Russian Gains, US Gears Up for Crimea Escalation, US Proxies Strike China/Pakistan in Train Bombing

Update on Russian-Ukrainian conflict for January 23, 2023 + Pakistan train bombing as part of US proxy war on China.

– Russian forces are reportedly advancing in Zaporozhye while Ukraine continues losing ground around Bakhmut;

– Russian pushes in Zaporozhye could be (1) recon in force, (2) extending existing security zone ahead of actual Russian front line or (3) spoiling attacks on forces assembling for a future offensive;

– Ukrainian losses are severe and Reuters is reporting on supposed warnings by the US to Ukraine about going on the offensive;

– Weapon shipments have been announced for Ukraine including a significant US DoD package, as well as all of Denmark’s Caesar self-propelled howitzers and all of Estonia’s FH-70 towed howitzers;

– A recent bombing targeting a train in southwest Pakistan is part of a long-term proxy conflict waged by Washington against China and its Belt and Road partners;

– The US has promoted separatism in Pakistan’s southwest region of Baluchistan for years specifically to block Chinese-Pakistani cooperation and development;

References:

Russian-Ukrainian Conflict New York Times – U.S. Warms to Helping Ukraine Target Crimea:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/18/us…

Lt General Mark Hertling (retired), Twitter – M1 Abrams Ukraine thread:
https://twitter.com/MarkHertling/stat…

Modern War Institute at West Point – Mark Hertling biography:
https://mwi.usma.edu/mark-hertling/

US Department of Defense – Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and General Mark A. Milley Press Conference Following Ukraine Defense Contact Group Meeting, Ramstein Air Base, Germany Jan. 20, 2023:
https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcri…

BBC – Ukraine war: Germany won’t block export of its Leopard 2 tanks, foreign minister says:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe…

Reuters – U.S. officials advise Ukraine to wait on offensive, official says:
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/…

Alexander Mercouris – Russia Advance Bakhmut Siversk Zaporozhye; US Tells Ukraine It is Losing Attrition War Leave Bakhmut:
https://youtu.be/JAyShGaNj-8

ABC News (Australia) – Almost 180,000 Russians dead or wounded in Ukraine, Norwegian general says:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-2…

The Moscow Times – ‘Record’ 1,000 Russian Soldiers Confirmed Killed in Ukraine Since Jan. 1 – Analysis:
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/0…

Train Bombing in Pakistan Targeting China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Washington Post – Bombing derails passenger train in SW Pakistan, injures 15:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/…

BBC – Pakistan hotel bomb: Deadly blast hits luxury venue in Quetta (April 2021):
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-5…

Pakistan bus blast kills 13, including 9 Chinese CPEC workers, China demands punishment as conflicting reports emerge (July 2021):
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-1…

National Interest – Free Baluchistan (2011):
https://nationalinterest.org/commenta…

GovTrack – H.Con.Res. 104 (112th): Expressing the sense of Congress that the people of Baluchistan, currently divided between Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan, have the right to self-determination and to their own sovereign country. (2012):
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill…

US National Endowment for Democracy – Pakistan 2018 (archived):
https://web.archive.org/web/201907280…