Ukraine War Update EXTRA: Bonkers Belarussian SOF, Makiivka, Russian Propaganda
Table of Contents 📖
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"World War III has been going on for a long time now in our country."
Hello Team!
Jonathan apologises for splitting today's update into two parts due to the amount of content to cover. He appreciates viewers' patience in watching both videos to get all the latest information and analysis.
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Bizarre Belarusian Special Forces Videos
Jonathan shares some bizarre videos of Belarusian special forces performing circus-like stunts and choreographed fight scenes. He questions the practical battlefield use of these skills and suggests it is not representative of competent special forces as viewed by Western nations. The videos span over a decade showing a long history of this strange showmanship rather than military capability.
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Intercepted Call Confirms Details of Makiivka Strike
An intercepted phone call between Russian soldiers confirms the high casualties from the Ukrainian HIMARS strike on Makiivka on New Year's Eve. The soldiers discuss how hundreds of mobilised troops were placed in an old school building with ammunition and fuel supplies nearby. Reasons given for the high death toll include the troops' proximity to the front line, observable build up of personnel/supplies, lack of adequate fortifications, and use of mobile phones allowing Ukrainian forces to locate and target the base. This contradicts initial Russian MoD casualty figures and subsequent claims of retaliation strikes.
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Russian State TV Discusses Killing Americans
Russian state TV presenter Margarita Simonyan and guests discussed strategies against the US, including killing tens of thousands of American soldiers to change public opinion, similar to Vietnam or Korea. They named Tucker Carlson as the only American they wouldn't want to kill, viewing him as an ally in the information war. However, one guest argued that this "wrecking ball" approach would be counterproductive and alienate potential allies like India and China. Instead, he advocated for asymmetric responses and winning the "indirect war" by supporting pro-Russian voices abroad while disrupting the West, as with Nord Stream. The aim would be to become the centre of their region and defeat the enemy without direct military confrontation.
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Comparing the Ukrainian and Russian Armies
A Ukrainian soldier analyses key differences between the Ukrainian and Russian armies in terms of manpower, command structure and use of combined arms. While both have Soviet roots, Russia focused on creating a smaller professional force to quickly defeat weaker opponents, as seen in Chechnya, Georgia and Syria. However, the Russian command remains highly centralised. In contrast, Ukraine reformed its army after 2014 to be more decentralised and adaptable, with NATO training in new tactics. Ukrainian soldiers are highly motivated and come from diverse backgrounds. Ukraine also makes better use of combined arms, while Russia has struggled with things like air support and drone reconnaissance. However, Ukraine still urgently needs more artillery to liberate its territory.
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Robotic Mine Clearance
Jonathan shares a video of a Slovak remote-controlled demining system called Bozena 5. He notes that this kind of autonomous robotics could be the future of mine clearance as it removes the human risk. Such systems will be in high demand in Ukraine after the war due to the large number of mines and unexploded ordnance littering the landscape.
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Wrap Up
Jonathan thanks viewers for watching this extra-long two-part update. He appreciates everyone's support and encourages them to like, subscribe and share the video. He looks forward to providing further updates tomorrow.
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