59 Russian Attacks In One Day On Kurakhove Defeated By Ukrainian Forces

The scale of the Ukrainian defensive effort against larger Russian forces is brutal. 

But the fact that the Russians are incapable of succeeding given their advantages is a testament to the Ukrainians' training, leadership and skill. JL

Kateryna Denisova reports in the Kyiv Independent:

Ukraine's 46th Airmobile Brigade repelled a Russian attack in the Kurakhove sector. The unsuccessful attack involved seven tanks and 11 infantry fighting vehicles, with Ukrainian forces destroying seven pieces of Russian equipment. Russia is carrying out intense attacks in multiple sections of the eastern front, with attempts to break through Ukraine's defenses in Donetsk Oblast toward Pokrovsk and Kurakhove. Ukrainian troops fended off 59 attacks in the Kurakhove sector over the past day alone, Ukraine's General Staff said in its latest update on Oct. 21.

75% of Russians Killed In Ukraine Die From Artillery, Drone Explosions

Mass is what causes the most damage - and Ukraine is clearly doubling down. JL

Brendan Cole reports in Newsweek:

The Russian Military Medical Journal examined fatal injuries faced by Russia's military personnel in a "modern armed conflict," looking at both those who had been killed on the battlefield or those at the pre-hospital stage of evacuation. 74.5% of deaths had been due to explosions. In second place at 14.7% were fatalities due to gunshot injuries from small arms, with the vast majority of incidents (83.7%) from single wounds. 4% were due to thermal injuries and the same number is due to blunt trauma. Other causes of death were from stab injuries, asphyxia, drowning, poisoning and conditions such as heart failure. 

As Russian Gains Stay Slow, Small, Weak, Can North Koreans Change Calculus?

Against often unimaginable odds, Ukrainian forces continue to limit Russian advances across the front. They are hamstrung by limiting US supplies and permissions probably enforced to keep American voters focused away from the war in Ukraine in order to help defeat willing Putin-puppet Donald Trump.

The entrance of North Korean troops into the war could change the strategic calculus in Russia's favor - but probably not before the US election. JL

Phillips O'Brien reports in his substack:

Its now been three weeks since the Ukrainians evacuated Vuhledar. Russian advances have slowed markedly since. The distance from Avdiivka to Pokrovsk is 45 kilometres/30 miles. Avidiivka fell on 15 February. So in more than 8 months, the Russians have advanced 20 miles. That is far less than a mile a week. The real problem is continuing to limit Ukraine to fight this grinding, exhausting battle. Its playing to Russian strenghts and away from Ukrainian successes. Even then, Russian forces are making extremely small advances. That North Korean troops might be at first deployed in Kursk against the Ukrainian salient—is deliberately a laugh at Ukraine’s backers and their strange escalation lines

OpenAI, Microsoft's Frayed Alliance Over Leadership, Dependency Reflects Reality

AI startups and big tech companies are co-dependents more than allies and certainly more than bros. The big guys need AI firms' cache and technology. The new guys need money, data, cloud storage and did we mention money?

This often fraught relationship, characteristic of many startup-corporate partnerships in pharma, media and many other industries, most of all, tech.  This may be best personified by OpenAI and Microsoft; clinging to each other but worried about becoming overly dependent for all the wrong reasons and with too many potential bad outcomes. Given the stakes, they will continue to work out an accomodation - until it is no longer beneficial. But they reflect the age-old tug between who has more to gain - and more to lose. JL

Cade Metz and colleagues report in the New York Times:

Microsoft executives have grown concerned their A.I. work is too dependent on OpenAI. Their partnership with Microsoft was once “the best bromance in tech,” but ties between the companies have started to fray. Financial pressure on OpenAI, concern about its stability and disagreements between employees of the two companies have strained their five-year partnership. That tension demonstrates a key challenge for A.I. start-ups: They are dependent on the world’s tech giants for money and computing power because those big companies control the cloud computing systems small outfits need to develop A.I.

Ukraine Drones Destroy Russian Ammo Plant 900 Miles From Front

Another strategic strike far behind Russia's borders intended to degrade its ability to continue its invasion of Ukraine. JL

Olena Ivashkiv reports in Ukraine Pravda:

Drones targeted the Sverdlov plant, a state-owned enterprise producing explosives located in the Russian city of Dzerzhinsk in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast. The first loud explosions were heard in the sky above the city at around 03:30. A total of about 10 explosions were heard with intervals of several minutes between them. There were also sounds of gunfire and machine gun bursts. The plant is one of Russia's largest manufacturers of industrial explosives and booster charges

Ukraine Extends Basic Training Time By 50%, Teaching Drones, EW, Trench War

Ukraine is extending basic recruit combat arms training duration by 50% in order to add skills that will make its troops more effective in the field.

Adding drone and EW warfare, trench war and cold weather fighting techniques address key capabilities and reveal the increasing importance of these as basic skills on the modern battlefield. JL

Militarnyi reports:

The duration of basic combined arms training (BCAT) has been increased from 30 days to 1.5 months. The new program will teach the basics of using drones and trench-based electronic warfare and reconnaissance equipment. It will also strengthen tactical and marksmanship training and improve the acquisition of survival skills at the front. Especially survival in the cold seasons of the year

Ukrainian Forces In Kursk Thwart Increasingly Desperate Russian Attacks

Ukrainian forces in the Kursk salient have stalled, diverted and in some cases annihilated Russian attempts at counterattacking there as worsening weather push the Russians onto roads where the Ukrainians have created kill zones thanks to the earlier destruction of bridges the Russians used. 

The result is increasingly desperate and wasteful Russian attacks as they attempt to make even minimal gains before mud and snow force them to hunker down. JL

Benjamin Looijen reports in Euromaidan Press:

Holding Russian territory is not a primary concern for Ukrainian forces. Ukraine has accomplished strategic objectives by diverting 50,000 Russian troops away from other front-line areas and rerouting Russia’s logistics in the eastern Kursk sector, following the destruction of bridges over the Seym River. Ukrainian forces allow the Russians to advance through the lowlands while maintaining control of the surrounding high ground. This has created a deadly “kill zone,” where Russian troops are exposed to concentrated Ukrainian fire. Worsening weather introduces a new layer of complexity to the battles, favoring Ukrainian defensive operations.