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Russia’s semi-permanent tactical formations have often proved inadequate in the Ukraine war and are now likely not to be deployed on the war front, the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) says. “Over the past three months, Russian forces in Ukraine have likely stopped deploying as Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs),” the State Department said in its latest intelligence update. BTGs are motorized rifle or tank battalion-sized battle units and larger, prepared to conduct semi-independent combined arms combat missions and are comparatively smaller than most other military units. The Foreign Office said they had played a “significant role” in Russia’s military doctrine over the past decade. In another blow to Vladimir Putin’s invasion, an open-source count, which echoes the findings of other independent investigations, reveals that Russia has lost more than 1,500 military personnel – including nearly 160 generals and colonels – since it first launched the war in Ukraine in February. . But Moscow has remained tight-lipped on the scale of military casualties in Ukraine, with the latest official figure of 5,397 – given in September by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu – falling well short of Western estimates.
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Putin ‘lost nearly 160 generals and colonels among 1,500 officers’ since Russia invaded Ukraine
Vladimir Putin has lost more than 1,500 army officers – including nearly 160 generals and colonels – since Russia invaded Ukraine nine months ago, according to an open-source tally that echoes the findings of other independent investigations. The Kremlin has been guarded in its public admissions about the scale of military casualties in Ukraine, with the most recent official figure of 5,397 – given in September by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu – significantly lower than Western estimates. My colleague Andy Gregory has more: Emily Atkinson 29 November 2022 09:00 1669711244
James Smart will meet NATO allies in Romania
James Cleverley’s trip to Romania will see the war in Ukraine top his agenda as he prepares to meet NATO allies. NATO foreign ministers meeting in Bucharest are expected to discuss how to continue support for Ukraine during the cold winter months. The UK Foreign Secretary said: “With Russia’s war disrupting the peace in Europe, it is vital that NATO and its allies look carefully at how we strengthen our defenses to handle the challenges we face today. “We are united in the long-term goal of supporting Ukraine and further strengthening NATO as a defense alliance. “The UK and its Allies will continue to demonstrate collective strength in tackling the complex issues facing the world today, as we are doing today in Bucharest.” Mr Expna will travel to Poland after NATO’s meeting on the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe on Thursday. Emily Atkinson 29 November 2022 08:40 1669710044
NATO chief will urge allies to pledge more winter aid to Ukraine
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg is set to call on allies to pledge more winter aid to Ukraine at a meeting this week after its president told residents to brace for another week of cold and darkness due to Russian attacks on infrastructure. NATO foreign ministers meeting in Bucharest on Tuesday and Wednesday will focus on boosting military aid to Ukraine, such as air defense systems and ammunition, even as diplomats acknowledge supply and capacity issues, but will also discuss non-lethal aid. Some of that non-lethal aid – goods such as fuel, medical supplies, winter equipment and drone interference – has been delivered through a NATO aid package to which allies can contribute and which Stoltenberg plans to increase. (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Emily Atkinson 29 November 2022 08:20 1669708844
Russia’s Gazprom will transport 42.4 million cubic meters of natural gas to Europe via Ukraine on Tuesday
Russia’s Gazprom said it would send 42.4 million cubic meters of natural gas to Europe via Ukraine on Tuesday, a level similar to recent days. Emily Atkinson 29 November 2022 08:00 1669707425
Ukraine’s first lady has urged the UK to remember the “tragedy” of war at Christmas
Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska is to urge Britons not to forget the war in Ukraine this Christmas as the country prepares for a brutal, cold and dark festive season. Ms Zelenska is also expected to address MPs and colleagues on Tuesday as she visits London, days after Rishi Sunak made his first visit as prime minister to Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Ms Zelenska will urge the British public not to forget the “tragedy” of the Russian invasion over the festive period. He told the programme: “We feel this [strong support] from the aid to our forcibly displaced peoples, the political and financial aid and the humanitarian aid we receive from the British. “Ukrainians are very tired of this war, but we have no choice in this matter. We are fighting for our very lives. The British public have a choice. They can get used to our tragedy, focus on their own important things in life. “My message to the British people is this: This is not just a war for our freedom and our lives. “This is the war of opposing worldviews, the war of values. It is important to preserve them. This is a fight for truth and human values.” “We hope that the approaching Christmas season will not make you forget our tragedy and get used to our suffering.” The full interview is set to air later Tuesday morning. Emily Atkinson 29 November 2022 07:37 1669705814
Russia’s Tactical Battalion Groups proved inadequate in Ukraine war – MoD
Russia’s semi-permanent tactical groups (BTGs) have often proved inadequate in the Ukraine war and are now likely not to be deployed to the war front, Britain’s Ministry of Defense said today. “Over the last three months, Russian forces in Ukraine have likely stopped deploying as Battalion Tactical Groups (BTGs),” it said in the latest intelligence update. BTGs are motorized rifle or tank battalion-sized battle units and larger, prepared to conduct semi-independent combined arms combat missions and are comparatively smaller than most other military units. The Ministry of Defense pointed out that the BTG concept “has played an important role in Russian military doctrine over the past ten years and has seen battalions integrated with a full range of supporting subunits, including armour, reconnaissance and (in a departure from usual Western practice) artillery” . “Many inherent weaknesses of the BTG concept have been exposed in the high-intensity, large-scale combat of the Ukraine war thus far. The relatively small combat infantry allocation of BTGs has often proved insufficient,” it said. The ministry added that the decentralized distribution of artillery by Russian forces did not allow the invading country to “take full advantage of its advantage in the number of weapons. and few BTG commanders have been empowered to flexibly exploit opportunities in the way the BTG model was designed to promote.” Arpan Rai29 November 2022 07:10 1669704240
The first lady of Ukraine visits Downing Street during a trip to London
Ms Murty greeted Ms Zelenska outside No 10 Downing Street, part of a visit to the UK by the wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The first lady of Ukraine is expected to address MPs and colleagues today as part of her visit. Ms Zelenska is in London to attend an international conference on preventing sexual violence during conflict. Ms Zelenska briefly waved and smiled to the various Downing Street cameras as she arrived at Westminster on a cloudy and rainy Monday afternoon. Read the full story here: Arpan Rai November 29, 2022 06:44 1669704032
Heavy shelling continues in Donetsk
Russian forces continued heavy shelling of towns on the west bank of the Dnipro River, including Kherson, a senior Ukrainian military official said last night. Russia continued to shell key targets of Bakhmut and Avdiivka in Donetsk province, and to the north shelled areas around the towns of Kupiansk and Lyman, recently retaken by Ukrainian troops, the Ukrainian military said. Ukrainian forces had destroyed a railway bridge north of the Russian-held southern city of Melitopol, which was key to supplying Russian forces dug in there. This was confirmed last night by Volodymyr Zelensky, who said that the incessant shelling of Kherson continued. “That day, like every other day, the invaders bombarded Kherson and the communities in the area again. In just one week, the enemy fired 258 times on 30 settlements of our Kherson region,” he said in his nightly speech, adding that the Russian army also destroyed the pumping station supplying Mykolayiv with water. “Well, what can be said about them? This is the real essence of these random “fellows” who occupied Russia. After 20 years of rule, a large part of their state is in such ruin, as if there had been a war there. And this is not a war – it’s just because they came,” Mr Zelensky said. Arpan Rai29 November 2022 06:40 1669701589
Russia postpones arms control talks without explanation, US claims
Moscow has suddenly and without explanation postponed the planned resumption of arms control talks this week, the Biden administration said today. The State Department said Russia had “unilaterally postponed” a meeting of the Bilateral Advisory Committee that was scheduled to begin Tuesday in Egypt and last until next week. He said Russia had promised to propose new dates but had not given a reason for the delay. “The United States is…
