By Amarynth for the Saker Blog

By popular demand, a SMO Sitrep open thread a few days before I planned for it.

After Lisichansk, it looks like a small pause and consolidation of positions.  The Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation held a conference call with the leadership of the Armed Forces (https://t.me/mod_russia_en/2598), where the current results of the special military operation were summarised.  No doubt the future and future action are being communicated.

There is much being said about what next for Russia but, we have seldom been successful in projecting what the Russians may do next.

Let’s take the pause.  Here is Brian Berletic with Angelo with more western information, which saves me from reading it.  A long, but interesting discussion, looking back and looking forward – very good for newbies.

Bye Bye Wunderwaffe HIMARS:

⚔️🇷🇺🇺🇦Russian Min Def Reports 2x US HIMARS Destroyed + Ammo Depot⚔️

(UPDATE: Russian state media is also reporting this).

@Sputnik has reported on this, so has the pro-Ukrainian LiveUAmap timeline (link here (https://liveuamap.com/en/2022/6-july-russian-ministry-of-defence-claims-destroying-2-himars)).

IF CONFIRMED, this means that by the time the second shipment of 4 HIMARS arrive in Ukraine, they will just barely be replacing losses from the first shipment.

Allegedly these HIMARS were destroyed in Donetsk – very close to the main fighting meaning where Russia had concentrated much of its ability to locate, track, target, and destroy a system like HIMARS. Had Ukraine utilized them against periphery targets it might have been harder and taken longer.

This is a good yardstick of measure for the future.

As usual, the commentators add their own flair to these threads.

A small side issue, but not really a side issue, from the @thesiriusreport and I’ve seen it in other media:

When reality finally kicks in. Head of the Bundestag Committee on Ebergy, Klaus Ernst, has called for negotiations to begin to commence gas flows via Nord Stream 2.
Am I wrong to wish that should this even be put to Russia, that Russia says:  “No, we only trade with friendly countries”?

Enjoy the discussion.