TheMalcontent

Russia-Ukraine SITREP for 04 DEC 2023 23:59* PST - ...But We Didn't Think This Fast

Added 2023-12-05 12:13:32 +0000 UTC

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SITREP 550 is 62 pages and is a full report.

Editor's Note: The truth matters. You've depended on us to deliver the truth - some of you since 2016. Sometimes, the truth is brutal. Today's report is difficult, so brace yourselves.

What's Happening

What's the big story? Russia made tactically significant gains in several areas of operation.

What's the second story? Multiple leaders are warning that if Ukraine doesn't get more military and economic aid by December 31, the economy and war effort could collapse.

Summary

There are map changes
There are updates to the Rumors section
Russian forces made tactically significant gains in several AOs during the last 24 hours
Cold weather and periods of snow will continue across most of Ukraine for the rest of the week
In the Kupyansk AO, fighting continued near Synkivka and Petropavlivka
Russian Shahed-136 one-way drones struck Chuhuiv and Borova
In the Kreminna AO, fighting continued near Terny, Yampolivka, and Dibrova
In occupied Luhansk, a Ukrainian drone struck a fuel terminal, destroying at least one storage tank
In the Bakhmut AO, Russian forces made significant tactical gains through Khromove and in the direction of Ivanivske
Russian forces are setting conditions to attack in the direction of Chasiv Yar
Ukrainian forces were temporarily pushed out of the 215-meter heights over Klischchiivka
Fighting continued in the rest of the Klishchiivka AO
Ukraine ended its spoiling attacks on the northwestern edge of Horlivka
Fighting continued east of Novobakhmutivka
In the Avdiivka AO, Russian forces made tactically significant gains at Stepove, taking partial control of the village
Russian forces made tactical gains southwest, south, and southeast of Avdiivka Coke Plant terrikon
Fighting continued on the south flank of Avdiivka, including the industrial district
Ukrainian forces have stabilized defense lines in western and northwestern Marinka
Fighting continued near Novomykhailivka
In the Orikhiv AO, fighting continued near Verbove and west and south of Robotyne
Ukrainian forces attacked Nesteryanka
Ukrainian forces captured a soldier of the Russian Federation from Nepal who can’t speak Russian
The city of Kherson was hit by at least two ballistic missiles, sparking a very large fire
Fighting continued in and south of Krynky, with Russian milbloggers losing confidence that Russia can collapse the bridgehead
Video from November 10 showed the results of a strike on a Russian convoy in occupied Kherson
Ukraine attacked Crimea with up to 40 drones, but there were no reported hits
In Novosibirsk, Russia, someone attempted to blow up the commissariat office using an IED
Ukraine shot down one missile and six Shahed-136 one-way drones
Ukrainian officials assess that Russia isn’t just stockpiling missiles for future attacks on Ukraine but rebuilding its strategic reserve for other wars
In November, Russia gained 4 square kilometers of territory
Ukraine is facing a future demographic crisis due to the loss of 4.4 million people and the plummeting birthrate
Ukraine was forced to cut its 2024 defense budget by 20%
The Washington Post wrote an analysis of what went wrong during the Ukrainian summer offensive
Wife of spy chief Kyrylo Budanov, Marianna Budanova is still recovering from being poisoned
Ukraine is producing six Bohdan 155 mm SPGs a month
The U.K. has provided Ukraine with Martlet-guided missiles for air defense
German arms maker Rheinmetall accepted an order to produce ammunition for Ukraine, with a delivery date in 2025
The Czech Republic indicated it had exhausted its reserve equipment and ammunition but could accept orders for new equipment in the future
The President of Bulgaria blocked the transfer of 100 Soviet-era BTR-60 APCs
The leader of the Netherlands Freedom Party, Geert Wilders, confirmed that he will not support future military aid to Ukraine
Multiple United States leaders indicated that Ukraine is facing a catastrophe without an aid package passed before December 31
Negotiations in the Senate to provide an aid package to Ukraine, Israel, Palestinians, Taiwan, and U.S. border security collapsed
President Zelenskyy was invited to address the U.S. Senate in a closed session to explain “what exactly is at stake”
The British Ministry of Foreign Affairs is appealing to the United States to continue aid
The Russian Ministry of Defense wants to change the “health standards” for conscripts, mobiks, and contract soldiers
Associate of Igor Stelkov Girkin, retired GRU Colonel Vladimir Kvachkov is facing new charges of discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
In occupied Kherson, A Russian sergeant committed an act of fratricide
Video captured the moment a Russian mortar stuck a Kherson bus stop, killing one and wounding seven
Russian forces shelled a Kherson kindergarten, wounding one
It is reported that Russia and Ukraine may exchange hundreds of soldiers before the end of the year
A family with children was repatriated from the occupied territories
E.U. leaders are poised to open negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova for membership
Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, is attempting to block Ukraine from joining the E.U.
Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, admitted that he was backing the trucker blockade of the Ukrainian border
President of Brazil Lula da Silva said he would invite Putin to the G20 Summit later this year, but the Russian leader could face arrest
Lieutenant General Juergen-Joachim von Sandrart, NATO Multinational Corps Northeast Commander, warned that Russia was rebuilding all its combat capabilities and is becoming a growing threat to the Baltic region

Where's the damn podcast?

That is 100% on me. I am steadfast in no more work after 01:00 hours local time, and yesterday's SITREP wasn't complete until shortly after 01:00 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. Israel-Hamas has not been an issue for the last week due to the cease-fire.

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