RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
US smart bombs miss Russian targets – Pentagon leak
Pentagon officials have reportedly expressed concern that US-produced smart bombs provided to Ukraine are being electronically jammed by Russian forces, causing them to miss their targets.
The precision-guided bombs, which are among the increasingly advanced weaponry that Washington has been providing to Kiev, have been rendered “useless” by Russian jamming tactics, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing leaked Pentagon documents. The US media outlet added that an unidentified Pentagon official confirmed the authenticity of the documents.
The US has given Ukraine the long-range version of its Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), which can be launched by bombers or fighter jets and guided to targets more than 45 miles (72 kilometers) away. They are touted as being accurate within less than 10 meters of their targets.
However, Politico said, the JDAMs have missed their targets on multiple occasions. In other cases they failed to detonate because of a separate technical glitch, though Ukrainian forces have come up with a fix to ensure that the bombs arm correctly, according to the documents.
“The news adds to an increasingly bleak picture of the state of Ukraine’s military that has emerged from a trove of top-secret intelligence documents that leaked on social media and came to light over the past week,” Politico said.
The leaked documents alleged that Russia was using GPS jamming and other tactics to interfere with the JDAMs’ targeting process. Such tactics also have been employed against other American weapons, including guided rockets, causing them to miss their targets.
Washington sent Ukraine nearly $77 billion in aid, including $46.6 billion of weaponry and other military assistance, between January 2022 and January 2023, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. US lawmakers have approved $113 billion in Ukraine aid since Russia’s special military operation against Kiev began last year.
The FBI on Thursday arrested a suspect in the leaking of classified Pentagon documents, identified by the media as a 21-year-old member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard named Jack Teixeira. The leaked documents purported to reveal secrets regarding US intelligence gathering on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Washington’s spying on allies.
** Wagner assault teams edging out Ukrainian troops from Artyomovsk center
Assault teams from the Wagner private military company continued combat operations throughout the day to edge out Ukrainian troops from the Artyomovsk central quarters during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Thursday.
"In the Donetsk direction, the Wagner assault teams continued highly tense combat operations for ousting the enemy from the central quarters of the city of Artyomovsk," the spokesman said.
Russian Airborne Force units are providing support for the Wagner assault teams on the flanks. In particular, they are blocking the redeployment of Ukrainian army reserves to the city and the enemy’s retreat from Artyomovsk, the general said.
"During the last 24-hour period, aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces flew 12 sorties to provide support for the combat teams in Artyomovsk while missile troops and artillery accomplished 57 firing objectives," Konashenkov reported.
Russian forces destroy over 35 Ukrainian troops in Kupyansk area
Russian forces destroyed over 35 Ukrainian troops in the Kupyansk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kupyansk direction, aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems of the western battlegroup delivered strikes on Ukrainian army units," the spokesman said.
The strikes destroyed "over 35 Ukrainian personnel, two motor vehicles and also a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer," the general specified.
Russian forces eliminate 80 Ukrainian troops in Krasny Liman area
Russian forces destroyed roughly 80 Ukrainian troops in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Krasny Liman direction, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft and artillery of the battlegroup Center delivered strikes on the Ukrainian army units near the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Terny and Grigorovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
The strikes eliminated "as many as 80 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, and also a D-20 howitzer" in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.
Russian forces wipe out Ukrainian ammo depot in LPR
Russian combat aircraft and artillery wiped out a Ukrainian ammunition depot in the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
In the Krasny Liman direction, aircraft and artillery of the Russian central battlegroup struck the Ukrainian army units in some areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, the spokesman said.
"In the area of the settlement of Nevskoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 66th mechanized brigade was obliterated," the general said.
Russian forces destroy 300 Ukrainian troops in Donetsk advance
Russian forces destroyed around 300 Ukrainian troops in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"The enemy’s losses in the Donetsk direction in the past 24 hours totaled 300 Ukrainian troops, an infantry fighting vehicle, six armored combat vehicles, two motor vehicles, a D-20 howitzer, and also a Gvozdika motorized artillery system," the spokesman said.
Operational/tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian southern battlegroup struck the amassed Ukrainian manpower and equipment in areas near the settlements of Kalinovka, Nikolayevka and Stupochki in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general added.
Russian forces destroy 20 Ukrainian troops in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye areas
Russian forces destroyed roughly 20 Ukrainian troops and a Msta-B howitzer in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft and artillery from the battlegroup East struck the Ukrainian army units in areas near the settlements of Ugledar in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Poltavka, Verkhnyaya Tersa and Omelnik in the Zaporozhye Region," the spokesman said.
"As many as 20 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, and also a Msta-B howitzer were destroyed in those directions in the past 24 hours," the general specified.
In addition, Russian forces obliterated an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 102nd territorial defense brigade near the settlement of Gulyaipole in the Zaporozhye Region, Konashenkov reported.
Russian forces destroy 35 Ukrainian troops, howitzer in Kherson area
Russian forces destroyed roughly 35 Ukrainian troops and a Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the Kherson direction, as many as 35 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles and also a Gvozdika motorized howitzer were destroyed as a result of damage inflicted on the enemy by firepower," the spokesman said.
Russian forces strike 97 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions in past day
Russian forces struck 97 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"During the last 24-hour period, operational/tactical aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 97 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and equipment in 124 areas," the spokesman said.
Russian air defenses intercept nine US-made HIMARS rockets in Ukraine operation
Russian air defense forces intercepted nine rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and destroyed six Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, Konashenkov reported.
"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities intercepted nine rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system. In addition, they destroyed six Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Chervonaya Dibrova, Kremennaya, Pshenichnoye and Rubezhnoye in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Kirillovka and Volnovakha in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.
In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 407 Ukrainian warplanes, 228 helicopters, 3,747 unmanned aerial vehicles, 415 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,659 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,082 multiple rocket launchers, 4,576 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,487 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
Ukraine reports unrelenting Russian attacks on key city of Bakhmut
Russia's military on Thursday pressed on with unrelenting attacks on the smashed eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut and also shelled the southern city of Kherson, officials in Kyiv said.
The Kremlin sees Bakhmut as pivotal in its slow-moving advance through eastern Ukraine more than a year after it invaded its neighbour.
Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar, writing on Telegram, said heavy fighting gripped all parts of the eastern front. She said pro-Kyiv forces repelled attacks in most areas.
"Most of the enemy's offensive efforts are occurring in the Bakhmut sector," she wrote, adding that Russian commanders had redirected troops there from other areas.
"The enemy is using its most professional units there and resorting to a significant amount of artillery and aviation. Every day, the enemy carries out in Bakhmut from 40 to 50 storming operations and 500 shelling episodes."
The head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group said this week that his forces held 80% of Bakhmut, but the Ukrainian military said that figure was exaggerated.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other senior officials are pressing allies for more weapons that Kyiv hopes will enable it to launch a major counter-offensive later this year.
"We are readying our boys," Zelenskiy said in a video address late on Thursday. "We look forward to the delivery of weapons promised by our partners. We are bringing victory closer as much as possible."
Officials said two people had died in Russian shelling of the southern city of Kherson.
Away from the battlefield, Ukrainian officials are focusing on the massive rebuilding effort that will be needed as well as pressure from allies to show progress in tackling corruption.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, holding talks in Washington, promised to account for every dollar of U.S. aid and said reconstruction work should start this year.
He welcomed what he called the "continuous, ironclad and unprecedented support" of the United States.
Shmyhal, speaking alongside U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, said Kyiv had identified a priority funding gap of $14 billion needed this year.
He said Ukraine had implemented measures to account for all assistance received and undertaken more anti-corruption reforms in the past year than during many previous years combined.
Ukrainian officials are also pressing for membership in NATO - a move that Moscow has made clear it will not accept.
"There is no alternative to Ukraine's accession to NATO," Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov told a Black Sea security conference.
RT/TASS/Reuters
