Lifting the Edges of the ‘Fog of War’ Blanket – Just a Little

I have not written on the ebbs and flows of events on the front lines of the conflict between NATO and Russia on and around the eastern borders of the former Ukraine, most of which is now firmly and for ever within the loving embrace of the Russian Federation, for a couple weeks now. There is a reason for that lack of reporting, and that reason is generally referred to as ‘the fog of war’. Above that fog, or away from it, which is where most of us sit, it appears that nothing much is happening. We know of course that is not true, but only a select few, those who need to know, receive direct reports from on site. And only another select few have access to other than the bare facts which are deemed appropriate to be made known more widely – by either side – and it is a matter of conjecture, or trust and ofttimes ‘gullibility’, as to whether those ‘snippets’ of news are in fact ‘factual’ or not.

So, it is a matter of personal taste as to whether anyone tries to make any sense of the situation – until some time has elapsed and various consequences gradually emerge from the fog. I personally attempt to keep a daily skip-through of reports I consider to be of possibly more value than others, building a picture for my own use until I am fairly certain of its accuracy. But, occasionally, a report emerges which summarises events over a time of perhaps a week or two in the past, which more or less fits my own gathered view of things.

The VZGLYAD report (I hold a reasonable trust level for this source), readable below, and which is now 5-6 days old and covers perhaps two weeks or so of events on the Zaporozhye (however you choose to spell that) line, eastward through Ugledar or Vuhledar (again however you choose to spell it) and up towards what should now be referred to as Artyomovsk rather than the former Ukrainian ‘Bakhmut’, contains a great deal of, I believe, non-speculative, i.e. ‘correct’ reporting of detailed events across that area. It makes good reading for a fact-starved audience.

‘The battle for Ugledar showed the strategy of the Russian military leadership’ – VZGLYAD – Jan 26, 2023

Of course, you make of it what you will from your own viewpoint, but for me it is very satisfying to see that things are moving in the right direction, at the right pace, with the right precautions and the right results for a successful outcome of the Russian winter campaign.

Ok, we haven’t seen any material evidence of a major push by the Russians – though I believe there is still time for that, but from an entirely new direction (if it happens at all, until later in the year – Spring/Summer). But I believe it will come – when they deem the time to be right. That time may not come until the next wave of western hardware lies wrecked, burned, and rusting on the new western Russian steppes, east of the Dniepr. Then, try and stop them from going all the way to wherever they deem it necessary to go to get satisfaction of their demands, if you dare.

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