Ukraine War Update EXTRA: Surovikin, Props to Germany, Capt Arty Green, & Drones
Table of Contents 📖
| Topic ID | Topic Title | Timestamp |
|---|
"Every time I talk to Putin, he says he speaks very clearly. It's about conquering something. He just wants to seize a part of Ukrainian territory by force." - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
Hello Team!
Jonathan recommends checking out the latest Institute for the Study of War daily briefing, which has a massive analysis of Belarus and the geopolitical ramifications of Russia pressuring them to join the war. It's a fascinating read that he could spend a whole video discussing.
Return to top⤴️
Appraisal of Russian military operation under General Surovikin
Jonathan shares an appraisal of the Russian military operation since General Surovikin took command in October. Key points:
- Surovikin is the most competent commander Russia has had so far
- He successfully withdrew troops from Kherson with few casualties
- Surovikin has ordered defensive positions built as Russia transitions to the defensive for winter
- The infrastructure strike campaign is terrible but effective, aimed at creating waves of refugees and grinding the government to a halt
- Surovikin may be providing more accurate assessments to Putin, who seems to understand diminished prospects
Ukrainian drones and mass production
Ukraine's D-80 Discovery and E-300 Enterprise drones have received permission to operate in the armed forces. The manufacturer Aerodrone announced they will begin mass production soon. Jonathan emphasizes how important this is for Ukraine to be able to send waves of drones for reconnaissance and to attach munitions to strike targets like bridges.
Return to top⤴️
Props to Germany, France and Sweden
Jonathan gives props to:
- Germany's Chancellor Scholz for recognizing Putin is not ready to negotiate and just wants to conquer Ukrainian territory. Germany has promised more weapons, ammo and is negotiating modern tank supplies to Ukraine.
- France's President Macron for saying France will support Ukraine for as long as it takes to fully restore sovereignty and territorial integrity
- Sweden for providing a 9th aid package to Ukraine that is 50% larger than the 8th and includes air defense systems, components and ammo
Interview with Captain Arty Green about battle of Bakhmut
In an insightful interview, Ukrainian Captain Arty Green discusses the battle of Bakhmut:
- Ukrainian forces have destroyed most Russian hardware with Excalibur guided shells so attacks are now by infantry
- These seem to be Wagner troops using "Stalinist" tactics of shooting any who retreat
- Up to 26,000 recruited from prisons are being used as "cannon fodder" in frontal assaults
- Ukrainians have adapted to these tactics which won't bring Russians the same results
- Ukraine has issues with variability in troop commander competence which can lead to supply/support problems
- Based on the "Manstein Matrix", Russian commanders tend to be "active and stupid" leading to high casualties
- Captain Green is confident the casualty ratio is an order of magnitude higher for Russians
Nuclear fusion breakthrough
In non-Ukraine news, a US government facility achieved a net energy gain in a nuclear fusion reaction for the first time. The fusion reaction produced about 2.5 megajoules of energy, which was about 120% of the 2.1 megajoules input by lasers. Jonathan argues this is massive, headline-worthy news that could change everything in the long term (20+ years) if the technology develops to provide abundant, clean energy without pollution.
Return to top⤴️
Wrap up
Jonathan thanks viewers for choosing to spend their time with him and invites them to check out his books on Amazon under "Johnny Pearce", both fiction and non-fiction philosophy books. He also mentions viewers can support the channel through "Buy Me a Coffee", YouTube Thanks, and PayPal linked in the video description. He signs off saying he'll see everyone tomorrow.
Return to top⤴️
