Richi

Russians today again changed own version:
- killed
- critically wounded
- first time appeared on video conference, but anyway - after serious injury %)

Zaluzhnyi is really media person and this can play evil joke with society. His probable lose or long treatment is bad thing, but not critical for army control. Operations develops HQ, heading by lieutenant-general Serhiy Shaptala, completely non-media person. But because of constant presence on TV and internet and huge popularity of Zaluzhyi, society mistakingly believes that Zaluzhyi personally control each step of army (and even some part, followers of Poroshenko believe in consipracy, that Zaluzhnyi didn't allow to Zelenskiy and Yermak to capitulate and becaus of this they want get rid of him). This faith can seriously dismoral society if with Zaluzhnyi happen something.  

Joe Biden agrees with your assessment. 😁

The fun thing is, when Russia retreats from Bakhmut, it will just be a side-note in the war news. Overlaid by Ukrainian advances elsewhere.
The next time Bakhmut is in the news, 1–2 years down the road, is when they pick a suitable demolished building as a war memorial for the victory over Russia.
In between we will get several CM maps (of different times) and the fight will be immortalized in dozens of urban fighting, small scale scenarios.
The final step is forumites doing selfies before said memorial and posting them in this thread.

The F-16 is not a panacea thread: 
 
 

The only colossal risk is the orcs winning, which is why we are being very sure it doesn't happen.

I'm so scared!!! 😁

The UA has been gaining ground in the hills north and south of Bakhmut, while Russia has continued making incremental gains in the low-lying urban areas.  I've not seen anything suggesting that Russia has completely captured the town itself though,  and given their record of overclaimimg success...

Treat Putin like the conman he is. That is the most respected title I can bestow on him. 

New psyops created by the AFU.
"Captain HIMARS" addresses Russian soldiers. Always unnerving when someone makes a recording speaking, with a covered face and a voice changer.

 
But I don't remember Max Headroom having access to this kind of firepower. 😁

As we sit and wait for the Ukrainians to kick off their offensive, I am reminded of how Miyomoto Musashi handled a couple duels... he would arrive very late, letting his opponent stew and really mess with their heads.  Could this be what is happening here? I don't think you can discount it, the Russians have to be pissing themselves with anticipation right now.
Bil

So since Europe seems to finally understand that the way to make it stop is to win the bleeping war, can we go one more step and stand up the Flying Tigers part 2? F-16s flying CAS over Southern Ukraine by August would just the thing to finish off Russian morale once and for all.

US signals to allies it won’t block their export of F-16 jets to Ukraine (CNN)
Free the falcons!

Another example of why this is more than just another wargame site. I think the discussion of evolutionary psychology could hold its own in a forum devoted to the subject.

Who knows when the second pic was taken, and where... There's nothing in the pics that suggest it's the same place. Can't find a single match in the trees, houses, or anything else. Yet people just uncritically believe it.
Could well be Bucha, just a different street that wasn't affected. Or the second pic could be Bucha before the war.
 
Here's a Bucha comparison I think is genuine:

 

there ya go.  fixed

RUS MoD knows full well they're not going past Bakhmut anytime soon.

One of, if not only, silver lining in all of this is the opportunity to replace the hideous Soviet-era prison-block architecture. Hopefully, Ukraine will continue to rebuild in a way that reflects her true heritage and culture.

The difference between these two images fills me with hope for the future of Ukraine after this war.

Telegraph's article sheds a bit of light on the "attack drones" pledged by the UK:
- these will be of "kamikaze" type
- with range longer than 125 miles
- effect on target similar to an artillery shell
- are specially designed and produced for use by Ukraine
- available by the hundreds and delivered in upcoming months
It basically adds up to a kind of a poor man's cruise missile of sorts. There was no information about the propulsion system, I'd love to see them go with pulse-jet, looks like a perfect application for it.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/05/15/britain-send-ukraine-suicide-drones-twice-the-range-himars/

I hope UKR has a bunch of fake patriot batteries

Can we grant a profanity exception when a forum member is subject to live fire? 
Edit: are the trying to saturate a Patriot battery?

Ok, this rude, but... 
I shall shortly delete... 

Ffs. Skinny white arrows of utter speculation and daydreaming.