Malazan Empire: Werthead - Viewing Profile - Malazan Empire

It's the 11th anniversary of Russian-backed separatists shooting down Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 over Donetsk, killing 298 people.

The United States is reaching a major new arms deal with Ukraine...to buy Ukrainian equipment. Ukrainian drones, operators and training will be made available to the United States, and Ukraine will provide combat-tested machinery and personnel to help the US catch up in the drone race to China.

Ukraine will now receive five Patriot batteries meant for delivery to Switzerland, and perhaps more from elsewhere.

Ukrainian artillery, aviation and drones have launched a concerted bombardment of the Kilburn Spit, destroying Russian positions and leaving several areas ablaze. After the attack, a Ukrainian flag was spotted flying over the coastal town of Pokrovs'ke. The Kilburn Spit is the far western promontory of Kherson Oblast south of the Dniprio, extending not far south of Mykolaiv and east of Odesa. If Ukraine could take the Spit and roll up Russian forces along the peninsula's length, they could attack into the Russian rear south of the Dnipro, removing the need for a massive offensive across the river mouth (something which the Russians have been attempting now for a year with no success). However, several previous Ukrainian assaults on the Spit, including one that seized a large chunk of the western part of the it, were bottled up by Russian forces. A chunk of the middle of the Spit is effectively swamp, almost impossible to move supplies over in numbers. Still, at least in theory this is a vulnerable spot in the Russian front.

Some claims that Ukraine has liberated Kindrativka, Sumy Oblast, in full, but this awaits confirmation.

Anatoly Artamonov, head of the Russian Federation Council Committee on Budget & Financial Markets, has called for "urgent" tax increases to save the weakening economic situation.

Ukraine has carried out a post-operation analysis on an attack it carried out on 2 July. In the strike on Korenevo, Kursk, it hit the forward command post of the 155th Marine Brigade. They killed the deputy commander of the Russian Navy, the deputy commander of the Russian Navy's coastal and ground forces, the commander and chief of staff of the 155th Brigade, and the commander of the 1st Battalion of the 155th Brigade. They also killed the artillery chief, air defence chief, communications chief and drone chief. 20 Russian officers were killed and 30 wounded. Ukraine believes this attack massively disrupted Russian operations for the Sumy Offensive.

Apparently the United States has authorised Ukraine to use the 300km variant of ATACMS at maximum range. Apparently they already have a bunch in storage, but under their previous deal they could only use them in short-range mode to hit targets in occupied Ukraine or the Russian borderland.

The United States and Ukraine have discussed Ukraine acquiring Tomahawk cruise missiles, though this is not likely to happen imminently.

Ukrainian forces have advanced north and then northwest from Varachyne, Sumy, pushing Russian forces back into Novomykolaivka. The settlement is currently contested. Ukrainian forces are simultaneously pushing from Andriivka northwards. This is leaving the Russian position in Oleksiivka dangerously exposed to encirclement.

Kindrativka remains heavily contested. Some Russian forces may have broken out of the encirclement and withdrawn to Kostyantynivka. That's right on the Sumy-Kursk border. The western end of the Sumy salient seems to be falling, though very slowly. Ukraine seems to have concentrated an overwhelming amount of force in Sumy Oblast, potentially outnumbering the Russians on a local level, explaining why they are having success here.

The US has agreed to provide Ukraine with a new $10 billion supply of weapons, paid for by European nations and Ukraine. That's the first new tranche of weapons, previous US supplies were drawing on supplies already authorised by Biden. JASSMs might be part of that deal, Patriots definitely will be. "At least" three Patriot batteries will be delivered to Ukraine.

According to Trump, Melania has been a key voice telling him Putin was not to be trusted, and she'd fill him in on cities being hit after he'd had "positive" conversations with Putin. We should note that Russian media has been frequently posting shots from Melania's modelling career to try to embarrass Trump.

Trump has given Russia 50 days to accept a peace deal or the US will impose massive direct and secondary sanctions on the country.

There are currently over 100 wrecked Russian vehicles stretched along the road between Zhovte to Novopustynka, south of Pokrovsk.

A Belarusian Mi-24 helicopter shot down a Russian Gerbera strike drone after it entered Belarus's airspace.

Ukraine is fielding a new "Ursula" unmanned surface vessel. The tiny drone can operate as a recon drone itself and can also carry and launch one FPV aerial drone as well.

Germany has ruled out Taurus, again.

Girkin is saying the Sumy offensive is spent, running out of steam faster and expending more casualties that the Vovchansk offensive last year. He thinks Russia's position will collapse before the end of the year and that Russia is dangerously close to a "WWI" moment.

I don't think anyone else is that pessimistic/optimistic though.

Russian forces are now encircled in Kindrativka, Sumy. The 30th Motorised Rifle Regiment is surrounded and has been urged to surrender by Ukrainian forces. The 9th Motorised Rifle Regiment holding the line nearby has been ordered to break the encirclement and relieve the 30th, but the 9th has reportedly told those issuing the orde to "f--- off," due to their own lack of water and manpower shortages.

Partisan activity around Melitopol and Mariupol seems to be stepping up. A Russian armoured vehicle was destroyed in Mariupol.

South Korean military intelligence assesses that North Korea has supplied Russia with 12 million rounds of 152mm artillery shells, 13,000 soldiers, 5,000 construction workers and 1,000 sappers.

Russia currently only has around 300 Iskander-M and KN-23 missiles in inventory, and around 60 surviving launchers on the front. Russia is currently expending the missiles at a much higher rate than they can produce. Recent attacks focusing on Shaheds over Iskanders suggest Russia may be moving to limit the use of the missiles on the front.

Some rumours that Germany may greenlight Taurus for Ukraine before the end of this month, with some of the arguments against it now evaporating since Ukraine has longer-ranged systems itself in operation.

A heavy Russian assault on Toretsk was beaten back by Ukrainian drone operators, with two tanks destroyed and multiple Russian troops eliminated.

The only bridge linking Vasylivka to the Kamyanske highway was destroyed by a Ukrainian MiG-29 fielding GBU-62 guided bombs. This complicates Russian logistics in the occupied territories.

Russia is urging Iran to accept the "zero enrichment" deal the United States has proposed, with some suggestion that Russia could abandon its support for Iran if it refuses. Now that Russia can mass-produce Shaheds in Russia itself, they arguably have no further need for their positive relationship with Iran.

Current status on EU sanction is that Slovakia has secured a deal for alternate gas supplies. There will be a new meeting on Tuesday where Slovakia may support the sanctions (at last). The EU may coordinate a sanctions deal with whatever Trump proposes tomorrow.

Ukrainian armour engaged Russian fortified positions in Kharkiv Oblast at close range, destroying several fortified trenchlines and allowing Ukrainian forces to advance, albeit slowly.

Recent Russian drone attacks have heavily targeted areas along the Polish and Romanian borders, putting NATO forces on high alert.

Ukrainian agents have blown up an Russian gas pipeline in western Siberia, disrupting supplies across the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug.

The German Skynex AA platform is proving efficient in Ukrainian service. One vehicle destroyed six Geran-2 drones in rapid succession during a recent attack.

Confirmation that at least one Ukrainian Antonov An-124 heavy cargo lifter is now in regular operation. It has flow directly from Kyiv Airport to Leipzig, German to pick up military supplies and returned to base. The Russians are fuming over the possibility a full air bridge could be set up, massively speeding transport times for military supplies into Ukraine. However, Russia is no longer capable of projecting aerial-denial to Kyiv, let alone western Ukraine. 

A German sailboat sailing from Wladislawowo, Poland to Klaipeda, Lithuania was harassed by a Russian submarine, close to Kaliningrad's exclusive economic zone. The Russians claim the boat was close to entering their waters.

Former DPR chief Pavel Gubarev confirms that Russia has sustained well over one million casualties in this conflict, and says they can only succeed through mass casualties and the use of a "serf army." He says the Russian military, even the regulars, are now treated as badly as the DPR and LPR forces were at the start of the war. He now says the "Special Military Operation" is a failure, and should not have been started at all.

Some expat Russians with ties inside the country are saying there is widespread horror among the oligarchs and some of the military that Putin turned down Trump's peace deal. They said walking away with all Luhansk, most of Donetsk and maybe half of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia was far more than they expected to be possible in negotiations, with the ability to end the war and begin rebuilding the economy now, and Putin has thrown that out the window. They're worried about economic collapse leading to troops deserting the front in droves, and Ukraine possibly regaining most or all of the territory Russia has taken, which they've said would 100% result in Putin's death or, at best, forced retirement.

Ghana has concluded a security agreement with Ukraine, agreeing to fund the production of Ukrainian drone in return for Ukrainian assistance in using drones to secure its borders. Ghana is concerned about other countries in the region which have concluded security agreements with Russia or Russian mercenaries.

Trump has confirmed he will be making a big announcement on Ukraine on Monday. Based on his statements, it appears that his patience with Putin has worn out and he will be shifting a policy change. The US Senate Armed Services Committee has also approved $500 million in new aid for Ukraine. Trump has also agreed that the United States can sell equipment to European country as long as that equipment is kept for NATO allies or sent to Ukraine.

All remaining equipment restrictions to Ukraine have been lifted. The US air bridge is once again in full operation.

Germany and potentially Greece are considering sending Patriot batteries to Ukraine in return for guaranteed replacements from the US, due in months.

Ukrainian military intelligence, operating in concert with local insurgents, has destroyed a Russian command and operations hub in occupied Melitopol. Melitopol has been a hotbed of local insurgency and partisans ever since it was captured three years ago.

North Korea is now supplying Russia with 40% of its ammunition for the war, particularly artillery ammunition, reflecting Russia's problems in boosting internal manufacturing.

Some indications that Ukraine has decided its skies are safe enough to begin transporting equipment directly into the country by plane. An-124 Ruslan cargo aircraft have been spotted heading towards Poland.

Ukraine has apparently initiated production of the HRIM-2 ballistic missile, with a range of up to 500km. The missile is meant to enhance and ultimately replace Ukraine's imports of ATACMS.

More Columbian volunteers appear to have joined the Ukrainian military.

Russia's significant overnight drone strike destroyed a stables in Odesa, killing several horses. There has been some sarcasm, asking what threat these horses posed to the Russians.