"All of Vlad's forces and all of Vlad's men, are out to put Humpty together again." (4 Viewers)

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The U.S. is expected to announce a $175 million package of military aid to Ukraine on Wednesday, including guided missiles for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), anti-armor systems and high-speed anti-radiation missiles, according to U.S. officials.

The latest aid comes as Congress remains stalled on legislation that would provide new funding for Ukraine as it battles to push back Russian forces, as well as money for Israel's war with Hamas and other security needs. The Biden administration has said funding to aid Ukraine is running out, and the Pentagon packages of weapons and other equipment for the war have become much smaller in recent months.

The White House is seeking nearly $106 billion, but the bill has gotten bogged down in negotiations over border security and because of increasing reluctance from Republican lawmakers to approve significant spending on the Ukraine war. GOP lawmakers are insisting on policy changes to halt the flow of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border as a condition for the assistance.

As part of the push to break the deadlock, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was scheduled to address U.S. senators by video Tuesday, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he had to cancel his appearance.

The latest weapons package will be provided through presidential drawdown authority, or PDA, which pulls weapons from existing U.S. stockpiles and sends them quickly to the war front, said U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the aid has not yet been publicly announced.

Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said Tuesday there is about $1.1 billion left in funding to replenish U.S. military stockpiles for weapons and equipment sent to Ukraine. And he said there is roughly $4.8 billion in drawdown authority still available.

US to announce fresh weapons aid for Ukraine as Congress is stalled

The latest weapons package will be provided through presidential drawdown authority, or PDA, which pulls weapons from existing U.S. stockpiles.
www.airforcetimes.com
 
lol @ "Ukraine on the back foot".

I've noticed an upswing of this headline lately and it's a great piece of Russian-leaning propeganda (especially if one looks at the media outlets posting it).

So far, Ukraine's bridgehead across the Dnipro is growing. They've been successful in stalling Russian counter-offensives. They've been inflicting losses well behind Russian lines, especially at Russian command and control centers, airfield and supply depots and especially Russian naval assets.

They have been draining Russia's resources, especially their manpower, all the while holding their own.

Not bad for being on the backfoot...
 

Russia is advancing again, and on multiple fronts. But, it's doing so in a slow, grinding way and with loss ratios that are reminiscent of the worst parts of the Bakhmut battles in 2022.

As weird as this sounds, it's probably in Ukraine's interest for Russia to be on the offensive (provided they can prevent breakthroughs).

When Ukraine was attacking, observed loss rates for vehicles/equipment (geolocated, confirmed losses from 3rd party sources) were about 0.8:1 against Ukraine up to about 2:1 in Ukraine's favour. The early attacks around Robotyne, Verbove and Mala Tokmachka in June this year being most illustrative.

In comparison, when Russia has been attacking the observed loss rates for vehicles/equipment are anywhere 3:1 to 8:1 in Ukraine's favour.

In this attritional phase, Ukraine has more of an advantage against Russia when it's on the defensive. The more Russia throws away it's stuff in fruitless attacks, the better it is for Ukraine overall. Despite the lines on the map not moving the direction (most) of us want, these assaults are shifting the balance of forces in Ukraine's favour.

The question is though, can Ukraine shift the balance of forces ENOUGH that it will make any difference? Is there a point where a section of the front becomes so compromised/weakened, that Ukraine can actually exploit this and attack? Or, have we reached a high-tech WW1, where static defenses, mines, drones, precision artillery and easy observation and communications make it impossible for Ukraine to sufficiently develop an attack - both in weight and penetration - to actually cause a rupture in the front?
 
That's the advantage of the defensive for sure. Considering Russia is now trying to use 2nd tier equipment (T-62 etc) while Ukraine is
receiving 1st tier equipment the balance is certainly shifting.

Russia losing over 900 troops per day in attacks is not sustainable when the troops being lost are not backed up (combined arms attacks).

Although Ukraine has not had massive success with the counter offensive they are in a position where they have made gains which forces
Russia to respond. The capacity for Russia to respond effectively doesn't seem to be there.
 
SaparotRob said:
I thought the Bangalore torpedo was extinct!
Click to expand...
Hopefully by spring 2024 Ukraine's sappers will have two things well in hand: multiple, SAM-defended MBT-capable bridges over the Dnipro River, and mine-breaching kit of epic proportions to allow the summer 2024 breakthrough to Melitopol. On the latter, Ukraine needs to be able to quickly clear multiple, wide and deep corridors through the minefields while countering immense Russian artillery, infantry, AFVs, drone and air force attacks - presumably through Ukraine achieving a least limited aerial/electronic superiority over the breaches. Has this ever been done?

Ukraine would need dozens of these antimining rocket cable vehicles operating at the same time, all while they're being targeted by the Russians.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egE6di1o0lY

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eeaou2L2sI
 
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