Western media coverage of the big, bloody disaster that the Ukrainian “offensive” has become is getting increasingly tortured. The open source blog called Oryx, basing itself on verifiable photographic evidence, has counted at least 23 of Ukraine’s Bradleys having already been destroyed (out of 190 promised). Another 21 have been damaged, and 5 of those have been abandoned. More than 60 M113 armored fighting vehicles, 57 Maxxpro mine resistant vehicles and more than 100 Humvees have also been destroyed, damaged, or lost. This is reported in a Florida-based publication called The Messenger which adds that while Ukraine’s forces have been forced to revert to a strategy of attrition—infantry attacks backed by artillery—Russian operations are getting better. “And in contrast to the early days of the war, Russia’s tactics have also become more innovative and effective,” it says. “The Russians have been making particularly effective use of KA-52 ‘Alligator’ attack helicopters to strike Ukraine’s vehicles and tanks.” The Messenger laments that this is all the result of the difference between the unrealistic expectations about what the Ukrainians could do with all the equipment, support and training provided by NATO and the reality of the war on the ground.
The Times of London, however, isn’t getting the message. Three days ago, they take the same picture presented on Aug. 11 by The Messenger, but spin it to say that no matter how bad things look, Kyiv is winning. It’s just going to take a little longer than we planned, perhaps until next spring. “Everything depends on the long-term capacity of the Ukrainians to fight—and there are signs of war-weariness as it becomes harder to recruit or conscript soldiers—and the West’s willingness to support them,” The Times says at the end. “Kyiv’s prospects still look the better [than Russia’s], but anyone who hoped or expected the war to end this year is likely to be disappointed. Instead, it is time for all those involved to think more seriously about their long-term plans for war, which may, finally, create the conditions to consider some sort of peace.” (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ukraine-is-winning-the-war-with-russia-but-it-wont-be-over-by-christmas-tcd9zv5c3#:~:text=)
