(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Ukraine Invasion Day 360: Putin’s imperialistic ambitions require the West’s sustained attention [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2023-02-17 "90 percent of aircrew losses in Vietnam occurred within the first 10 combat missions" Key Takeaways The Kremlin will likely subsume elements of Belarus’ defense industrial base (DIB) as part of Moscow’s larger effort to reequip the Russian military to support a protracted war against Ukraine. Lukashenko confirmed that Belarus has implemented more Union State integration programs - marking progress in the Kremlin’s decades-long pressure campaign to formalize the Russian-Belarusian Union State. The Kremlin’s gains in Belarus underscore that Putin’s imperialistic ambitions transcend Ukraine and that containing the Russian threat requires the West’s sustained attention. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed the names of the four military district commanders, finalizing a complete turnover of the Russian military’s initial command since the start of the invasion of Ukraine. Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin appears to be mounting an informational counteroffensive against the conventional Russian military establishment. Russian forces continued offensive operations along the Svatove-Kreminna line. Russian forces continued ground attacks around Bakhmut, in the Donetsk City-Avdiivka area, and in western Donetsk Oblast. Russian and Ukrainian military activity near Nova Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast indicates that Russian forces are likely deployed to positions close bank of the Dnipro River. The United Kingdom Ministry of Defense (UK MoD) reported that Russian forces have likely suffered up to 200,000 casualties since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a variety of laws on February 17 to integrate occupied territories into Russian legal, economic, and administrative structures. Russia is unable to deploy combat jets over Ukraine - and would suffer "unsustainable aircraft losses" if it tried, the UK's Ministry of Defence has said. Meanwhile Vladimir Putin is already suffering "very serious losses' in eastern Ukraine, a Kyiv defence official has said - with a separate report suggesting more than 2,000 Russian tanks have been destroyed. The MoD's latest analysis, shared on Twitter this morning, says the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) continued to deploy roughly the same number of aircraft in support of the Ukraine operation as they have for many months. The Russian President is mustering forces in preparation for an anticipated fresh offensive, with fierce fighting centred on the strategically important town of Bakhmut. "Posting on Telegram, Hanna Maliar, Ukraine's deputy defence secretary, posted: "The enemy's offensive continues in the east, (with) round-the-clock attacks. The situation is tense. Yes, it is difficult for us. "But our fighters are not allowing the enemy to achieve their goals and are inflicting very serious losses." Meanwhile a report published by the US-based International Institute for Strategic Studies claimed Russia has lost more than 2,000 tanks since the start of the war on February 24, 2022. www.msn.com/... x ⚡️ WAR IN #UKRAINE - FEB 17 Note from @Rebel44CZ: Update postponed due to technical issues VISUALLY CONFIRMED: 3.11x losses to date 2.68x since 🇺🇦 counteroffensive (Aug 29) 3.15x 30-day average 📈 https://t.co/Hhbzr3Wt3p pic.twitter.com/VyL4IHVNjg — Ragnar Gudmundsson 🇮🇸🇺🇦 ragnarbjartur@masto.ai (@ragnarbjartur) February 17, 2023 The Kremlin’s gains in Belarus underscore that Putin’s imperialistic ambitions transcend Ukraine and that containing the Russian threat requires the West’s sustained attention. Putin will very likely make significant gains in restoring Russian suzerainty over Belarus regardless of the outcome of his invasion of Ukraine. ISW has long assessed that the West sometimes ignores Putin’s activities that appear trivial, but that seemingly trivial activities that fly under the radar are essential to Putin’s strategic gains in the long run.[10] Putin’s gains in Belarus indicate that he is reaping the benefits of such long-term campaigns. Russia and Belarus formed the Union State structure in 1999. The Kremlin significantly intensified its political and economic pressure campaigns to integrate Belarus through the Union State structure no later than 2019.[11] Putin and Lukashenko initially ratified the package of 28 Union State integration programs - which are now mostly implemented - in November 2021.[12] Western shortsightedness about the Kremlin’s slower-developing, long-term efforts helps enable Putin’s strategic advances. www.understandingwar.org/... History: Here’s what to know about Russia and Ukraine’s relationship and the causes of the conflict. Anatomy of a Conflict: The fighting in Ukraine resembles a type of conflict from decades past: wars fought between nations in which one does not conquer the other outright. Inside Putin’s War: Interviews, intercepts, documents and secret battle plans show how the war became a catastrophe for Russia. Looking Back: In these five episodes of “The Daily,” listen to Ukrainians process their experiences in raw, unfiltered ways. Atrocities in Bucha: Using exclusive phone logs, videos and military documents, The Times unmasked the Russian unit behind a massacre in the Kyiv suburb. Ukraine’s Cultural Losses: Russia’s war has systematically destroyed Ukrainian cultural sites. We identified 339 that sustained substantial damage. www.understandingwar.org/... Russian Subordinate Main Effort #1- Luhansk Oblast ( Russian objective: Capture the remainder of Luhansk Oblast and continue offensive operations into eastern Kharkiv Oblast and northern Donetsk Oblast) Russian forces continued offensive operations along the Svatove-Kreminna line on February 17. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian troops attacked near Hrianykivka (55km northwest of Svatove), Synkivka (45km northwest of Svatove), and Stelmakhivka (15km northwest of Svatove). One Russian source claimed that Russian forces took full control of Hrianykivka, while other sources stated that fighting is ongoing near the settlement and that Russian forces took control of unspecified positions in the Kupyansk area about 45km northwest of Svatove.[24] A Russian milblogger emphasized that Ukrainian forces northwest of Svatove in the Kupyansk area are focusing on defensive preparations for Russian offensive actions and predicted that Russian forces may attack towards Lyman Pershyi and Vilshana, both about 45km northwest of Svatove.[25] Russian forces also continued offensive operations around Kreminna on February 17. The Ukrainian General Staff reported Russian ground attacks near Kreminna itself and near Dibrova (5km southwest of Kreminna) and Bilohorivka (10km south of Kreminna).[26] Ukrainian Luhansk Oblast Head Serhiy Haidai remarked that Russian forces have concentrated all of their efforts on the Kreminna area.[27] Russian milbloggers reported positional battles along the Balka Zhuravka gully west of Kreminna, near Yampolivka (17km west of Kreminna), and in the Serebrianska forest area (8km south of Kreminna).[28] One Russian milblogger also claimed that Ukrainian forces are bracing themselves for a Russian offensive in Siversk, 20km southwest of Kreminna.[29] www.understandingwar.org/... www.understandingwar.org/... Russian Subordinate Main Effort #2—Donetsk Oblast (Russian objective: Capture the entirety of Donetsk Oblast, the claimed territory of Russia’s proxies in Donbas) Russian forces continued ground attacks around Bakhmut on February 17. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian assaults on Bakhmut itself and near Fedorivka (20km north of Bakhmut), Rozdolivka (19km northeast of Bakhmut), Paraskoviivka (9km north of Bakhmut), and Ivanivske (5km west of Bakhmut).[30] Geolocated footage published on February 17 of a Ukrainian armored fighting vehicle firing at Russian positions in northeastern Bakhmut shows Russian forces have made minor advances toward Bakhmut’s city center.[31] Russian milbloggers claimed that Wagner assault detachments advanced into Paraskoviivka from three sides on the night of February 16 and are engaging in heavy fighting around the settlement.[32] Russian milbloggers offered conflicting claims on Wagner Group positions near Ivanivske. One milblogger claimed that Wagner forces advanced to the outskirts of Ivanivske, while another milblogger claimed that Ukrainian forces pushed Wagner forces away from the highway.[33] www.understandingwar.org/... www.understandingwar.org/... www.understandingwar.org/... Supporting Effort—Southern Axis (Russian objective: Maintain frontline positions and secure rear areas against Ukrainian strikes) Russian and Ukrainian military activity near Nova Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast indicates that Russian forces are likely deployed to positions close to the bank of the Dnipro River. Geolocated footage published on February 17 shows Ukrainian forces striking a Russian tank under a bridge near the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station.[39] A Russian milblogger amplified footage on February 17 showing Russian forces launching an anti-tank guided missile from a position at the Nova Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Station and striking reported Ukrainian positions in Vesele (on the west bank of the Dnipro River) on an unspecified date.[40] Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted a drone attack against Crimea on February 17. Sevastopol occupation head Mikhail Razvozhaev claimed that Russian air defenses shot down a Ukrainian drone near the Balaklava Thermal Power Plant in the vicinity of Sevastopol, Crimea.[41] Russian forces continued routine fire west of Hulyaipole and in Kherson and Mykolaiv oblasts on February 17.[42] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces struck Kherson City and its suburbs.[43] Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command reported that Russian forces are conducting drone reconnaissance and isolated strikes with loitering munitions in Kherson Oblast.[44] Ukrainian forces continue to strike Russian logistics on the east (left) bank in Kherson Oblast. Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command reported that Ukrainian forces conducted airstrikes on Russian military concentration areas in Hola Prystan and Pishchanivk and destroyed five ammunition depots and an observation post in Kherson Oblast, some of which were on islands close to the east (left) bank of the Dnipro River.[45] www.understandingwar.org/... x A suspected spy in Germany’s BND Federal Intelligence Service was intending to reveal the locations of HIMARS rocket systems and IRIS-T air defenses in Ukraine to Russia’s FSB.https://t.co/nTHvuGBRzx — The New Voice of Ukraine (@NewVoiceUkraine) February 17, 2023 x According to UK intel, the level of Russian losses has increased significantly since September 2022, when "partial mobilization" was announced.https://t.co/gYjl8D1oHt — The New Voice of Ukraine (@NewVoiceUkraine) February 17, 2023 [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/2/17/2153635/-Ukraine-Invasion-Day-360-Putin-s-imperialistic-ambitions-require-the-West-s-sustained-attention Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/