Severodonetsk II.

This is coolbert:

From Reuters via US News ^ | May 22, 2022 the tip from Freeper.

Severodonetsk the Ukrainian city under attack by concerted and determined Russian forces.

"Ukraine Says It Holds [sic] off Latest Russian Assault in East"

The fate of Luhansk and Donetsk now is being decided as we speak?

"KYIV/MARIUPOL (Reuters) -Ukraine said on Monday it had held off the latest assault on an eastern city that has become the main target of Moscow's offensive since Russian forces finally seized Mariupol last week. Russian forces tried to storm Sievierodonetsk, but were unsuccessful and retreated . . . The city, on the banks of the Siverskiy Donets river that winds through eastern Ukraine, has been the main Russian target in recent days as Moscow tries to encircle Ukrainian forces in the east and fully capture the Luhansk and Donetsk provinces"

Vlad has decided on the minimalist approach to the war rather than the maximalist version? Capture of Russians plans the Ukraine now decides on the capture of Severodonetsk? This needs to be worked out to the end. Artillery-centric Russian army having brought all the heavy guns to bear an obvious indication that Russian is dead serious!

Regarding the use of the Russian 240 mm mortar according to the Soviet era defector Suvorov: [as was written forty years ago]

"I have actually seen 12 240 mm mortars in action together. These fire not 16 kilogram but 100 kilogram bombs [220 pounds]. Within twenty minutes each mortar fired 15 bombs. This represented as I later calculated, a total of 18 tons of explosives and cast-iron splinters. I found the noise absolutely staggering. It was amazing that men could retain their sanity in the midst of it. While the firing was in progress, one had the impression that thousands of tons of explosive were going off each second and the whole process seemed to last an age. The astonishing destructive power of these mortars makes up for any inaccuracy in aiming or in dispersion. I believe this is the correct approach." 

Further:

"The outstanding simplicity, reliability and ease of maintenance of the 240 mm mortar are vital qualities, and they played a decisive role when the moment came to decide which should be the first artillery weapon to fire nuclear projectiles. It was the obvious choice and it is now many years since it was selected for this role. It was also a good choice, being comparatively small, maneuverable and easier to conceal than a gun,. At the same time it has a huge caliber, which solves several technical problems. The muzzle velocity is considerably lower than that of a gun or a howitzer. The is therefore no damage that the bomb will explode as it is fired or that it will detonate accidentally. What could be better?"

Well, nothing! As long as you are on the sending end and not the receiving! This story is not over.

coolbert.