Russian Airpower Over Ukraine Increasing + More Shortcomings Appear Ahead Ukrainian Offensive

Update on conflict in Ukraine for April 23-24, 2023: - Most of Bakhmut is now under Russian control; - Ukraine & Western media report increasing use of precision-guided bombs by Russian military aviation; - Russian bombing is increasingly effective owed to dwindling Ukrainian air defenses; - Recent Ukraine Contact Group in Germany admit air defenses in Ukraine are a priority, fail to commit to any possible solution; - US announces acceleration of its shipments of 31 M1-Abram tanks to Ukraine after a 10 week training course, less than half the training an entry-level US tank crew receives; - Despite growing doubts of a Ukrainian offensive, it will likely unfold and may even have success in taking territory but will leave Ukraine at a further disadvantage in what is otherwise a war of attrition; - Ukraine faces critical shortages in arms, ammunition, & trained manpower; - US claims sanctions against Russia are “working,” yet data to substantiate that claim appears deliberately cherry-picked and taken out of context; References: DW - Guided bombs — new Russian tactics in the Ukraine war? (April 23, 2023): US DoD - Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark A. Milley Hold a Post-Ukraine Defense Contact Group Press Conference, Ramstein Air Base, Germany (April 21, 2023): Ukrinform - Ramstein countries deliver over 230 tanks to Ukraine (April 21, 2023): RFE/RL - U.S. Military Chiefs Say Increasing Ukraine’s Air Defense Capability Most Urgent Critical Task (April 21, 2023): History Legends - Ukraine is Running Out of Soldiers (April 17, 2023): Washington Post - As spring offensive nears, Ukraine is drafting reinforcements (April 11, 2023): Guardian - Nato ‘confident’ Kyiv can retake territory in new offensive; Moscow issues warrant for Ukrainian spy chief – as it happened (April 22, 2023): NYT - U.S. Says It Will Begin Training Ukraine on Abrams Tanks Within Weeks (April 22, 2023): Washington Post - Wounded Ukrainian soldiers reveal steep toll of Kherson offensive (September 2022): NPR - Ukraine’s offensive in Kharkiv was hard and bitter, say soldiers who did the fighting (September 2022): Where to Find My Work: Website: Telegram: Twitter: Odysee (YouTube alternative): @LandDestroyer:8 Rumble (YouTube alternative): Weibo: ไบรอัน แฟนคลับ (Facebook): Line Group: Gab: VK (Facebook alternative): How to Support my Work (and thank you!): Buy Me A Coffee: Patreon: PromptPay: 0851547235 Cryptocurrency Donations: Ethereum (ETH): 0xee6ed93c3adc474450011e9af22939a0b9b312c7 BitCoin (BTC): 1AfGnbmHxA6cy9YKUSxysXvpJPyecpBKrr Monero (XMR): 845TCXx3pchSBXuDL7FHG679gbWD2wkHS6MJxuq7jFVsVFj7T6xsry747uhhGZUdkaRXbbrMfo5c8RnGfzGZ13KxQUdHVLR