Dept. of Defense acknowledges that logistics are limiting Russian advances

Thursday’s briefing from the U.S. Protection Division spoke on to the connection between Russia’s logistical issues and its gradual progress in Ukraine.

“The Russians haven’t overcome all their logistics and sustainment challenges, and we assess that they are solely ready—as a result of they nonetheless have not solved all their logistics issues—simply from a logistics perspective alone, not counting the Ukrainian resistance, which stays energetic, however simply from logistics alone, they’re solely in a position to maintain a number of kilometers or so progress on any given day, simply because they do not need to run out too far forward of their logistics and sustainment strains. So that they’re restricted not solely, once more, by the combating and by Ukrainian resistance, however by their still-continued logistics issues.”

If Putin or his high generals actually need to enhance Russia’s odds on the bottom in Ukraine, they’d be higher off staying in Moscow, or sitting somebody exterior Belgorod, coping with the logistical points and retaining provides flowing.

Within the Friday briefing, it was realized that the U.S. has commenced coaching Ukrainian troopers on further “key methods” in Germany. That features coaching on radar methods and armored autos (presumably which means the M113 Armored Personnel Provider). Among the coaching will likely be carried out by Florida Nationwide Guard members who had been serving in Ukraine earlier than the invasion. U.S. Nationwide Guard forces have participated in coaching and joint workout routines in Ukraine during the last 8 years.

In response to questions, the DOD said that the U.S. shouldn’t be planning on doing any coaching inside Ukraine, as that will create some stage of “boots on the bottom.” Nevertheless, they’re performing some digital or distant coaching for methods. Making this attainable, as effectively as lowering the time essential for these coaching in Germany, is a concentrate on bringing people who find themselves already acquainted with comparable methods. For instance, the fifty 100 Ukrainian troopers educated on M777 howitzers had been already artillerymen, not simply random individuals pulled out of the infantry. 

Precedence has additionally been given to methods that Ukraine can be taught rapidly and which may be built-in into their effort “with out burdening them” with in depth coaching or the necessity for lots of further assist. The Pentagon appears extremely conscious that they don’t need to saddle Ukraine with troublesome and sophisticated additions to their provide chain, or maintain essential forces out of the battle for an prolonged interval. General, the U.S. may be very conscious that it not solely has to get the weapons on the bottom in Ukraine—which they’re doing in round 72 hours following bulletins—they need to make it possible for when these methods attain the entrance strains, they’re additionally useful and efficient as rapidly as attainable.

One different factor that got here up within the Friday briefing that was fascinating: The U.S. is conscious of navy donations being made to Ukraine by different nations which haven’t been made public. The explanations for this may very well be diverse, together with nations which can be depending on Russia for fossil fuels and don’t need to endanger that entry, in addition to nations who really feel like this will likely make them targets for potential assaults (not essentially from Russia). In any case, it implies that among the gear that turns up on the battlefield would possibly characterize one thing of a detective recreation.

Popasna

The information out of Popasna is usually that Popasna has nonetheless not been taken. The city stays below Ukrainian management at the same time as further makes an attempt to advance Russian tanks into the city’s streets have been reported. On Friday Russia additionally risked a Ka-52 helicopter in an effort to get on the Ukrainian positions within the city that had blocked Russian advances for over every week. None of this appears to have dislodged the Ukrainian forces.

There’s additionally this report that former U.S. navy member “Joseph Kensel was combating for the Ukrainian aspect, was killed by the Russian military in Popasna.” Nevertheless, though this has been reported in a couple of areas, the unique supply seems to be a Russian Twitter account recognized as belonging to a “hero of the Soviet Union” and whose different tweets embody a heavy dose of racism. So positively take into account this to be unconfirmed right now. 

Friday, Apr 29, 2022 · 8:25:52 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

This seems to be the bridge that was taken down on Friday. It’s really SW of Lyman, simply exterior the city of Raihorodok. The freeway bridge simply beside it stays intact.

Proper now, Lyman stays in Ukrainian management, however there was heavy bombardment by Russian forces and a big a part of the inhabitants there has evacuated. There was dialogue for days that Ukraine might determine to withdraw behind the safety of the Siversky Donets River, though that will imply giving up Lyman and a sequence of cities on the jap financial institution. Blowing up this bridge appears to be a preparation for that risk.