Hawk Gold - Thanks for your commentary and especially the last one. I am following the war closely and do not see anything about your take that concerns me. My view of this is that we are mostly expending material that we would likely never use. The Russians (whom I have visited) have been responsible for a lot of wasted money on our part and the world would be better off if they are put down for awhile. This may end up saving us money in the long run.
Ukraine War Update
- Thread starter HawkGold
- Start date
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
Can someone who speaks the language please find the source and verify the translation in this report?
skadefron on Twitter: "Olena #Zelensky: "One woman saw a drone from her balcony and shot it down with a jar of tomatoes" #HillaryClinton #Russia #Ukraine #RussiaUkraineWar #RussianArmy #RussianUkrainianWar #UkraineWar https://t.co/JDjQz0iaNk" / Twitter
WTF? Lol.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
From a good friend from Ukraine who has been in the US a lot over the years. First my own comments.
The Nattle for Bakhmut continues with horrific losses on both sides. The city is 90 percent surrounded. It is similar to the Germans smashing themselves to take Bastogne in WW 2.
The US providing Abrams tanks means one thing. US logistic troops on the ground. Abrams are the best and most difficult tanks to operate. Ukraine cannot support them.
The letter..
please, find below my general comments on Ukrainian circumstances.
Time is flying away with a lot of our dreams and preferences. What seemed important in the past looks not required anymore. We all here are under circumstances requiring be flexible and able to adjust to primitive solutions in all areas of our existence here.
One year ago we thought the war will not last long. With moral and the financial help from your we made food and fuel reserves, decided how to get water and heat, how to cook and wash etc.. and made maximum use of what was available from our previous years ( shoes, dress, detergents, salt and sugar, flour and oils ) . One year passed. Our hopes to get the Victory quickly did not become true. The war escalation is going on and there is no clear light at the tunnel end. All refugees are still at our house. 10 of them , including 4 children. The life in Kharkiv city is not safe . there are no jobs there. Economy does not work . So the refugees are doing their best trying to find any job to get daily bread for themselves. They are not sitting idle, they move around safe areas looking for a job. And I may state that nobody among them has serious medical issues. Thanks God. The state organized minimal humanitarian assistance is not coming regularly and is very little ( food, blankets, detergents )
At present in addition to typical daily problems the following life questions need serious attention:
- The war is going on. The last month we had no one power outages here in our village. But air strikes and attacks are intensifying. People are not able to work efficiently. The sirens are On and On around a,clock. Bomb shelters are permanently full of children. Instead of schools ( the schools are closed last year, distant education only …) children are in shelters…
- Due to bad roads our transportation means need to be repaired. It is a big job now. Parts are not available and became really expensive if any are locally. Our supply chain is a mess. Many things we usually could just go to the store and buy are taking weeks, even months to get. We were so dependent on foreign counties to build most everything for us. The same problem as one in the USA. In addition to repairs our car was hit by military one on the cress road. The traffic lights in January were off due to power outages in Kremenchug city, so sad and timely to find out a transport solution for us now. Many body repair shops are closed. The specialists are drafted to the army. But we are doing our best. We do not talk about body painting etc. we try to make the car able to drive..
- Our medicine is in many ways paralyzed. Many doctors are drafted to the army. They say there are a lot of losses at the front lines, many wounded soldiers et.. they need urgent help. Our son in law xxxx was seriously wounded on December , 18 . He had several operations in Ukraine and is in xxxxx now for the surgery and rehabilitation. We all pray for his full recovery. As far as common people are concerned It is not easy to get an appointment and visit family doctor, or make a check up , to make blood and other tests, and the dentist works are so needed. Again, medical services if any are difficult to get and are really expensive. So many people are suffering, are sick and a death rate is high.
- Our food rations are also primitive and not balanced due to the same logistic problems, price increase. For short periods we may proceed with potato, bread, oils only . for a longer period fruits and fresh vegetables are needed, fish and meat. So our food also needs attention and money. Spring is coming. A seed material and transportation are needed. We all are very ready to plant vegetables and greens to improve our rations.
- At present our Banking system in the Central Ukraine is working well. If there are money on your account, You use credit card at stores. PayPal service is working reliable and simple to use. In areas close to the front line the financial service is a mess due to Internet outages etc.. so we are used to get some cash ahead of any outages and be prepared.
- Communication and Internet are so importand to survive and help one another here during the war. People around locally provide help one another, share food and medical left overs , The foreign support and assistance from abroad are most important. Without such moral, spiritual support and assistance we will not be able to live and fight.
It is my letter with updates on present situation here. I am not able to cover all sides of the life as for today. I will try to send You a few pictures of our life. In some ways we are prepared and do not give up. If You know the newest Oscar nomination movie about the war “ All Quiet on the Western Front “ , we are in much better situation in comparison with soldiers fighting on the front lines. We have frightening spiritual and financial sufferings.
All of us here appreciate Your support, Your prayers and help provided. Take care, best kind words to Your prayer group, all students , teachers and professors , neighbors and friends supportingUkraine. Ask God to be kind to us and be in touch.
The Nattle for Bakhmut continues with horrific losses on both sides. The city is 90 percent surrounded. It is similar to the Germans smashing themselves to take Bastogne in WW 2.
The US providing Abrams tanks means one thing. US logistic troops on the ground. Abrams are the best and most difficult tanks to operate. Ukraine cannot support them.
The letter..
please, find below my general comments on Ukrainian circumstances.
Time is flying away with a lot of our dreams and preferences. What seemed important in the past looks not required anymore. We all here are under circumstances requiring be flexible and able to adjust to primitive solutions in all areas of our existence here.
One year ago we thought the war will not last long. With moral and the financial help from your we made food and fuel reserves, decided how to get water and heat, how to cook and wash etc.. and made maximum use of what was available from our previous years ( shoes, dress, detergents, salt and sugar, flour and oils ) . One year passed. Our hopes to get the Victory quickly did not become true. The war escalation is going on and there is no clear light at the tunnel end. All refugees are still at our house. 10 of them , including 4 children. The life in Kharkiv city is not safe . there are no jobs there. Economy does not work . So the refugees are doing their best trying to find any job to get daily bread for themselves. They are not sitting idle, they move around safe areas looking for a job. And I may state that nobody among them has serious medical issues. Thanks God. The state organized minimal humanitarian assistance is not coming regularly and is very little ( food, blankets, detergents )
At present in addition to typical daily problems the following life questions need serious attention:
- The war is going on. The last month we had no one power outages here in our village. But air strikes and attacks are intensifying. People are not able to work efficiently. The sirens are On and On around a,clock. Bomb shelters are permanently full of children. Instead of schools ( the schools are closed last year, distant education only …) children are in shelters…
- Due to bad roads our transportation means need to be repaired. It is a big job now. Parts are not available and became really expensive if any are locally. Our supply chain is a mess. Many things we usually could just go to the store and buy are taking weeks, even months to get. We were so dependent on foreign counties to build most everything for us. The same problem as one in the USA. In addition to repairs our car was hit by military one on the cress road. The traffic lights in January were off due to power outages in Kremenchug city, so sad and timely to find out a transport solution for us now. Many body repair shops are closed. The specialists are drafted to the army. But we are doing our best. We do not talk about body painting etc. we try to make the car able to drive..
- Our medicine is in many ways paralyzed. Many doctors are drafted to the army. They say there are a lot of losses at the front lines, many wounded soldiers et.. they need urgent help. Our son in law xxxx was seriously wounded on December , 18 . He had several operations in Ukraine and is in xxxxx now for the surgery and rehabilitation. We all pray for his full recovery. As far as common people are concerned It is not easy to get an appointment and visit family doctor, or make a check up , to make blood and other tests, and the dentist works are so needed. Again, medical services if any are difficult to get and are really expensive. So many people are suffering, are sick and a death rate is high.
- Our food rations are also primitive and not balanced due to the same logistic problems, price increase. For short periods we may proceed with potato, bread, oils only . for a longer period fruits and fresh vegetables are needed, fish and meat. So our food also needs attention and money. Spring is coming. A seed material and transportation are needed. We all are very ready to plant vegetables and greens to improve our rations.
- At present our Banking system in the Central Ukraine is working well. If there are money on your account, You use credit card at stores. PayPal service is working reliable and simple to use. In areas close to the front line the financial service is a mess due to Internet outages etc.. so we are used to get some cash ahead of any outages and be prepared.
- Communication and Internet are so importand to survive and help one another here during the war. People around locally provide help one another, share food and medical left overs , The foreign support and assistance from abroad are most important. Without such moral, spiritual support and assistance we will not be able to live and fight.
It is my letter with updates on present situation here. I am not able to cover all sides of the life as for today. I will try to send You a few pictures of our life. In some ways we are prepared and do not give up. If You know the newest Oscar nomination movie about the war “ All Quiet on the Western Front “ , we are in much better situation in comparison with soldiers fighting on the front lines. We have frightening spiritual and financial sufferings.
All of us here appreciate Your support, Your prayers and help provided. Take care, best kind words to Your prayer group, all students , teachers and professors , neighbors and friends supportingUkraine. Ask God to be kind to us and be in touch.
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
Wow. I can't imagine. How are the people and a country even able to function. It seems the destruction and impact happens at a much faster pace than they can rebuild the necessities. The whole supply chain and people not working. How can they all survive?
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
No other nation on this planet has suffered so much for so long. Cambodia suffered more for a time, but Ukraine got clobbered pre WW1, the WW1 era revolution, pre ww2, and WW2. It's engrained in the mentality to keep on living while the world going to hell. Hemmingway always thought they and Russian were more like Americans than western Europeans. At a glance, no, but they do have a free spirit...on a personal level, not so much national.
The barbarianism that is occurring is really going to come out later and the world will be shocked.
The Russians are really getting it handed to them at Bakhmut. It's like the Germans smashing themselves to take Bastogne in the Battle of the Bulge. It's an obsession for the Russians
My friends wife' car was hit by a vehicle filled with armed men. She had no idea who they were. They gave her some money and left. He can't get it fixed. She narrowly survived a missile strike on her place of work. He is a resourceful guy and has been in my home and I in his many times. His son is waiting to be drafted.
This is Bakhmut, which is straight west of Luhansk. This is THE critical fight.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
This is the city where the Russians just lost a whole battalion-level unit. Only 4 or so Russian soldiers survived. This is near Donetsk. The city is Ardiivka. The US advised the Ukrainians to abandon both Ardiivka and Bakhmut and the Russian losses there are like Ali doing rope a dope.
