US Backfills Lost Bradleys
US Provides Additional Bradleys To Backstop Ukrainian Losses
In Ukraine’s recent offensive, they’ve lost a handful of new western equipment to include an estimated 16 Bradley Fighting Vehicles from the United States. In the days after the footage of those destroyed vehicles made their way around the internet, the Pentagon announced they would be sending additional Bradleys and Strykers to make up for the losses sustained.
According to the most recent Pentagon Fact Sheet on Ukraine, the US has now provided over 120 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and over 100 Strykers.
https://www.newsweek.com/bradley-tanks-ukraine-kyiv-1806229
https://media.defense.gov/2023/Jun/13/2003240676/-1/-1/0/Ukraine-Fact-Sheet-June-13-2023.PDF
Putin's Comments on the War, Ukrainian Counteroffensive and Strikes Inside of Russia
On the goals of the special military operation
“No, they (goals of the special military operation) are changing in accordance with the current situation but of course overall we are not changing anything. Our goals are fundamental for us.”
“I am totally surprised at how a person with Jewish blood, the head of the state of Ukraine, can support neo-Nazis. It simply beats me. After they basically annihilated the civilian Jewish population, Bandera and his supporters have been elevated to the rank of national heroes. Now they are marching with those posters. So, we will never accept historically what is happening there.”
“Demilitarisation. We are dealing with this gradually, methodically. What are the Armed Forces of Ukraine fighting with? Do they produce Leopards or Bradleys or the F-16s they haven’t received yet? They don’t produce a thing. The Ukrainian defence industry will soon cease to exist altogether. What do they produce? Ammunition is delivered, equipment is delivered and weapons are delivered – everything is delivered. You won't live long like that, you won't last.”
On the counteroffensive
“What can I say? The enemy was not successful in any sector. They suffered big losses. Good thing for us. I will not give the number of personnel losses. I will let the Defence Ministry do it after it runs the numbers, but the structure of losses is unfavourable for them as well. What I mean to say is that of all personnel losses – and they are approaching a number that can be called catastrophic – the structure of these losses is unfavourable for them.”
“Second, if we look at irretrievable losses, clearly, the defending side suffers fewer losses, but this ratio of 1 to 10 is in our favour. Our losses are one-tenth of the losses of the Ukrainian forces.”
On strikes inside of Russia
“Polish mercenaries are indeed fighting there – you are absolutely right, I agree with you – and they are suffering more loss. In fact, they are trying to hide them, but their losses are serious. It is a pity that they hide this from their population too. Mercenaries are being recruited – right in Poland, and in other countries, by the way.”
“if this continues, then we will apparently have to consider the issue – and I say this very carefully – in order to create some kind of buffer zone on the territory of Ukraine at such a distance from which it would be impossible to reach our territory. But this is a separate issue, I am not saying that we will start this work tomorrow. We have to see how the situation develops.”
http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/71391
Army Rolls Out New Armored Vehicle
The U.S. Army unveiled this week the new M10 Brooker Combat Vehicle, designed to provide armored capabilities for light infantry units. Some have characterized this as a light tank that’s outfitted with a 105mm main gun along with a 7.62mm coax machine gun and externally mounted .50 caliber. The M10 weigh just 38 tons which means that two of them can be flown at a time on a C-17 Globemaster to accompany airborne or light forces in a rapid reaction role.
Al Qaeda Leaders Hold Positions in Taliban Government
A new UN report on Afghanistan noted that multiple known al-Qaeda members have found positions within the new Taliban government in Afghanistan. The connection between these two groups goes back more than two decades now and following the US-led withdrawal from Afghanistan, the relationship appears to be continuing.
Qari Ehsanullah Baryal - current governor of Kapisa province and a former senior leader of the Kabul Attack Network.
Hafiz Muhammad Agha Hakeem - current governor of Nuristan province, a deputy defense minister and is tied to the creation of Badri Lashkar 313, a Special Forces branch within the Taliban’s military forces.
Taj Mir Jawad - current deputy director of the Directorate of Intelligence was the other leader of the Kabul Action Network and held close connections with the Haqqani Network.
An Argument Against Ukraine Joining NATO
Well before the Russian full scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has been making their case for joining NATO and over the last year that seems like an eventuality. However, there are some arguments against that move and some of those are laid out by Justin Logan of the CATO Institute in a recent article.
Logan argues that Ukraine’s security does not affect the security of Americans, that the defense commitment provided by NATO would be dubious and that the cost would be heavily borne by the United States while we already have plenty on our plate.
My personal opinion is that NATO membership is all but secured for Ukraine once the fighting stops or a peace agreement is reached but this does piece does provide an interesting look at the alternative viewpoint.
I kind of had to laugh when Putin said “I will not give the number of personnel losses. I will let the Defence Ministry do it after it runs the numbers, but the structure of losses is unfavourable for them as well.” Kind of just hinted at unfavourable losses for Russia and pawned the explanation of to the Russian MoD. Although Ukraine is being very tight lipped and it’s way to early to tell, it still doesn’t seem like they are experiencing “Unfavourable losses”. As for the argument against Ukraine joining NATO, I feel like they have more than a right to. They were attacked by a more powerful aggressor with a history of attacking it’s neighbours and should feel safe. However, I’ve heard opinions that NATO has expanded far from just the North Atlantic and with the right misinformation and propaganda, people from the east or anywhere can see it as encroachment and imperialism. Perhaps an alternative to Ukraine just joining NATO outright would be for the eastern members of the alliance to form some sort of new mutual defense pact for Eastern and Central Europe that is linked with NATO. Something along the lines of SEATO. Perhaps that would relieve some political tensions?