Archiv: cost of war


28.11.2024 - 08:34 [ CNN ]

Ukraine is relying on drones to hold back Russian advances. Troops on the frontline are fearing the worst

Ukraine cannot match Moscow’s numbers, or a tolerance for casualties that Western officials claim is resulting in up to 1,200 dead or injured daily across the frontlines. Kyiv’s manpower crisis has been palpable in Pokrovsk for weeks, soldiers around the eastern front told CNN, and Moscow’s savage tactics are seeing persistent success.

“The situation is very critical,” said East, the callsign of a commander of a drone unit with Ukraine’s 15th National Guard working around Pokrovsk. “We lack infantry to fight and hold out for some time while the drones do their work. That’s why we often see situations where the enemy uncontrollably penetrates vulnerable areas.”

08.10.2024 - 23:41 [ Middle East Eye ]

Hezbollah says forced Israel to retreat from border area of Labouneh

„As an enemy Zionist force advanced at 2:00 AM on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, towards the border area of Labouneh, supported by bulldozers and vehicles, our fighters rained artillery and rocket fire on them, causing confirmed casualties and forcing them to retreat,“ the group said in a statement reported by al-Mayadeen channel.

It also reported „direct confrontation between the resistance and a special Israeli force that infiltrated from behind a Unifil position in Labouneh.“

Satellite images on Tuesday showed 40 Israeli military vehicles near Unifil‘s base in Maroun al-Ras, southern Lebanon.

07.10.2024 - 10:35 [ static1.squarespace.com ]

Appendix to letter of October 2, 2024 re: American physicians observations from the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023

This appendix complements the letter sent to President Joseph R. Biden, Vice President Kamala D. Harris, and others on October 2, 2024 by 99 American healthcare workers who have served in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.

(…)

In total it is likely that 62,413 people have died of starvation and its compilations in Gaza from October 7, 2023 to September 30, 2024. Most of these will have been young children.

As long as aid agencies and public health experts are denied entry to Gaza the true
numbers cannot be known. However, if these estimates are accurate they will approximately match the projected estimates of 85,750 total (direct and indirect) excess deaths in Gaza by August 2024 under the epidemics and military escalation scenarios published by a joint project from Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. This is the population-adjusted equivalent of 13.3 million deaths and 26.6 million injuries in the United States.

07.10.2024 - 10:06 [ Watson Institute for Internatonal and Public Affairs / Brown University ]

The Human Toll: Indirect Deaths from War in Gaza and the West Bank, October 7, 2023 Forward

Figure 1: Direct Deaths from Violence Reported in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank
(Oct. 7, 2023 – Oct. 1, 2024)
Israeli Fatalities in Israel 1,200
Israeli Fatalities in Gaza 34
Israeli Fatalities in West Bank 339
Palestinian Fatalities in Gaza 41,615
Palestinian Fatalities in West Bank 693
Palestinians Missing/Estimated Dead Underthe Rubble 10,000
Total > 53,887

(…)

Figure 2: Estimates of Indirect Deaths in Gaza (Oct. 7, 2023 – Sept. 30, 2024)15
Estimated Deaths from Starvation 62,413
Estimated Deaths from Lack of Access to Care for Chronic Diseases 5,000
Estimated Deaths from Infectious Diseases, Maternal/Neonatal Deaths, and Others ?
Total > 67,413

07.10.2024 - 09:55 [ Watson Institute for Internatonal and Public Affairs / Brown University ]

United States Spending on Israel’s Military Operations and Related U.S. Operations in the Region, October 7, 2023 – September 30, 2024

Figure 1: U.S. Military Aid to Israel from October 7, 2023 to September 2024 (in millions of dollars)

Foreign Military Financing $6,8009
Missile Defense $4,500
Missile Defense (Iron Beam) $1,200
Enhancing Artillery Production $1,000
Replenishing Arms Delivered to Israel from U.S. Stocks $4,400
TOTAL $17.9 billion

02.10.2024 - 22:54 [ Middle East Eye ]

Hezbollah kills at least eight Israeli soldiers after south Lebanon infiltration attempt

Hezbollah clashed with Israeli troops infiltrating the southern Lebanese border town of Maroun al-Ras, after earlier pushing back an attempted infiltration elsewhere.

The group destroyed three Israeli Merkava tanks with guided missiles as they approached near the town, it said in a statement.

In a separate statement it said that several Israeli troops were killed and wounded in combat in both Maroun al-Ras and Odaissah, where its fighters fought off an incursion by Israeli infantry soldiers in the morning, forcing them to retreat.

02.10.2024 - 16:55 [ AlMayadeen.net ]

Hezbollah ambushes Israeli infantry force trying to infiltrate Lebanon

Our correspondent mentioned that dozens of elite Israeli soldiers were wounded, and their cries were heard throughout the area.

The Islamic Resistance fighters opened fire at the Israeli forces from point-blank range, leading to fierce confrontations, according to our correspondent in South Lebanon.

The Israeli military reported the killing of one soldier in the Odaisseh ambush, but the number of casualties is much higher, Al Mayadeen‘s correspondent confirmed, noting that the latest event marks the first real engagement with an Israeli commando unit attempting to breach the Lebanese border.

02.10.2024 - 16:50 [ Times of Israel ]

IDF announces 1st soldier killed fighting in south Lebanon as troops battle Hezbollah

Military admits some airbases hit by Iranian missiles, says no major damage caused * Rockets pummel north * Katz says he’ll bar UN chief from Israel over response to Iran attack

09.09.2024 - 22:08 [ Nachdenkseiten ]

US-Diplomatin Nuland räumt offen ein: Friedensverhandlungen zwischen Kiew und Moskau auf „Empfehlung“ von Washington abgebrochen

„Relativ spät im Spiel begannen die Ukrainer, um Rat zu fragen, wohin diese Sache führen würde, und es wurde uns, den Briten und anderen klar, dass Putins Hauptbedingung in einem Anhang zu diesem Dokument, an dem sie arbeiteten, versteckt war. Sie enthielt Beschränkungen für die genauen Arten von Waffensystemen, über die die Ukraine nach der Vereinbarung verfügen durfte, so dass die Ukraine als militärische Macht im Grunde kastriert wäre. Für Russland gab es keine ähnlichen Beschränkungen. Russland wurde nicht verpflichtet, sich zurückzuziehen. Russland wurde nicht verpflichtet, eine Pufferzone an der ukrainischen Grenze einzurichten, und es wurde nicht verlangt, dass seinem Militär, welches der Ukraine gegenüberstand, dieselben Beschränkungen auferlegt werden. Und so begannen die Menschen innerhalb und außerhalb der Ukraine zu fragen, ob dies ein guter Deal sei, und das war der Punkt, an dem er auseinanderfiel.“

09.09.2024 - 22:00 [ RT.com ]

Nuland confirms West told Zelensky to abandon peace deal

“Relatively late in the game the Ukrainians began asking for advice on where this thing was going and it became clear to us, clear to the Brits, clear to others that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin‘s main condition was buried in an annex to this document that they were working on,” she said of the deal being discussed by the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Türkiye’s largest city.

The proposed agreement included limits on the kinds of weapons that Kiev could possess, as a result of which Ukraine “would basically be neutered as a military force,” while there were no similar constraints on Russia, the former diplomat explained.

“People inside Ukraine and people outside Ukraine started asking questions about whether this was a good deal and it was at that point that it fell apart,” Nuland said.

09.09.2024 - 21:43 [ Nachdenkseiten ]

Wie das russische Establishment das Ende des Krieges wirklich sieht

In einem wichtigen Punkt war man sich einig: Dass es keinerlei Chance auf eine internationale formale und rechtliche Anerkennung der russischen Annexionen ukrainischen Territoriums gibt und dass Russland nicht darauf drängen wird. Es wurde eingräumt, dass dies nicht nur von der Ukraine und dem Westen abgelehnt würde, sondern auch von China, Indien und Südafrika, die die russische Annexion der Krim im Jahr 2014 nicht anerkannt haben.

Es besteht daher die Hoffnung, dass im Rahmen einer Friedensregelung die Frage des Status dieser Gebiete auf endlose zukünftige Verhandlungen verschoben wird (wie die ukrainische Regierung im März 2022 in Bezug auf die Krim vorschlug), bis sie schließlich von allen vergessen wird. Das Beispiel der (nicht anerkannten, aber praktisch unangefochtenen) Türkischen Republik Nordzypern wurde erwähnt. Das bedeutet, dass die Ukraine nicht öffentlich aufgefordert würde, diese Gebiete „aufzugeben“, sondern lediglich anzuerkennen, dass es unmöglich ist, sie mit Gewalt zurückzuerobern.

11.04.2024 - 22:55 [ Forbes ]

To Win, The Ukrainians Must Kill Or Maim 100,000 Russians in 2024

(17.12.2023)

It’s apparent neither Ukraine nor Russia possesses the excess combat power it would need to achieve a major breakthrough that swiftly and radically could alter the course of Russia’s 22-month wider war on Ukraine.

Instead, the ultimate winner might be the country that attrits enough of the enemy’s forces to cause a military-wide collapse.

20.03.2024 - 22:35 [ Ukrainska Pravda ]

Lloyd Austin promised at Ramstein meeting that US and other allies will not allow Ukraine to fail

(19.03.2024)

US Secretary of Defenсe Lloyd Austin, opening the Ramstein meeting on Tuesday, promised that the United States will continue to support Ukraine‘s military efforts against Russia. In practice, however, the US Congress continues to obstruct funding for Kyiv.

In his opening remarks, Austin said Russia paid a staggering price for the war, echoing estimates that at least 315,000 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded during the war, which has cost Russia up to US$211 billion.

18.03.2024 - 17:32 [ Blick.ch ]

«Nur einen Schritt vom Dritten Weltkrieg entfernt» – Blick ordnet seine Drohung ein: Bläst Putin nach dem Wahlsieg zum grossen Angriff?

Das Problem allerdings sind die russischen Soldaten, von denen laut dem britischen Verteidigungsministerium schätzungsweise 70’000 getötet und 250’000 verwundet worden sind. Viele Russen befürchten daher eine neue Mobilmachung. «Putin weiss zwar um die gesellschaftlichen Risiken einer solch unpopulären Massnahme, dennoch ist eine neue Teilmobilmachung in den nächsten Monaten wahrscheinlich», meint Schmid. Hunderttausende von Reservisten könnten eingezogen und an die Front in der Ukraine geschickt werden.

23.01.2024 - 09:10 [ Associated Press ]

21 Israeli soldiers are killed in the deadliest single attack on the army since the war began

The reservists were preparing explosives to demolish two buildings in central Gaza on Monday when a militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a tank nearby. The blast triggered the explosives, causing both two-story buildings to collapse on the soldiers inside.

22.01.2024 - 06:11 [ Associated Press ]

Military ends rescue search for Navy SEALs lost in maritime raid on ship with Iranian weapons

According to officials, the Jan. 11 raid targeted an unflagged ship carrying illicit Iranian-made weapons to the Houthi rebels in Yemen. Officials have said that as the team was boarding the ship, one of the SEALs went under in the heavy seas, and a teammate went in to try and save him.

(…)

The U.S. Navy ultimately sunk the ship carrying the weapons after deeming it unsafe, Central Command said. The ship’s 14 crew were detained.

20.12.2023 - 20:42 [ War Mapper / Twitter ]

#Gaza map update:

(December 11, 2023)

20.12.2023 - 20:39 [ ehalal.io ]

Stalemate in Gaza: Israeli Forces Remain Static Amidst Heavy Officer Casualties

Last Updated on December 16, 2023

In a surprising turn of events, the Israeli army finds itself in a week-long deadlock in Gaza, with no discernible advancement on the ground. Official reports from the Israeli military reveal a staggering toll among its officers, with casualties reaching alarming proportions.

Shockingly, a substantial 27% of Israeli officers, precisely 108 in number, have been eliminated in the ongoing conflict. The casualties include 5 colonels, 8 lieutenant colonels, 43 majors, 41 captains, and 11 lieutenants, notably many from elite units. What adds a surreal twist to the situation is the age of these officers, most of whom are just over 20 years old.

18.12.2023 - 12:30 [ Vatican News ]

Pope condemns attacks on civilians in Gaza: ‘It is war; it is terrorism’

“Some say, ‘This is terrorism. This is war.’ Yes, it is war. It is terrorism,” he said. “That is why the Scripture affirms that ‘God stops wars… breaks the bow, splinters the spear’ (Psalm 46:10). Let us pray to the Lord for peace.”

Pope Francis also recalled people in various parts of the world who are suffering due to war.

“Let us not forget our brothers and sisters suffering from war, in Ukraine, in Palestine and Israel, and in other conflict zones,” he said. “May the approach of Christmas strengthen the commitment to open paths of peace.”

09.12.2023 - 11:40 [ Annemieke55 / Twitter ]

Replying to @POTUS Today’s US veto against the UN’s resolution for an immediate cease fire in Gaza, made crystal clear your direct culpability in this genocide. And as such, I will for the first time as life long Democrat do everything in my power to ensure you will not be re-elected.

09.12.2023 - 11:20 [ New York Times ]

The War in Gaza Is Splintering the Democratic Party

(November 17, 2023)

Already, there are signs that the party is fracturing over Israel. According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, about three-quarters of Democrats want a cease-fire, but few in the Democratic establishment share their views. Last week, in a rare gesture of defiance, more than 100 congressional staffers walked out to demand that their bosses back a cease-fire. More than 500 alumni of Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign and Democratic Party staff members have signed a letter imploring Biden to call for a cease-fire, saying, “If you fail to act swiftly, your legacy will be complicity in the face of genocide.”

09.12.2023 - 10:41 [ theNational.scot ]

David Pratt: Joe Biden‘s foreign policy could cost him the election

(December 7, 2023)

In recent days, vice president Kamala Harris – remember her? – has declared that “Israel must do more to protect innocent civilians”, while defence secretary Lloyd Austin delivered the assessment that Israel risks “strategic defeat” unless it protects Palestinians in Gaza.

Talk about too little too late, or perhaps a more appropriate metaphor would be running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.

09.12.2023 - 10:06 [ Noga Tarnopolsky נגה טרנופולסקי نوغا ترنوبولسكي / Twitter ]

Despite PM Netanyahu‘s vast personal & political efforts to clear his name and blame the army and its commanders for the disaster of October 7 only 19% of Israelis believe he should remain in post. 72% believe he should resign– 41% after the war, 31% immediately.

(@channel13il)

09.12.2023 - 09:50 [ 20min.ch ]

«Netanyahus Sohn sitzt den Krieg am Strand in Florida aus»

(13. November 2023)

Der älteste Sohn von Benjamin Netanyahu betreibt in den sozialen Medien gezielte Desinformation.

Offiziell übt er keinen Beruf aus – laut israelischen Medien soll er aber seit Jahren die Social-Media-Strategie des Vaters lenken.

Nur ein Bruchteil der Posts enthält tatsächliche Informationen.

09.12.2023 - 09:34 [ Noga Tarnopolsky נגה טרנופולסקי نوغا ترنوبولسكي / Twitter ]

Israelis have noticed this image from Gal Eizenkot‘s grave: One father standing over the coffin of his son killed in battle; another father who got underlings to illegally grant his toxic troll son a diplomatic passport when he returned from 9 sybaritic months on Miami Beach.

07.12.2023 - 22:00 [ Noga Tarnopolsky נגה טרנופולסקי نوغا ترنوبولسكي / Twitter ]

#Breaking: Gal Eisenkot, 25, son of former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, an opposition member of PM Netanyahu‘s war cabinet, was killed in action today in Gaza. He was killed when a booby trapped explosive blew up as he approached the shaft of a Hamas tunnel

14.11.2023 - 19:16 [ theNewsMinute.com ]

More than 4600 children among the 11180 deaths in Gaza strip

Out of the total deaths, 4,609 were children and 3,100 were women, with more than 28,000 others injured, said Ismail Al-Thawabteh, Director of the Gaza government‘s media office, in a press conference at Shifa Medical Complex.

24.09.2023 - 07:00 [ Change.org ]

Keine Marschflugkörper Taurus an die Ukraine liefern!

Der Bundeskanzler, die Außenministerin und der Verteidigungsminister als Vertreter der Bundesregierung dürfen sich von der Rüstungslobby und ihren Anhängern in der FDP, der Union und den Grünen nicht in einen Krieg mit Russland treiben lassen! Auch Taurus-Marschflugkörper werden der Ukraine nicht zu einem militärischen Sieg verhelfen, sondern tragen nur zu mehr Opfern, mehr Leid und zur immer weiteren Zerstörung des Landes bei.

Deutschland ist schon jetzt der zweitgrößte Waffenlieferant an die Ukraine nach den USA. Wir dürfen uns nicht noch weiter in einen aussichtslosen Krieg hineinziehen lassen und das Risiko zu einer Ausweitung erhöhen und tragen.

23.09.2023 - 09:14 [ Nachdenkseiten ]

Fake News von Tagesschau und Baerbock? – „Russischer Terrorangriff“ auf Marktplatz von Kostjantyniwka war laut New York Times wohl ukrainische Rakete

(19. September 2023)

Unter dem Titel „Beweise legen nahe, dass ukrainische Rakete die Markttragödie verursacht hat“ legt die NYT unter anderem dar:

„Die von der New York Times gesammelten und analysierten Beweise, darunter Raketensplitter, Satellitenbilder, Zeugenaussagen und Beiträge in den sozialen Medien, deuten jedoch stark darauf hin, dass der katastrophale Einschlag das Ergebnis einer fehlgeleiteten ukrainischen Luftabwehrrakete war, die von einem Buk-Raketensystem abgefeuert wurde.“

Weiter führt das Blatt aus:

„Die ukrainischen Behörden versuchten zunächst, Journalisten der Times den Zugang zu den Raketentrümmern und dem Einschlagsgebiet unmittelbar nach dem Einschlag zu verwehren. Doch schließlich gelang es den Reportern, an den Ort des Geschehens zu gelangen, Zeugen zu befragen und Überreste der eingesetzten Waffe zu sammeln.“

23.09.2023 - 09:06 [ New York Times ]

Evidence Suggests Ukrainian Missile Caused Market Tragedy

(Sept. 18, 2023)

But evidence collected and analyzed by The New York Times, including missile fragments, satellite imagery, witness accounts and social media posts, strongly suggests the catastrophic strike was the result of an errant Ukrainian air defense missile fired by a Buk launch system.

The attack appears to have been a tragic mishap.

07.09.2023 - 21:55 [ RT.com ]

Ukraine ‘has never been closer’ to NATO membership – Stoltenberg

“And these three things, the interoperability, the NATO-Ukraine Council and removal of the requirement for Membership Action Plan for Ukraine, demonstrate that Ukraine has never been closer to a membership in NATO than now,” Stoltenberg declared.

US President Joe Biden said ahead of the July summit that Ukraine would have to meet certain conditions before its bid was accepted. NATO member states have also ruled out Ukraine joining before the conflict with Russia is resolved.

07.09.2023 - 21:47 [ BusinessInsider.com ]

Ukraine‘s front-line forces aren‘t advancing as much as ‚hoped‘ in the face of tough Russian defenses, but they‘re gaining ground, about 300 feet per day, NATO chief says

Since the much-anticipated counteroffensive began in early June, Ukraine has faced waves of criticism — including from officials and experts in Western countries that have provided it with military support — that its forces are not moving fast enough. Kyiv has grown increasingly frustrated with such pessimistic commentary, and Dmytro Kuleba, the country‘s top diplomat, even told critics recently to „shut up“ and try liberating territory themselves.

07.09.2023 - 21:13 [ Nachdenkseiten ]

Krieg ohne Krieger – oder: Das phantomhafte Töten und Sterben an der Front

Nicht nur die USA, auch die manifest kriegführenden Akteure in der Ukraine haben aus dem seinerzeitigen ‚Informationsdesaster‘ der US-Army und ihrer GIs im Vietnamkrieg gelernt: Damals lieferten mutige Kriegsberichterstatter noch weitestgehend unzensierte Bilder vom Morden, vom Töten und vom Sterben direkt von der Front frei Haus, die weltweit über die Bildschirme flimmerten und auf den Titelseiten der tonangebenden Zeitungen erschienen – und vor allem die junge Generation in den Ländern des Westens zu Protest- und Verweigerungsaktionen auf die Straße trieben. Spätestens seit dem Golfkrieg 1991 werden wir, wenn überhaupt, nur noch mit – den Militärs und Machthabern genehmen – klinisch-reinen Bildern und Filmen von „Embedded Journalists“ beliefert.

06.09.2023 - 20:31 [ Interfax.com.ua ]

Blinken during visit to Kyiv: We see good progress on counteroffensive, we want to make sure Ukraine has what it needs

„We‘ve seen good progress on the counteroffensive (inaudible). We want to make sure that Ukraine has what it needs not only to succeed in the counteroffensive but has what it needs it for the long term to make sure that it has a strong deterrent, strong defense capacity so that, in the future, aggressions like this don‘t happen again,“ the U.S. Secretary of State said.

He also said the United States is determined to continue working with partners to restore a strong economy, strong democracy, „to ensure that Ukraine not only survives, but it thrives in the future.

06.09.2023 - 20:20 [ Interfax.com.ua ]

Death toll in Kostiantynivka rises to 17; search, rescue operation completed

The shelling of the central market in the city of Kostiantynivka (Donetsk region) by Russian occupiers on Wednesday killed 17 civilians, 32 people were injured, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said after the completion of the search and rescue operation.

13.08.2023 - 15:28 [ ModernDiplomacy.eu ]

Gen. Mark Milley: “Measured pace of Ukraine’s counteroffensive not a surprise”

The primary challenge for Ukrainian forces is the continued difficulty of breaking through Russia’s multi-layered defensive lines in the eastern and southern parts of the country, which are marked by tens of thousands of mines and vast networks of trenches. Ukrainian forces have incurred staggering losses there, leading Ukrainian commanders to hold back some units to regroup and reduce casualties.

“Russians have a number of defensive lines and they [Ukrainian forces] haven’t really gone through the first line,” said a senior Western diplomat.

13.08.2023 - 14:56 [ Washington Post ]

Slow counteroffensive darkens mood in Ukraine

(August 10, 2023)

In Smila, a small city in central Ukraine, baker Alla Blyzniuk, 42, said she sells sweets for funeral receptions daily as parents prepare to bury their children killed on the front hundreds of miles away. (…)

Blyzniuk also lives in fear that her husband or two sons of fighting age will be mobilized. She has already noticed that far fewer men walk the streets of her city than before. Ukraine does not disclose its military casualty counts, but everyone shares stories, she said, of new soldiers at the front lasting just two to three days.

05.07.2023 - 17:04 [ Chris Hedges / Zerohedge ]

Chris Hedges: They Lied About Afghanistan. They Lied About Iraq. And They Are Lying About Ukraine.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine was a war crime, although one that was provoked by NATO expansion and by the United States backing of the 2014 “Maidan” coup which ousted the democratically elected Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. Yanukovych wanted economic integration with the European Union, but not at the expense of economic and political ties with Russia. The war will only be solved through negotiations that allow ethnic Russians in Ukraine to have autonomy and Moscow’s protection, as well as Ukrainian neutrality, which means the country cannot join NATO. The longer these negotiations are delayed the more Ukrainians will suffer and die. Their cities and infrastructure will continue to be pounded into rubble.

24.06.2023 - 12:55 [ theGuardian.com ]

Wagner chief accuses Moscow of lying to public about Ukraine

(23.06.2023)

“What was the war for? The war needed for Shoigu to receive a hero star … The oligarchic clan that rules Russia needed the war,” he said.

“The mentally ill scumbags decided: ‘It’s OK, we’ll throw in a few thousand more Russian men as cannon fodder. They’ll die under artillery fire, but we’ll get what we want,’” Prigozhin continued.

While the warlord was careful not to directly attack the Russian president, Prigozhin did question several decisions made by Putin, including the Kremlin’s decision to exchange more than 100 captured Azov fighters for Viktor Medvedchuk, a close ally of Putin.