doing it at 500m. This is the reason the Ukrainian counter offensive has been so slow. It is a mine intensity that until now was unheard of. Tokmak is only 12km away but when there are mine fields 500m deep and at 5 mines per m2, that’s a long 12km.
Ukrainians have now been able to make good advances. A weakened Russia can pull troops and equipment from Bakhmut area and reinforce in the south but don’t have the resources to defend all three advances.
NATO mine sweepers from two countries are clearing a safe passage in the Black Sea.
The last few days have been huge for Ukraine.
The arrival of Danish F-16’s and Swedish Grippens (they will be the strongest game changer IMO) are going to give the Ukrainians great control of the skies. Best of all will be the ability to use the Storm Shadow missiles to their full featured effect. Currently they are being back yard hacked onto the Ukrainian Su24 Flankers. They have greatly limited capabilities. It was described as “making an iPhone compatible with a clay tablet”.
