Ukraine's Air Force has admitted it has failed to intercept Russian Kh-22 cruise missiles so far. Ukraine's Air Force Command Spokesman Yuriy Ignat said Kyiv has not been able to intercept Russia's Kh-22 missile since the beginning of the war. He however added that the Kh-22 could possibly be shot down by U.S.-made Patriot defence systems.

Zelensky's regime lies and propaganda exposed. Demands more Patriot missiles.


A Mighty" American Patriot missile fails during a military exercise in Taiwan. The MIM-104 Patriot prematurely detonated before reaching its intended target. Taiwan's Air Force Chief Of Staff, General Tsao Chin-Ping, confirmed the news. This occurrence marked the first instance in which a Patriot missile procured by Taiwan from the U.S. experienced a premature detonation. Taiwan has launched an investigation into the premature detonation of the Patriot.

Doubt that Patriot missiles will make a difference in Ukraine. 😆


Ukrainian Air Force has confirmed that their air defences are unable to intercept and shoot down Russian missiles and drones despite top-notch Western defensive systems in service. This as Russia continues to pound Ukrainian cities and towns with missiles and drones.


Russian forces claimed that they have captured five Ukrainian stronghold in Kupyansk direction in northeastern Ukraine amid heavy fighting. Russia's ministry of defence also claimed to have repelled multiple Ukrainian attacks in Donetsk and said a Su-35 fighter of Ukrainian forces was shot down in the region. In Moscow region, Russia demonstrated firing capabilities of its tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.

Ukraine’s counteroffensive failure has driven a wedge between Kyiv officials. A so-called revolt is brewing against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian leadership has been split into two camps over the "flop" war strategy. Some Kyiv officials "doubt" that the current battlefield strategy can lead to success against Russia. There are rumblings among civilians as well that they were misled on the counteroffensive.

Incoming revolt brewing in Ukraine.... 😳


Enjoy 😁

Morning briefing of the Ministry of Defense of Russia (August 17, 2023)
⚡️ Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation

(17 August 2023)

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.

▫️ In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces, in close cooperation with aviation and artillery, repelled four attacks by Ukrainian Armed Forces near Zaliznyanskoye, Staromikhailovka, and Krasnogorovka (Donetsk People's Republic). In addition, the assault detachments of the Russian grouping of forces conducted successful offensives and improved the situation along the front line.

A missile strike on the Mezhevaya station (Dnepropetrovsk region) destroyed a military train with ammunition.

The enemy lost up to 310 Ukrainian personnel, one tank, three armoured fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, and a D-20 artillery in this direction throughout the day.

▫️ In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces improved the situation along the front line in the course of active operations with the support of aviation and artillery fire.

During the day, six attacks of assault groups of the 14th Mechanised, 25th Airborne, and 95th Air Assault brigades of the AFU were repelled in the areas of Olshana, Sinkovka (Kharkov region) and Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic).

During the day, up to 125 Ukrainian personnel were eliminated, as well as two armoured fighting vehicles, two pick-up trucks, one Tyulpan self-propelled mortar, one M777 artillery system, and one U.S.-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system.

▫️ In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces repelled an attack by an assault group of the AFU 42nd Mechanised Brigade near Kuzmino.

In addition, comprehensive fire damage was inflicted on the enemy close to Kremennaya and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).

Up to 55 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, three vehicles, one Akatsiya self-propelled artillery unit, and two D-30 howitzers were destroyed.

▫️ In the South Donetsk direction, professional actions by units of the Vostok Group of Forces, air strikes and artillery fire inflicted a comprehensive fire defeat on the enemy near Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region), Staromayorskoye and Rovnopol (Donetsk People's Republic).

More than 175 Ukrainian soldiers were neutralised, as well as two tanks, three armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one D-20 howitzer, and two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery units.

▫️ In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian grouping of forces, supported by aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrowers, repelled an enemy attack and inflicted a comprehensive fire defeat on the assault detachments of the AFU 46th Airmobile Brigade close to Rabotino (Zaporozhye region).

The enemy losses totalled up to 195 Ukrainian troops, four Stryker armoured personnel carriers, two infantry fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, one UK-made FH-70 gun, as well as two Msta-B and one D-20 howitzers.

▫️ In Kherson direction, Ukrainian units lost up to 30 troops, three motor vehicles, and one D-30 howitzer as a result of a fire attack.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Group of Forces have engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 138 areas during the day.

▫️ Two AFU drone control points were hit in the areas of the settlements of Lastochkino (Donetsk People's Republic) and Ivanovskoye (Zaporozhye region). A command and observation post of a unit of the AFU 67th Mechanised Brigade and an ammunition depot were hit near Serebryanka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Russian air defence forces have intercepted one HIMARS MLRS projectile during the day.

In addition, 18 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted in the areas of Zhitlovka (Lugansk People's Republic), Soledar, Nikolayevka, Zarya, Orlinskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Mirnoye, (Zaporozhye region), and Olshana (Kharkov region).

📊 In total, 459 airplanes and 246 helicopters, 5,805 unmanned aerial vehicles, 431 air defence missile systems, 11,349 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,144 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 5,918 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 12,289 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.


AFU military ammunition train wiped out at Mezhevaya railway station (Dnepropetrovsk region)

This post has been edited by Catnip: Aug 18 2023, 02:27 AM

Orekhovsky area
situation as of 13.00 August 17, 2023

Both Rabotino itself and the nearby positions of the Russian Armed Forces continue to be attacked by Ukrainian formations. The main strike force is made up of paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Brigade and 46th Marine Brigade. Initially, the Armed Forces of Ukraine considered 116, 117 and 118 ombr 10 AK to break through the first line of defense, but losses and failures forced adjustments.

▪️ Detachments of the 82nd Airborne Brigade, reinforced by the 46th and 118th Brigades, tried to advance towards Rabotino, but the situation on the northeastern outskirts remains the same: this part of the village is located in the gray zone.

▪️Also, the enemy unsuccessfully attacked strongholds of the RF Armed Forces between Rabotino and Verbov. But the attack was repulsed, and two assault companies of the 82nd odshbr in the amount of 116 people were sent for recovery.

▪️Reinforcements of the 116th brigade and 15th brigade of the National Guard, as well as the Bukovel electronic warfare complex, were transferred to Malaya Tokmachka to reinforce the group.

❗️Unfortunately, a Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter west of Novoprokopovka was hit by MANPADS today. The pilot survived and was evacuated, but the navigator died.

Vremyevsky area
: situation as of 14.00 on August 17, 2023 South of Urozhayne,

Ukrainian marines resumed attacks on the village of Zavetnoye Zhelaniya. Yesterday, several assault groups of 37 brigades with a total number of 25 people tried to break through the defenses, but the attack was repulsed.

▪️Also, rifle battles were noted northeast of Priyutnoye near the forest belt, where the day before the Ukrainian command transferred combined detachments of the 31st mechanized brigade, 1st brigade and 35th brigade. A warrior of the Far East reports 13 killed members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

▪️However, in the near future, attacks will resume with renewed vigor. In the vicinity of Urozhayne, four new assault groups of marines of the 37th brigade of the Ukrainian Navy are concentrated. Azov formations also arrived in Makarovka.

🔻Judging by the dispersal of forces in the landings in the vicinity of Urozhaynoye and Staromayorsky, but not in the villages themselves, the enemy may attempt to attack immediately on Staromlynivka bypassing the Zavetnoye Zhelaniya.

Kupyansk sector of the front:
situation as of 16.00 on August 17, 2023

🔻Near Kupyansk, servicemen of the 6th Combined Arms Army of the Russian Armed Forces successfully continue their offensive against Ukrainian positions at the Sinkovka-Olshana line.

As a result of a fierce assault, the RF Armed Forces occupied two strongholds southwest of Olshana, and also improved their tactical position near Sinkovka, encircling the village in a semicircle.

At the moment, the Ukrainian combined detachments of the 14th Mechanized Brigade and the 95th Airborne Brigade hold the southern outskirts of the village, and the rest is in the gray zone. Moreover, neither side has confident control over the positions in Sinkovka. The losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in this area exceeded several hundred people.

The Ukrainian command has already recognized the plight of the group near Kupyansk, but is in no hurry to transfer reserves from other directions. So far, the enemy's tactics are to overwhelm the front line with mobilized people in the hope of a successful counterattack.

Soledar direction
: situation as of 17.00 on August 17,2023

After weeks of assaults on Russian lines on the flanks of the grouping in Bakhmut, the situation on the front has become somewhat calmer.

Yesterday, assault groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on armored vehicles attacked the positions of the RF Armed Forces near Zaliznyansky from the direction of Minkovka. However, the servicemen of the 1st Airborne Brigade "Wolves" standing there, with the support of other units, cut off the vehicles from the infantry with fire and destroyed some of them, after which they worked on the enemy's manpower.

At the same time, Ukrainian formations continue to accumulate forces east of Kostiantynivka to resume the assault on strongholds on the Kleshcheevka-Andreevka-Kurdyumivka line. The movements of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Seversk for a possible strike in the direction of Yakovlevka were also noticed.

At the same time, there is information about the formation of a new 39th Marine Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Georgievka. After coordination and replenishment, it is planned to be transferred to Bakhmut.

Kleshcheevka-Andreevka-Kurdyumivka line was established even before the Russian special operation began on February 24th, 2023. It still remains to be seen whether Zelensky's corrupt regime can breakthrough this line of defense.

Ukraine taking heavy casualties 10 weeks into its counteroffensive
Friday, August 18, 2023 8:01AM

There is mounting evidence that Ukraine has been taking heavy casualties in its counteroffensive, which began roughly ten weeks ago.

ABC News spoke with two former U.S. soldiers who are contracted in a special forces division of the Ukrainian military and who were both injured during an operation in eastern Ukraine two weeks ago.

Both soldiers are currently in a hospital in Kyiv but said they hope to be transferred to Germany for surgery this week in order to remove shrapnel from their bodies.

The men said their team's mission was to seize control of a village on the outskirts of Donetsk city, which has been occupied by a Russian-controlled militia since 2014.

One of the men, a former U.S. soldier from Texas who goes by the callsign "Tango," said his unit of "dozens" of men took "85% casualties" and that two of their comrades were killed when the team was ambushed whilst advancing into Russian-occupied territory. Forty percent of the unit was so badly injured they were rendered "combat ineffective," he said.

The other U.S. army veteran, who goes by the callsign "Goldfish" said it was immediately apparent that they were up against "very organized resistance" from Russian troops.

"It was definitely a very professional force that we were fighting against," the U.S. army veteran from Alaska said.

He spoke to ABC News in his hospital room in Kyiv which he was sharing with three other wounded Ukrainian soldiers.

ABC News also contacted two other Ukrainian soldiers interviewed in earlier phases of the war and they said they have also been injured in the past few weeks.

A Western man, with years of military experience, who is also now contracted with the Ukrainian military, said he sustained a serious injury in the early phase of the counteroffensive in June.

Speaking to ABC News on the condition of anonymity, the soldier said offensive operations which he had been part of were disorganized, criticizing some tactical decisions.

"We lost three Leopards (advanced German-made tanks) in one day because they were just told to drive forward into a minefield," he said.

He added that newly mobilized Ukrainian soldiers often appeared to lack the necessary training for complicated offensive operations on the battlefield.

The soldier, who joined the Ukrainian military more than a year ago, said dozens of men from his battalion had been involved in offensive operations since the beginning of June and around 80% of those men had been injured. However, he added that there had been no fatalities.

He claimed western military equipment such as U.S.-supplied Bradley infantry fighting vehicles were not being used to their full potential because some Ukrainian soldiers didn't have the necessary training or experience.

"It seems like they (Ukrainian soldiers) have been taught to use them but not to employ them (effectively) in a tactical sense (on the battlefield)," he said.

However, the two Americans interviewed by ABC News disagreed with that assessment.

Despite their injuries sustained during their failed mission two weeks ago, they argued that the Ukrainian counteroffensive is being well-executed and heavy casualties in a major military offensive of this nature, against entrenched Russian defenses, are to be expected.

"It's not going to be quick and decisive", the soldier with callsign "Tango" said.

"That's not how counteroffensives work. They (the Ukrainians) are taking casualties. That is normal," he added. "I think it's going well and on pace."

His comrade "Goldfish" said it had been "a very hard fight" for Ukraine.

"But it's a fight that the Ukrainians are fighting very well," he said.

Ukraine has not published casualty figures since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February of last year.

However, a senior Ukrainian official described the situation as "really tough" with "very intensive fighting on the battlefield".

He added that 80% of casualties were being caused by Russian artillery.

The official said the war was now in a "decisive phase" and insisted that Ukraine needed even more military support from the United States and its partners, including American long range ATACMS missiles, which have a range of 190 miles.

Ukraine has promised the United States that it would only use the missiles to strike Russian assets in occupied parts of Ukraine, and not hit targets inside Russia. However, the Biden Administration has so far refused to supply the long-range missiles.

The senior official insisted that Ukraine urgently needed more military aid in order to help it achieve its goals on the battlefield, arguing that supplying more support now would be a more cost-effective way of holding Russia back and, in turn, guaranteeing security in Europe.

Orekhovsky area
situation as of 13.00 on August 18, 2023

Yesterday, assault detachments of the 1st and 3rd battalions of the 82nd Airborne Brigade, with the support of aviation and artillery, attacked the positions of the Russian Armed Forces at the Robotyne-Verbove line.

Enemy units tried to break through to the northeastern outskirts of Robotyne and to strongholds to the east, but to no avail. The attacks were repulsed, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine began to rotate and replace the wounded under the cover of artillery.

🔻Russian troops responded by shelling Ukrainian positions. As a result of one of the strikes, the stronghold of the 82nd Airborne Brigade, including one Starlink terminal, was destroyed.

And in the morning, infantry detachments of Ukrainian paratroopers tried once again to wedge into the defenses of Russian fighters in Robotyne. Artillery worked on them, and, according to the Archangel of the Special Forces, the offensive was repulsed.

🔻So far, the activity of the Armed Forces of Ukraine remains at the same level - infantry rolls with periodic sorties of armored vehicles. But this is more like exhausting the RF Armed Forces with grueling battles on the eve of a more massive offensive. The other day, a meeting was held at the headquarters of the Maroon tactical group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the upcoming operation in the Zaporozhye direction.

Kupyansk sector of the front:
situation as of 19.00 on August 18, 2023

🔻In the vicinity of Sinkivka, servicemen of the "West" group of the Russian Armed Forces continue to squeeze Ukrainian formations out of the village. As a result of the assault on the eastern side, the RF Armed Forces occupied two strongholds.

▪️Despite the onslaught of the Russian army, Ukrainian formations periodically try to counterattack. One of the assault detachments of the 67th brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out an unsuccessful landing south of Olshana. The attack was repulsed, and the group was defeated.

▪️Artillerymen and aviation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation actively support the offensive with fire: as a result of a massive strike on the front line, several strongholds were hit, as well as one self-propelled gun.

▪️The situation near Kupyansk for the Armed Forces of Ukraine is deteriorating. Reinforcements from the 1th mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were sent to the area of the contact line south of Lyman on the 14st, and the units in Petropavlovka are preparing for an offensive by the RF Armed Forces.

Morning briefing of the Ministry of Defense of Russia (August 18, 2023) ❗Text only❗

⚡️Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation

(18 August 2023)

▫️ In Donetsk direction, active and coordinated actions of the Yug Group of Forces supported by ground-attack and army aviation repelled three AFU attacks close to Avdeyevka, Berestooye, and Maryinka (Donetsk People's Republic).

▫️ The enemy's losses have amounted to around 220 Ukrainian troops killed and wounded, three armoured fighting vehicles, five motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M-777 artillery system, one D-20 howitzer, and two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems.

▫️ Furthermore, three ammunition supply points of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were obliterated near Dyleyevka, Dzerzhinsk, and Novopokrovskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

▫️ In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces, strikes of Operational-Tactical Aviation, artillery, and heavy flamethrowers repelled an enemy's attack close to Nikolskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), and inflicted fire damage on the AFU units near Urozhainoye and Staromayorskoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

▫️ Up to 210 Ukrainian servicemen, two infantry fighting vehicles, two armoured combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M777 artillery systems, and one MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun have been neutralised during the day.

▫️ In Kupyansk direction, artillery and Army Aviation of the Zapad Group of Forces successfully repelled seven attacks and counter-attacks of the enemy close to Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk People's Republic), Sinkovka, Olshana, and Mankovka Urochische (Kharkov region).

▫️ A munition depot of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was annihilated close to Kamenka (Kharkov region).

▫️ Total enemy losses in this direction amounted to up to 75 Ukrainian servicemen, three armoured fighting vehicles, two pick-up trucks, and one Polish-made Krab self-propelled system.

▫️ In Krasny Liman direction, the Tsentr Group of Forces, army aviation, and artillery repelled two enemy attacks close to Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).

▫️ Up to 80 Ukrainian personnel, three armoured fighting vehicles, and two pick-up trucks have been eliminated.

▫️ The Russian grouping of forces supported by artillery close to Rabotino (Zaporozhye region) repelled two attacks of the enemy and disable one sabotage and reconnaissance unit in Zaporozhye direction.

▫️ Up to 195 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, three motor vehicles, one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, and one U.K.-made L119 howitzer have been neutralised during the day.

▫️ In Kherson direction, the enemy suffered losses of up to 30 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, and one AN/TPQ-37 counterbattery radar station as a result of fire damage.

▫️ Operational-Tactical Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian grouping of troops engaged manpower, and military hardware of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 143 areas.

▫️ Fighter aviation of Russian Aerospace Forces has shot down one Su-25 aircraft of Ukrainian Air Force near Verolyubovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

▫️ Air defence systems have shot down a Su-25 airplane of Ukrainian Air Force near Malaya Tokmachka (Zaporozhye region).

▫️ In addition, 26 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down close to Verkhnyaya Duvanka, Kremennaya, Privolye, Lisichansk (Lugansk People's Republic), Berestovoye, Krasnaya Gora, Volodino, Orlinskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Lyubimovka, Rabotino, and Tokmak (Zaporozhye region).

📊 In total, 461 airplanes and 246 helicopters, 5,831 unmanned aerial vehicles, 431 air defence missile systems, 11,366 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,144 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 5,928 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 12,307 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

Plenty of interesting topics covered. From Mr. Ritter's daughter wedding, monetization of YT channels, getting banned on YT, F-16s for Ukraine, 6 Ukrainian cadets will be trained to fly F-16 without any flying experience, US foreign policy, state of US military and Maui fires in Hawaii.