Ukraine War Update NEWS: Pt 1 - Overnight & Other News
Table of Contents 📖
"What did my husband die for? Screams an outraged Russian woman in Osk, addressing the mayor of the city"
Hello Team
🎦 00:00-00:24⏩
Jonathan welcomes everyone to another video on the 23rd of April 2024. It's the first news update of the day, although he has already posted a breaking news update.
Return to top⤴️
🪦 DISCLAIMER FOR GENERAL STAFF LOSSES DATA
- These are real people with real lives and real families who love them. Don’t let the numbers sap your humanity.
- These numbers probably aren’t accurate but they’re the best we have and we don’t need them to be accurate to be indicative of patterns of activity.
- All losses are estimates. Losses cannot be counted with accuracy because of the conditions on the ground.
- Both sides would see it to be of their advantage to minimize their own losses maximize the other side’s losses.
- Neither side releases their losses but we have enough transparency from the Ukrainian side to have confidence in they are indicative.
- Personnel losses are hard to count. If a soldier gets injured, heals up, and returns to the front line only to get injured again, is that one loss or two? Also, how to deal with losses from PMC’s or soldiers fighting with RF from occupied territories?
- Equipment losses are hard to count. If an AA complex involves several parts and one part gets disabled, is that a loss, or a fraction of a loss? If a tank gets disabled, repaired, back into the fight, then disabled again, is that one lost tank or two?
- All recorded losses are vulnerable to multiple reporting. We have already seen numerous cases of multiple drones in the air reporting the same loss from different angles as multiple engagements.
- Losses are not always reported on the same day they occurred. It is frequent that drone losses are reported at least 24 hours after other terrestrial equipment losses. Certain losses may not be reported for days or weeks for military intelligence reasons.
Ukrainian General Staff report Russian losses
🎦 00:24-01:37⏩
Jonathan reviews the Ukrainian General Staff figures for Russian losses for the previous day. The figures which can be found in the video description, include the loss of 800 personnel, 5 tanks, 12 armoured personnel vehicles and 29 artillery systems. Jonathan notes that the caveats for these figures, (which were helpfully provided by a viewer) are in the video description. He observes that whilst 29 artillery systems represents a significant number, the figures overall are fairly average for the last few days and represent a fairly average set of losses for the Russians.
Return to top⤴️
Oryx Reports Russian equipment losses more severe than Ukraine
🎦 01:37-03:40⏩
Jonathan reports that recent Oryx figures show that Russia has lost significantly more equipment than Ukraine with a loss ratio of 5:1. He notes that the figures have been consistently good for Ukraine. Amongst the destroyed equipment, Oryx reports the loss of a Leopard 2A6 which Jonathan highlights as potentially being a decoy, a Senator MRPV, an armoured vehicle manufactured in Canada and some M113s. He goes on to list the Russian equipment losses which include an electronic warfare system, a boat, some artillery pieces including a 240mm Tulip self-propelled mortar, several tanks and some infantry fighting vehicles. In addition, a significant number of trucks, civilian vehicles, ATVs and a Desert Cross 1000-3 Golf Cart were also destroyed. Jonathan notes that Russia appears to have acquired a significant number of these golf carts, which are manufactured in China, with figures somewhere between 1,000 and 2,100. He questions whether they are being used by the Russians out of necessity because they have no other option, or because they are advantageous in some situations despite their vulnerability to mines and lack of protection.
Return to top⤴️
Russian Soldier complains about lack of weapons, food and high death rate
🎦 04:49-08:14⏩
Jonathan plays a video shared by Anton Gerashchenko of Russian soldiers complaining about a lack of weapons, food and the high death rate of the soldiers. One of the soldiers in the video complains that they are outgunned and are being shelled with cluster munitions. He reports that they have sustained heavy losses and that the woods are covered in dead bodies. The soldiers also complain about a lack of basic equipment including shovels, water and food and that they have resorted to searching corpses for food. Jonathan acknowledges that the video is anecdotal but highlights that it's important to listen to these types of anecdotes. He concludes that whilst the Ukrainians are on their knees, the reality is that the Russians are also sustaining heavy losses.
Return to top⤴️
Russian public discontent is growing
🎦 08:14-10:26⏩
Jonathan talks about the growing discontent amongst the Russian population and shares a video clip of a Russian woman angrily confronting a local mayor, Vasily Kozapitsa, about the lack of support for the families of dead soldiers. The woman in the video is angry that the mayor's son had recently purchased a luxury apartment in Dubai for 33 million Rubles while she has received no support following the death of her husband and the flooding in Osk. Jonathan expresses his view that public discontent in Russia is important and that there needs to be a pressure valve to release it but questions whether this will come from the Russian people or from within the Kremlin itself.
Return to top⤴️
Ukraine increases use of HIMARS following reports of imminent US Military Aid
🎦 10:26-13:43⏩
Jonathan shares a video clip showing the simultaneous launch of 16 HIMARS missiles by Ukraine. He suspects that Ukraine is making greater use of HIMARS systems recently and refers to a comment from a follower who shares this view. He believes that this is in response to the news that a new package of US military aid is imminent and that Ukraine is confident that it will receive additional supplies of HIMARS missiles soon. Jonathan highlights that there is already a significant amount of military equipment in Germany and Poland that is ready to be sent to Ukraine. To support his view, Jonathan refers to a recent video shared by Special Kherson Cat which shows the destruction of a Russian 2S4 Tyulpan 240mm self-propelled heavy mortar by a HIMARS missile. In another example, the Tivez division released footage of a HIMARS strike destroying a Russian S400 air defence system. Jonathan notes that the Tivez division is particularly active in targeting Russian air defence systems.
Return to top⤴️
Ukraine destroys a Russian Robot Mine Layer using FPV drone
🎦 13:43-15:00⏩
Jonathan reports that Ukraine recently destroyed a Russian Robot Mine Layer using an FPV drone. He reflects that both sides are adapting quickly to battlefield conditions and are constantly innovating. He shares an image of a Russian military vehicle which appears to have been modified by welding a large metal container to it and jokes that it looks like a large conservatory or chicken coop.
Return to top⤴️
Ukraine develops new, silent Baba Yaga Drone
🎦 15:00-17:50⏩
Jonathan reports that Ukraine has developed a new silent version of its Baba Yaga drone. He quotes Dmitry from WarTranslated who reported that Dmitry Rogozin, (who narrowly avoided being killed by a missile whilst in a restaurant recently), is concerned about a new Baba Yaga drone that has been seen on the front lines. Jonathan goes on to explain that the Baba Yaga drone is so called because it shares its name with a mythological witch or legendary figure in Ukrainian and Russian culture. He believes that the Baba Yaga is no longer a single type of drone but is now a more generic term for a family of Ukrainian drones. He goes on to explain that Russia has had some success in shooting down Baba Yaga drones because of the noise from their motors and propellers, so Ukraine has adapted by developing a new silent version.
Return to top⤴️
Russian Groza electronic warfare system destroyed by Ukrainian FPV drone
🎦 17:50-18:19⏩
Jonathan reports that a Russian Groza electronic warfare system was recently destroyed by a Ukrainian FPV drone and that this was subsequently verified by pictures of the destroyed system that appeared on Oryx. He goes on to say that the Ukrainians appear to have the upper hand when it comes to using drones at night.
Return to top⤴️
Update following attack on Russian Navy Ship Komuna
🎦 18:19-19:25⏩
Jonathan provides an update following the attack on the Russian Navy ship Komuna. He explains that whilst the attack may have dented Russian moral, the satellite imagery appears to show that the damage to the Komuna was minimal. He reflects that the footage of the attack that was released was inconclusive and that whilst the Ukrainian Navy claimed that the Komuna was taken out of service, it is unclear what actually happened.
Return to top⤴️
Ukrainian Air Defences intercept 15 out of 16 Shahed drones
🎦 19:25-21:15⏩
Jonathan reports that Ukrainian air defences intercepted 15 out of 16 Shahed drones launched by Russia. He notes that whilst this is a good interception rate, the drones that were shot down still detonated, causing significant damage to residential properties and other buildings with reports of at least 7 people being injured in Odessa. Jonathan reminds viewers that Russia has increased the payload of its Shahed drones from 50kg to 90kg so even when they are intercepted by air defences, they can still cause significant damage. Jonathan goes on to report that the earlier missile attack on Odessa this week damaged 49 houses, completely destroying two and that 300 windows were blown out. He concludes that Odessa was definitely the main target for Russia this week.
Return to top⤴️
Increase in attacks on Russian targets by Ukrainian partisans
🎦 21:15-22:35⏩
Jonathan speculates that Ukrainian partisans may be behind a number of recent attacks, including a large fire that was seen in Mariupol. He suspects that there is a great deal of partisan activity happening that is going unreported. In other news, Jonathan reports that Russia attacked a TV tower in Kharkiv with a KH-59 missile launched from within Russia. He reflects on the importance of Ukraine being able to hit targets within Russia in order to prevent such attacks from happening and that Western countries should provide Ukraine with the weapons to do this. He concludes by saying that if Western nations are unwilling to provide Ukraine with the weapons it needs to defend itself from within its own borders, then it should provide Ukraine with the help it needs to develop its own long range missiles.
Return to top⤴️
DTEK requires $350 to repair damage to power plants
🎦 22:35-24:57⏩
Jonathan reports that DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, has said that it needs $350 million to repair the damage to its power plants. Jonathan expresses his outrage that in just a couple of nights, Russian attacks have caused so much damage and that Ukraine is now left to find the money to repair the damage. He goes on to say that in his opinion, reparations should be paid to Ukraine by seizing Russian assets and that it is morally right to do so. Jonathan laments the cost of the war not just in monetary terms, but in the damage to the environment and the impact on grain production.
Return to top⤴️
Other news
🎦 24:57-29:03⏩
In other news, Jonathan reports that:
- Dmitry Platenchuk is to become the new Head of the Press Centre for the Southern Defence Forces replacing Nataliya Humeniuk.
- Ramzan Kadyrov has released videos of himself lifting weights following reports that he is seriously ill.
- The Russian Volunteer Corps is being trained in the use of drones by Magiar.
- The Swedish Navy suspects that Russia is using its shadow fleet of oil tankers to conduct espionage in the Baltic Sea.
- Ukrainian grain exports have fallen.
Wrap up
🎦 29:03-29:08⏩
Jonathan thanks viewers for watching and asks them to like, subscribe and share his video.
Return to top⤴️
