From an American volunteer in Ukraine

[jon_norstog]

This gentleman is supposedly a Vietnam veteran who served through/survived the Tet Offensive. His contact in the US put up this transmission (purged of tactical or personal information) from Friday's fighting near Liman.

"Only a few mins here. Ran out of ammo and backed off south. Am a bit traumatized and need some sleep. I have no idea what is going on except we engaged a lot of elements headed to Kreminna. They have to be coming from Lyman and Zarichne. Right now we are in a safe area, it seems.

I have never seen so many dead, soon to be dead, and wounded people in my life. People begging for help, but no way we can help them. We have little to help them with, a small medical kit each, no morphine, and no time to render any kind of useful aid. No idea if they will live or die. You just keep moving."

His US contact says about him: "He?s actually 76, was in country for the Tet Offensive. He said in one of his posts it?s his last war for sure.

He can patrol, his pack is usually just 40-50 pounds, but admits he ?can?t run for xxxx? if something happens."

https://ukrainevolunteer297689472.wo...s-a-slaughter/

jn

[Art]

I believe Lyman fell to the Ukrainians yesterday, but he probably wouldn't have know that right away.

Assuming this is completely accurate and it sounds like it:

I know people who could still be combat effective in their mid 70s, like a friend of mine who is 71. I needed him to come over and check out something on my roof. He went up the ladder like a squirrel, hopped on the roof and walked around as comfortable as could be, but there are damn few of them. If this fellow survives I hope its his last war too. Damn, I can't imagine volunteering for this if I was young and healthy but there are always those who will whether it was the Spanish Civil War or today.

It sounds like the Russians are truly running on empty.

[lyman]

Art,

you described a friend and fellow board member Blitzkrieg,

[togor]

Rumor is people caught by arty while heading out of town to the east. Maybe last order was "no retreat" then after that, no orders one way or the other leading to another disorganized rout. Russia is a big country but sooner or later the number of dead & missing-unknown will add up to a number too big for regular folks to ignore.