Victory Chronicles
-DAY 190

Above: The battle for Enerhodar on March 1, 2022.  Map via Wikimedia Commons

• The New York Time  writes, “For the first time in history, an active battlefield encompasses a nuclear plant, and frequent shelling has raised fears of a catastrophic radiation release.”

• Despite substantial hurdles, the International Atomic Energy Agency inspection mission to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant arrived in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia on Wednesday with plans to travel about 120 kilometers to the plant in Enerhodar on Thursday.  Travel to the plant will entail crossing the frontlines through a russia-promised buffer zone.

• Head of the mission Rafael Grossi spoke to reporters on Thursday morning, noting that military activity in the area had increased since the mission’s arrival, but that inspectors were resolute in getting to the power plant. Mr Grossi siad the mission planned to stay several days but local enemy propagandists called for an abbreviated inspection.

• Reports from civilians forced to work there by enemy military forces stationed in and around the plant describe brutality as we have come to expect from russians including toruture, rape, murder and looting.

Above:  People who fall into russia’s prison system have a tough life, but may be able to trade detention for service on the frontlines in Ukraine.  Photo via The Atlantic

• As reported by AP, Russia is suffering severe manpower shortages at the 6-month mark of its war on Ukraine. Ukrainian intelligence publically reports that the enemy has taken almost 50,000 soldier deaths, with total casualties, desertions and captures over 150,000 – more than first mobilized for the “three-day blitzkrieg”.  US intelligence is more conservative, estimating casualties in the range of 60 to 80 thousand.

• In desperation, the Kremlin is compelling wounded enemy troops to return to battle. As previously covered, the Kremlin pushes several plans to coerce men into combat including attractive packages for prisoners and private contractors.  Most recruiting takes place outside of the more wealthy far western areas around moscow and petersburg.  Each of Russia’s 85 political territories has been ordered to produce and train fighting brigades for the “special military operation”.

• Moscow is limited by the absence of declared war on Ukraine, instead calling it a special operation that does not allow for general mobilization. The Kremlin resists the declaration of war not to be caught out in its blatant lying about purely imperial designs on western territory. The only good outcomes for the dictator will be to fabricate a pretense to declare war or to gain sufficient military advantage to sue for peace and cut losses.

Map via Reddit

• In response to a request from the Eastern European EU members to ban Russian tourists, the EU agreed Wednesday to make it harder for Russians to get visas, but would not ban them altogether.  Many Europeans are offended by the number of Russians traveling to the EU for fun and leisure while their country wages a bloody war on peaceful Ukraine.

• EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that more Russians are enjoying vacations and shopping in the EU this summer “as if no war is raging in Ukraine.” A disappointed Ukraine called the decision to keep russian travel to the EU open as a half-measure that doesn’t solve the problem.

• The Eastern European countries most affected by the tourist onslaught including the Baltics, Finland, Poland, Czech and Sweden called on the EU to ban Russian travel.  They may now decide to take unilateral actions to keep russians out due to increasing security concerns on top of strategic desires to let the russian people feel the cost of their country’s war.

• The Moscow Times published an editorial supporting the visa ban as a “powerful show of Europe’s resolve to support Ukraine.” The Financial Times published the counterargument that allowing Russian vacation makers to mix with Europeans will help to enlighten them.