Russia launched 30 cruise missiles on May 17th

[Reepicheep]

and apparently 29 of the thirty were shot down. The cost of each X-55 or X-101 missile is $13 million, so the cost of this attack was over $390 million. The one missile that got through blew up an industrial building in Odesa. Seems like a lot of money to spend, in order to blow up one building.

The Ukrainians are becoming quite adept at using the various and numerous surface-to-air missile systems the nations of the world are providing:

- Avenger (USA)
- Hawk (Spain, USA)
- Hellfire (Sweden)
- IRIS-T (Germany)
- NASAMS (Canada, Netherlands, Norway, USA),
- Neva (Poland)
- OSA (Poland)
- Patriot (Germany, Netherlands, USA),
- SAMP/T (Italy, France)
- SkyGuard Aspides (Italy, Spain)

 

[inertia]

Breaking: 05/18/2023

Russian retreat in Bakhmut

• Wagner says Russian regular troops abandoning city's flanks
• Kyiv says Wagner mercenaries falling into Bakhmut 'mousetrap'
• Russia has acknowledged some withdrawals, denies crumbling
• Ukraine: downing most missiles in latest Russian air strikes

"Ukrainian troops near the front line said Russia was bombarding access roads to slow the Ukrainian assault, which has shifted momentum after months of slow Russian gains in Europe's deadliest ground combat since World War Two."

"Now, for the most part, as we have started to advance, they are shelling all the routes to front positions, so our armoured vehicles can't deliver more infantry, ammunition and other things," said Petro Podaru, commander of a Ukrainian artillery unit.

Ukraine's military said troops had advanced in places by more than a mile. Its forces had been on the defensive for half a year, weathering a huge offensive by Moscow that saw only slow gains.


Image Credit: May 12, 2023. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova/File Photo

Kyiv says its tactic around Bakhmut is to draw Russian forces into the city, so as to weaken Russia's front line defences elsewhere ahead of Kyiv's planned counterassault."

The WSJ reports a train derailment in Crimea. Russians blame "outsiders". [ Paranoia or Sabotage ? ] ?️?

_________
.

 

[Algor]

Breaking: 05/18/2023

Russian retreat in Bakhmut

• Wagner says Russian regular troops abandoning city's flanks
• Kyiv says Wagner mercenaries falling into Bakhmut 'mousetrap'
• Russia has acknowledged some withdrawals, denies crumbling
• Ukraine: downing most missiles in latest Russian air strikes

"Ukrainian troops near the front line said Russia was bombarding access roads to slow the Ukrainian assault, which has shifted momentum after months of slow Russian gains in Europe's deadliest ground combat since World War Two."

"Now, for the most part, as we have started to advance, they are shelling all the routes to front positions, so our armoured vehicles can't deliver more infantry, ammunition and other things," said Petro Podaru, commander of a Ukrainian artillery unit.

Ukraine's military said troops had advanced in places by more than a mile. Its forces had been on the defensive for half a year, weathering a huge offensive by Moscow that saw only slow gains.

View attachment 4243
Image Credit: May 12, 2023. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova/File Photo

Kyiv says its tactic around Bakhmut is to draw Russian forces into the city, so as to weaken Russia's front line defences elsewhere ahead of Kyiv's planned counterassault."

The WSJ reports a train derailment in Crimea. Russians blame "outsiders". [ Paranoia or Sabotage ? ] ?️?

_________
.

Wagner group is certainly deep in the city. They appear to have nearly levelled it, and occupy everything but a thin line in the far west of the city, even as Ukrainian counterattacks erode the salients extending to the north and south.