See For Yourself: Carnage In Donetsk – As Ukrainian forces reportedly remain stuck in a “fierce” battle with Russian soldiers in the contested Donetsk region of Ukraine, several videos shared online in recent days show a series of successful Ukrainian strikes that show Russian forces on the back foot.
This week, the Moscow Times reported how both sides in Donetsk claimed to have taken control over a small administrative center, consisting of apartment blocks, close to the village of Pavlivka in Donetsk.
Russian-appointed Donetsk leader Denis Pushilin claimed that the Russian “encirclement” of the area “solves many problems” and that it has become a “very important success” for the Russians.
Kyiv, however, said that the town is not yet under Russian control.
It’s hard to know who’s telling the truth, too, as this has happened before.
Russian forces recently claimed to have taken control of Soledar, a strategically important town close to the embattled city of Bakhmut, also in Donetsk Oblast.
Kyiv pushed back against the claim, however, and insisted that the town was still contested.
Ukraine Destroys Russian BMP Infantry Fighting Vehicles
In one video shared by Ukraine Weapons Tracker on January 28, three Russian BMP infantry fighting vehicles, and at least one extra military vehicle, can be seen destroyed on the battlefield. The video shows the vehicles moving along dirt roads, only to be intercepted by artillery fire from Ukraine’s 110th Mechanized Brigade.
The vehicles are left in states of total disrepair, erupting into mushroom clouds of white smoke and fire. Some parts of the video also appear to show Russian soldiers attempting to flee after a Ukrainian strike narrowly misses them.
Ukraine Weapons Tracker reports that the video was recorded near Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast.
“The Ukrainian 110th Mechanized Brigade destroyed three BMP IFV and at least one other armored vehicle of the Russian Army in the vicinity of Avdiivka, #Donetsk Oblast,” the post reads.
Russian Tank Destroyed
In another video shared by a Ukrainian non-profit organization known as “Back And Alive,” a Russian T-80BVM tank is seen being taken out by the Ukrainian 72nd Mechanized Brigade close to Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast.
The video shows the tank erupting into flames, with thick brown smoke billowing out of the top. The video appears to have been recorded by a rotary-blade unmanned aerial vehicle.
“And to the good news. The Russians have minus two tanks in the Vugledar area,” the non-profit group writes.
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Jack Buckby is 19FortyFive’s Breaking News Editor. He is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
Ted Ropple
January 30, 2023 at 9:41 am
If Ukraine is doing so well, why are they conscripting 50 year-olds? Let’s start with that question.
Alejandro Pelota
January 30, 2023 at 11:04 am
From June 2022 on Ukraine is losing 10-12 soldiers to 1 Russian… Cemeteries around many cities are stretching for miles with fresh graves of Ukrainian soldiers… Yet, some people continue to push this “Russia is losing” fantasy to continue this pointless and unnecessary conflict… It is not “pro-Russia” to tell the truth – it is not “pro-Russia” to care how billions in taxpayers’ money are spent…
mawendt
January 30, 2023 at 11:51 am
Meh. Ukrainian casualties are probably about 1/4 of the Russians – which is most likely true considering
1) Russia is on the attack against a defender; prepared defenders like Ukraine almost always have the advantage through familiarity with terrain, established fields of fire, dug in positions, and often supported by minefields and artillery.
2) Training, motivation and commitment are critical combat multipliers. Ukraine outpowers the conscript Russian army in this; most Russians don’t want to fight and are nearly untrained.
3) Superior tactical and strategic skill. Again, this is Ukraine’s advantage. It is amazing how Ukraine, initially with the same weapons as the Russian invaders, stopped and then pushed back their opponents. It proves that the Ukrainian leadership knows what it is doing.
4) Now the west is piling in weapons at least one generation/one tier better than the depleted Russian army. If you honestly acknowledge hoe successful Ukraine has been with 30 year old T-72’s, they will most likely romp Russian soldiers with M1’s and Leopards.
6) Ukraine has successfully proved that their government, people and military are united in defending their nation. Russia has shown this is ‘Putin’s War’, and have little intention of helping. National harmony in war is critical, and the Russian’s don’t have it.
7) There is no number 7.
Just counting the equipment that the Ukrainians have destroyed validated through pictures in open source media shows close to ten-to-one disparity in destroyed Russian equipment v Ukrainian equipment. Count up the crews most probably killed and you come up with 3/4 of the Russian casualties before you start guestimating infantry losses.
No. Ukraine is winning, bleeding the Russian military dry of armor, manpower, and ammunition. It is what comes after that people should be prepared.
Bertram
January 30, 2023 at 12:59 pm
Russia will run out of prisoners and soldiers willing to die for Putin’s legacy before Ukraine runs out of men willing to kill them.
Simple matter of motivation. Give them the tools, and they will do the job. Russia’s loss is inevitable.
Sam Smith
January 30, 2023 at 2:33 pm
Russia is committing war crimes, starving the world food chain. Time to send in the A-10s and F-35s to end this.
Alejandro Pelota
January 30, 2023 at 2:45 pm
@mawendt – It astounds me how people like you can fabricate and construct out of thin air a version of events that makes them feel good about themselves, regardless of reality, just blurting out pure hopeful thinking delusions for a dopamine hit and a few likes…
mawendt
January 30, 2023 at 6:40 pm
Aleja, buddy – I was a military intel analyst for 22 years of my 29 years of army service. I got one analysis wrong. One. I briefed that because the United States never left a nation, that we’d be in Afghanistan forever. Then Trump, who never acted like any other president, coordinated the return of troops that Biden fulfilled. Surprised the heck out of not just me, but a whole lot of professionals.
When you look back on my and your comments a year or so after the conflict is done and when numbers become available, we’ll see who is closest.
The sad thing is I don’t want to see any soldier die for stupid politics, and unfortunately there is some severe stupid politics that Putin used to start this off. There is no doubt in this conflict who is the bad guy, and if you don’t know, the guy lives in a capital that rhymes with ‘Coscow’.
Facts though. Facts are: Ukraine, using second and third tier weapons, beat the snot out of invading ‘professional, highly trained’ Russian forces, and have to date inflicted both terrible casualties and materiel losses that can be confirmed by Russia’s weapons purchases and mobilization as well as first person reporting by Russian troops. Fact two: Ukraine is now getting first tier weapons while Putin’s Russia is struggling to meet conscription goals, replacement of armor and ammunition while keeping a lid on an increasingly restless population *AND* military. Fact three: Unless Russia uses bio, chem and/or nukes, they will lose and most probably overthrow the Putin Regime. Fact four: Putin’s Regime knows if they do use NBC, the West will respond severely. So, based on those facts: Ukraine wins, and Putin sooner or later slips in the bathtub along will all of his supporters.
It astounds me how silly people ignorant of a topic ignore what they don’t like and lay out unsupported opinion. But I know one thing: I probably have a bit more experience in identifying, developing and commenting on circumstances and conditions regarding conflicts.
Just sayin’.
dave
January 31, 2023 at 3:56 am
Mawendt you better get some additional training, because Russia won on the first day of the war. It`s laughable now Ukraine can do anything.Ukraine has lost at minimal 500,000 men. Draft#8 ongoing, not many volunteering. Still waiting to see a dead Russian on video that wasn`t killed in war crimes, as a POW! Piles of Ukrainian`s daily.My Ukrainian family members noticed this after a long while.
3L120
January 31, 2023 at 1:04 pm
Why is he Ukraine drafting 50 year old citizens? Because they are a much smaller nation than Russia. And they are being attacked. Everyone thought Kiev would fall in the first day. Maybe if Biden told Putin that unless they stop the long range bombardment of Ukraine, we will permit fighter/bomber aircraft to be sent to bolster the Ukranian AF. Sounds fair to me. Putin has used the old “nuke” gambit for fat to long.