Today is the 655th day of the Russia-Ukraine war (December 10, 2023), and Russia has once again proposed new goals and reset the timetable.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces have received orders to occupy Avdiivka and Kupyansk by March 17, 2024, and the importance of this goal lies in the relevance of the date of the election in Russia.
However, the ISW assessment noted that the Russian army has been seeking to regain the initiative since mid-November 2023, but has not been adequately prepared for a larger winter operation due to a lack of resources. It is worth noting that important dates are constantly changing, and the Russian army has not achieved a major victory for almost a year, so the new goals may be difficult to achieve.
On December 10, Russian media said that Russian spokeswoman Zakharova said that once sanctions on Russian companies are lifted, the Black Sea initiative for Ukrainian grain exports will take effect immediately. It is worth mentioning that the Russian Black Sea Fleet suffered setbacks in previous battles, so it is incomprehensible that Russia is now proposing to consider the resumption of grain initiatives.
In the latest news on the battlefield, the intensity of fighting between the two sides has slowed down over the past day due to the weather, but heavy fighting is still in some key areas. In the Marinka area, the Russian army failed to fully occupy the area, but was blocked by the 79th Brigade of the Ukrainian army.
Russian forces continue to use drones and infantry to harass the area, but do not trumpet that they have captured Maryinka. In the Avdiivka region, the Russian army continues its onslaught in difficult snow conditions, while the Ukrainian army is also counterattacking the positions of the Russian army.
Many reports and ** show that there are many corpses of Russian soldiers lying at the scene, and it is shocking that due to the severe cold and bad weather conditions, there is no pungent smell in the air.
In the north, in the direction of Steppove, the Ukrainian army continues to launch a counterattack in the area, and the Russian army is pinned down near the railway line and has to move in the direction of the coking plant and sewage treatment plant, trying to find the weak point of the Ukrainian army. After the Russian army increased its forces to the southern industrial zone, they, with the support of armored vehicles, began to actively attack in the western, northwestern and northern directions.
However, the Ukrainian army managed to repel these attacks, and the Russian army lost at least two tanks and three armored vehicles. Although the Russian army continues to increase its troops in Avdiivka and constantly offensive, trying to consume the ammunition, personnel and supplies of the Ukrainian army, this tactic has a huge cost and little effect. The Russian army is depleting its own war resources.
At the same time, in the Kherson region, the Russian army has increased its troops to the region on a large scale, and even parachuted small airborne troops into the rear of the Ukrainian army, but their attacks both in front and behind have failed. In Klinki, Ukrainian marines repelled the attacks of Russian paratroopers, destroyed tanks and armored transports of Russian troops.
In addition, several attacks by the Russian army have suffered a crushing defeat in attempts to cross the river in the Kherson region. The Ukrainian army used artillery and drones to eliminate the command posts, assembly points and supply routes of the Russian army, and continued to put pressure on the Russian army. Some began to ridicule the pace of progress of the Ukrainian army, both during and after the failure to cross the river, they were never satisfied.
In the **Mut region, the Ukrainian army once again managed to repel 13 attacks by the Russian army in Bokhdanivka, Ivanivsky, Kryshchivka and Andriivka.
The 98th Division of the Russian Army and the 1st Army Corps of the DNR tried to capture the area east of Klishchivka, but just after the occupation, they encountered artillery shelling and counterattacks from the artillery of the 93rd Brigade of the Ukrainian army, which led to heavy losses for the Russian army. In the Zaporozhye region.
Dynamics of the war situation in UkraineAccording to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian forces have recently made important advances in the Zaporizhzhia region and are advancing towards the western region of Robotani. Ukrainian forces are trying to continue the advance and launch an active offensive in the northern part of Novoprokopivka and in the Kopani region.
However, in the Kupyansk-Svato-Kreminna area, Russian forces have failed to make progress after several offensives, but they are gathering more forces in preparation for a renewed offensive.
In the face of attacks by Ukrainian artillery and drones, the Russian army began to install metal frames and roofs in the trenches, trying to make them permanent fortifications to prevent drone attacks by the Ukrainian army.
According to data released by Ukraine on December 10, the intensity of the Russian army's attacks has decreased due to the weather, and the number of people has also decreased, but it is still at a relatively high level. Since the offensive potential of Avdiivka, Kupyansk and other places has been almost exhausted, the Russian army is forming new offensive units.
In addition, the Ukrainian army again used the Hippocampus salvo** against Russian military targets on December 9, and the Russian army has so far failed to destroy any of the Hippocampus salvo**, setting a new record. On the same day, Ukrainian drones attacked the Makiivka region of Luhansk, resulting in a huge **, and the oil depot of the Russian army suffered serious losses.
This sustained blow had a considerable impact on the fighting of the Russian army on the front line. On the international community, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed at a recent meeting of the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) that Germany will expand its aid to Ukraine in the event of a decline in support from other countries.
Scholz said that Russia has undermined a common European understanding of peace and security and must make it clear that "European borders will no longer move by force." He also said that Putin could not count on German concessions and that Germany would continue to support Ukraine's defense struggle.
At the same time, the United States, using emergency powers under the Export Control Act, provided assistance to Ukraine without congressional approval. The above is an update on the situation in the war in Ukraine. Biden sent an emergency shipment worth 1 to Israel06.5 billion dollars of tank shells.
This has sparked speculation about whether Ukraine will receive the same support in an emergency. There is no doubt that aid to Ukraine is widely agreed upon in the US Congress. Although there are differences between the two parties on border security and other aspects, it does not mean that Ukraine will not be supported.
In fact, Biden** also has funds in his hands to support Ukraine, including $4.8 billion (remaining after accounting errors) and $1.1 billion waiting to replenish the US Army stockpile. Even if the U.S. Congress fails to pass the aid bill before Christmas, the funds will be enough to support at least until March 2024.
Aid to Ukraine is not only related to the reputation of the Democratic Party, but also an important factor in Biden's re-election. Biden will not give up on Ukraine, as this will directly affect his re-election campaign in 2024. In addition to this, Biden has a lot of power and tools at his disposal, just as he has provided aid to Israel without the consent of Congress.
Therefore, it is very unlikely that the United States will abandon Ukraine and that aid will not pass. Weakening Russia is crucial for both Europe and the United States, and the United States will not give up this opportunity easily. In the trenches of Ukraine, Christmas decorations have already been hung. Even in the face of death in the next second, for Ukrainians, the quest for life and a better future will never stop.
They have been holding out for 655 days and have shown their tenacity and perseverance. Even with huge losses, they will not give in and surrender. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba once said: "If there is no **, we will fight with a shovel, because this is a war for freedom and survival, and we must defend ourselves."
They would rather die standing than live on their knees, so the Ukrainians definitely deserve the final victory.