(Image by NEIVANMADE)
Just a shortish update tonight. It’s already been that kind of week… I’m aware of and have read the WaPo reporting about what certain Ukrainian Soldiers and anonymous government officials are saying versus the official line of how the war is going. I will try to deal with it tomorrow night.
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump:
The strength of our defense and security forces is in the strength of our people – address by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
14 March 2023 – 23:37
Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!
Today is quite an emotional day. I had the honor of presenting state awards to our warriors and the families of our warriors on the occasion of the Day of the Ukrainian Volunteer. To the mother of the Hero of Ukraine Oleksandr Matsievskyi. To the father and wife of the Hero of Ukraine Taras Bobanych.
To the men and women who defend our country, standing up for it at the call of a pure Ukrainian heart.
Today’s decrees honor 363 Ukrainian volunteers, 47 of them posthumously.
Hundreds of thousands of our people have become Ukrainian volunteers since February 24 and since 2014, defending Ukraine from Russian aggression. Millions are helping! They are searching for everything necessary for defense, healing and rehabilitating the wounded, rescuing after Russian strikes, and working for Ukraine and Ukrainians. The strength of our defense and security forces is in the strength of our people.
And the strength of Ukrainians and the state as a whole is based on the fact that Ukrainians become warriors at a crucial time – they do not lose their grip, they fight, they do not seek what doesn’t belong to them, they do everything to regain their own.
We will win this war. We are doing everything for this. We support each other. We reinforce the state. We unite the world for the sake of our victory, which actually consists of the actions of all those who are fighting for Ukraine, who are fighting for our country and for their brothers-in-arms, who are doing everything in order not to let the enemy take either our land or Ukrainian glory.
I would like to express special gratitude for this chevron, Da Vinci chevron of Hero of Ukraine Dmytro Kotsiubailo, which was handed over to me today by Ms. Alina Mykhailova. And for another chevron from the guys, which was handed over at the ceremony. It is an honor for me. Thank you.
I held a meeting of the Staff. There were reports from the Commander-in-Chief, intelligence, and commanders of directions.
The main focus is on the Khortytsia operational and strategic group of troops and Bakhmut. There is a clear position of the entire Staff: to reinforce this direction, to inflict maximum possible damage upon the occupier.
General Tarnavsky then reported on the Tavria, which is part of the Donetsk and southern directions. General Moskaliov reported on the situation for the Odesa operational and strategic group of troops. General Nayev reported on the North.
Of course, we are constantly considering the supply of ammunition and weapons at the Staff’s meetings.
We are constantly working with our partners to increase pressure on Russia.
Today, Mrs. Prime Minister of Iceland paid a visit to Kyiv. A country that helps Ukraine politically and humanitarianly, that adds its voice to the global coalition of defenders of Ukraine and freedom.
We discussed cooperation in the Euro-Atlantic and European directions, in international structures. One of the key issues is the punishment of the terrorist state and all Russian murderers. We are preparing for the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe to be held in the capital of Iceland, which may be of great importance for bringing Russia to justice for its aggression.
Today, I also spoke with Mr. Murdoch, CEO of Fox Corporation and Co-Chairman of News Corp, one of the leading media organizations in the United States.
A year ago, on this very day, a group of journalists working for Fox came under fire from the Russian military in the Kyiv region, in Horenka. Pierre Zakrzewski and Oleksandra Kuvshynova were killed, and Benjamin Hall was seriously wounded. In total, dozens of media workers have been killed and injured in a little over a year. We value every life, and we remember each and every one of them.
Honoring them, honoring all those whose lives or health were taken by this war, we are making every effort to bring the end of Russian aggression closer. To bring the punishment of the terrorist state closer. We are making every effort to bring the Ukrainian victory closer.
Glory to all those who are now fighting for our country!
Glory to all who stood up for Ukraine!
Blessed memory and eternal honor to all those whose lives were taken by Russian shelling and strikes!
Glory to Ukraine!
Jr. Lt. @Mykhailova_A , call sign Ulf, presented a chevrone of her fallen fiance, Jr. Lt, Hero of Ukraine, Dmytro “Da Vinci” Kotsyubailo to @ZelenskyyUA
Alina was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi 3rd Class. pic.twitter.com/x8aiG3Q8LZ— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 14, 2023
Here’s today’s operational update from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. Machine translation from their Telegram channel:
!️Operational information as of 18.00 14.03.2023 regarding the Russian invasion
▪️The Russian aggressor focuses on the offensive in the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiyevsky, Mariinsky and Shakhtar directions. The enemy does not leave attempts to reach the administrative border of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
▪️During the day the enemy inflicted 30 air strikes and 8 missile strikes, one of which is in the city of Kramatorsk. Three-story residential building damaged, are dead and wounded among the local population. Another missile strike by the occupiers inflicted on the city of the Gulf of Odesa region – the wreckage of the rocket damaged one of the buildings of the children’s educational institution “Golden Fish”. There are no casualties or losses among the local population.
Also, the occupiers fired more than 33 at jet-fire jet systems.
▪️In the Kupiansky and Lyman directions, during the ongoing day, enemy unsuccessfully tried to break through the defense of our troops. INanother artillery shelling was carried out by a number of settlements along the line of battle, namely: Dvorichna, Hryanovyka, Masyutivka, Krokhmale Kharkiv region; Novoselivsky, Makiyivka, Nevsky, Dibrovka, Belogorivka and Zolotarka of the Luhansk region. The occupiers took unsuccessful offensive actions in the direction of the White Rate.
▪️In the Bakhmut direction the enemy does not leave attempts to capture the city of Bakhmut, where constant positional fighting continues. IN the same time our defenders reflected enemy attacks in the settlements of Yagidne, Khromove and Orykhovo-Vasilivka. Enemy shelling was carried out, in particular, by Nikiforivka, Vasyukivka, Minkovka, Dubovo-Vasilivka, Bakhmut, Ivanovske, Konstantinivka, Kurdyumivka, Ozaryanovka and Dilyivka of the Donetsk region.
▪️In the Avdiivsky, Mariinsky and Shakhtar directions the enemy carried out unsuccessful offensive actions in the direction of the settlements of Kamyanka, Nevelsk, Novokalinov and Marjinka. Enemy shelling was carried out, in particular, by Berdychi, Kamyanka, Avdiyivka, Vodyane, Netailove, Krasnyrovka, Nevel, Marinka, Georgivka and Vugledar of the Donetsk region.
▪️During the last day in the village Apricot of the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region the enemy, with the active support of the local occupation so-called “power”, carried out filtering measures against the local population. The reason for the search of private homes, the inspection of mobile vehicles, personal laptops and computers was the entry of the Defense Forces of Ukraine into the base of one of the units of the army rf. As a result completely 4 units of armored vehicles ( BMP/SAU) and at least 15 occupiers were destroyed. The number of wounded is checked and clarified.
▪️An additional 1,000 enemy troops have been stationed on the territory of the coastal turbases and boarding houses of the Yalta city of the Donetsk region over the past few days. In this regard, the nearest streets and the entire beach area are completely blocked, additional checkpoints are set up and the number of infantry patrols has been doubled. Equipment of engineering barriers and trenches and molds on the territory of the recreation bases in the immediate vicinity to the places of base of the occupiers was noticed. The number of training shootings on various weapons in the direction of the sea has also increased.
️The Defense Forces aircraft caused a day 9 strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the occupiers, and 🇺🇦units of rocket troops and artillery affected 2 areas of concentration of enemy personnel.
Support 🇺🇦Armed Forces! Let’s win together!
Glory to Ukraine!🇺🇦🇺🇦General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Ukraine is a maritime state.
We will defend our Black&Azov Seas as we do our land and skies.
I'm very grateful to the 🇳🇱 people, @MinPres Mark Rutte and my colleague @DefensieMin Kajsa Ollongren for the decision to provide 2 Alkmaar-class minehunters for the @UA_NAVY!
🇺🇦🤝🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/NSSpUqaUTD— Oleksii Reznikov (@oleksiireznikov) March 14, 2023
Here is former NAVDEVGRU Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer’s most recent assessment of the situations in Svatove and Bakhmut:
SVATOVE AXIS /2040 UTC 14 MAR/ RU has registered incremental advances across the P-66 HWY between Svatove & Chervonopopivka. The (FEBA) essentially conforms to the Zherebets River valley. A RU probe at Nevske was repulsed. UKR forces are in contact in the urban area of Kreminna. pic.twitter.com/dS5kT3bTsz
— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) March 14, 2023
BAKHMUT CITY /2120 UTC 14 MAR/ RU forces have advanced across the T-05-13 HWY in the northern and southern urban areas of Bakhmut. UKR forces mounted a counterattack at Dubovo-Vasylivka; a RU thrust at Ivanivske was also broken up. pic.twitter.com/kSYBOKt6CA
— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) March 14, 2023
Bakhmut:
"Philosopher" and "Sky" are participants of a famous battle of the 3rd Assault Brigade near Bakhmut. On January 19, lads went to their position and were forced to immediately engage in a firefight with the "Wagner" PMC. In this interview, they give us more https://t.co/IjPintrL6W… https://t.co/JFNgRTdd3s pic.twitter.com/d6Dxp0R4iS
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) March 14, 2023
Vuhledar:
Video from the other side: Intense footage shows a group of Russian soldiers from the 155th Brigade pinned down by tank and artillery fire in one of the buildings in the Vuhledar dachas (allegedly).
It appears that the Ukrainian attack came very close with soldiers reporting a… https://t.co/SWMGm2Cpve pic.twitter.com/l2nevUxJiR
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) March 14, 2023
Kharkiv and several other locations:
We had four nationwide air raid alerts today, and 12 in Kharkiv alone. Missile attack in Kramatorsk, 4 missiles targeting air defense in Odesa, recon drone in Dnipro. Russia attacks in waves, attempts to locate and exhaust Ukrainian air defense.
📷 Bus stop/shelter in Kharkiv pic.twitter.com/6ORzmoiPkp— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) March 14, 2023
Odesa:
Russian missile attack on Odesa region. Two Su-24 bombers launched four Kh-31 cruise missiles towards the coast. All four shot down over the Black Sea, debris and explosive wave damaged kindergarten. Each missile costs $550,000. pic.twitter.com/WJCcZoubuZ
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) March 14, 2023
ABC News reports that Russian fighters collided with a US drone and forced it down near Ukraine:
A Russian fighter jet collided with the rear propeller of an unmanned U.S. military drone over the international waters of the Black Sea on Tuesday morning, forcing the U.S. to bring the drone down off the coast of Ukraine, U.S. officials said.
The incident, which involved two Russian jets, was denounced as “unsafe and unprofessional” by the U.S. State Department. A spokesman called it a “brazen violation of international law” that led to the summoning of Russia’s ambassador for a diplomatic meeting in Washington.
Afterward, the ambassador, Anatoly Antonov, insisted that the Russian jets had not hit or fired on the drone.
The Russians claimed Tuesday that the drone was acting as an “intruder” and flying toward Russia’s borders.
U.S. European Command, or EUCOM, labeled the incident as “dangerous” and said in a statement that it could “lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation.”
A U.S. official was equally blunt — telling ABC News that the Russian pilot who hit the drone, seemingly unintentionally, was acting “reckless and juvenile.”
“At approximately 7:03 AM [local time], one of the Russian Su-27 aircraft struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters,” EUCOM said in its statement.
EUCOM said the incident “demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional.”
“Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,” EUCOM added.
The incident is apparently the latest in what EUCOM described as “a pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with U.S. and Allied aircraft over international airspace, including over the Black Sea.”
“Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9,” U.S. Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker, commander of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa, said in a statement. “In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash.”
“U.S. and Allied aircraft will continue to operate in international airspace and we call on the Russians to conduct themselves professionally and safely,” Hecker added.
The unarmed MQ-9 drone had taken off from Romania and was flying at an altitude of 25,000 feet in international airspace southwest of Crimea with its transponder on when it was intercepted by the two Russian fighter jets, which were Su-27s, a U.S. Air Force official told ABC News.
Over a span of at least 30 minutes, the two jets executed 19 close passes by the drone, spraying some of their jet fuel on the craft during the last three or four of those passes, the official said.
The collision occurred on the last pass as one of the Su-27s approached the drone at a high rate of speed from behind, according to the official: As the jet pulled up, it collided with the MQ-9’s rear propeller.
One of the MQ-9’s propeller blades was bent in the collision and though there was a momentary loss of contact, controllers were able to glide the drone into the Black Sea “a fair distance” from where the collision had occurred.
“There’s no concern for sensitive information being obtained from the drone but the U.S. is looking at all options at this time as it considers next steps,” the U.S. official said.
The official described the collision as resulting from “the pure incompetence” of the Russian pilot whose actions were “flat-out dumb.”
More at the link!
That’s enough for tonight.
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War for Ukraine Day 384: I Think The Numbers Are Back on TrackPost + Comments (40)