Ukraine , the most under reported conflict in modern history.

 NEWS FROM THE BATTLEFIELD IS PRESS RELEASES FROM KIEV AND WASHINGTON

INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS BANNED FROM THE CONFLICT ZONE

While the war in Ukraine is into its 10th month there has been very little objective analysis of this conflict. This is mostly due to the fact that Ukraine has not allowed any journalists near the conflict areas. We see the reporters who are in the country report from their hotels in Lviv and Kiev and are given videos and press releases approved by the Ukrainian government.

Last week, EU president Ursula Von Der Leyen stated that 100,000 Ukrainian servicemen had died so far in this conflict. It came as a shock to most of the world and within hours the video was altered removing the statement. Not much later it was removed entirely. This statement increased scrutiny on the progress of this conflict, eliciting comments by several people who have some knowledge of what is going on in Ukraine.

One is former colonel Douglas MacGregor,  who in interviews stated that this number is likely extremely low and that in the beginning of the war the Ukrainians were losing men at a rate of 3 Ukrainians to 1 Russian and now that number is closer to 10 to 1. He estimated that Ukraine is now fielding around 195,000 men but that Russia has amassed a force of over 600,000 in Ukraine and on the border and their more modern and sophisticated weapons are being moved into the region.. U.S. and UK special forces are mostly manning the more sophisticated weapons for Ukraine. 

He also stated that new recruits coming into the conflict are untrained and that most never see a Russian as the Russians are shelling the Ukrainians with near 20,000 artillery shells a day, a number that at one time was responded to by the Ukrainians but is now down to 5 to 7,000, as they are running low on such munitions.

Also interviewed this week was Scott Ritter, former marine intelligence officer, and former UN weapons inspector, the Scott Ritter who claimed early on that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. He believes that the dead in Ukraine may be nearing 300,000 and sites a petition circulating in Ukraine by mothers and wives who claim that there are 320,000 soldiers who have not been heard from in months. He claims that the Ukrainians are now losing around 1000 men a day. He believes that NATO and the US is unable to keep up the supply of ammunition, stating that in the gulf war the US used 60,000 rounds of 155mm artillery rounds in the whole war. The U.S. in normal times has the capacity to produce 250,000 rounds a year. That number is being used up in several months in this ground conflict.

Then in an interview for NEWSWEEK, the leader of Mozart, Andrew Milburn, whose group is made up of contractors who are training and advising Ukrainian troops in the conflict zone, made the statement that new units of Ukrainian recruits are suffering over 70% casualties in quick order. He claims that 80 % of the new recruits have never fired a weapon.

It was also claimed that shoulder fired antiaircraft and anti-tank weapons are turning up in Africa and on the black market in European countries, a recipe for disaster in the future.

It is estimated that 2.5 million Ukrainians have fled to Russia and 7 to 8 million have moved to western Europe. That is 1/3 of the pre-war population.

It was again reported this week that a plan embracing neutrality for Ukraine was agreed to in Turkey in a deal with Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France at the start of this conflict, but was squashed by Boris Johnson and Joe Biden.

There are large protest going on in Germany and other countries of the EU opposing sanctions and high energy prices. It seems that negotiations are being opposed by the U.K.,the U.S., Poland, who has eyes on some of the Ukraine territory and the Baltic countries. 

Is this all just Russian disinformation? What are the facts in this conflict? Facts that can allow those supplying the weapons and the people of Ukraine to make judgments about the course of this war. We hear whatever it takes and other slogans. We hear Lindsey Graham state that if we keep giving the weapons the Ukrainians will fight to the last man. What happens after the last man? 

Objectively the result of this conflict could have been predicted before it began and it could have all been avoided by a little humility and acknowledging Russia's legitimate concern about NATO expansion. While leaders of France and Germany have recently made those statements, it seems there is no will to change direction. The end of Ukraine as a viable country is now assured. How much more death and suffering will go on before we either change direction or risk escalation to a  nuclear Armageddon.