Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin.
This ain't a good look when the Ukrainians do it, either.
[ColonelCassad] Updated information on the result of today's attack by the Russian Armed Forces in Odessa.
Among the defeats: the logistics base in Burlachaya Balka, long-term secondary detonation.
Among the 16 dead are senior police officials: A. Gostishchev, former deputy of the GUNP, commander of the “Tsunami” battalion, S. Tetyukhin, former deputy city mayor, also D. Abramenko, deputy. chief of the GUNP, head of the department of preventive activities in the Odessa region - as a result of a strike on the construction site of the personnel of the "LYUT" brigade in the area of Kovalevsky's Dachas.
Special thanks to the local population who took part in transmitting the exact coordinates for guidance.
⚔️ WELDERS ( https://t.me/svarschiki )
After the police arrived, there was an additional rocket when the rescuers were trying to clear the rubble.
PS. The Cocaine Fuhrer called it a "dastardly blow."
Yeah, that's a kick in the ass. The Odessa underground did a great job.
Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 21:32 This year’s elections in the Russian Federation are “explosive” due to border fighting and shelling. Even Putin decided to vote online. Read more in the material Songs and Explosions.
20:55 Greece has joined the Coalition for Demining Ukraine, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said. In total, there are already 20 NATO member countries in this coalition.
20:04 The Cabinet of Ministers approved the location of the National War Memorial Cemetery in the Kiev region. It will be created on two sites in the Gatno community of the Fastovsky district.
19:18 In Odessa, the number of deaths as a result of a Russian missile attack has increased to 20, the State Emergency Service reported. The head of the OVA, Oleg Kiper, noted that as a result of the attack, gas and electricity utilities in the city were damaged, leaving 535 subscribers without power supply.
18:21 The G7 issued a statement in which it once again called on third parties, including Iran, to immediately stop material support for “Russia’s illegal and unjustified aggressive war against Ukraine.” The statement said that the supply of Iranian ballistic missiles to Russia would increase regional destabilization and would be a significant escalation of Tehran's support for the war in Ukraine. “If Iran decides to provide ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia, we stand ready to respond quickly and in a coordinated manner, including through new and significant measures against Iran,” the G7 countries warned.
18:16 At the end of February, French President Emmanuel Macron did not rule out that NATO troops would be sent to Ukraine in the future. Later, Paris tried to clarify the president's words and soften the reaction to them. However, on the evening of March 14, Ukrainian Telegram channels spread news from France News 24 about the alleged transfer of regiments of French troops to Romania for deployment in Odessa. Read more in the material Western troops in Odessa: fake or reality.
18:07 Zelensky said that he held important military meetings today. In particular, I heard Syrsky’s report on the situation in the Avdeevsky direction and other key sectors of the front; held a meeting with a wide range of military and intelligence services, at which they identified the enemy’s most vulnerable spots - “those where we can cause him the greatest harm, and will do so.”
Another meeting is with representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers, the defense industry and other departments for the production of high-tech drones. “Ukraine has such weapons, but they must become more long-range, massive and powerful. We have determined the appropriate tasks and deadlines. Not a single Russian terrorist attack should go unanswered,” the president emphasized.
17:59 The Russians fired S-300 missiles at Zolochev, Kharkov region, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OBA. As a result of the strike, the premises of the dormitory and the emergency medical aid station were destroyed. The premises of the Zolochiv hospital were also damaged. Two ambulance vehicles were destroyed and two more were damaged. No people were hurt.
17:40 Scholz said after a meeting with Macron and Tusk that the proceeds from frozen Russian assets will be used to purchase weapons for Ukraine. The Chancellor also assured that the EU will purchase more weapons on the world market and increase its own production. At the same time, he emphasized that the countries that support Ukraine “are not in a state of war with Russia.” In addition, the Chancellor announced the creation of a coalition within the Ramstein format to supply Ukraine with long-range artillery.
Macron, in turn, said that France, Germany and Poland agreed “never to provoke an escalation in Ukraine.”
17:08 In Odessa, the number of those injured as a result of the Russian strike increased to 73, 16 people were killed, said the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Igor Klimenko. According to him, there are losses among the National Police personnel.
16:50 As a result of a missile attack in Odessa, former first deputy mayor Sergei Tetyukhin was killed, said the mayor of the city Gennady Trukhanov. Also, as a result of the strike, the former head of the patrol police of the Odessa region, Alexander Gostishchev, was killed. After the full-scale invasion, he became the commander of the Tsunami battalion.
16:23 The number of victims as a result of the Russian missile attack on Odessa has increased to 16, another 55 people with injuries are in the hospital, said the head of the OBA Oleg Kiper.
16:04 In Russia they claim shelling and bombing of “polling stations” on the left bank of the Kherson region. In particular, there were shellings in Kakhovka and Brilevka, and there were casualties. And in Skadovsk, near the “precinct”, an improvised explosive device planted in a trash can exploded.
15:58 In the morning, the Russians fired at the village of Dolinka, Vozdvizhenskaya territorial community, Pologovsky district, Zaporozhye region, one person was killed, the prosecutor’s office reported.
15:45 In Russia, they report numerous cases of damage to ballots in ballot boxes with paint and brilliant green. And in St. Petersburg, a girl threw a Molotov cocktail at a polling station sign.
15:22 The Russians hit Odessa with Iskander-M missiles fired from Crimea, the Southern Defense Forces reported. As a result of the attack on civilian infrastructure, a three-story building of a recreational facility was destroyed, at least ten private houses, a service station, a low-pressure gas pipeline, ambulances and fire-rescue vehicles were damaged. Rescuers have extinguished the fire and clearing of the rubble continues.
14:49 Serious problems have been recorded in the operation of the electronic voting system in elections in Russia. Ukrainian media report, citing sources, that this is the work of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
14:37 The Swedish government has decided to transfer nine Coast Guard jet skis to Ukraine. Jet skis are in demand in Ukraine, and according to coast guard officials, they can be donated to Ukraine immediately.
14:34 The European Commission announced that it has allocated 500 million euros for the production of ammunition, which will allow the European defense industry to increase the production capacity of projectiles to 2 million per year until the end of 2025.
14:11 As a result of a Russian missile attack in Odessa, 14 people were killed, including local residents, a doctor and a rescuer. Another 46 people, including seven State Emergency Service employees, were injured. Tomorrow, mourning will be declared in Odessa and the region, said Oleg Kiper, head of the OBA.
13:33 President of Latvia Edgars Rinkevics supported Macron’s statements: “I fully support Emmanuel Macron: we should not draw red lines for ourselves, we should draw red lines for Russia, and we should not be afraid to stick to them. Ukraine must win, Russia must win ".
13:08 Governor of the Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov said that as a result of the new shelling of Belgorod, one person was killed and two were injured. According to him, ten air targets were allegedly shot down on approach to the city.
12:55 Russian public pages write about an explosion at a polling station in Belgorod.
12:52 The Russians launched a missile attack on Odessa, there were casualties, said Oleg Kiper, head of the OBA. It is known that as a result of the second attack, a paramedic and an employee of the State Emergency Service, who came to the scene after the first explosion, were killed. There are also seriously wounded among the doctors and rescuers. The total number of victims is being clarified.
12:37 Portugal will allocate 100 million euros for the Czech initiative on ammunition for Ukraine from third countries, the country’s Ministry of Defense reported.
12:18 Ukraine has returned the bodies of another 100 dead defenders, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War reported.
11:56 Recently, information appeared online that the president of the Russian Red Cross is related to a pro-Putin “patriotic” organization, and RKK employees talk about the impossibility of peace with the “Ukrainian Nazis.” In addition, the RKK takes part in military training and exercises for children, who are being taught the ideology of continuing the war against Ukraine. Ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets said that he had already sent a letter to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent demanding that they condemn such actions and conduct a transparent investigation into the actions of the RKK.
Lubinets recalled that the RKK is part of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and therefore is obliged to comply with the missions and principles of the movement - in particular, the principle of neutrality.
11:12 The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense claims that Russian “election commissions” will try to increase the number of voters by attracting so-called dead souls to “vote”. In particular, along with existing military personnel, they plan to add to the number of “voters” those who have recently died, gone missing, or been captured. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate, the leadership of the Russian Defense Ministry allowed military personnel taking part in the war in Ukraine to vote even without appearing at the “polling stations” and without having original documents.
10:41 Ukrainian media write, citing sources, that the attack on the petrochemical enterprise First Plant in the Kaluga region was an operation by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
10:38 The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Russian troops allegedly drove out the “Ukrainian landing force” from Kozinki in Belgorodskaya, which was landed by helicopters a kilometer from the border.
10:27 At night, three drones hit an oil refinery in the Kaluga region, damaging the plant’s equipment, reports the opposition Russian publication Astra. Governor Vladislav Shapsha said that four drones were allegedly shot down in the region, there were no casualties or destruction of infrastructure. However, according to journalists, only one drone was actually shot down, and three hit the oil refining equipment of the First Plant petrochemical plant in the village of Polotnyany Zavod. There was a fire and the equipment was damaged. No people were hurt.
10:09 Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala adjusted his plan for a conversation with allies regarding the initiative to purchase 800 thousand ammunition for Ukraine, having learned that the pro-Russian Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico will also be at the table, reports the Czech publication Aktualne. According to sources, Fiala deleted several details from his speech, fearing that because of Fico, strategically important information could become known in Moscow.
09:24 Russian public pages write about heavy shelling of Belgorod; voting in the presidential elections in the Russian Federation had to be suspended. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the destruction of seven RM-70 Vampire missiles in the air over the Belgorod region. The Russian Freedom Legion, meanwhile, warns that the election days will be “turbulent.”
09:21 In the Avdeevsky direction, the Russians have been trying to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops in the zones of three brigades for several days, Syrsky said following a visit to the positions of the Defense Forces. According to him, in the current conditions, the most effective way of conducting defense is the destruction of armored vehicles and enemy infantry assault groups by artillery fire, the actions of armored groups, the complex use of strike unmanned systems of various types, as well as protecting one’s units from enemy drones using electronic warfare in combination with the destruction of control posts enemy UAV missile strikes and artillery.
08:54 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of March 15:
personnel - about 428,420 (+580) people,
tanks - 6758 (+1),
armored combat vehicles - 12,949 (+11),
artillery systems - 10,580 (+15),
MLRS - 1017 (+0),
air defense systems - 717 (+0),
aircraft - 347 (+0),
helicopters - 325 (+0),
UAV of operational-tactical level - 8254 (+34),
cruise missiles - 1920 (+0),
ships/boats - 26 (+0),
submarines - 1 (+0),
automotive equipment and tank trucks - 13,993 (+34),
special equipment - 1711 (+3).
08:38 Over the past 24 hours, 76 military clashes took place at the front, the General Staff reported in its morning report. In particular, the enemy tried 24 times to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops in the Novopavlovsk direction - in the areas of Krasnohorivka, Georgievka, Novomikhailovka and Vodyanoye of the Donetsk region. Another 20 attacks were repelled in the Avdeevsky direction - in the areas of the settlements of Berdychi, Orlovka, Tonenkoye, Pervomaiskoye, Donetsk region.
The enemy did not conduct offensive actions in the Kupyansk direction. In the Liman direction, the Defense Forces repelled 16 enemy attacks in the areas of Ternov, Yampolevka, Razdolovka of the Donetsk region and Belogorivka of the Lugansk region; on Bakhmutsky - five attacks in the Bogdanovka, Ivanovsky and Kleshcheevka districts of the Donetsk region; on Orekhovsky - seven attacks in the areas of Staromayorskoye, Donetsk region, as well as Rabotino and west of Verbovoye, Zaporozhye region; on Kherson - one attack on the positions of Ukrainian troops.
08:26 One of the victims died in a hospital in the Vinnytsia region as a result of yesterday’s drone strike on a residential building, said the head of the OVA Sergei Borzov. Thus, the death toll increased to two, three people were hospitalized. He also said that there was serious destruction in the Belgorod village of Kozinka, the residents were taken to a safe place.
07:35 In Krivoy Rog, the number of victims as a result of the Russian strike on March 13 increased to 52 - two more people sought medical help. Among the victims are 13 children. 16 people remain in hospitals, said the head of the OVA, Sergei Lysak.
07:09 Air defense at night destroyed all 27 Shahed-type attack UAVs, which Russia attacked from Primorsko-Akhtarsk and the Kursk region, the Air Force command reported. Drones were destroyed within the Kirovograd, Nikolaev, Kharkov, Kherson, Khmelnytsky, Vinnitsa, and Kyiv regions. In addition, the enemy hit seven S-300/S-400 anti-aircraft guided missiles in the Kharkov and Donetsk regions and one X-59 guided aircraft missile in the Poltava region.
04:54 The next, 20th meeting in the Ramstein format will take place on Monday, March 18, at the air force base of the same name in Germany. The meeting will be chaired personally by Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin, said Deputy Pentagon Speaker Sabrina Singh.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] The occupiers stopped the assault on one of the directions
The Russian Federation decided to abandon assaults in one of the directions; the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine provided details.
During the day, 68 military clashes were recorded at the front. In the Bakhmut direction, the Russian invaders did not conduct offensive actions. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced this in an evening report on Friday, March 15.
In total, Russian troops carried out eight missile and 57 air strikes, and carried out 46 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems on positions of Ukrainian troops and populated areas.
In the Kupyansk direction, the Defense Forces repulsed three enemy attacks in the areas of the settlements of Sinkovka and Tabaevka in the Kharkov region, where the enemy tried to improve its tactical position.
In the Liman direction, soldiers repulsed nine attacks by the occupiers in the areas of the settlements of Belogorovka in the Luhansk region and Terny, Razdolovka in the Donetsk region, where the Russians, with the support of aviation, tried to break through the defenses.
In the Bakhmut direction the enemy did not conduct offensive (assault) operations. In the Avdeevsky direction, defenders repelled more than 20 enemy attacks in the areas of the settlements of Berdichi, Orlovka, Tonenkoye, Pervomaiskoye, Donetsk region.
In the Novopavlovsk direction, the Defense Forces continue to restrain the Russian invaders in the areas of Krasnohorivka, Georgievka, Novomikhailovka of the Donetsk region, where the invaders, with the support of aviation, tried to break through the defense 22 times.
In the Orekhovsky direction, the enemy attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders five times in the Staromayorsky district of the Donetsk region and Robotinoy of the Zaporozhye region. In the Kherson direction, within 24 hours the enemy carried out three unsuccessful assaults on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
During the day, Defense Forces aircraft carried out strikes on seven areas where enemy personnel, weapons and military equipment were concentrated.
Let us remind you that over the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian Armed Forces liquidated 580 occupiers. Since the beginning of the war, the Russian Army has lost more than 428 thousand soldiers in Ukraine.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] Ukrainian Armed Forces hold back Russian offensive.
The enemy supports offensive actions with intense artillery fire and the use of FPV drones and drop drones. The Federal Air Transport Agency carries out strikes with KABs from a distance of 40 - 50 km.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexander Syrsky said that he visited units in the Avdiivka direction.
“I worked in the Avdeevsky direction, where the enemy concentrated the main efforts and has been trying for several days to break through the defenses of our troops in the zones of three brigades, daily throwing assault units into battle on equipment and on foot,” Syrsky noted.
According to him, the enemy supports offensive actions with intense artillery fire and the active use of FPV drones and drones with drops. Russian aviation strikes with CABs from a distance of 40 - 50 km, artillery positions and the main elements of the battle formation are covered by electronic warfare equipment.
“Under these conditions, the most effective way of conducting defense is the destruction of armored vehicles and enemy infantry assault groups by artillery fire, the actions of armored groups, the complex use of strike unmanned systems of various types, protection of one’s units from enemy drones by means of electronic warfare in combination with the destruction of control points of enemy UAVs by attacks from missile systems and artillery fire. It was the organization and provision of these issues that my work was devoted to,” said the commander-in-chief.
He added that, together with the commanders, he reviewed the optimal options for the actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the maneuver of reserves, the supply of ammunition and other materiel. All necessary measures have been taken to strengthen defense and organize constant interaction between all elements of the operational structure in this direction.
Let us remind you that, according to the General Staff, 20 attacks were repulsed in the Avdeevsky direction during the day, and in Novopavlovsky the enemy tried to break through the defenses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces 24 times.
As reported, the Russian army has lost more than 428 thousand soldiers in Ukraine since the beginning of the war.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[RIA] Ukrainian hackers from the Beregini group published data from the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the losses of Abrams tanks in the Telegram channel.
“Today we will tell you about the vaunted Abrams, whose hour was short and useless. We will also show you the documents of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, where they are written off for scrap metal,” the publication says.
Thus, one of the tanks with serial number UKR002 was irretrievably lost near the village of Berdychi as a result of an attack by two drones. The commander was killed, two crew members were injured, it follows from the documents. Another tank, number UKR006, abandoned its crew. Another car with number UKR005 was damaged in the Semenovka area.
During the special military operation, Russian troops have already destroyed dozens of German Leopard tanks, several British Challengers and French wheeled AMX-10RCs.
M1 Abrams is the main battle tank of the United States, serial production began in 1980. It is in service with the American Army and Marine Corps, as well as the armed forces of Egypt, Australia, Morocco and some Middle Eastern states. The M1 Abrams is one of the heaviest tanks, its combat weight exceeds 62 tons. It is equipped with a 120 mm smoothbore gun. The tank has strong armor only at the front, a powerful engine with high fuel consumption and heat radiation, manual loading of the gun instead of automatic, a vulnerable additional engine and a high price.
The United States promised to transfer 31 Abrams units to the Kyiv regime, and the media reported the start of deliveries in September last year. At the same time, as The Wall Street Journal wrote, Ukrainian officials admitted that the appearance of these vehicles in the Armed Forces of Ukraine would not be able to change the situation at the front.
The Kremlin has repeatedly emphasized that the Abrams tanks supplied to Ukraine will burn, like other Western equipment.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] At polling stations in Kuban on the first day of voting in the presidential election, observers are being obstructed, and employers are demanding voters report their participation in voting, the authors of the allegations of violations reported.
As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, voting in the presidential election is taking place in Russia from March 15 to 17. In Prokhladny, police gave activist Anastasia Yemelyanova a warning against “anti-social behavior” after she announced plans to spoil a ballot.
The "Caucasian Knot" posts materials on the nomination of candidates and voting in the Russian presidential elections in 2024 on the thematic page "Putin's 5th Elections".
In the Krasnodar Territory, 46 complaints of violations were received from voters, observers and members of election commissions, indicated as of 12.00 Moscow time on the website “Map of Election Violations”, maintained by the “Voice” movement*.
Five of the 46 applications were received today. Thus, in Gelendzhik, an observer reported that in at least three polling stations “observers are not allowed to observe, because they find fault with the address in the notification submitted to the TEC, or rather, with its incompleteness.” “For example, the address “city of Krymsk” is indicated, and the commission requires “Krymsky district, city of Krymsk”. Considering that both the person and the city are clearly identified from a variety of documents, this is clearly an improved technology for nitpicking since last year,” the publication says.
A voter in Gelendzhik reported today that “a link with a system of indirect control of visits to polling stations is centrally sent out through the chat rooms of kindergartens and schools, which forces those who do not want to go vote for fear of consequences to still go.”
“The system contains a telephone entry, and the entry is not accepted from anyone, but only from those present in the database, that is, controlled. It is clear that this is not a public initiative, but rather one that controls certain dependent people to whom the mailing is carried out,” the statement states.
In Goryachy Klyuch, the commission of PEC No. 1002 “went to home voting with some kind of handwritten list,” said a member of the commission. “To check whether it was an extract, the register itself was requested (the date of inclusion in the extract is noted in the 10th column). The chairman said that the register is not maintained, there are simply “lists,” he said.
In Krasnodar, management of a chain of grocery stores is collecting “statistics for their stores on the number of employees who voted,” said a voter from Krasnodar. “Store directors are advised to check this information with all sellers and, if an employee was allowed to go to the site during working hours, to take pictures in front of the stand. The principle of voluntariness and secrecy of participation/non-participation in voting on the part of the employer has been violated,” he said.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] The convict and his lawyer were killed by the victim outside the Nogai District Court, and a murder case was opened based on blood feud, the prosecutor's office said. The suspect was dissatisfied with the court verdict in the case of an accident in which his son died, sources said.
A criminal case under the article on the murder of two or more persons, committed in a generally dangerous manner motivated by blood feud (Part 2 of Article 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), and the illegal acquisition and storage of weapons (Part 1 of Article 222 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) was initiated after a double murder in the Nogai region, reported today the prosecutor's office of Dagestan.
According to investigators, on March 15, at about 13:00 Moscow time, after the verdict of the Nogai District Court was announced, when the convict, his defense attorney and relatives were leaving the parking lot, the victim in the case fired at least eight shots at them from a pistol. As a result, the convict and his defense attorney died in the hospital from their injuries. Another victim was hospitalized, the Telegram channel says.
The murder occurred in the village of Terekli-Mekteb near the courthouse after the judge made a decision in the case of an accident in which a 15-year-old boy died. After the verdict, the child's father shot several times at the convicted car driver and his lawyer, Sapa Kavkaz reported today.
The tradition of blood feud, which developed during the clan system to protect the honor and property of the clan, in the North Caucasus still operates as a relevant social mechanism. According to this custom, the relatives of the murdered person must take revenge on the killer or his relatives, as noted in the “Caucasian Knot” certificate “ Blood feud - how they kill now in the Caucasus.” Several stories of blood feud told by participants and eyewitnesses of the events are given in the article “ Payment for Blood ” published on the “Caucasian Knot”.
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[EngMilRu] From 9 to 15 March 2024, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out 50 group strikes by high-precision weapons, multiple launch rocket systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles against the airfield infrastructure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, repair of weapons and military equipment, storage depots for UAVs and uncrewed surface vehicles, arsenals and POL bases.
All the assigned targets have been engaged.
Moreover, the strikes also hit deployment areas of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, nationalists, and foreign mercenaries.
In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces have improved the situation along the front line and inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of six mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Berestovoye, Peschanoye (Kharkov region) and Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic).
Twenty-two counter-attacks launched by assault groups of the AFU 57th Motorised, 32nd and 47th Mechanised brigades were repelled close to Sinkovka, Pershotravnevoye (Kharkov region) and Terny (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 305 Ukrainian troops, three tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, 21 motor vehicles, one Czech-made Vampire MLRS, and 25 field artillery guns.
In addition, from 12 to 15 March 2024, as a result of preventive and coordinated actions of the Russian troops, all attempts by the AFU to break through Belgorod and Kursk regions were thwarted by actions of the Russian Armed Forces during the special military operation.
Air strikes and artillery fire neutralised over 550 Ukrainian troops, 16 tanks, 19 armoured fighting vehicles, including 11 U.S.-made Bradley, and 15 motor vehicles.
In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces liberated Nevelskoye (Donetsk People's Republic) and seized more advantageous lines.
The Russian troops hit seven mechanised and five assault brigades of the AFU close to Kurakhovo, Spornoye, Razdolovka, Kleshcheyevka, Kurdyumovka, Krasnogorovka, and Georgiyevka (Donetsk People's Republic).
In addition, four counterattacks of the AFU 79th Air Assault Brigade and 81st Airmobile Brigade were repelled close to Belogorovka and Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 1,930 Ukrainian troops, nine tanks, 12 armoured fighting vehicles, 41 motor vehicles, 18 field artillery guns, two Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile launchers, and eight field ammunition depots.
In Avdeyevka direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces' units continued to advance and occupy more advantageous positions.
In cooperation with aviation and artillery, the Russian Armed Forces inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of 11 brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Ocheretino, Novzvelannoye, Novogrodovka, Rozovka, and Kalinovo (Donetsk People's Republic).
Sixty-four counterattacks launched by the AFU units have been repelled close to Berdychi, Semenovka, Pervomayskoye, Tonenkoye, and Orlovka (Donetsk People's Republic).
Over the past week, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have lost over 2,710 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, three U.S.-made Abrams tanks, 19 armoured fighting vehicles, 91 motor vehicles, and 18 field artillery guns.
In South Donetsk direction, the Vostok Group of Forces' units improved the tactical situation along the front line and defeated the units of the 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade, the 72nd Mechanised Brigade, 127th, 128th Territorial Defence brigades of the AFU close to Vodyanoye, Ugledar, Rovnopol, Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Chervonoye, and Malinovka (Zaporozhye region).
Seven enemy counterattacks were repelled close to Staromayorskoye, Novodonetskoye, Shevchenko (Donetsk People's Republic) and Vladimirovka (Zaporozhye region).
The AFU losses amounted to more than 980 Ukrainian troops, seven armoured fighting vehicles, 31 motor vehicles, and 11 artillery guns.
In Kherson direction, the Russian troops took more advantageous positions, inflicted complex fire damage on the formations of the 141st Infantry, 65th, 117th Mechanised, 82nd, 128th Assault, 35th Naval Infantry brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Rabotino, Novosyolovka, Orekhov, Kamenskoye, Stepnoye, Pyatikhatki (Zaporozhye region), Berislav and Tyaginka (Kherson region).
The AFU losses were more than 270 Ukrainian servicemen, one tank, 23 motor vehicles, and 12 field artillery guns.
The Groups’ Missile Troops, Artillery, and unmanned aerial vehicles have shot down one U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS launcher, two U.S.-made Patriot anti-aircraft missile launchers, and one S-300 anti-aircraft missile launcher with radar stations during the week.
Air defence units have eliminated over the past week: one MiG-29 fighter jet and two Mi-8 helicopters of the Ukrainian Air Force; one Tochka-U tactical missile; five French-made Hammer aerial bombs; 86 projectiles of the U.S.-made HIMARS, Czech-made Vampire, and Grad MLRS; and 915 unmanned aerial vehicles.
In total, 577 airplanes and 269 helicopters, 15,573 unmanned aerial vehicles, 486 air defence missile systems, 15,496 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,238 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,406 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 19,764 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 21:30 The situation at the border has changed, but remains tense.
The enemy continues military activity on the border, trying to “spoil” the Russian presidential elections.
The intensity of fighting on the border has noticeably decreased. The enemy is testing our defenses in small groups and regrouping for a possible resumption of offensive operations.
Attacks in the Kursk region in the Tetkino region have weakened, the enemy is pretending to be active in the adjacent Ryzhevka, Sumy region, moving in small groups through the village. Artillery is working on it.
From 15.03. The enemy in the Belgorod region concentrated his main efforts on reconnaissance in force and incomprehensible head-on attacks with small forces, where, when faced with return fire, he retreats with losses, without trying to persist.
Clashes took place in the Grayvoronsk direction; in the Spodoryushino area, the enemy again rode on equipment and tried to organize small attacks, was stopped by fire and retreated with losses.
Along the front line, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to actively use MLRS, attack drones and howitzers, trying to reduce the defense capability of our forward positions.
The movement of equipment continues in the concentration areas closest to the border in the Sumy and Kharkov regions.
Army and operational-tactical aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces continues to carry out strikes, both with conventional FABs along the border, and with controlled FABs with UPMK at places where enemy forces and equipment accumulate in rear areas.
19:54 This is what the battlefield on the border looks like now. In the video, the IX leaders finish off militants from the Kyiv regime. Before the Lancet strikes, the enemy manages to fire a grenade launcher -video.
18:34 Telegram channel “Fisherman":
Slobozhansky direction: destruction of the Ukrainian Armed Forces landing force at Kozinka.
Throughout the night, Ukrainian formations attacked the section of the border near Grayvoron in the Belgorod region, trying to build on the success after the helicopter landing at Kozinka. However, Russian units repelled all attacks and thwarted the enemy's plans.
During the clashes, soldiers of the 2nd Special Forces Brigade destroyed all the enemy forces landed at Kozinka, preventing them from gaining a foothold in the village and waiting for the armored vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to arrive there. The settlement is under full Russian control.
During the day, Ukrainian formations tried once again to enter Tetkino in the Kursk region, but were unable to reach the outskirts of the village and are firing at it from the adjacent Ryzhevka in the Sumy region. Messages about “battles in the area of the railway station” are again just a common hoax.
At the same time, the Ukrainian Armed Forces does not stop artillery attack other settlements in the region with artillery and MLRS. Although Russian air defense systems work extremely intensively, some rounds fall on residential streets. Unfortunately, there are casualties - one civilian died in a store in Belgorod, and more than a dozen were injured throughout the region.
Although it is too early to talk about the end of the fighting on the border, the enemy clearly suffered very significant losses in people and especially equipment. At the moment, he has not achieved any military or even media goals.
At the same time, in retaliation for failures, the Kiev regime will traditionally try to “get even” on civilians, continuing indiscriminate artillery attack of cities and villages in the Belgorod region. Which will raise the question of response actions on the part of the RF Armed Forces, especially in conditions when the Armed Forces of Ukraine have partially “used up” their potential in the battles of recent days.
16:27 Russian Army and FSB rebuffed attempts to break into the Belgorod and Kursk regions, destroying enemy equipment and forces.
From March 12 to 15, as a result of proactive and coordinated actions of Russian troops together with the forces of the border service of the FSB of Russia, all attempts to break through the Ukrainian Armed Forces into the territory of the Belgorod and Kursk regions were prevented.
Air strikes and artillery fire destroyed more than 550 militants, 16 tanks, 19 armored combat vehicles, including 11 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (USA) and 15 vehicles.
From March 9 to March 15, the troops carried out 50 group strikes with high-precision weapons, MLRS and UAVs on the airfield infrastructure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, weapons and military equipment repair shops, storage depots for UAVs and unmanned boats, arsenals and bases of fuel and lubricants. All designated targets are hit.
The locations of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Nazi formations and foreign mercenaries were also hit.
15:40 Statement by the head of the press center of the Vostok group -video.
Units of the Vostok group of troops continue to carry out combat missions in the South Donetsk direction.
During active operations, the group's units improved the position along the front line and repelled three attacks by assault groups of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade and the 128th Territorial Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of Vladimirovka and Staromoisky.
Enemy losses amounted to 128 military personnel, a tank, two vehicles and two 122mm D-30 howitzers.
14:35 Fights in Orlovka and half-circle in Semyonovka: situation in the Avdeevsky direction on March 15.
The command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces continues to draw up reserves in the Avdeevskoe direction in order to prevent the further advance of the Russian army to the west. The introduction of reserves has only a temporary effect: where the infantry of the RF Armed Forces is forced to take a break, aviation and artillery instantly join in.
Northern flank: Ocheretino - Berdychi. In the Novobakhmutovka area, the 31st Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces received reinforcements. The fighting in this area does not enter the positional phase, since Novobakhmutovka, like nearby Ocheretino, is located on a hill and allows crews of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ wandering mortars to work on Berdychi.
In some cases, the arrivals are clearly audible, after which there are no more than ten seconds before the mine arrives. Also, the problem with the Ukrainian Armed Forces tanks, which are rolling out of the forest clearings to the west of the abandoned airfield, has still not been resolved. The fire from the tanks is suppressed, but their activity as a whole prevents the infantry from breaking through to the west and taking Berdychi completely.
At the same time, artillery fire from the Ukrainian Armed Forces intensified from the south/southwest, which indirectly indicates the strengthening of the 406th Separate Artillery Brigade or the transfer of additional guns to this area. There are no changes to territory control yet.
Center: Semyonovka - Orlovka - Tonenkoe. After several failures in Berdychi (including the loss of M1A1SA tanks), several companies of the 47th Mechanized Infantry Brigade "Magura" were moved to Semyonovka, including the reserves of the 25th Separate Brigade, which were originally supposed to be transferred to Berdychi. Fresh units entered their positions.
Tactically, the battles in Orlovka and Berdychi complicate the defense of Semyonovka, around which the conditions for forming a semi-circle are being formed, but the decision to abandon the village of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, if made, will probably not be in the near future. Servicemen of the 109th Troops Operation are also actively involved in “meat assaults”. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are also trying to tighten control over the exit from Orlovka through the street.
Elagin and Panskoy and Zoryansky reservoirs. Heavy fighting is also taking place near the intersection of the street. Elagin, Stepova and Novoselov. West of Orlovka, reserve units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are already digging in in Umanskoye. Firing positions are also being built near the Uman quarry. Apparently, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are digging in in case the front collapses along the Orlovka-Semyonovka line.
The main defensive line, most likely, in the event of an unfavorable outcome for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, will run along the S-051801 Netailovo - Orlovka highway. There are no territorial changes in Tonenkoye: a little more than half of the village is behind the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the western part, including SNT “Sovetskaya Donetsk”, is behind the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
South/southwest: Nevel'skoye - Pervomaiskoye - Krasnogorovka. Despite rumors about the encirclement of the Ukrainian Armed Forces garrison in Pervomaisky, this has not yet happened. The 55th Separate Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, whose crews move between Galitsynivka and Karlovka, causes a lot of headaches in this area.
The former positions of the Ukrainian army in Nevel'skoye provide great assistance in attacks on the Ukrainian Armed Forces garrison in Pervomaisky. Some of them were restored and used for their intended purpose. The height difference between the two villages is enough to facilitate the work of mortars.
At the same time, Russian troops enter Pervomaiskoye itself from two sides. Infantry and armored groups of the Russian Armed Forces use Maryinsky tactics (a smaller version of bite & hold), cutting off small areas and squeezing out Ukrainian troops from there.
13:17 Statement by the head of the press center of the Center group -video.
The Center group of troops continues to carry out tasks in the special military operation zone.
During the day, the group's units repelled 8 counterattacks by assault groups of the 24th, 47th, 59th Mechanized, 3rd Assault and 78th Airborne Assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Novogorodskoye, Novobakhmutovka, Berdychi, Semenovka and Orlovka areas.
Enemy losses amounted to 410 military personnel. Three armored fighting vehicles were destroyed, including a Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, a 122mm D-30 howitzer, an AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radar and nine vehicles.
22 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by air defense systems.
12:22 Air raid warning announced in a number of regions of Ukraine:
Nikolaev region
Odessa region
Sumy region
Kharkov region
11:30 Summary of Russian Ministry of Defense:
On March 14, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, together with the border authorities of the FSB of Russia, foiled another attempt to break through units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine into the territory of the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation, this time in the area of the border settlement of Kozinka.
At about 16.30 Moscow time, in order to achieve surprise, a Ukrainian sabotage group of special operations forces militants and foreign mercenaries, using two Mi-8 helicopters, using the terrain features, carried out a landing of up to 30 people on Ukrainian territory, at a distance of one km from the State border of the Russian Federation.
After the landing, the sabotage group secretly moved towards the village of Kozinka, Belgorod Region, located directly at the State Border of the Russian Federation, where it entered several houses on its outskirts.
When attempting to advance deeper into the populated area, Ukrainian saboteurs were discovered and stopped by units of the Russian Armed Forces together with the border authorities of the Russian FSB.
Artillery fire, army aviation strikes and the use of guided aerial bombs inflicted fire damage on the enemy. To exclude the approach of reserves, remote mining of the area was carried out.
Having suffered significant losses, Ukrainian militants began to retreat into Ukrainian territory. A group of saboteurs tried to gain a foothold in one of the houses on Respublikanskaya Street, directly adjacent to the state border, where they were blocked by units of the Russian army.
The remnants of the sabotage group, retreating to the territory of Ukraine, entered a minefield, where they were destroyed.
At the same time, the enemy group, which was moving forward to evacuate wounded and killed Ukrainian saboteurs, was eliminated by the fire of the 300mm BM-30 Tornado MLRS. The total losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces amounted to more than 50 people.
At present, control over the settlement has been completely restored, and the area where the sabotage and reconnaissance group was blocked has been cleared.
In general, over the past three days from March 12 to 14, troops of the Russian Armed Forces Group “West”, together with the border agencies of the Russian FSB, all attempts by Ukrainian militants to break into the territory of the Belgorod and Kursk regions of the Russian Federation were stopped. Attacks by Ukrainian Armed Forces units were repelled.
The total losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces amounted to more than 1,500 militants, of which about 500 were irrevocable, 18 tanks and 23 armored combat vehicles were destroyed.
10:25 Situation on the Rabotino-Verbovoye section at 10:00.
At night, due to deteriorating weather conditions, strong winds and rain, aerial reconnaissance by UAV operators on both sides was difficult.
Active work of cannon artillery and missile defense crews continues on the line of combat contact. Strikes are carried out against the positions of enemy field guns and places where troops and equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are concentrated.
Soldiers of the RF Armed Forces are conducting oncoming battles; neither side has the full initiative to push back the front line and move forward.
09:47 Criminal Kyiv regimecontinuesto fire at the civilian infrastructure of settlements on the left bank of the Kherson region, yesterday during the day the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired from cannon artillery:
-- n.p. Kakhovka seven rounds;
-- n.p. Dnepryan four rounds;
-- n.p. Peschanivka five rounds;
-- at Golaya Pristan settlement four rounds;
-- n.p. New Kakhovka five rounds.
During the night, the Kiev regime continued to shell civilian infrastructure in the village. Aleshki, n.p. Korsunka, n.p. Velyka Lepetikha, n.p. Podstepnoe, firing a total of 18 rounds from cannon artillery.
Civilian casualties and destruction of infrastructure are being determined.
09:24 Telegram channel “WarGonzo":
Frontline report for the morning 03/15/2024
– On the Zaporozhye Front, there were oncoming battles on the Rabotino-Verbovoe line. Neither side has the initiative enough to push back the front line. As a result of difficult battles, positions change hands, but it is too early to talk about any changes in the line of combat contact.
– On the Donetsk front there are oncoming battles in the area of Novomikhailovka Pobeda and Nevel'skoye. As a result of the assault actions, the Russian Armed Forces were able to advance in Krasnogovka. In Pervomaisky and Georgievka, despite the desperate resistance of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russian troops also continue to advance slowly but surely, squeezing Ukrainians out of these settlements. In Tonenkoye, Orlovka and Berdychi the battles are also predominantly of a positional nature, but the Russian Armed Forces strive to improve their positions at every opportunity.
– In the Artemovsky (Bakhmutsky) direction, positional battles in the area of Kleshcheevka and Ivanovsky (Krasngo).
– On the Lugansk front, the Russian Armed Forces repelled a counterattack of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Ternov area and carried out assault operations in Belogorovka. In the last settlement, Russian troops have tactical successes.
– In the Khar'kov and Sumy directions, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are expanding the scale of the offensive, trying, with the support of armored vehicles and artillery, to break through to the border in the Tyotkino region in the Kursk region and in the Sdaryushino and Kozinki region in the Belgorod region, simultaneously striking at the territory of the regions using long-range weapons.
Despite the most adventurous and risky maneuvers, the Ukrainian Armed Forces did not achieve any tangible successes. The equipment and personnel of the Ukrainian troops are destroyed mainly on the approaches to the border territory. The enemy is suffering significant losses without making progress, but the fighting on the border continues and in the near future their activity will only increase.
08:54 Telegram channel “Fisherman":
Chronicle of a special military operation: events of March 13 – 14, 2024
– Ukrainian formations have been trying to penetrate Russian territory for three days. There are battles in several areas in the Belgorod and Kursk regions; the Ukrainian Armed Forces are not allowed to advance.
– In parallel, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched massive UAVs at various targets in Russia. The targets of the attack were oil infrastructure and military airfields.
– 50 km from the front line of the Russian Armed Forces caught two Ukrainian Armed Forces helicopters. The devices were immobilized with cluster munitions and then hit with a rocket.
– Russian forces are pushing through enemy defenses in the Tern area. The enemy lost several positions in the gullies east of the village.
– Positional battles continue in the Belogorovka area. The sides are conducting counter attacks, but without much success.
– But to the west of Artemovsk (Bakhmut), the Russian Armed Forces are successfully advancing. Russian forces managed to strengthen their position in the private sector of Ivanovsky.
– The Russian Armed Forces resumed attacks west of Avdeevka. After repelling the counterattacks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the advance began again.
– Some success has also been observed further south, in the vicinity of Krasnogorovka. The Russian Armed Forces are advancing in the city and neighboring village of Pervomaiskoye.
08:10 Official summary of Representative offices of the DPR in the JCCC:
Five facts of armed attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces were recorded by the DPR Representative Office in the JCCC.
There were no reports of civilian casualties.
No damage to residential buildings or civil infrastructure was recorded.
One artillery attack from the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donetsk direction.
Four attacks from the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Gorlovka direction.
In total, the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired 16 units of various ammunition.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Viktor Lavrinenko
[REGNUM] On March 15, major NATO military maneuvers called Nordic Response 24 end in Scandinavia and Finland. These exercises are interesting because for the first time, Finland and Sweden participated in them as official members of the North Atlantic Alliance. Moreover, the Swedes joined NATO directly during the Nordic Response - on March 7.
The very fact of the NR-24s and the form in which they took place reflected the extreme degree of mistrust that currently exists between Russia and NATO. However, despite this, the leadership of Norway and Finland say that they consider the option of a direct military clash with Russia not very likely.
UNPRECEDENTED SCOPE
Nordic Response 24, led by Oslo, was part of a series of NATO Steadfast Defender maneuvers held from January to June in Germany, Poland and the Baltics. They were also integrated with the joint UK-led Alliance Marine exercise Warrior, held in the sea areas between Scotland, Norway and Iceland.
Moscow was informed about the exercises, but Russian military specialists were not invited as observers. The US Department of Defense said : “NATO exercises are not directed against any specific country. In today's unpredictable environment, we must remain prepared to deter all threats and protect all allies."
A total of about 20 thousand military personnel from 13 countries took part in NR-24. They trained using artillery pieces, tanks, armored personnel carriers and other equipment. Intensive training was carried out not only on land, but also at sea with the participation of over fifty warships of different classes. More than a hundred planes and helicopters—reconnaissance, transport, fighter, etc.—were lifted into the air. In particular, the number of fifth-generation fighters participating in the exercises included the F-35A of the Norwegian Air Force, the F-35B of the US Marine Corps, as well as the F-35B of the British Air Force, which took off from the aircraft carrier Prince of Wales.
The main elements of the NR-24 were protecting territories from air attack, repelling and landing amphibious assault, and conducting ground operations. Moreover, instructors from the British Special Airborne Service (SAS) and the US Navy Special Forces (SEAL) conducted classes on amphibious landing of units, seizing defense lines and destroying important objects of the supposed enemy on the coastal territory.
In turn, the American Green Berets practiced assault, offensive and defensive operations on land. Thus, the cycle was consolidated - landing, occupying the first line of defense, moving deeper.
A group from the Finnish Special Operations Center (UTJR) began training guests from other countries in the harsh northern climate. It is worth paying special attention to the fact that these exercises involved fighters not only from northern countries, but also from Mediterranean states. For them, such a change in the geography of performing tasks became a fundamentally new experience. The transfer of knowledge from Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian military personnel to colleagues from southern NATO countries is cited as one of the main results of NR-24.
The key operations of the exercise were amphibious landings on beaches - primarily those that were carried out in the areas of the Norwegian municipalities of Hammerfest and Kvanangen, located in the north-eastern part of the country, near the borders with Russia.
CLOSER TO OUR BORDERS
The NR-24 is an expansion of the previous Cold Response maneuvers. These Norwegian military exercises have a long history and were previously held every two years. But thanks to the expansion of NATO to Finland and Sweden, this year the maneuvers have significantly expanded territorially and changed their name.
The stated mission of Nordic Response 24 was to practice defense of NATO's northern region.
According to the head of the press department of Nordic Response 24, Thomas Jesdal, this year the Norwegian armed forces have attached particular importance to practicing receiving reinforcements from other alliance countries - by sea, by land and by air. Jesdal assures that the maneuvers were carried out “in as realistic an exercise as possible.”
Oslo denies that this is the first time NATO forces in Norway have trained so close to Russia's borders. However, this state previously introduced a restriction on conducting exercises east of 24th longitude. And significant Allied activity in Finnmark west of this longitude is also not the norm.
However, as Jesdal now emphasizes, there is nothing new about NATO allied exercises in Western Finnmark. “We have no problems with restrictions in the area of 24th longitude. In Finland, everything is somewhat different, since the Finns are used to conducting exercises far to the north, towards the border with Russia,” he says.
On March 7, the progress of the exercises was inspected by the new President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, who arrived there together with the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre. This turned out to be Stubb's first trip abroad since he was sworn in as head of Finland and Supreme Commander on 1 March. Finland, participating for the first time in such events as an official NATO member, contributed a fairly significant contingent of 4,100 soldiers. This became its largest participation in foreign military missions in the entire history of the state.
During the press conference, Stubb and Støre were asked how serious they considered the “Russian threat.” To this, Stubb replied that the ongoing exercises “are related to the fifth article of the NATO charter (on mutual assistance. - Ed.) and deterrence.” According to the newly appointed Finnish president, the Nordic Response 24 maneuvers “send a signal to Moscow that the alliance will be able to respond to a possible Russian attack.”
However, the president immediately added that, although it is necessary to work out different scenarios, he personally does not think that Russia will attack. In turn, Stere added that he does not consider Russia a direct military threat to Norway, but, in his opinion, the need for military training remains.
BROAD CONTEXT
To understand the true meaning of Nordic Response 24, it is worth looking at them in a broader context.
Note that the number of participants in the Steadfast Defender exercises, of which NR-24s are part, has increased from the previously planned 40 thousand to 90 thousand military personnel. In this regard, a specialist at the Institute of Geopolitical and Regional Studies of the Baltic Federal University. I. Kanta Yuri Zverev notes that this is the second exercise in the Steadfast Defender series, which was initially decided to be held every three years.
The first, Steadfast Defender 21, took place from May 12 to June 22, 2021 and turned out to be relatively modest in scale - more than 9 thousand military personnel from more than twenty NATO countries and partner states of the alliance. The current Steadfast Defender turned out to be the largest NATO maneuver since the Cold War exercise Reforger 88, in which about 125 thousand troops took part.
Steadfast Defender 24 covers many territories, including Finland, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and the UK.
“The purpose of the exercise is a rehearsal for NATO’s implementation of new regional defense plans adopted at last year’s summit in Vilnius. These secret plans, as previously reported, describe for the first time since the Cold War how the alliance plans to respond in the event of an alleged “attack from Russia,” Zverev emphasizes.
He mentions recent comments by American General Christopher Cavoli, NATO's Supreme Commander and head of US European Command. He mentioned a simulated scenario of an emerging conflict against an almost equal enemy. And the new NATO strategic concept, adopted in June 2022 in Madrid, openly states that “ the Russian Federation is the most significant and direct threat to the security of NATO member states, as well as peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic region.”
Let us add that simultaneously with NR-24, a number of other interesting maneuvers took place in the Scandinavian region.
Thus, on March 6, the Swedish Air Force conducted joint exercises with an American group of bombers. “After passing through Swedish airspace, the aircraft will join the NATO exercise Nordic Response, which is part of Stedfast Defender,” the Swedish army explained.
Also at the beginning of March, an exercise called Kehä 24 took place in the Helsinki area - about a thousand people from different units of the Suomi Defense Force and 200 pieces of equipment took part in it. During these maneuvers, in particular, the scenario of protecting Finnish power plants, including nuclear power plants, was played out.
During the Etelä-Karjala exercise, Finnish military personnel carried out an alert and reached the destination area as soon as possible. This included training on operational deployment in cities.
Finally, Finnish Air Force F/A-18 fighters and Hawk trainers practiced air combat and strikes at the Sotinpuro training ground near the Russian border.
Of course, there is no particular reason to echo the alarmists’ cries that the Nordic Response 24 exercise is almost a rehearsal for a NATO attack on Russia. All general staffs are required to have detailed plans for all eventualities - even those that now seem obviously implausible. But the fact that the scope of these maneuvers emphasized the increased tension between the North Atlantic Alliance and Russia is absolutely certain.
Text taken from the Telegram channel of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
[ColonelCassad] On March 14, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, together with the border authorities of the FSB of Russia, foiled another attempt to break through units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine into the territory of the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation, this time in the area of the border settlement of Kozinka.
▫️ Around 16.30 Moscow time, in order to achieve surprise, a Ukrainian sabotage group of special operations forces militants and foreign mercenaries, using two Mi-8 helicopters, using the terrain features, carried out a landing of up to 30 people on Ukrainian territory, at a distance of 1 km from the Russian State Border Federation.
▫️ After landing, the sabotage group secretly moved towards the village of Kozinka, Belgorod region, located directly at the State border of the Russian Federation, where it entered several houses on its outskirts.
▫️ When trying to advance deeper into the settlement, Ukrainian saboteurs were discovered and stopped by units of the Russian Armed Forces together with the border authorities of the Russian FSB.
▫️ The enemy was defeated by artillery fire, army aviation strikes and the use of guided aerial bombs. To exclude the approach of reserves, remote mining of the area was carried out.
▫️ Having suffered significant losses, Ukrainian militants began retreating into Ukrainian territory. A group of saboteurs tried to gain a foothold in one of the houses on Respublikanskaya Street, directly adjacent to the state border, where they were blocked by units of the Russian army.
▫️ The remnants of the sabotage group, who retreated to the territory of Ukraine, entered a minefield, where they were destroyed.
▫️ At the same time, the fire of the Tornado MLRS eliminated an enemy group that was moving forward to evacuate wounded and killed Ukrainian saboteurs. The total losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces amounted to more than 50 people.
▫️ Currently, control over the settlement has been completely restored, and the area blocking the sabotage and reconnaissance group has been cleared.
▫️ In general, over the past three days from March 12 to 14, troops of the Russian Armed Forces Group “West” together with the border authorities of the Russian FSB, all attempts of Ukrainian militants to break into the territory of the Belgorod and Kursk regions of the Russian Federation were stopped. Attacks by Ukrainian Armed Forces units were repelled.
▫️ The total losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine amounted to more than 1,500 militants, of which about 500 were irrevocable, 18 tanks and 23 armored combat vehicles were destroyed.
[Regnum] The head of the Kiev regime, Vladimir Zelensky, said that he plans to launch new attacks on Russian territory. In his Telegram channel, he stated that he held meetings with the military, the government and representatives of the military-industrial complex.
According to Zelensky, he heard a report from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexander Syrsky, and then held a meeting in which, in addition to Syrsky, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Anatoly Bargilevich, Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov, Head of the SBU Vasily Malyuk, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate Kirill Budanov (an individual entered in the Russian Federation on the list of terrorists and extremists) and the deputy commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Vadim Sukharevsky, who is responsible for drones.
Zelensky said that during the meeting, places where the “greatest damage” could be inflicted on Russia were identified. To do this, he set a task for the Cabinet of Ministers and enterprises to ensure that the drones produced become longer-range, more widespread and more powerful.
As Regnum reported, Russian President Vladimir Putin, at an operational meeting with permanent members of the Security Council, said that the Kiev regime’s attacks on Russian territory will not go unpunished. He noted that the Kiev neo-Nazi regime has conceived and is trying to carry out criminal demonstrative armed actions in order to disrupt the voting process in elections and intimidate people, at least in the regions bordering Ukraine.
The head of the Russian state also emphasized that the Kiev regime will not be able to intimidate the Russian people and interfere with elections in Russia through attacks; Russians will respond to terrorist attacks and sabotage with even greater unity.
By committing provocations, the enemy also seeks to divert attention from the real state of affairs on the line of combat contact, where the Russian Armed Forces confidently hold the initiative, Putin added. He noted that Russian military personnel, step by step, showing courage and heroism, are achieving the solution of assigned tasks in the North Military District zone.
In addition, the Russian leader said that since March 12, Kiev has made several attempts to exit and consolidate on the territory of the Russian Federation, but the enemy was not successful in any of the directions and fled with heavy losses.
Text taken from the Telegram channel of Andrei Filatov
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics.
[ColonelCassad] The first part of the operation to defeat the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Orlovka from RT military correspondent Andrei Filatov @FilatovCorr.
After the Ukrainian Armed Forces units were squeezed out of Avdeevka, the 114th brigade of the Russian Armed Forces and neighboring units built on their success, moving forward on the shoulders of the retreating Ukrainian military, knocking the enemy out of Lastochkina, and moved further towards Orlovka.
Some of the VSEushniks, squeezed out from there, took refuge in the forest just 300 meters from the village. To destroy them and cut a corridor to Orlovka, two groups of the 114th brigade of the Russian Armed Forces advanced. The first, using infantry fighting vehicles, was supposed to approach the occupied positions and divert enemy forces and means to themselves.
At this time, the second group of attack aircraft, under the cover of smoke, was able to secretly enter the trenches of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and impose a battle.
After a few minutes of battle, the VSEushniks who had retreated from Lastochkino, defending the approaches to Orlovka, realized that the mousetrap had begun to slam shut, and began to flee.
Andrei Filatov recently received another shrapnel wound and is now recovering. Andrey is more than just a military correspondent.
Could President Putin have anticipated that European border countries would respond this way? How will it impact his calculations?
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news] Crouched ready for action, their chilblained hands hovering nervously beside holstered pistols, a band of rookie soldiers face down an enemy platoon, awaiting the order to fire. Volunteers from all sections of Swedish society, aged between 20 and 55, they have just begun a two-week induction course into the Home Guard (the equivalent of Britain’s army reserve). And when the commander’s signal comes, their unreadiness for combat becomes apparent.
As they wrestle with their unfamiliar Glock 17 handguns, there is much fumbling and under-the-breath cursing. Few shots hit the basin-shaped helmets of the cardboard soldiers at whom they are aiming – an imaginary Russian invasion force presumed to have crossed the narrow Baltic strait from Finland and stormed Sweden’s south-east coast.
A fortnight from now, however, Lieutenant Hakan Adolfsson, one of the officers overseeing the training of these 22 new recruits, at a pine-forested former Cold War army camp in the coastal town of Vaddo, is confident they will be ready for the battlefield.
‘Well, at least in a way that doesn’t make them a safety liability - to themselves or others,’ he smiles wryly.
However, if old-fashioned qualities such as patriotism, honour and a determination to defend one’s nation from tyranny are any yardstick, these rookies, whose drills I observed on Thursday, will one day make the Swedish military proud.
They are among an extraordinary number of citizens now clamouring to join the Home Guard, as Sweden - newly enrolled into Nato this week - prepares for a scenario deemed unthinkable after the Cold War ended: a full-scale Russian attack. The military enrolment rush began in 2022, after Putin’s full invasion of Ukraine, when 29,000 Swedes applied to join up – more than six times the usual number. Numbers continue to rise exponentially. In the first two months of this year, 3,000 more applications flooded in, double the normal amount. Indeed, such is the desire of ordinary Swedes to do their bit that the Home Guard has been forced to take on extra administrative staff to handle the logjam of applications.
Compare this with the dire situation in Britain, where the strength of both the reserve and regular armies is falling, largely because of public apathy and underfunding.
Britain’s need for security is hardly less pressing than that of the Swedes – as Defence Secretary Grant Shapps pointed out this week when backing calls led by the Mail for military spending to be increased from 2.27 to 3 per cent of GDP.
However, the zeitgeist in Sweden, where blue and yellow national flags are waved with gusto again and nationalism is no longer a dirty word, is far removed from that in Britain.
Like Shapps, who warns that the UK is moving perilously from a ‘post-war to pre-war’ state, Stockholm’s top politicians and defence chiefs are spelling out the threat Putin poses in the starkest terms. At a recent security conference, Michael Byden, supreme commander of Sweden’s armed forces, urged the nation’s ten million citizens to ‘mentally prepare for the fact that a war could happen in Sweden’.
‘Everyone needs to understand how serious the situation really is,’ he said. ‘If it happens here, do I have things in the right place? What should I do? The more citizens who have thought about it, and prepared, the stronger our society is.’
Yet our two nations are responding to these doom-laden messages in diametrically opposing ways.
Though more than three million Britons under 25 are out of work, the very mention of reintroducing national service to increase the Army’s strength from just 75,000 to 125,000 (the minimum number of troops we need to maintain security, according to military experts) invokes howls of outrage.
Witness the paroxysms of anger recently aimed towards Army chief General Sir Patrick Sanders when he dared to suggest that we should recruit a big, well-trained ‘citizen army’ (he stopped short of calling for a return to conscription).
By long-standing tradition, Sweden already operates a system of ‘total civil defence’. This holds everyone between the ages of 16 and 70 jointly responsible for protecting the country when its way of life is under threat.
At times of war or heightened readiness, local authorities, private companies, individuals and even religious groups can be called up to maintain essential services, such as medical and food provision and care for children and the elderly.
This is now swinging into action. Meanwhile, moves to restore the former strength of the army reserve – which could have quickly mobilised 900,000 fighters to meet any attack from the old Soviet Union – are well under way.
Sweden’s regular army will also be boosted by increasing its contingent of conscripts, who already account for ten per cent of its military personnel - although judging by the prevailing mood, there will be no need to force many Swedes to serve their country.
For in their darkest hour for almost half a century, the public here are rising gallantly and nobly – man and woman, young and old, regardless of class or ethnicity - to the vengeful and expansionist enemy looming on their eastern flank.
Their sense of sacrifice was epitomised by Lina Sighurdh, 24, one of the Home Guard recruits I met. ‘To start with, I am very thankful and grateful to be a Swedish citizen,’ replied the master’s degree student (who is rather handily studying Russian) when I asked her why she had enlisted.
Swelling with pride in her newly issued uniform, she added: ‘I feel joining the Home Guard and helping the national defence is a way to uphold our liberal values in the face of extremism.’ Her remarks might almost have been scripted, but they weren’t.
Other recruits offered similarly heartfelt reasons for leaving comfortable homes and jobs to undertake the tough, 12 hours-a-day course, which aims to teach them the skills of forest warfare – the type of conflict that might ensue should Russian troops invade.
‘Sweden is usually neutral, so I don’t think we are going to start a war,’ said Rebecca Minarik, 22, who works in a Stockholm carpentry store. ‘But I feel we may have to defend ourselves. Some countries want to expand.’
Could she envisage one of these countries invading Sweden? ‘Absolutely! And if the Russians come, I’m ready to fight them.’
Listening to these young Swedes pledging to spill blood for their country was almost surreal at times. Has this pacifist country, famous for its laidback way of life, totally re-invented itself? It would seem so.
Where now, one wondered, were the placard-waving peaceniks who once took to Stockholm’s streets with their ban-the-bomb slogans and anti-American slogans?
In less troubled times, Swedish army officers would never have specified the nationality of the soldiers engraved on those shooting targets, for fear of heightening tension. Now, though, the Swedes are done with all that mealy-mouthed appeasement. With the enemy at the door, there is no use in pretending any more.
As prime minister Ulf Kristersson said this week, his country’s admission to Nato – formalised in a flag-raising ceremony in Washington, last Monday, and cemented as Swedish troops were dispatched to the Arctic Circle to take part in the alliance’s biggest joint exercise, Operation Steadfast Defender, since the fall of communism – has, at a pen stroke, ‘ended 200 years of neutrality’.
So, when I asked Lieutenant Adolfsson who his new charges were supposed to be firing at, he gave a frank reply. ‘Well, they are carrying Kalashnikovs (the weapon of choice for the Russian army) so you can make up your own mind,’ he smiled mirthlessly.
Then he added: ‘It may not be [politically] correct to say they are Russians, but it’s the truth. The enemies we have today are Russia, but also China, North Korea, Iran and Belarus.
‘When I speak to these new recruits, the threat from Russia often comes up. They will ask me if the Russians are coming here, and if they do, what is the scariest prospect, and I can’t just pretend everything is fine. I have to answer them honestly.’
#7
I'd have been more concerned about Finland and the Baltic states, but the Swedes have a way of "being the center" of everything. They're kinda like the French that way.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
03/16/2024 8:58 Comments ||
Top||
#8
Crouched ready for action, their chilblained hands hovering nervously beside holstered pistols, a band of rookie soldiers face down an enemy platoon, awaiting the order to fire
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Igor Ivanenko
[REGNUM] The European Parliament resolution, adopted on March 14, demands that Russia return to Romania its gold reserves and cultural values exported to the Russian Empire during the First World War. The size of the claim is estimated at 91.5 tons of precious metal.
It is worth immediately noting that such a request in itself absolutely does not take into account the financial relations of our countries over the last century.
Romania transferred its gold reserves to Russia for storage in 1916–1917, when it was defeated by the troops of the Kaiser’s Germany and Austria-Hungary. In 1923–1924, the Soviet People's Commissariat of Finance carried out the first inventory of Romanian funds after the arrival of the “golden” trains and estimated their contents at 117.9 million gold rubles (the equivalent of more than 91 tons of gold).
At the same time, only the official debt of Romania to Russia at the end of the First World War reached 1.72 billion gold rubles, which is equivalent to approximately 1330 tons of gold. In addition, Bucharest appropriated Russian property in Bessarabia, which it annexed in 1918.
Despite all the somersaults of the Romanian Kingdom in World War II, it was obliged to pay reparations of 300 million US dollars, which corresponded to 335 tons of pure gold. The Soviet Union wrote off $220 million for humanitarian reasons, just to account for the “royal gold.”
In addition, Soviet governments repeatedly demonstrated “gestures of goodwill”, trying to win over their neighbor by transferring gold and other valuables.
The first of these followed in 1934. Then 12 tons of gold and archives of the Romanian government were sent to Bucharest. A truly royal gift was made by Joseph Stalin, who allocated 30 tons of gold to form the gold reserves of the Romanian People's Republic.
Nikita Khrushchev handed over another 4 tons of gold and ordered the return of 39,320 pieces of art previously taken from Romanian museums. Leonid Brezhnev authorized the transfer of 8 tons of gold to Romania.
The last “golden train” from the USSR left for Romania under Mikhail Gorbachev. In 1986, the Secretary General presented the obstinate ally in the socialist bloc with 10 tons of gold.
Thus, Romania’s chances of obtaining these assets are illusory. Moreover, the Russian Federation recognized only the debts of the Russian Empire to public and private creditors. The issue of gold reserves and cultural values transferred by Romania for the protection of the Russian Empire has never been recognized in the Russian Federation.
So what is official Bucharest guided by when raising the topic of gold reserves “appropriated” by Russia?
The fact is that Romanian politicians of the first magnitude are today fighting for top positions in Euro-Atlantic structures. On February 7, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis stated directly in the European Parliament: “It would be unacceptable if not a single position was occupied by a person from the new member states, that is, from Eastern Europe.”
At the same time, he is personally nominated for the posts of President of the European Council or the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs. The other day, the current head of Romania said that he would not object to his candidacy for the post of NATO Secretary General.
Similar activities are being undertaken by the Social Democratic Party of Romania. She promotes her representative Mircea Geoana, the current Deputy Secretary General of NATO, to the post of European Commissioner for Defense.
It is obvious that, having such great ambitions, Romanian politicians are simply obliged to contribute to anti-Russian rhetoric at the pan-European level. The topic of “gold stolen by Russia” may become an important part of the election programs of Romanian candidates for important positions.
And besides, this is a potential argument for the motivational part of the long-discussed decision to confiscate Russian assets frozen in Europe.
Discussions of this kind play an important role in fueling pro-European sentiments in Romanian society. Moreover, not everything is in order with his trust in EU institutions.
According to a January survey by the major sociological agency Avangarde, a quarter of Romanians surveyed do not see a future for their country within the European Union. Another 9% said that they could not decide on this issue.
Citizens of Romania are very cautious when it comes to providing support to Ukraine. The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) reported in a February poll that only 12% of Romanians favor maintaining aid at current levels (the European average is 20%).
And 44% of respondents believe that aid to Kyiv will need to be reduced and peace negotiations with the Russian Federation stimulated if Trump does this after winning the election. According to the same survey, only Hungarians are the biggest pacifists in the EU.
And this despite the fact that Euro-optimism, as well as pro-Ukrainian sentiments, today, in fact, constitute the official ideology of Bucharest and are continuously broadcast by government media.
Such sentiments threaten unpleasant surprises for the ruling Social Democratic and Liberal parties in Romania in the upcoming European Parliament elections in June.
The nationalist Alliance for the Unification of Romanians (AUR) is able to take second place in them, and the main Eurosceptics Diana Soshoaca and Gheorghe Simion share second place in the rating of Romanians' trust in politicians, second only to Prime Minister Marcel Ciolak.
By the way, the trust rating of Vladimir Putin, the most famous foreign leader in Romania, is more than 11%. This is a very decent result in the conditions of total anti-Russian propaganda and a complex of historical grievances against Russia and the USSR being exaggerated in Romanian society.
Obviously, the topic of “stolen gold” was precisely what was needed to strengthen the propaganda background, as well as to curb Eurosceptic sentiments among Romanians.
Another thing is that the socio-economic contradictions between Romanian society and the European Commission today are too great to be obscured by such PR campaigns.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
