TheMalcontent

Russia-Ukraine SITREP for 18 DEC 2023 23:59* PST - Ammo Shortages and Kherson Questions

Added 2023-12-19 10:38:27 +0000 UTC

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SITREP 562 is 61 pages and a full report.

What's Happening

What's the big story? Ukrainian forces lost positions in one AO in part because artillery ran out of ammunition, and drone operators could only watch Ukrainian troops be taken prisoner.

What's the second story? The New York Times has stirred controversy over combat conditions for Ukrainian troops in Kherson.

Bonus story: Not a lot of coverage about how Russia is using growing swaths of its population as cannon fodder - but we're covering it.

Summary

There are map updates
The table of Russian vs. Ukrainian heavy equipment losses using information from the Oryx Database was updated through December 18, 2023
There are rumor updates
Fighting continued in the Kupyansk AO
Fighting continued in the Kreminna AO
Russian forces renewed attempts to advance on Spirne in the Siversk AO
Ukrainian forces are under tremendous pressure to hold their defenses in Bohdanivka
Russian light infantry freely advanced in the direction of Ivanivske and took prisoners due to Ukrainian forces running out of ammunition
Fighting continued in the Klishchiivka AO
Fighting continued near Horlivka
Ukrainian forces destroyed Russian air defense and electronic warfare complexes in occupied Donetsk
Ukrainian forces held their defensive positions in the Avdiivka AO
Ukrainian forces continue to hold the northwestern corner of Marinka
Russian forces advanced to the southern edge of Novomykhailivka, where intense fighting continues
The illegitimate government of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic insists there are no fuel shortages
The number of people without power in occupied Donetsk increased despite the improving weather conditions
Russian forces made tactically significant advances northeast of Novoprokopivka in the Orikhiv AO
Fighting continued in Krnyky, Kherson, as controversy swirled over reports in the New York Times and The Drive
The Black Sea Fleet has almost completely withdrawn from Sevastopol
Russian sources claim the drone attack on the Russian Morozovsk military airfield on December 16-17 caused more damage than reported
Russian missile and Shahed-136 drone units practically took the day off
The debate of accelerated or total mobilization in Ukraine has spilled into the public domain
Kyivstar continues working to restore all services after last week’s cyberattack fully
Ukraine announced the serial production of the new Cobra one-way drone with a range of 300 km and a 15 kg warhead
Robert “Magyar” Brovdi said that Russia is outnumbering Ukrainian drones by 5:1 to 10:1
Ukrainian General Alexander Tarnavskyi said that Ukraine is having to curtail military operations due to a lack of ammunition
Polish trucker drivers are blocking the Dorogusk – Yagodin border checkpoint
The United States Department of Defense warns that the last aid package to Ukraine will be on December 30, and there are no funds to replenish U.S. stockpiles
Denmark and Sweden agreed to provide Ukraine with approximately 25 CV-90 IFVs
Russian General Alexander Peryazev was reportedly wounded in action in the Kupyansk AO and evacuated
A Russian family is appealing for help after an illegally mobilized man was killed in Ukraine on November 6
Wives and mothers of wounded mobiks with Unit 45863 appealed for them to get medical care
A Russian soldier who has an eye injury and an amputated leg was told by the medical commission he is fit for medical service
Of the 3,000 Wagnerites PMC Wagner submitted paperwork to the Russian MOD before being dissolved, only 500 have received veteran status
Naturalization of immigrants in the Russian Federation is down 29%
Ukrainian insurgents reported that Russian Kh-32 missile production is down 20%
Putin's Purge
The U.N. Human Rights Committee asked Russia to explain the status of Alexei Navalny
The Russian Ministry of Defense continues to attempt to recruit retired PMC Wagner Group mercenaries to join punishment units
Russian author Boris Akunin has been charged with justification of terrorism and spreading fake news
The former leader of Citizens of the USSR was found guilty of discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
==================================
A former Russian GRU major and PMC Wagner mercenary flew to The Hague and has offered to testify to the ICC
Co-founder of the Rusich Group and suspected Russian war criminal, Jan Petrovsky, will be held by Finnish officials through May 31, 2024
The European Union passed its 12th round of sanctions against the Russian Federation
Bulgaria passed two draft laws that will effectively end the operation of the Lukoil Refinery in its country
Russian economists issued a gloomy inflation outlook for 2024

Where's the damn podcast?

That is 100% on me. I am steadfast in no more work after 01:00 hours local time (here it is 03:45 hours), and yesterday's SITREP wasn't complete until after 03:30 hours. That means no one to sign off on the script. Working on a solution. The challenge is as more and more OSINT accounts give up, get deleted by social media, or are canceled for the right or wrong reasons, the intelligence gathering for us keeps getting longer and longer.

You can listen to previous podcasts through the Megaphone web app and your favorite podcast provider, including,

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