Ukraine Daily Strikes On Logistics In 100s Starving Russian Front Forces

An unheralded aspect of Ukrainian strategy is having a significant impact on Russia's inability to launch effective advances this winter. 

The Ukrainians are specifically targeting logistic truck convoys, especially fuel tankers, to the extent that the losses have climbed into the triple digits daily. The result is that the poorly clothed and equipped Russians are less effective because they are cold, hungry and short on ammunition. JL

Decimus reports in Daily Kos:

The tally of Russian losses focuses on personnel, tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery systems. Down the list is another category, barely remarked on vehicles and fuel tanks without which soldiers are left without the means to fight, they go hungry, are without potable water, are left cold and saddled with inoperative weapons. The daily unhappy tally for Russia in this category which at the onset of their invasion of Ukraine numbered in single digits has climbed into triple digits. Reliance by Russia on slower, more vulnerable networks is now hobbling Russia’s war effort on the battlefield… an army being slowly starved.

Ukraine is doing something special on the battle field.  And I believe it is beginning to pay off, even if slowly.

First off, please kindly allow me to thank our fellow kossack Frank L Palmer for inspiring this diary. The contents herein is something I have been keeping my eyes on for several months now. His recent diary  enumerating Russian average losses finally gave me the impetus to flesh out my thoughts and finish this diary. Thanks, my friend.

Like most who daily review the tally of Russian losses, the eyes immediately go to the enumeration of the top line losses in personnel, tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery systems.  But way down the list is another category, barely remarked or seldom commented on … vehicles and fuel tanks.

Without “vehicles and fuel tanks” making it to their destination on the front lines, soldiers are left without the means to fight, they go hungry, are without potable water, are left cold and saddled with inoperative weapons of war which then become mere impedimenta. The daily unhappy tally for Russia in this category which at the onset of their invasion of Ukraine numbered in single digits and low double digits has steadily climbed into triple digits, sometimes in the high mid triples.  Frank L. Palmer’s enumeration shows this upward trend.  Please note that these are averages:

*Average Russian daily losses for the 10 days ending January 19:

vehicles and fuel tanks — 145

*Average Russian daily losses for the 30 days ending January 19:
vehicles and fuel tanks —143

*Average Russian daily losses for the 60 days ending January 19:
vehicles and fuel tanks — 120

*Average Russian daily losses for the 90 days ending January 19:

vehicles and fuel tanks —107

*Average Russian daily losses for the 1.420 days ending January 19: (The entire course of the current invasion) — 52.7

Today(02/10/26)’s reported number of Russian vehicles and fuel tanks destroyed by Ukraine is: 182

It is said that “an army marches on its stomach", a famous maxim attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, highlighting the fact that military success relies heavily on logistics, supply lines, and well-fed soldiers rather than just strategy. The phrase remains a fundamental principle in military planning to this day.

The armed forces of Ukraine have not forgotten this cardinal maxim of war.  Indeed from the very beginning of the war Ukraine, as early as two days into the invasion, has maintained a steady high-intensity  tempo to destroy the enemy’s Ground Lines of Communications(GLOCs) aka “Logistics”, depriving Moscow’s forces of much needed supplies in the field:

Russian invasion update: Ukrainian forces destroy convoy of fuel trucks in Sumy 

26.02.2022 12:00

In Sumy, the local unit of the Territorial Defense Force destroyed an enemy convoy of fuel trucks moving toward Kyiv.

Earlier it was reported that large convoys of fuel trucks were moving across the region in the direction of Kyiv. The Territorial Defense Force unit in Sumy engaged in a serious battle with the enemy.

www.ukrinform.net/...

And the process has only gathered more intensity as Ukraine’s strategy to destroy Russian logistics focuses on disrupting supply chains through targeted strikes, leveraging both advanced and low-tech methods:

Russian logistics hub, drone control points and electronic warfare systems are hit, Ukraine's General Staff says

Units of Ukraine's defence forces have struck a Russian logistics hub, a cluster of military personnel, drone control points and electronic warfare equipment.

www.yahoo.com/...

Since early in the war, Ukrainian forces have systematically destroyed railway infrastructure … especially bridges and rail links between Russia and Ukraine … to deny Russia access to key supply routes, forcing reliance on slower, more vulnerable road networks as part of a broader Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) strategy.  It it this forced reliance on the part of Russia on slower, more vulnerable networks that is now really hobbling Russia’s war effort on the battlefields of Ukraine … an army being slowly starved:

’Just Skin and Bones’: Russian Soldier Says Hunger Is Ravaging Frontline Units

An intercepted call reveals Russian soldiers saying they have no food or water at the front, and that they’re experiencing rapid weight loss and collapsing logistics.

www.kyivpost.com