Ukraine making few gains while suffering big losses

The Ukrainian counteroffensive continues but it appears to be less intense. Ukraine has not made any significant progress so far, and in some cases, its forces have been pushed back.

The Russians have published some numbers on Ukrainian losses in September to date. Ukraine has lost more than 17,000 soldiers so far this month, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu told a ministry board meeting.

According to him, Kiev lost three Western-made tanks, including two German Leopards and a British Challenger.

The numbers also include the loss of seven US-made Bradley fighting vehicles, 77 US M777 howitzers, 51 self-propelled howitzers made in Germany, France, Poland and the United States.

The Russians say they destroyed a British-made Stormer air defense system. The Stormer is a military armored vehicle manufactured by the British company Alvis Vickers, now known as BAE Systems Land & Armaments, that uses laser-guided interceptors. It is supposed to destroy slow-flying aircraft, especially helicopters, and drones.

Some US Abrams tanks have arrived in Ukraine ahead of schedule. The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence Kyrylo Budanov, chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GRO), says that the Abrams tanks should be reserved for special operations and not used for general combat because they will be destroyed.