⚡️UK Defense Ministry: Fighting continued at ‘routine level’ despite Russia’s supposed ceasefire over Orthodox Christmas.

Russian troops continued the war in Ukraine at "a routine level" despite Moscow's supposed ceasefire over Orthodox Christmas, with one of the fiercest battles raging west of the occupied Kreminna in the eastern Luhansk Oblast, the U.K. Defense Ministry said.

Both sides are "highly likely struggling to adjust artillery fire" around Kreminna since the fighting has raged on the "heavily forested terrain."

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This article is a continuation of the article about Phase 1. Therefore, I highly recommend to first read the first article, before continuing here. Here is the link.

The second phase of this war still was carried out as a special military operation. Nevertheless, one step higher on the escalation ladder. The second phase still was carried out in an offensive way. Many strategic villages and towns were captured by the Russians. Buffer zones were expanded around strategic spots.


2022 is according to my own definition.
The qualities of Russian officers were tested and some passed the test and others didn’t. Which reminds me of the Winter War between the Soviets and Finland. Moreover, first problems with the contracts of the Russian soldiers occurred, that were direct consequences of secretive planning.
The most interesting event, apart from the capturing of important cities, of phase 2, were the occurrence off HIMARS in Ukraine.
Most of the able-bodied men of Ukraine, that didn’t flee, were mobilized and underwent training abroad. Most of these men haven’t been committed to the fight during phase 2.
Last but not least, one major Russian political objective was achieved.

Black Mountain Analysis

Phase 2
Introduction
This article is a continuation of the article about Phase 1. Therefore, I highly recommend to first read the first article, before continuing here. Here is the link.
The second phase of this war still was carried out as a special military operation. Nevertheless, one step higher on the escalation ladder. The second phase still was carried out in an offensive way. Many strategic villages and towns were captured by the Russians. Buffer zones were expanded around strategic spots.
Phase 2 has been conducted, roughly, between April and July 2022. Officially Phase 2 never was concluded. That’s why the conclusion of Phase 2 at the end of July 2022 is according to my own definition.
The qualities of Russian officers were tested and some passed the test and others didn’t. Which reminds me of the Winter War between the Soviets and Finland. Moreover, first problems with the contracts of the Russian soldiers occurred, that were direct consequences of secretive planning.
The most interesting event, apart from the capturing of important cities, of phase 2, were the occurrence off HIMARS in Ukraine.
Most of the able-bodied men of Ukraine, that didn’t flee, were mobilized and underwent training abroad. Most of these men haven’t been committed to the fight during phase 2.
Last but not least, one major Russian political objective was achieved.

Objectives

Russian Objectives

Russia still followed the same objectives as in Phase 1. Nevertheless, now without the possibility of a shock and awe victory. It was now absolutely clear, that Russia will need to defeat the Ukrainian army, to be able to implement the stated objectives. I will reiterate the most important:
Denazification of Ukraine
Demilitarization of Ukraine
Bring to justice those Ukrainians, that have committed (war)crimes against its own population from 2014 onwards
Free the Donbass to ensure its independence and security
Of course, Russia had a sufficient force assembled at this time, to achieve all of this goals. But what does that mean exactly? I will deepen this later in another chapter (deception), but we need to consider the following:
Russia planned through the whole ladder of escalations and prepared and provided (even today and going forward) exactly the resources on the battlefield, that are needed for the current configuration of the battlefield and the enemy.
Russia was planning to fight the UKAINIAN army and has been provided forces accordingly.
Ukrainians are Russian brothers and relatives. In Phase 2, Russia still planned to destroy only the Ukrainian army. Not civilians and not civilian infrastructure. If the army falls, the rest of the country would fall quickly as a whole.
Conclusion: Russia had provided enough troops, resources and equipment to Phase 2, to destroy the Ukrainian troops and the UKRANINIAN equipment. I will deepen this later.

Ukrainian Objectives

Since Ukraine absorbed the first shock without collapsing, it started to plan with its allies (Western countries) how it can win the war. Now we need to remember. To win a war doesn’t mean to defeat the enemy army on the battlefield. That is an impossible task for Ukraine. To win a war means, to achieve its political objectives.
We need to consider, that “Ukraine” as a state didn’t have any objectives, since it lost the whole of its control and independence to US/UK services in 2014. That’s why it is a little hard, to write about Ukrainian objectives here. I will rather refer to Western objectives IN Ukraine:
Keeping as much territory under control near big Russian cities, to keep a leverage over Russia. Which included the Donbass, Kharkov, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Kiev.
Inflicting such heavy casualties on the Russian military, to influence the political situation in Russia.
Collecting as much intelligence over Russian tactics and strategies, as well as military equipment as possible.
Test as much own (NATO) tactics, strategies and military equipment under real conditions as possible to improve them.
Activate Europe as much as possible to sever all ties with Russia.
Not losing an inch of territory, to keep the Western public activated to keep on suffering (economically) to support Ukraine further on.
Concealing all own casualties, to keep its own population motivated. Moreover, the Westerners activated. The Western population would have struggled more, to support the war, when they would have known, for how many deaths they are responsible, by supporting and prolonging the war.
Collapsing Russia and especially activating the Russian population to coup Putin away.
One might think that these objectives are totally unrealistic. But there were not.

https://bmanalysis.substack.com/p/war-analysis-dfb


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Cemeteries in Ukraine keep growing and growing......

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Macron has crossed red lines by supplying Ukraine with AMX-10 RC wheeled tanks - Daily Telegraph

The French president has crossed red lines, breaking a military taboo and becoming the first Western leader to take such a step (ahead of the US, UK and Germany in wanting to arm the AFU with European armored vehicles).

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👆👆👆
The dangerous game you play, Europeans.

A batch of 12 Panthera T6 armored vehicles handed over to Ukraine by the UAE. The supplier is unknown; it is likely that the vehicles were purchased by a private company for Ter defense brigades.


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👆👆👆
Judging by the number of troops and hardware pouring in from both sides, conflict not seen before in ferocity awaits us.

💥 The Ukrainians did not want to lay down their arms willingly. So they had to be motivated with a fragmentation grenade💥

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Former Ukrainian central bank governor seeks political asylum in Austria over $5.6m embezzlement allegations

Kyrylo Shevchenko, who left the post of the governor of the Central Bank of Ukraine in October 2022, has applied for asylum in Austria. The reason for defection of the head of the main financial regulator was fraud in the commercial "Ukrgazbank", in which the official made $5.6 million.

Kyrylo Shevchenko has been in charge of Ukraine's monetary policy since July 2020. The official reason for his resignation was "health condition". Although there is a version that his relationship with the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, deteriorated

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🪖 Footage from Marinka (DNR)

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🪖 Soledar

The video was taken from the Ukrainian side. The other day, Vagner PMC fighters made a significant breakthrough, penetrating AFU positions in the Soledar direction.

There is now fighting in the center of Soledar.


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Two destroyed Ukrainian 2S1 Gvozdika 122mm self-propelled artillery units somewhere in the SMO zone.

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Marinka. A hit in a house with the Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers in it. Many of them will not be dug out any time soon...

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AFU on the situation in Artemovsk.

In brief:
RF has a lot of BC and infantry, constantly attacking in all directions; the situation is very bad.
The mood of the Ukrainians is horrible.

And ours is very good!
While these soldiers bastards were filming the video, they almost got hit twice. That shows that the AFU situation is really bad.


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German mercenary to his grandfather: I am fighting in Kharkov region in the trenches you built

Finnish mercenaries turned out to be active social media users and regularly shared their impressions of the conflict in Ukraine. For example, Ralf Sirén from Finland quotes a German fighter who told his grandfather:

"Grandpa, I am fighting in the trenches you built in World War II!". Grandfather fought in the area. When the enemy found us a few weeks later, they fired mortars at us, just as they did a century ago. We found this old shell on the ground. 4/5"

Generational continuity in the conflict in Ukraine. Only total denazification. Or does anyone still have questions?

Kharkov Z


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"Come on, brother! Come on!".

Wagner PMC fighters shoot down a Ukrainian Su-25 from man-portable air defense systems near Bakhmut.

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Destruction in Artemovsk

The most intense fighting in the city is taking place in the industrial zone in the east of the city and on the south-eastern outskirts.
Fighting also continues on the outskirts of Podgorodnoe and in Opytnoe.

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US plans to give 18 155mm Paladin self-propelled howitzers to the Ukrainian Armed Forces

Deputy Pentagon deputy assistant chief Laura Cooper said Washington would also contribute 36 units of 105mm towed howitzers and 4,000 Zuni short-range unguided air-to-ground missiles to the military aid package.

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A drone view of AFU positions in Marinka.

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