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As the balance of forces is slowly but surely shifting in favor of Novorossia, the UAF has been reduced to siege mentality of sorts due to the shortage of personnel and modern equipment. Mariupol, in particular, has been turned into a “fortified zone”, although the fortifications themselves, leave a lot to be desired.
This pillbox would be marvellously useful…during World War I. But not against an opponent capable of using tank guns and artillery.
And since you can’t have trench warfare without trenches, they too play a large role in Ukraine’s defense strategy.
No doubt because the money was stolen. UAF’s Prosecutor General Anatoliy Matios is continuing his crusade against corruption in the military.
This time he reported the arrest of a group of officers who were illegally selling military equipment worth 200 thousand hryvnia. As usual, the “usual suspects” are low-ranking officers who are guilty of relatively petty crimes. The real criminals in the presidential administration, the ministries, and the Rada are not likely to be brought to justice any time soon.
In spite of the relative calm at the front, the UAF is continuing to suffer casualties at a steady pace. A Ukrainian draftee was shot at a checkpoint in Mariupol, apparently by a more senior-ranking contract soldier in the course of an argument.
Such “non-combat” losses which are usually caused by carelessness, drunkenness, personal conflicts among soldiers, or fighting over profits from criminal activity represent at least a third of UAF’s casualties this year.
One would expect these losses to be even higher, considering the lack of professionalism of individuals tasked with training Ukrainian soldiers, as evidenced by the following “live-fire” training video from the White Wolf battalion whose soldiers appear to be competing pretty hard for this year’s Darwin Awards.
Meanwhile, Western partners of Ukraine have been continuing to provide military assistance. Such as the 200 Humvees received by the Ukrainian military from the US.
Hm, even the Islamic State has better Humvees than that!
Couldn’t the US supply the same quality vehicles to Ukraine that it is supplying to the Islamic State?
ukros do not fight as well as isis, that is the reason!