Russian Operations in Ukraine Update - Mariupol, US Artillery Shipments, & Kiev

April 19, 2022 (The New Atlas) – The US Department of Defense has released two recent briefings regarding mainly the situation in Ukraine. 

Pentagon officials admit that it is Russia – not Ukraine – “shaping” the battlefield in the Donbas region. 

The claims it is sending artillery pieces to aid the Ukrainians. But numbering only 18 and requiring weeks of training to use effectively – it doesn’t seem as significant as the Western media has attempted to make it sound. 

Also discussed in this update is the situation in Mariupol and a plausible explanation as to why Ukrainian fighters refuse to surrender. 

Finally – an explanation debunking the myth that Russia attempted to “take” Kiev is provided using modern examples of both the US and Russian military taking cities as a benchmark to compare Russia’s combat operations around Kiev with. 

References: 

*** Pentagon Briefings ***

US Department of Defense – Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing (April 18, 2022): 

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3002920/pentagon-press-secretary-john-f-kirby-holds-a-press-briefing/

US Department of Defense – Senior Defense Official Holds a Background Briefing, April 18, 2022: 

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3002867/senior-defense-official-holds-a-background-briefing-april-18-2022/

US Army National Guard – Field Artillery Firefinder Radar Operator: 

https://www.nationalguard.com/13r-field-artillery-firefinder-radar-operator

*** Myth of Russia’s “Attempt to Take Kiev” ***

Strategic Studies Institute & US Army War College Press – The US Army in the Iraq War (2019): 

https://publications.armywarcollege.edu/pubs/3667.pdf

TIME – The Grim Calculations of Retaking Fallujah (Archived, 2004): 

https://web.archive.org/web/20041111011053/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,768590,00.html

Economist – Hundreds of thousands face catastrophe in Mariupol: 

https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/03/21/hundreds-of-thousands-face-catastrophe-in-mariupol

Guardian – Russia has enough troops ready to take Kyiv, says former Ukraine defence chief (claims 30,000 Russian troops are prepared to take Kiev);

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/06/russian-troops-ready-to-seize-ukrainian-capital-says-former-defence-chief

France 24 – Defending Kyiv: ‘I’m 100 percent sure the Russians won’t get through’ (confirms presence of Ukraine’s 72nd Brigade in Kiev); 

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220318-with-state-of-the-art-arms-ukrainian-troops-stall-russian-offensive-on-kyiv

CNN – Kyiv has transformed into a fortress, with its residents determined to defend it (claims 18,000 armed volunteers); 

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/08/europe/kyiv-defense-ukraine-russia-intl-cmd/index.html

Forbes – A Single Ukrainian Tank Brigade Stands Between The Russian Army And Kyiv (claims 1,200 of 1st Tank Brigade was present); 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/02/11/a-single-ukrainian-tank-brigade-stands-between-a-russian-army-and-kyiv/?sh=3141f0a11dde

The Times – Azov Battalion: “We are patriots – we’re fighting the real Nazis of the 21st century” (claims Azov were present in Kiev); 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/azov-battalion-we-are-patriots-were-fighting-the-real-nazis-of-the-21st-century-sdccf0w9t

*** Azov in Mariupol Calling for “international Intervention” *** 

Reuters – Ukrainians defy Russian surrender demand in Mariupol on ‘Easter of war’:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-tells-ukrainian-troops-mariupol-lay-down-arms-0300-gmt-2022-04-17/

Washington Post – Russia has killed civilians in Ukraine. Kyiv’s defense tactics add to the danger: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/28/ukraine-kyiv-russia-civilians/