FPV drones of the 71st Jaeger Brigade strike Russian armor near Kharkiv. The first victim is a tank of unknown type which burns after it is struck. The second target is a BMP adorned with an elaborate cope canopy, which is seen firing before the drone strike. One wonders if all of the nonsense welded to the top interfered with the crew’s ability to identify the incoming drone. After being struck, the BMP burns fiercely.

Russia is attempting to envelop Kharkiv from the north, opening yet another front in the war. This action has placed Kharkiv in jeopardy and forced Ukraine to reposition forces to meet the threat. Though the Russians have made some tactical gains, Ukrainian forces have repositioned themselves on defensible terrain, and the Russian attack is rapidly losing momentum. Many of the Russian units committed have previously been destroyed and reconstituted multiple times, and in their present form they lack the equipment and training they possessed at the start of the war in 2022. Some of these units were pulled from other sectors of the front, reducing offensive capabilities at those locations, but they have not generated sufficient combat power to yield decisive results in Kharkiv. Losses have been so high that the Kremlin is once again signaling a willingness for peace talks, generally a signal that things are not going to plan and they want to stop the fighting, keep what they have stolen, and regenerate their forces until they can resume taking some more.

A significant increase in attacks by Russian fixed wing aviation against Ukrainian positions in and around Kharkiv. Russian aircraft are able to operate securely inside Russian airspace and launch munitions across the border, and Ukraine’s western backers have discouraged Ukraine from engaging targets over Russian airspace. Ukraine’s air defense assets are also depleted, and they are awaiting shipments of surface to air missiles from western allies. Recently, President Zelensky appealed to the west for additional Patriot batteries to defend Kharkiv, as well as permission to engage Russian aircraft in their own airspace.

About the Author

Cam

Cam served as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps, deploying to the Horn of Africa and participating in combat operations in Iraq. He currently works in the maritime industry and in the defense sector as an instructor of combined arms planning and operations. An avid sailor, Cam founded and directs Triumph Sailing, a nonprofit that supports veterans and first responders through adventure and fellowship on the water. Triumph Sailing is preparing for the 2024 season of sailing on Galveston Bay and in the Gulf of Mexico. You can support the mission and next year's sailing season at Tri-Sail.Org.