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Russia has released its 2nd echelon troops from Belarus for another push on Kyiv tonight (Ukraine time).
The Ukrainians know that they're coming.
Artillery prep fire has already begun...
Sound of small arms fire around the city. That'll be the Spetsnaz troops trapped last night.
And/or...
Armed civilians with itchy trigger fingers.
Ukrainian Air Force chief says they have shot down a Russian IL-76 transport plane with paratroopers on board south of Kyiv.
No images, evidence or independent confirmation of the above at the moment.
It would be a change in Russian tactics if so. Thus far all Russian ABN troops landed in Ukraine have arrived by helicopter.
The Russians were spotted on satellite massing a new group of transport and gunship helicopters in Belarus.
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Key bridge outside of Odessa blown up by Ukr defenders.
No word (yet) of Russian movement along any of the previous axis of attack.
1:55am Ukraine time. Light rain and 37F temps.
Heavy fighting reported near Vasylkiv south of Kyiv, where Russia is trying to set up a landing force.
This is in the same area as the claimed Il-76 shoot down.
(At the cross marker on the map.)
For those folks who were wondering how Ukraine's air force was flying after their airfields were blown up or cratered.
They don't need airfields or runways. All they need is a long enough straight stretch of highway and some trees to hide the planes.
Ukrainian light armored units seen on the move in the city of Sumy.
USAF CAP flights over Poland with F-35A's and F-15E's.
USAF/USN CAP flights over Romania with F-35's, F-16's, and F/A-18's.
RAF Typhoons up over Poland.
Lots of aerial tankers in the air, mostly for the Romanian CAP flights.
I'm assuming that both nations are also running their own CAP flights with their own F-16's.
‘According to a Ukrainian official, Zelensky has not directed his own security services to remove him to a safe city, such as Lviv, although they stand ready to do so.’
Heavy fighting at numerous points around Kyiv and its western suburbs. CH-6 power station, and the zoo among others. Russian ABN troops committed in at least two locations.
The Ukrainians are giving them hell everywhere.
Still not seeing a lot of reporting of major fighting in the rest of the country.
So far all of the Russian troops committed to taking Kyiv tonight seem to be ABN and Spetsnaz.
These are professional contract soldiers, some with years of combat experience in places most people never heard of. In several locations Spetsnaz are reportedly in stolen Ukr uniforms or civilian clothes.
At least some of the Ukrainian regulars committed to the defense of Kyiv are Special Forces, some also with long combat records.
It appears that Google maps is able to track some of the progress of the battle of Kyiv in certain areas via traffic jams.
(gawddamn smart phones)
Right map red arrow not indicative of progress, only direction.
This (red marker) is the area were the 1st para plane reputedly went down.
There is a Ukrainian air base near there. It may still have functional air defense systems.
There is heavy fighting in that area as well, against Russian ABN troops.
Seeing video of Russian BMD ABN APC's burning or burned out in two other locations. Dunno if those are from tonight or yesterday.
4:30AM Ukraine time.
Ukrainian govt reports that they've stopped the Russian offensive on Peremohy Avenue towards the city center (red arrow map above).
4:40am Ukraine time.
Ukrainian govt reports that they have repelled the airborne assault on Vasylkive air base SW of Kiev.
Reports that Ukr has blown up the "Victory" bridge in Kyiv.
Not sure which of the 8 bridges across the Dnieper that is, or if it's another bridge in the Kyiv area all together.
Heavy fighting along the east bank of the lower Dnieper at Kherson.
Russian Naval Infantry trying to take the dam bridge and power station again.
Kharkiv Tank Factory on fire and tank battles around the Kharkiv ring road.
Russian 1GTA making another push.
5:10am Ukraine time.
Dawn at 6:15am Ukraine time.
(I don't like seeing this in the "news" even when it comes from an official Ukrainian govt source.)
Large truck convoy carrying ammunition and arms from Poland crossed into Ukraine.
I think the Russians really do believe that the fall of Kyiv or Zelensky himself means that the war will end and they can occupy a pacified population.
And they've wasted almost two echelons of their very best troops trying to prove it.
I'm trying to figure out which part of holding the line for eight years against Russian backed proxy forces they missed.
AP confirming both para transport shoot downs.
Still haven't seen wreckage yet.
Important to emphasize that the Russian forces that are currently near Kyiv are likely SOF and VDV with light armored vehicles. Heavier Russian tank and motorized rifle units are headed towards Kyiv with artillery. It will be more difficult for Ukrainian forces to stop them.
-RALee85
This is an Il-76. The wreckage of two of these giants should not be difficult to find.
Anytime that you read a story, tweet, toot, news article, or claim that the Russians have launched an amphibious assault across the Sea of Azov keep in mind that the Sea of Azov is 47ft at its deepest and averages less than 27ft deep.
They aren't running those big LST's up in there, they'd ground out long before they hit any beaches.
Last call for tonight.
That "tank" that ran over a car?
It was part of a convoy of 2 SA-10 SAM vehicles and two trucks (one with a twin 23mm gun in the back). The four vehicles were all Ukrainian, but they had been captured earlier by Russian Spetsnaz and used to break through Ukrainian lines. They were spotted by Territorial Defense units and ambushed. All of the Russians in both trucks were killed, some were in Ukrainian uniforms.
The crash/crush was during the escape of the 2 SAM vehicles.
Both of those SAM vehicles were later stopped by heavy machine gun fire and their drivers killed (no other crew onboard).
It looks like a tank but it has very thin aluminum "armor".
@Render well they did want to learn how to make Molotov cocktails…Malcom nance a few days ago said before they left he was asked how to copper disc IEDs.
@Thumprhare @Render the longer this drags out, the more likely we are to see the IEDs people remember from OEF/OIF.
IEDs are extremely easy to make provided your enemy had dropped a ton of unexploded ordinace on you.
In OIF one of the crudest IEDs I saw was a washing machine timer hot glued to wiring that went to blasting caps/explosives.
Don't have to be fancy, just need go boom.
Fucking Insane......👊 🔥
@Render understood. thanks.
I am not sure how you do this sober. I am not military and I was googling "how do I volunteer for the red cross".
@_Ms_J I'm fueled on Coca-Cola Original and Marlboro 100's, and I thrive on chaos.
Also I've run these and similar scenarios in various simulations around 100,000 times or more going back to the 1980's.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
And THAT …is why we appreciate you so much here. You have experience behind you. And you freely share with us what the important parts are so we come up to speed on situations FAR quicker than most get to.
Then we can go help others catch up. You help me fight disinformation and apathy around me.
Your dedication to educate and inform us…has got ripples spreading out. Or at least it does for my part of it.
@Render
It's seemed to me (could just be my sleep cycle since this popped off) that Russia is mostly making their pushes under the cover of night now after the first day, do you think that will continue? If so do you think that heavy armor will be effective in this urban environment with a day of plotting?
@BlonyPonyExpres The night attacks on Kyiv by light infantry are drawing a lot of attention, but the armored and heavy mech units are moving by day. With multiple echelons the Russians can keep this tempo up for days to come.
@Render
Hmm, well as I see it every day is another black eye for Putin. This blitz has failed spectacularly, everyday now is more and more proof of Russia's vulnerability to the
w esternworld. Thanks again boss
@Render but what if ya shatter them like a glass and it’s just itty bitty pieces all over,it might be harder.. Or did they make it up?🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️
@Render Tha k you for this and all the other posts.
@Render thanks so much for keeping us all informed without the BS of other sources. Rest well.
@Render :-((( Hope no one Was there
War crime. No way at this point of the action that was a military target
Does Russia have landing craft that ride on air like some of the US Marines have? Those could be really effective when the water is that shallow
Much as I hate the loss of lives…I still hope these big ass paratrooper planes keep getting shot down and that they are packed full when they are. I want Putin to have every military mom in Russia calling for his head on a pike!
@Render OMG! REALLY? This makes me so happy!!
"You See Comrade, sometime molotov ees better than boolet"
@Render oh my god. Those poor people
@Museek Video is from 2014.
I have Ukrainian friends here in Kansas City. I am proud to know anyone who comes from such a people.
I am in awe of their communal courage and tenacity
@Render holy crap ive never seen anything like that!!!!the Ukrainian people are determined!! And inspiring!
Vodka makes great molotovs!!
This really gives me hope for them. But I hope that heavy artillery on the way isn't used, even if the carnage of innocent people will completely, once and for all, expose Putin for the murderous POS that he's always been.
So also hope they're holding on to the big weapons (javelins etc) for the heavy Ru artillery on the way.
AND I also hope the Trumpist POS lackeys in Congress (Cruz, Blackburn, Hawley, Graham etc) pass an emergency "Lend Lease" for Ukraine.
@Render wow… utter chaos
Unimaginable that people should have to do this. It makes me think about history.. someone said yesterday to keep in mind that civilian targets are fair game because of this. I disagree. They should not fucking be there in the first place!
But they are and they’re committing war crimes. Tanks, aircraft and missile against untrained people with Molotov cocktails is NOT “fair game” David vs Goliath story here. May David be victorious. Russians need to go home.
@Render The world needs to see this. Everyone. This is what will happen to you if you try to start killing innocent people and take over their lives.
Ukrainian govt saying that Battle of Kyiv is over and security forces are mopping up remaining pockets of Russian resistance.
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Russian tanks and infantry moving into Melitopol on the lower end of the E105 highway above Crimea.