Malazan Empire: Werthead - Viewing Profile - Malazan Empire

Apparently Russian commanders are panicking having - yet again - failed to take Pokrovsk by an agreed deadline. One commander is getting reamed for attempting a preposterous mass breakthrough on the western side of the city to reach Hryshyne to cut Ukrainian supply lines, but the attacked required penetrating one of the most heavily-defended parts of the line (hence why saner Russian commanders had not attempted anything here). The result was the entire offensive force being halted by artillery fire and drones less than 1 km from their start position, with 40 Russians KIA and 10 vehicles destroyed.

On the downside, Russian forces have achieved a strong foothold in Siversk on the Lyman front and may have effectively gained full control of the settlement, though Ukrainian counter-attacks are continuing.

Ukraine has fielded new versions of ground-launched Sidewinders as anti-air defence missiles. Germany is working with them on fielding the missile in much larger numbers.

Russia launched an extremely ill-advised attack on Novopavlivka without any air defences and were pummelled by Ukrainian aircraft with glide bombs, eventually having to retreat under withering fire.

Russian oil prices have officially dropped past the minimum established in 2022, and are now the worst since before the war began.

The UK has been testing anti-drone turret systems capable of deploying different kinds of anti-drone fire depending on the size (and expense) of the incoming drone. Ukraine will be receiving versions to field-test on the battlefield. The final production version may be produceable at such scale that it can be used to defend individual power infrastructure nodes.

The Russian position in Kupyansk has deteriorated significantly. Russia may be forced to withdraw its remaining units as they are now effectively cut off on the wrong side of the Oskil.

Yup, the Kupyansk operation now seems to be confirmed. A major success from the look of it. And they're also still holding onto Pokrovsk despite Russian reinforcements pouring in.

A Turkish ship in Odesa port has been hit by a Russian drone.

Ukrainian drones have started hitting Russian oil platforms in the Caspian Sea. Two waves of attacks in the last week appear to have disabled several platforms.

Hegseth and Driscoll seem to have had a falling out, with Driscoll sidelined from recent discussions.

Ukraine has hoisted its flag again (briefly) in north-central Pokrovsk, confirming they still hold the north of the city, above the rail line. Russia has not been able to penetrate past the rail line for something like eight days so far, so interesting to see if Ukraine can hold that line into the New Year. Ukraine has withdrawn some troops SE of the city whose position was no longer tenable. Situation remains tense.

Ukraine has successfully retaken a large part of north-western Kupyansk.

The Ukrainians are also advancing back to the Zaporizhzhia-Donetsk-Dnipro border. One Ukrainian unit suffered heavy casualties so the 92nd Brigade was rotated in and destroyed the Russian attackers in several days of furious fighting, with possibly 700 Russian casualties which would be a huge loss if that was really in a few days.

Russia has taken additional territory near Siversk, but Ukrtaine has counter-attacked to the north-west and retaken Stavky.

Russia is starting to send units into the far south-eastern parts of Kostiantynivka (prewar pop. 67,000). This will be the next big urban fight. 

A Russian Defence Ministry An-22 has crashed near Moscow.

Tentative claims that Ukraine has recaptured around 13 square kilometres of Pokrovsk over the last 24-72 hours, out of around 30 square kilometres for the town in total.

Some Russian channels claiming over 300 Ukrainian drones attacking targets across Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod, which if true would be the largest number to date.

First one spotted in the wild.

It's basically just Erikson's old world map that's been colourised seemingly without regard for any of the actual maps we've seen in the books, to the point where Quon Tali looks crazy and Stratem is just a bump on the bottom of Korelri (where the heck is the Sea of Chimes?). Genostel is also right off the coast of Genabackis and Jacuruku looks a bit weird. Drift Avalii is also about twenty times bigger than the book suggests it is.

I think this is more of a crazy map people in the world might have access to than necessary a 100% accurate one. Again.

Better shot.

Fun fact: one of the reasons both the publishers and industry watchers at the time thought that Steven Erikson took off in the UK so fast was JV Jones' cover quote for Gardens of the Moon, and her glowing review of the book in SFX Magazine. The Stephen Donaldson quote was a bigger deal in the US, but Donaldson has never been that big in the UK, whilst Jones was very hot at that particular moment (1999). That's paying it forward as it was Robert Jordan's glowing cover quote was attributed for the success of Jones' first trilogy.