The Russian-Ukrainian War Thread

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Do you guys think the M777 is too slow and needs to be replaced with a more mobile system?

Russia Says It Has Destroyed Two U.S. Howitzers in 'Counter-Battery Fight' (newsweek.com)

M777 Howitzer On The Receiving End Of Russian Counter Battery Fire (funker530.com)

Video recorded by Ukrainian troops shows the result of Russian counter battery fire against a US-delivered M777 howitzer position. The full extent of the damage cannot be determined from the short clip, but it's likely the artillery piece has been permanently removed from the fight. A large pile of charge containers lying near the destroyed cannon suggests the gun team stayed in one spot too long which allowed the Russians to locate and target their position.


Don't know why everyone hasn't made the switch to something like this:

It's a question of cost and priorities. For Russia, artillery was a bigger focus, so Russian units ditched a much greater proportion of their towed guns then many others. The advantages offered by towed systems include lower cost, and easier deployment. The Archer in particular is sophisticated but expensive. With gains in things like loitering munitions, and NLOS guided missiles proliferating down to the lower and lower level, it can be hard to justify the expense and logistical burden of large numbers of new SP howitzers.
 

seaspear

Well-Known Member
With the American Himars system the French Caesar gun and the U.K M270 there are a number of different systems that are proving of use ,as more counter battery radars from America and Germany are deployed even excalibur rounds for the m777 this would assist Ukraine mounting meaningful opposition. , With the widespread use of drones its hard to be definite on the targeting of this gun certainly there have been video showing towed artillery targeted by such when mobile so shooting and scooting does not guarantee safety only safer
US to deliver three additional AN/TPQ-36 counter-artillery radars to Ukraine | Defense News May 2022 Global Security army industry | Defense Security global news industry army year 2022 | Archive News year (armyrecognition.com)

 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Update.

Kherson-Nikolaev-Odessa.

Russian strikes, Kherson-Nikolaev axis, allegedly loitering munitions, against what looks like Ukrainian artillery?


Lancet loitering munition fragments in Nikolaev region. Ukrainian sources claim they shot it down, but the warhead portion is conspicuously absent and there doesn't appear to be damage from a shootdown.


Russian strikes in Nikolaev region.


There are reports that strikes in Nikolaev took out the command of the 28th Bde. 1 Colonel and 3 Lt. Colonels from that brigade are reportedly KIA.


Battle damage from Russian strikes in Odessa region, Dorozhnik rest house near Zatoka, reportedly from Su-34s and Su-35s.


Battle damage from a Russian strike, Odessa region. Unclear if the same as above.


Allegedly footage of Russian air defenses intercepting Ukrainian inbounds, Kherson region.


Explosions near the Antonov bridge.


Damage to the Antonov bridge.


Russian Su-25s in Kherson region.


2 Russian police officers were wounded in Kherson region by an IED.


Zaporozhye-Dnepropetrovsk.

Footage out of Melitopol', local civilians watch a Russian VDV column go by.


A factory in Melitopol' has resumed production of spare parts of agricultural equipment, destined for the markets of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.


Russia is handing out passports in Berdyansk.


Kharkov-Sumy.

Russian strikes landing in Kharkov.


Russian UAV-directed mortar strikes, Kharkov region.


Ukrainian troops with an S-60 on a KrAZ in the woods of Kharkov region.


LDNR Front.

Shellings of Donetsk continue. At least one of the targets was the Buddenovsk fuel storage.


Strikes against Artemovsk/Bakhmut continue.


Russian strikes on Kramatorsk.


Russian strikes on Konstantinovka.


Russian/rebel mortar fires on Avdeevka using incendiary munitions.


Footage from the DNR lines near Spartak.


Footage from the Uglegorskaya powerplant, now under Russian control.


GMLRS fragments from a recent strike on Krasniy Luch. Note it was one of the munition stockpiles hit.


LNR 7th Brigade shows off captured Ukrainian vehicles.


Ukrainian Krab howitzers near Donetsk.


Russian construction projects in Mariupol' continues, with the first 4 buildings (260 apartments) planned to be done in November. These buildings are being built in a empty lot from scratch. Further construction is planned by clearing rubble and demolishing buildings that can't be rebuilt. It's likely this project is being rushed to showcase reconstruction efforts. For context, even at 4 inhabitants on average per apartment, this is housing for ~1000 people. The pre-war population of the city was ~400 000 people.


Russian EOD working in Shirokino. This village is the old front line between rebel held areas around Novoazovsk and Ukrainian positions east of Mariupol'.


Russia.

4 Russian border guards in Belgorod region are wounded after an attack by a Ukrainian loitering munition.


A second volunteer btln out of Bashkiriya is preparing for deployment to Ukraine.


Lavrov has stated that Russia has no obligations to not strike targets as part of the grain deal. The targets struck, according to Lavrov, were far from any grain-related infrastructure.


Misc.

Russian PGM strikes continue.


Russian Ka-52 firing Vikhr ATGM.


VDV forces firing, location and context unclear.


Ukrainian forces using a quadcopter to drop 40mm HEDP grenades to hit Russian/rebel tanks.


Ukrainian PzH-2000 operations, location and context unclear.


Ukrainian forces using L119s, location and context unclear.


Ukrainian forces using Polish Fly Eye UAVs.


Ukrainian soldiers staged in what appears to be a school. Location and context unclear.


Ukraine is using old S-25 rockets on their Su-25s.


Russian BM-27 operations, location and context unclear.


Russia has reportedly used a new recon pod for Su-34s in Ukraine.


Interview with a Russian Buk crew, who claims they managed to intercept HIMARS rockets. They call it the most complex target they've dealt with because the system isn't designed for it, and the response time to them is extremely short. This appears to be a Buk-M2 unit.


Bayraktar fragments in Russia, it's unclear which downing these are from.


NATO/EU.

US and Norwegian artillerymen are training Ukrainian crews for M-109s in Germany.


Germany apparently provided 3 Mars II MLRS (M-270s) 3 more PzH-2000s, as well as the 3 Gepard AAA mentioned earlier.


Phoenix Ghost UAVs being shipped to Ukraine.


There are reports that Ukraine is ordering 100 PzH-2000 howitzers in Germany.


A coordination center for exporting Ukrainian grain has started operations in Istanbul.

 

STURM

Well-Known Member
Don't know why everyone hasn't made the switch to something like this:
Operstional requirements and funding.

Many armies have standardised on SPHs but many still have towed systems; either because they haven't replaced them yet but plan to or because they still see a need for it. In the case of the M777 was intended to fulfill a U.S. requirement for a 155mm gun which could be underslung by Chinook.
 

STURM

Well-Known Member
Interview with a Russian Buk crew, who claims they managed to intercept HIMARS rockets. They call it the most complex target they've dealt with because the system isn't designed for it, and the response time to them is extremely short. This appears to be a Buk-M2 unit.
I find this extremely interesting. To me however; even if Buk is effective for this role; surely only a limited number of rockets can be engaged at any given time given that each Buk launcher only has 4 ready rounds. Even if a whole battery of 5 was employed it's still only 20 rounds.
 

STURM

Well-Known Member
This article looks at why Russia's claims and propaganda have found a receptive audience in parts of Africa.


Russia’s frequent use of “whataboutism”, as explained by Gorenburg, to deflect attention from its war crimes in Ukraine and beyond also play well with audiences in Africa. This is because an overwhelming number of Africans hold the West, and only the West, responsible for the wars, conflicts and instability devastating the Global South. Many Africans, for example, view the US-led invasion of Iraq, which reminds them of similar assaults by the West on their nations as a crime and welcome what they see as Russian efforts to prevent Western whitewashing and counter Western hypocrisy."

"Another messaging tool Russia uses in its war of narratives against the West, namely calling attention to the US’s history of intervening in the domestic affairs of sovereign states, also resonates well with Africans who are still suffering the results of Washington-instigated or supported coups across the continent, or mourning the US-assisted assassinations of their independence heroes, such as the DRC’s founding Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba"

"It is time for Africa to learn not to be manipulated by the West and Russia – for the benefit of Africans themselves, and all the other peoples of the world who have been suffering from either the West or Russia’s neo-colonial ambitions."
 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
This article looks at why Russia's claims and propaganda have found a receptive audience in parts of Africa.


Russia’s frequent use of “whataboutism”, as explained by Gorenburg, to deflect attention from its war crimes in Ukraine and beyond also play well with audiences in Africa. This is because an overwhelming number of Africans hold the West, and only the West, responsible for the wars, conflicts and instability devastating the Global South. Many Africans, for example, view the US-led invasion of Iraq, which reminds them of similar assaults by the West on their nations as a crime and welcome what they see as Russian efforts to prevent Western whitewashing and counter Western hypocrisy."

"Another messaging tool Russia uses in its war of narratives against the West, namely calling attention to the US’s history of intervening in the domestic affairs of sovereign states, also resonates well with Africans who are still suffering the results of Washington-instigated or supported coups across the continent, or mourning the US-assisted assassinations of their independence heroes, such as the DRC’s founding Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba"

"It is time for Africa to learn not to be manipulated by the West and Russia – for the benefit of Africans themselves, and all the other peoples of the world who have been suffering from either the West or Russia’s neo-colonial ambitions."
This article delightfully ignores the real reason for this phenomenon. It's the fact that Russia is seen as the inheritor of the USSR who had a profound place in the anti-colonialism movement all over Africa. Of course these days anti-colonialism is good, and the USSR is bad, so the two can't be linked in one place especially when one is busy waging an information war against Russia.... :rolleyes:

Presumably the point that Russia isn't the Soviet Union and is a traditional imperialist in this day and age was considered too subtle of a point to use.
 

STURM

Well-Known Member
This article delightfully ignores the real reason for this phenomenon. It's the fact that Russia is seen as the inheritor of the USSR who had a profound place in the anti-colonialism movement all over Africa.
Indeed. That's a valid point; the USSR [to a lesser extent China too] had a history of supplying various nationalist movements and socialist countries in the continent [against Western backed rebels or Western colonial overlords] but I feel that's only
partly the reason. Post Cold War; Russia did not have a practise of preaching democracy and humans rights in the continent; practices seen by Africans as smacking of pure hypocrisy and double standards. The bilateral relationship between Russia and African states was off course driven by mutual interests but it was not imcumbered by concerns of human rights, democracy, etc, thus in general; together with the USSR's record in Africa as a defender against Western capitalist colonialism; Russia is viewed in a much more positive light.
 

IC_IC_IC

New Member
I don't understand why the west makes such a problem out of handing over western tanks. For me the HINARS is a much bigger game changer on the battlefield than the Abrams would be.
Because is a High Intesity conflict, so no matter what you throw there T-62 or K2 all of them will end up sooner or later get blown to pieces by some artillery shell some ATGM in the rear and so on.
NATO puts big enfasis on "our stuff is much better on a 1vs1 level" (which is true) but if that stuff gets destroyed is a HUGE morale and PR loss for NATO, just look the problem it has caused for TB2s or Javelins
 

vikingatespam

Well-Known Member
Because is a High Intesity conflict, so no matter what you throw there T-62 or K2 all of them will end up sooner or later get blown to pieces by some artillery shell some ATGM in the rear and so on.
NATO puts big enfasis on "our stuff is much better on a 1vs1 level" (which is true) but if that stuff gets destroyed is a HUGE morale and PR loss for NATO, just look the problem it has caused for TB2s or Javelins
What huge morale and PR loss caused by TB2, javelin or other loss ? Attrition is inevitable. TB2 have been lost and the only response is to buy more, or get more free. Javelins are meant to be expended. M777 have been lost. I dont see any wails of anguish of these losses.
 

STURM

Well-Known Member
Tabu,

I can only think of 2 possible reasons.

- Rather than MBTs the Ukraine has a far more pressing need of a MLRS which can launch guided rounds and at greater ranges than the MLRS they had prior to this.

-'Training people to operate and sustain HIMARS is I suspect far less resource and labour intensive than with a M-1.
 
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Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Update.

Kherson-Nikolaev-Odessa.

Allegedly a Ukrainian tank, under artillery fire, attempts to take fire in a destroyed building but falls into the basement.


Russian loitering munition has taken out a Bayraktar TB-2 re-translator station.


Russian strikes on Nikolaev.


More footage from where a Russian police car hit an IED in Kherson.


Damage to the Antonov bridge.


The bridge across the Ingulets appears to be still usable, for now.


Russian Tayfun-K, Kherson region.


Zaporozhye-Dnepropetrovsk-Krivoy Rog.

Russia has hit targets in Kirovograd/Kropivnitskiy. The targets were the hangars of a military academy.


Russian T-72B3 mod'16 in Zaporozhye region.


Russian National Guard leaving Zaporozhye area, saying goodbye to what appear to be friendly locals.


The Melitopol' grain elevator has taken 300 000 tonns of grain. They are exporting this grain to Turkey.


The North.

Russia hit a Ukrainian air defense military academy in Vyshgorod.


Kharkov-Sumy.


Russian Iskander strikes on Kharkov.


Ukrainian strongpoints can be seen at the entrance into Kharkov.


A Russian T-90M, a company-sized element of them is operating in Kharkov region, I believe this is one of them. Note they Nakidka thermal shroud it's draped in.


Izyum Salient.

Destroyed BMP-2, allegedly Ukrainian, Slavyansk area.


Fragments of a downed Tu-141, near Izyum.


Russian uparmored Kamaz, Izyum area.


LDNR Front.

Shellings of Donetsk continue.


DNR 11th Regiment shelling Ukrainian positions near Novoluganskoe.


LNR forces using 2A36s and Msta-S.


Russian/rebel artillery striking Berestovoe.


Russian strikes on Artemovsk.


Russian strikes on alleged Ukrainian positions between Kramatorsk and Konstantinovka.


Ukrainian strike hits Ilovaysk.


Battle damage from a Russian strike on a factory near Artemovsk/Bakhmut.


Fires burn in Gorlovka after shelling.


The 13th School in Soledar burns after a Russian strike.


Footage from the Uglegorskaya powerplant. The damage looks serious, I'm not sure if this repairable.


A destroyed bridge near Seversk, location unclear.


Captured Humvee, Lisichansk.


Russian National Guard reportedly found abandoned Ukrainian tanks in the LNR area. But if you look at the photo, you can see K-5 tiles on the T-72. This is a photo of Russian armor.


Russia.

Ukrainian shelling has hit an unnamed military facility in Bryansk region near Klimovo, Kurkovichi, and Klintsi. There are reports that the villages themselves were also hit.


Another group of Russian volunteers flying out of Chechnya to Ukraine. Note, these aren't even mostly Chechens, they're volunteers from all over the country.


A brand new 22460 Coast Guard boat has been transferred from the Caspian to the Black Sea.


Russia is launching ferry service from Yeysk to Mariupol' using the Lavrentiy ferry.


Misc.

Russia has struck a Ukrainian staging area somewhere, allegedly housing foreign fighters. Location unclear.


Russian helos lobbing rockets, location and context unclear.


Russian Orion UAVs have appeared in the warzone again, but this time instead of strikes, they are being used for aerial reconnaissance. Overall Russia has reportedly had a UAV shortage in this war. Not only was the Russian military inadequately supplied to begin with, but early losses made it much worse. It's likely that the relatively advanced capabilities of the type are better used as recon for the massive artillery and rocket forces Russia has amassed, then as hunter-killers in their own right.


Russian troops in action, BMP-3 firing, BMP-2 apparently getting taken out. I think this is old footage, and we've seen the BMP-3 firing before, not the second part though. Location and context unclear.


Russian LMUR and Vikhr strikes, location and context unclear.


Russian Smerch operations, location and context unclear.


Simon Ostrovsky, with PBS Newshour, confirms large Ukrainian casualties from recent Russian strikes.


Ukraine has formed a unit called Free Russia which consists of Russian volunteers fighting for Ukraine. The size of this unit is unclear at this time.


There was a reported flight from Iran to Russia by a transport aircraft that was previously involved in delivering UAVs to other countries.

 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Update.

Kherson-Nikolaev-Odessa.

Apparently a Russian loitering munition strike against what appears to be a Ukrainian armored vehicle, possibly an SP howitzer, it's hard to tell.


Ukrainian strikes landing in Novaya Kahovka.


Russian strikes on Nikolaev.


Ukrainian forces somewhere on the Kherson-Nikolaev axis. They're riding a mix of assorted unarmored vehicles.


Footage of the Russian pontoon crossing near the Antonov bridge.


Apparently Ukrainian military commissariat in Odessa.


Zaporozhye-Dnepropetrovsk.

Large fires burn in Kamenka-Petrovskoe, a small town under Russian control in Zaporozhye area, possibly a Ukrainian strike.


Destroyed Russian military vehicles in Energodar, after a Ukrainian strike.


The North.

Russian strikes near Kiev, secondary explosions are reported, indicating possibly a munitions storage hit.


Kharkov-Sumy.

Russian strikes on Kharkov. Allegedly 10 missiles in all landed.


Izyum Salient.

Russian armor near Izyum apparently encountered a Ukrainian APC, and took it out.


Russians trikes landing in Kramatorsk.


A school in Kramatorsk, destroyed. Allegedly it was being used as a Ukrainian staging area.


LDNR Front.

DNR artillery working with UAVs to deliver fires.


Russian 40th MarBde from the Pacific Fleet apparently delivering UAV-guided fires near Ugledar, taking out an MBT.


Russian strikes near Artemovsk.


Russian strikes on Mar'inka, south of Avdeevka.


DNR 100th Bde west of Lisichansk.


A destroyed BMP and BTR in Berestovoe, attribution unclear. Warning footage of corpses.


Destroyed civilian cars, allegedly used by Ukrainian territorial defense units near Loskutovka and Vrubovka.


Wheat fields burn in Mospino, Donetsk region.


Berestovoe literally flattened by heavy fighting. It was reportedly the last Ukrainian defense line before Soledar.


Footage from Novoluganskoe village, recently taken by Russian/rebel forces, south of the Uglegorskaya power plant.


Footage of what appear to be rebel forces entering Novoluganskoe.


Russian/rebel forces have taken Pokrovskoe. The town has suffered significant damage.


Allegedly Ukrainian forces attempt to blow up one of the large towers in the Uglegorskaya powerplant before withdrawing.


It appears Ukraine has begun dumping remote-placed anti-personnel mines on Donetsk. It's hard for me to see this as anything but an attack on the population of the city. The mines in question aren't even powerful enough to destroy a regular civilian car, but they can rip off the foot of a person who steps on them. Reportedly Ukraine has ~4 million of these in stock.


A tank being used to clear anti-personnel mines in Donetsk.


Soldiers clearing anti-personnel mines, Donetsk.


LNR artillery crews have begun receiving Russian Ratnik personal protective equipment. We are likely to see more and more transfers of modern equipment straight from Russian MoD to the rebels.


Russian railroad troops have reportedly repaired 150kms of track and rebuilt 4 bridges in LNR area. Approximately 200 explosive devices were found along the tracks.


Misc.

Ukrainian M-270 fires, location and context unclear.


Allegedly a Ukrainian improvised MLRS, location and context unclear. This is part of a trend of "Syriacization" of the Ukrainian military. We've seen uparmored pickup trucks, we've seen S-60s mounted on truckbeds, now we have allegedly improvised MLRS. Despite deliveries of western equipment, the Ukrainian military is now huge, and the amount of equipment it's short by numbers likely in the thousands.


Overrun Ukrainian positions, location and context unclear. Warning footage of corpses.


Destroyed T-64BV, allegedly Ukrainian. It apparently had it's ammo cook off. Location unclear.


A destroyed MT-12, allegedly Ukrainian, in a burned wheat field. Location and context unclear.


Ukrainian Furiya UAV went down likely due to technical issues. Location unclear.


There are reports that Ukraine's PzH-2000 fleet is experiencing issues related to wear and tear.


NATO./EU.

7 Macedonian T-72As have been spotted heading to Ukraine. Interestingly enough these vehicles came from Ukraine originally, a little over 20 years ago. Macedonia has a total of ~30 of them.


First footage of French VABs in Ukraine.


There are reports that Germany will hand over 16 Biber bridgelayers.


There are reports that Norway handed over Iveco LMVs to Ukraine.


An interesting article that suggests the bottle neck in providing M-270s and HIMARS to Ukraine may be the availability of munitions.

 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Apparently 41 myster flights have taken place between Russia and Iran since the beginning of this conflict, many of them done by aircraft that previously were associated with weapon deliveries. 18 of them took place between the 24th of May and 31st of July. While Iranian UAVs would be a logical conclusion, so far none have been spotted. Additionally, there have been rumors that Russia's UAV stockpile is running low, and consequently the ability to deliver fires has sufferred. Part of the solution was to purchase buckets of available commercial types, but it's possible Russia reached out to Iran for large scale deliveries of dedicated military types.

 

Larry_L

Active Member
There are reports that Ukraine's PzH-2000 fleet is experiencing issues related to wear and tear.


У Немецких гаубиц Panzerhaubitze 2000.. | Военный Осведомитель | VK
У Немецких гаубиц Panzerhaubitze 2000 поставленных ранее на Украину начали проявляться признаки износа.
vk.com

Interestingly enough there are unsubstantiated claims that the west (Germany) may be providing a repair facility on the Polish border with Ukraine. I have not yet seen anything from the Russian side deriding this as an escalation. There are several different sites saying the same thing on this, in slightly different wording. If Germany does push this through it could set the stage for an aircraft support facility also.



What are your thoughts on this?
 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
I don't have time on a full update, but it appears Russian forces are gaining ground in Soledar and Peski. There are two separate offensives. Peski is a village west of Donestk that has long been a Ukrainian strong point. Reports are coming in that the village is being essentially wiped off the face of the earth with artillery, and Ukrainian forces are suffering heavy casualties. This comes shortly after a major lull in Russian and rebel counter-battery fires due to lost munitions. This would open the door on securing the area around Donetsk and pushing Ukrainian artillery back. It won't prevent shelling of Donetsk completely, but it will make it somewhat more difficult.

On the Seversk-Artemovsk/Bakhmut line, the Russian advance has halted near Seversk. However Russian and rebel forces are moving south and south-west of Artemovsk/Bakhmut, as well as assaulting Soledar. If Soledar falls, this potentially cuts the road from Artemovsk/Bakhmut to Seversk, and opens the path to encirclement of Artemovsk/Bakhmut, likely at a slow enough pace to again allow withdrawal. And of course if Artemovsk/Bakhmut falls, then Seversk is no longer part of a defense line, instead it becomes a salient, and a good target for attack itself.
 

STURM

Well-Known Member
Like everyone else I have no idea how this war will end but I hope that things don't reach the point where NATO is drawn into open warfare with Russia; nuclear war would mean the end of mankind and it's hard to envision a NATO/Russia war where nukes aren't ultimately employed.

To its credit from Day One the Ukraine has dominated the information war. It also helps that it's the victim; attacked unprovoked by Russia - the general feeling is that the Ukrainians are defending themselves and are more trustworthy than the Russians - that's what we want to believe. If the Ukrainians are economical with the truth it's for OPSEC; after all they're are in war fighting for their very existence but they're still to be trusted far more than the Russians - that's what a lot of us want to believe.

The question is how much of what we're hearing from the Ukraine is true and accurate? Almost 80 years after WW2 and we're still learning new facts and finding out that a lot of what we've long accepted as the truth wasn't so accurate. This war is 5 months old which seems like eternity for those caught up in it but how much of what we've been hearing is actually accurate? Is Russia really on the verge of collapse; it's military making one final push before it grounds to a halt due to heavy losses; sanctions and other factors? Are 80-90 percent of Russia's announcements totally untrue?


''On the face of it, authoritarian Russia cannot be trusted with the facts, let alone the truth about the war, while the liberal West inspires greater credibility as it allows for a free and independent inquiry. But in reality, as Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu said, “all warfare is based on deception”. Neither side could or should be trusted to reduce the fog of war, because both are fully engaged in psychological warfare, which is key to winning the overall war in Ukraine.

In fact, both sides are propagating their own selective facts and myths, while censoring counterclaims, as each needs to maintain an appearance of progress in order to justify big sacrifices in blood or treasure. And both sides need to up the ante in order to harden public resolve behind their goals, which thus far have excluded any serious effort towards a diplomatic solution.

Russia hopes to degrade the morale of the Ukrainian resistance and deflate European support for a war that cannot be won, while the US wants to shore up Ukrainian and European enthusiasm for a winnable war, even if privately, US officials doubt Ukraine could recover all its occupied territories.

While the Russian media has little or no choice but to parrot the official line, Western media has a choice but chooses to trust NATO and Pentagon briefs and reports, regardless of their intentions. Take for example the declaration of an anonymous (why anonymous?) senior Pentagon official that: “Russia has committed nearly 85 percent of its military to the war in Ukraine” and “has removed military coverage from other areas on their border and around the world”; Russia “still has not figured out how to use combined arms effectively”; Russia is “taking hundreds of casualties a day”. Among Russia’s military fatalities have been “thousands” of lieutenants and captains, “hundreds” of colonels, and “many” generals.

Now I have no clue if any of this or other such claims are true, and nor I suspect do the officials propagating it or the journalists spreading it. But it is out there, shaping the opinions of the public, the elites and the experts, most of who believe Ukraine is able to pull off some sort of an upset if not an outright victory against its largely more powerful neighbour. But the Western and especially Anglo-American media seems to suffer from short, or should I say selective memory when it takes the official line at face value, as if the official deception during yesterday’s wars in Afghanistan, Iraq or Vietnam, has no bearing on covering today’s war in Ukraine.

In 2019, the Washington Post newspaper revealed that senior US officials failed to tell the truth about the war in Afghanistan throughout the 18-year campaign, making rosy pronouncements they knew to be false and hiding unmistakable evidence the war had become unwinnable. In other words, they lied. But media outlets, think-tanks and influential pundits continued to rely on these “officials”; even after it was revealed that they have also lied about another war – the Iraq war, which was also fought on false pretence and fabricated evidence.
''
 
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