Robin E Horsfall

Sept 18

I have been absent for a week, cut off from the internet and information sources whilst enjoying a mental and physical rest on the Island of Lismore off the west coast of Scotland. I have returned, ready to continue my ongoing updates in support of Ukraine.

A quick review of the reports of the past week show that Ukraine continues to dominate the war on land, sea and air. The land forces are steadily reoccupying land that the Russians lost tens of thousand of men to take, even Bakhmut (or the rubble that used to be Bakhmut) is being recovered. In the past week there has been no identifiable operation where the Russians can claim to be successful. All along the 800 km front gaps are appearing in Russian defences.

At sea, a drone strike on a capital ship and the destruction of two further ships (one of which was a vitally important submarine) show that the Russian navy has no answers to Ukrainian marine drones. It is only a matter of time before Sevastopol is evacuated by the Black Sea Fleet. If they don’t leave, they will be blockaded and eventually come into artillery range by more than Storm Shadow missiles as other long range artillery systems become available

In the air, the Russians are proving less capable of responding to drone attacks with Russian drones and missile numbers reducing with each response. The last attack was only seventeen drones, every one shot down by Ukrainian air defences which are increasing in efficiency every week.

The Russian economy continues to fail. The Ruble is worth about 0.01 USD. Whatever Russia purchases from out of country continues to increase in cost while inflation inside Russia is soaring where it really counts, in food and fuel. No western company wants to invest, the risks are too high.

Putin holds onto the same desperate hopes as before. The west will grow bored and tire of paying for Ukraine’s freedom, the GOP extremists in the USA will undermine the military supplies that keep Ukraine in the battle and Victor Orban will prevent the EU from maintaining their support. Going cap in hand to North Korea has a rather pathetic feel to it.

Whatever our problems, they are nothing compared to those who die or are wounded every day on the front lines, families that shelter from missiles every night, children who go to school underground and the Ukrainian politicians who are targets for assassins every time they show their faces in public.

Freedom from tyranny is expensive and every generation in every free nation must have the courage to sustain it – whatever the price.

Slava Ukraini!

Who Dares Shares.

Robin Horsfall