Ukraine/Russland/NATO – der Sammler am 8. August 2022 (Ergänzung: Neues US-Waffenpaket)

Im andauernden russischen Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine scheint das umkämpfte Atomkraftwerk Saporischschja weiterhin der gefährlichste Hotspot. Der Sammler am 8. August 2022:

• Das mit den deutschen Waffenlieferungen an die Ukraine scheint eine hinreichend verwirrende Veranstaltung. Diverse deutsche Medien melden am (heutigen) Montag, die ersten drei Gepard-Flugabwehrpanzer seien in der Ukraine eingetroffen. Das ist ein bisschen hinter der Zeit; der ukrainische Verteidigungsminister Oleksii Resnikow hatte bereits am 25. Juli mitgeteilt, dass die ersten dieser Waffensysteme geliefert wurden.

Vermutlich kommt das daher, dass am Montag erste ukrainische Regionalkommandos mitteilten, die Gepard erhalten zu haben – was ja ein kleiner Unterschied ist. Aber auch die regelmäßige Übersicht der Bundesregierung über die militärische Hilfe für die Ukraine ist nicht immer auf dem aktuellsten Stand; die derzeit letzte Fassung stammt vom 2. August.

Ergänzung: Die USA haben ein neues Paket mit Waffenlieferungen für die Ukraine im Wert von einer Milliarde US-Dollar angekündigt:

Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) announces the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $1 billion to meet Ukraine’s critical security and defense needs. This authorization is the Biden Administration’s eighteenth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. It is the largest single drawdown of U.S. arms and equipment utilizing this authority, and this package provides a significant amount of additional ammunition, weapons, and equipment – the types of which the Ukrainian people are using so effectively to defend their country.

Capabilities in this package include:

Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
75,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition;
20 120mm mortar systems and 20,000 rounds of 120mm mortar ammunition;
Munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS);
1,000 Javelin and hundreds of AT4 anti-armor systems;
50 armored medical treatment vehicles;
Claymore anti-personnel munitions;
C-4 explosives, demolition munitions, and demolition equipment;
Medical supplies, to include first aid kits, bandages, monitors, and other equipment.

Das Material kommt aus den Beständen der US-Streitkräfte. Interessant übrigens, dass – wie auch bisher schon – bei Artilleriemunition, Panzerabwehrraketen usw. in der Regel eine Zahl genannt wird, bei den Lenkflugkörpern für die Mehrfachraketenwerfer dagegen regelmäßig keine.

Nachtrag: Inzwischen gibt es das Transkript der Pressekonferenz mit Pentagon-Staatssekretär Colin Kahl, und darin findet sich auch die interessante Passage:

And then also, in recent PDA [Presidential Drawdown of security assistance] packages, we’ve included a number of anti-radiation missiles that can be fired off of Ukrainian aircraft that can have effects on Russia radars and other things. So there are also things that we’re doing to try to make their existing capabilities more effective.

Diese Anti-Radiation Missiles zur Bekämpfung gegnerischer (Flugabwehr)Radarstellungen waren bislang nicht erwähnt worden.

• Das ukrainische Atomkraftwerk Saporischschja, unter Kontrolle des russischen Militärs, ist weiter im Blickpunkt – allein schon wegen der Gefahr einer radioaktiven Verseuchung, die von möglichen Gefechten um die Anlage ausgeht. Inzwischen gibt es Hinweise auf russische Drohungen, das Atomkraftwerk gegebenenfalls auch zu sprengen – die Hinweise gehen zurück auf angebliche Äußerungen des russischen Kommandeurs auf dem Messenger-Dienst Telegram:

Übersetzung im Auszug:

Generalmajor Waleri Wassiljew, Kommandeur der Garnison des befreiten Kernkraftwerks Saporischschja, sprach zu den Soldaten. Wir geben ein Fragment der Ansprache an die Garnison wieder. Als Reaktion auf die von westlich finanzierten „internationalen“ Organisationen wie der IAEO geschürte Panik.
„Sie alle verstehen, dass es einen Krieg um das Existenzrecht des russischen Volkes gibt. Für unser Recht, in Frieden und Harmonie mit allen zu leben. Aber wenn der kollektive Westen uns dieses Recht verweigert, wenn amerikanische Waffen, Söldner und Ausbilder eingesetzt werden, um die Gebiete zu erobern, die wir bereits befreien konnten – dann sind wir auf eine Vielzahl von Szenarien vorbereitet.
Dieser Posten wurde vom russischen Volk für alle slawischen Brüder gebaut. Nun haben die Nazis beschlossen, unsere gemeinsame Vergangenheit auszulöschen. Deshalb wird hier entweder russisches Freiland sein – oder verbrannte Wüste! Und Sie, Soldaten der großen russischen Armee, müssen bereit sein, einen wichtigen Befehl auszuführen.
Wie Sie wissen, haben wir alle wichtigen Einrichtungen des Kernkraftwerks Saporischschja vermint. Und wir verbergen dies nicht vor dem Feind. Wir haben sie gewarnt. Der Feind weiß, dass das Werk entweder russisch sein wird – oder niemandem gehört. Wir sind auf die Folgen dieses Schrittes vorbereitet.
Und ihr, die Freiheitskämpfer, müsst verstehen, dass wir keinen anderen Weg haben. Und wenn der härteste Befehl kommt – wir müssen ihn mit Ehre ausführen!“
(Übersetzt mit deepl.com)

Ob dieses Telegram-Posting authentisch ist, lässt sich wie vieles derzeit nicht überprüfen. Inzwischen scheinen sowohl die Ukraine als auch Russland ihre Bereitschaft erklärt zu haben, die Kontrolle des Atomkraftwerks durch Inspektoren der Internationalen Atomenergie-Agentur zuzulassen.

• Das britische Intel Update:

Russia is highly likely deploying anti-personnel mines to protect and deter freedom of movement along its defensive lines in the Donbas. These mines have the potential to inflict widespread casualties amongst both the military and the local civilian population.
In Donetsk and Kramatorsk, Russia has highly likely attempted employment of PFM-1 and PFM-1S scatterable anti-personnel mines. Commonly called the ‘butterfly mine’, the PFM-1 series are deeply controversial, indiscriminate weapons.
PFM-1s were used to devastating effect in the Soviet-Afghan War where they allegedly maimed high numbers of children who mistook them for toys.
It is highly likely that the Soviet-era stock being used by Russia will have degraded over time and are now highly unreliable and unpredictable. This poses a threat to both the local population and humanitarian mine clearance operations.

• Das Morgenbriefing des ukrainischen Generalstabs:

Operational update of General Staff of the Ukraininan Armed Forces regarding the russian invasion as of 06:00, on August 8, 2022
The one hundred sixty-sixth (166) day of the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people to a russian military invasion continues
There were no significant changes in the position and actions of the enemy in the Volyn and Polissya directions. The build-up of the air defense system is noted.
In the Siversky direction, the enemy continues to hold separate units of the troops of the Western Military District in the border areas of the Bryansk and Kursk regions.
In the Kharkiv direction, the enemy carried out fire damage from barrel and rocket artillery along the line of contact. Fired at civilian infrastructure in the areas of Zolochiv, Prudyanka, Dementiyivka, Ptomnyk, Ruska Lozova, Ruski and Cherkaski Tyshky, Kutuzivka, Stary Saltiv, Chuhuiv and Asiivka.
Carried out airstrikes near Husarivka and Verkhniy Saltiv. Actively conducted aerial reconnaissance of UAVs of the operational-tactical level.
In the Slovyansk direction, the enemy shelled the areas of Velika Komyshuvakha, Virnopilly, Suligivka, Rydny, Dibrivny, Hrushuvakh, Bogorodichny, Nortsivka, and Dolyna. Airstrikes near Zalyman.
In the Kramatorsk direction, enemy shelling from tanks, barrel and rocket artillery was recorded near Kramatorsk, Siversk, Serebryanka, Hryhorivka and Spirne. The occupiers launched airstrikes near Hryhorivka and Ivano-Daryivka.
In order to improve the tactical position, the enemy waged an offensive battle in the Verkhnokamyanske area. Already traditionally suffered losses and left.
In the Bakhmut direction, the enemy shelled military and civilian infrastructure in the areas of Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar, Soledar, Zaitseve, Yakovlivka, Bilohorivka and Bakhmutske settlements. Used aviation near Bakhmut, Yakovlivka and Zaitseve.
The enemy continues to conduct reconnaissance, sparing no personnel. Enemy reconnaissance groups were detected and neutralized in the areas of Bakhmutske, Bakhmut and Yakovlivka settlements.
The enemy tried to conduct assaults near Bakhmut, Zaytsevo, Yakovlivka and Vershyn, but was unsuccessful and retreated.
In the Avdiivka direction, artillery shelling was recorded near Avdiivka, Pisky, Nevelske, Krasnohorivka, and Kurakhovo. The occupiers launched airstrikes near New York, Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, and Yuryivka.
The enemy carried out offensive actions in the direction of Pisky, Nevelske and Avdiyivka, had no success, retreated.
In the Novopavlivske and Zaporizhzhia directions, the enemy continues shelling the military and civilian infrastructure in the areas of Novomykhailivka, Kostyantynivka, Shevchenko, Orihiv, Mala Tokmachka, Novodanilivka, Vremivka, Novosilka, Bilohirya, Stepove and Poltavka settlements. Used aviation for strikes near Novomykhailivka, Prechystivka, Volodymyrivka, and Novosilka. It led offensive actions in the directions of Maryinka and Shevchenko. Ukrainian soldiers met the invaders with accurate fire and pushed them back.
In the South Buh direction, the enemy’s main efforts continue to focus on holding the occupied positions and preventing the advance of our troops. The enemy actively conducts reconnaissance of UAVs.
Conducted shelling from barrel, rocket artillery and tanks along the entire line of contact. It carried out airstrikes in the districts of Olhyne, Novohryhorivka, and Andriivka.
In the waters of the Black Sea, the enemy’s ship group continues to perform the specified tasks. The threat of missile strikes on military facilities and infrastructure elements throughout Ukraine remains.
Ukrainian soldiers are firmly holding the defense, inflicting losses on the enemy and are ready for any changes in the operational situation.

• Das Briefing des russischen Verteidigungsministeriums:

Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation in Ukraine.
High-precision air-based missiles strikes near Kharkov have hit temporary deployment points of the 92nd Mechanized Brigade battalion and the 122nd Battalion of the 113th Territorial Defence Brigade of AFU. The enemy suffered losses of up to 150 servicemen and 14 vehicles and armoured vehicles.
Russian Aerospace Forces strikes against the combat positions of the 105th and 106th battalions of the 63rd Mechanized Brigade of AFU have destroyed up to 70 nationalists and 14 units of automotive equipment near Belogorka in Kherson Region and Pavlovka in NIkolaev Region.
Russian Aerospace Forces have destroyed up to 30 servicemen and 5 vehicles of the 18th battalion of the 35th Marine Brigade of AFU near Novopoltavka, Nikolaev Region.
Russian Aerospace Force and Missile Troops precision strikes at Ukrainian nationalists‘ temporary deployment points have resulted in the mass casualties and mercenary desertions. Kraken nationalist formation has lost its combat efficiency in Kharkov direction.
In order to make up for losses urgently, the commanders of the Nazi formation unsuccessfully try to force the citizens of Kharkov to join it.
Operational-tactical and army aviation, missile troops and artillery strikes continue against military facilities in Ukraine.
5 command posts have been hit, including those of AFU’s Soledar task force group near Chasov Yar in Donetsk People’s Republic and the 63rd Mechanized Brigade of AFU near Belaya Krinitsa in Kherson Region, as well as 117 areas of AFU’s manpower and military equipment concentration.
Ammunition depots of the 66th, 110th Mechanized and 56th Motorized Infantry Brigades near Vodyanoye, 5 ammunition depots of AFU near Krasnogorovka, Novomikhailovka and Artemovsk and 1 fuel depot near Novomikhailovka in Donetsk People’s Republic have been destroyed.
During counter-battery warfare, 1 battery of Uragan multiple-launch rocket systems near Ochertino, 1 battery of Acatsia self-propelled artillery systems near Krasnoye, and combat vehicles of American HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems near Kramotorsk have been hit.
3 platoons of Grad MLRS near Kodema, Mayaki and Adamovka, 4 artillery platoons of Msta-B guns, and 2 platoons of Giatsint-B guns at firing positions near Soledar, Artemovsk, Veseloye, Dzerzhinsk, Maksimil’yanovka and Antonovka in Donetsk People’s Republic have been suppressed.
Russian air defence means have shot down 7 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles near Kirillovka, Mandrykino, Krapivnytskoye in Donetsk People’s Republic, Barvenkovo, Dolgenkoye, Savintsy in Kharkov Region and Barvinok in Kherson Region.
3 Ukrainian Tochka-U ballistic missiles have been intercepted in the air near Prudyanka, Kharkov Region, and Novaya Kakhovka, Kherson Region.
Also, 19 rockets of US-made HIMARS MLRS have been shot down in the air near Sukhaya Kamenka, Kharkov Region, Melitopol, Zaporozhye Region, and Antonovka, Kherson Region.
In total, 263 Ukrainian airplanes and 145 helicopters, 1,708 unmanned aerial vehicles, 363 anti-aircraft missile systems, 4,269 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 791 multiple launch rocket systems, 3,276 field artillery and mortars, as well as 4,774 units of special military vehicles were destroyed during the operation.

• Aus dem Briefing des Pentagon, aufgeschrieben von Caitlin Doornbos von Stars&Stripes:

The U.S. today approved its largest military aid package for Ukraine to date. It will include $1 billion in weapons and ammunition from U.S. stocks, Undersecretary for Defense Colin Kahl said.
„President Biden directed the 18th drawdown of an additional $1 billion in weapons and equipment from the Department of Defense inventories. This is the largest single drawdown of US arms and equipment utilizing this authority to date.“
The package includes additional HIMARS ammunition; 75,000 rounds of 155mm rounds of M777 howitzer ammunition; additional mortar systems and 20,000 rounds of associated ammunition; NASAMS ammunition; 1,000 Javelins and more.
The aid also includes armored medical transport vehicles, Kahl said. The vehicles come about two weeks after it was revealed that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the treatment of wounded Ukrainian soldiers at a U.S. Army hospital in Germany.
„Conditions in [Eastern Ukraine] have essentially stabilized and the focus is really shifting to the south in part because the Ukrainians are starting to put some pressure down south and the Russians have been forced to redeploy their forces down there.“ -Kahl
„Yes, both sides are taking casualties — the war is the most intense conventional conflict in Europe since the second World War but the current Ukrainians have a lot of advantages, not the least of which [is] their will to fight.“
„It’s safe to suggest the Russians have probably taken 70-80,000 casualties in less than 6 months. That’s a combination of killed in action & wounded in action. That number might be a little lower, a little higher, but that’s kind of in the ballpark, which is pretty remarkable.“
Q: How long can Russia sustain the fight with that # of casualties?

A: „A lot would depend on the political decisions that Vladimir Putin will make ultimately about whether he can continue to recruit and send additional forces to the front or .. engage in national mobilization.“
„Russians have achieved none of Vladimir Putin’s objectives at the beginning of the war. His overall objective was to overrun the entire country to engage in regime change in Kyiv to snuff out Ukraine as an independent, sovereign and democratic nation. None of that has happened.“
Russia has „made some incremental gains in the east although not very much in the last couple of weeks. But that’s come at extraordinary cost to the Russian military because of how well the Ukrainian military has performed & all the assistance the Ukrainian military has gotten.“
HIMARS have „slowed [Russia] down and made it harder for them to resupply other forces … This is a 200 pound warhead. It’s kind of the equivalent of airstrike, frankly, and precision guided airstrike. These are GPS guided munitions.“
HIMARS „have been very effective in hitting things that previously the Ukrainians had difficulty hitting reliably – control nodes of sustainment and logistics hubs, key radar systems and other things.“
The rocket systems also „made it more difficult for the Russians to move forces around the battlefield. They’ve had to move certain aspects back away from the HIMARS, it’s slowed them down and made it harder for them to resupply other forces.“
Why not send more NASAMS/HIMARS/howitzer systems?

Kahl said the U.S. and allies including the U.K. have sent many already so „the priority is making sure that they have a steady stream of these ammunitions.“
„The Russians have probably 3,000-4,000 armored vehicles in Ukraine, which is a lot. A lot of that is because the [anti-armor systems] like the Javelins … but also, frankly, because of the creativity the Ukrainians have used those systems [with.]“
Why no fighter jets yet?
Pentagon focused on „now getting the Ukrainians things that are relevant for the current fight. So right now the front is in the east, and increasingly in the south. We need to get the capabilities that deliver on a timeframe that’s relevant to that.“
However, the Pentagon and European Command are working on „way[s] to help with the means to try and find their kind of medium- to long-term requirements getting to the things that are in the kind of measured in days and weeks but measured in months and a handful of years.“
This means fighter jets could come in the future as the investigate „what would be most useful in terms of assisting the Ukrainian Air Force in improving its capabilities.“
„It’s not inconceivable that down the road, Western aircraft could be part of the mix on that but the final analysis has not been done.“
„A lot was made about the MiG-29 issue months ago, not very much has been noticed about the sheer amounts of spare parts and other things that we’ve done to help them actually put more of their own [jets] in the air and keep [them] in the air for a longer period of time.“
What Kahl said on Ukraine casualties:
“ I think the numbers of casualties have gone up and down … I will say this, though – the Ukrainian morale and will the fight is unquestioned and much higher I think then the average morale and will to fight on the Russian side.“
„I think that gives the Ukrainians a significant advantage. After all, more than 40 million Ukrainians are fighting, but the stakes are existential for them. They are fighting for the survival of their of their country.“

(wird ergänzt)