Russian Casualties Predicted To Rise 50% "When Leaves Fall, Winter Sets In"

Russian casualties have been the worst of the war on a monthly basis this year. But the Ukrainians are predicting those losses will get worse as fall arrives - potentially one and a half times as many - as the trees lose their leaves, the Russians lose their cover and Ukraine's drones become even more efficient at finding and killing. JL

Stanislav Pohorislov reports in Ukraine Pravda:

Russian troop losses at the front will rise once the leaves fall and winter sets in."In winter... there will be one and a half times more of them [Russians killed – ed.] straight away. As soon as the leaves fall, we'll have a bit more room for manoeuvre and the thermal imagers will work better." Russian losses could rise to 35,000-40,000 a month during this period. One of Ukraine's strategic goals is to inflict up to 50,000 casualties on Russian forces each month to make the war unsustainable for Russia.

In the South, Ukraine Has Rolled Back A Year Of Russian Advances

The Ukrainians' 'quiet offensive' as it is being called, has pushed the Russians back over 750 kilometers in the south, undoing years' worth of gains, primarily in the southern oblasts. 

The implication is that Russia no longer has the troops or equipment to hold what they've taken, let along grab much more, while the Ukrainians are controlling the place and tempo of the fighting. JL

Michael Obelcz reports in Malcontent News:

Russia has struggled to maintain momentum during its summer offensive, despite Ukraine suffering manpower shortages. Almost all of the Russian advances over the last 12 months in Dnipropetrovsk and southwestern Donetsk have been rolled back since Ukraine started its offensive. Kyiv was maintaining tight operational security while local area Russian commanders were attempting to conceal the deteriorating situation through a series of false capture claims. Small groups of Russian troops dressed as civilians tried to advance past the line of contact, to briefly wave flags for drones flying overhead. The Russian groups made one-way trips. Some were captured, others eliminated by drone strikes and close combat. For now, the initiative belongs to Ukraine.

China and Turkey Covet Russia's Borderlands

For all their expressions of fraternal support, neither the Chinese nor the Russians trust each other. The Russians realize this relationship is transactional and the Chinese believe that keeping Russia in the war will ultimately weaken them, strengthen the Chinese and provide opportunities for eventual further expansion at Russia's expense.

The Turks, meanwhile, are standing by, waiting to exploit Russia's eventual degradation. This is the reality of living in that neighborhood. JL

Raj K reports in Medium:

Russia is very big and diverse, with different economic, cultural, and political needs in various areas. If central control weakens, some regions might try to build stronger ties with outside powers, tilting towards neighbors like China basic on economic gains. Russia’s eastern and Siberian areas have huge natural resources, very valuable in the world economy. In the case of Turkey, the Caucasus region borders it. During the Chechen war, Turkey openly supported Chechnya’s independence. Taking advantage of a weak Russia, Turkey would still try to bring Chechnya and neighboring areas under its influence.

Russian Command Post, Drone Base, Artillery Destroyed By Ukraine Jets, Drones

Ukrainian forces destroyed a variety of Russian targets in the past two days - command posts, drone bases and artillery. 

The attacks show that as the Ukrainians increasingly identify and eliminate Russian air defenses on and near the front, the Ukrainians are able to strike weapons and installations of choice on a priority basis as part of their overall strategy while the Russians continue to hit civilian targets due to lack of coordination and capability. JL

Dariia Mykhailenko reports in Untied 24:

Ukraine's Air Force destroyed a Russian command post along with personnel, including drone operators, in an airstrike carried out by a Su-27 fighter jet. The aircraft crew used two guided aerial bombs in the strike. The target was completely destroyed, and the Russian personnel inside were killed. Ukrainian drone operators also destroyed two Russian 2S19 Msta-S self-propelled howitzers in the Vovchansk direction. Locating and destroying the systems required coordinated work because the howitzers regularly changed positions, used camouflage and operated at a distance while being protected by other Russian forces.

Job-Applicants Are Desperately 'AI-Washing" Their Resumes

This is a new variant on an old and familiar theme. First it was dotcom, then it was cell phones, now AI. 

With every generation of technology, those hoping to take advantage - or merely to keep their jobs - adapt by updating their resumes to reflect the latest trend. It is a cynical exercise, but in an economy without much sympathy, staying current is the equivalent of staying employed or of breaking in at all. JL

Te-Ping Chen  reports in the Wall Street Journal:

Millions of of job seekers to give their work history an AI makeover. In some cases, they are seeking to add new skills, obtaining certifications to demonstrate their fluency in the technology. In others, they are dressing up their résumés with AI buzzwords in hopes of gaining employer attention. “Everybody’s keyword dumping.”  The percentage of LinkedIn users in the U.S. who have added AI-related terms to their profiles rose 70% last year. Users have been retroactively adding AI terms to job titles where it hadn’t previously been mentioned. Compared with historic versions of such job descriptions, there are 30% more references to AI on user profiles today. “A lot of it looks like AI washing.”

Surviving A Year In the Kill Zone: A Ukrainian Infantryman's Diary

Unimaginable privation and risk of death by men who continue to serve despite the violence, isolation and death. 

It is a testament to their courage and determination. JL

Felix Hoske reports in Reuters:

Both armies now have tiny teams, two or three soldiers, scattered in small dugouts hollowed across the "kill zone" because of the constant drone threat. These groups evade detection and infiltrate gaps in enemy defences. They are stuck for months in their positions because it's so dangerous to rotate troops in and out. Krynitskyi was deployed near Chasiv Yar from April 20, 2025 to March 31, 2026. He filmed video diaries with a cellphone, powered by batteries from downed Russian drones in a cramped redoubt 3 by 4 metres beneath the front lines. Three or four days passed before a re-supply drone could make it through enemy fire. To survive, Krynitskyi picked food and sundries from fallen Russians who would advance on foot in small groups every couple of days. He killed 23 at close range during his deployment. 

July Was Worst Month of Entire War For Ukraine Destroying Russian Vehicles

Last month, Ukrainian forces destroyed more Russian vehicles than at any other similar time since the Russian invasion four and a half years ago. 

This is a reflection of the growing effectiveness of the near, mid level and long range drone campaigns targeting Russian manufacturing and oil production, as well as the vehicles that transport their finished products. Ukrainian attacks also degraded Russian air defenses and armor, as well as again inflicting more casualties than any other month of the war. JL

Olena Mukhina reports in the Euromaidan Press:

Ukraine wrecked more Russian vehicles in July than in any month of the war. Ukraine's Defense Forces destroyed and disabled 13,998 units of automotive equipment, the most for the entire war.Ukraine also struck at the systems that protect Russian forces. Ukrainian troops hit 68 units of Russian air defense systems in July, chipping away at the shield that guards Russian positions and rear areas. Armor losses were also heavy. Ukraine destroyed and disabled 162 tanks, including 28 in a single day on 22 July, along with 204 armored combat vehicles and 2,016 artillery systems. That month was also Russia's deadliest for personnel in 2026, as Ukraine's drones reached deeper and hit more.