South Africa has a considerable surplus of single, working age males versus jobs available; Russia offers full time employment plus travel costs. And fewer will return home than went off — win-win!
[Breitbart] Nonkululeko Patricia Mantula, a 39-year-old host on South Africa’s SAFM state radio network, was arrested and brought into court on Monday to face charges of recruiting South African men to fight for Russia on the battlefields of Ukraine.
South Africa’s Russian recruiting scandal erupted in early November, when the government began investigating complaints from relatives of men who were allegedly duped into traveling to Russia for what they thought was bodyguard training, only to find themselves pressed into service with the Russian military and flung onto the bloody battlefields of Ukraine.
Similar recruiting schemes have been exposed in several other countries, including India, Cuba, and Kenya.
The North Korean soldiers were a straight government-to-government purchase agreement with no returns. North Korea doesn’t want anyone polluted by ideas from outside, no matter how limited the exposure.
The twist that made the South African story into such a major scandal was that former President Jacob Zuma and his uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party were apparently linked to the scheme.
Last week, South African police announced that Zuma’s daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla was under investigation for luring men to Russia. The investigation was prompted by a tip from her half-sister, Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma-Mncube.
Zuma-Sambudla claimed she herself was duped by the ringleaders of the recruiting scheme and she genuinely believed she was recruiting South African men for lucrative bodyguard positions. She also claimed she herself underwent the paramilitary training on offer, although some of the seventeen known victims said she vanished as soon as they arrived in Russia.
Several of the victims are members of the extended Zuma family, which is one reason why Zuma-Mncube said she filed a complaint against her half-sister.
Jacob Zuma, 83, has four current wives, six ex-wives, and over 20 children. Zuma-Sambudla was a senior legislator with her father’s MK Party until she resigned from Parliament on Friday.
MK officials insisted she was “stepping back” from public roles to cooperate more fully with the investigation and her resignation should not be taken as an “admission of guilt.” Jacob Zuma was present for the announcement of her resignation, but did not make a statement.
Nonkululeko Mantula is a presenter on “The Morning Bliss,” a morning radio show on SAFM state radio. The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) issued a statement describing Mantula as a “freelance presenter,” and offered “no further comment about this stage” about her “personal issue before the courts.”
Mantula’s arrest, along with four men between the ages of 21 and 46 who were allegedly the latest South Africans recruited to fight for Russia, marked the first arrests and criminal charges in the scandal.
According to the police, three of the men they took into custody were in the process of boarding a flight to Russia via the United Arab Emirates. The men were “intercepted” based on a tip from security at the international airport in Johannesburg and “removed from the board gate after being deemed suspicious,” according to South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The NPA said Mantula was arrested for “facilitating the travel and recruitment of her co-accused into the Russian Federation military.”
The initial charges did not specify whether the men knew they were being recruited to fight for Russia. Prosecutors pointed out that recruiting South Africans to join foreign military organizations is against the law, whether or not the recruits were tricked into joining.
#1
Recruit mercenaries for Ukraine and it's perfectly OK. Recruit mercenaries for Russia and it's a crime? Sounds a bit like a double standard doesn't it?
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
12/03/2025 12:18 Comments ||
Top||
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] 22.59 Russia opposes an agreement to resolve the war in Ukraine if it "does not meet its requirements." In particular, there are three points on which the Kremlin "will not compromise." This is reported by the American television channel NBC News, citing an anonymous Russian official.
22.46 Russia plans to "achieve its strategic goals" within the framework of the war against Ukraine. This was stated by the Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu at a meeting with the Head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Wang Yi, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.
22.18 The Italian government is going to postpone consideration of a decree that would allow military aid to Ukraine to continue in 2026. Reuters reports this, citing its sources.
21.23 The Czech Ministry of Defense canceled a project to modernize several dozen T-72M4 CZ tanks that were planned to be transferred to Ukraine due to the lack of guarantees of their suitability on the battlefield. This was reported by the Novinky publication.
20.44 European NATO member states generally support US initiatives aimed at ending Russia's war against Ukraine, but doubt their effectiveness due to the Kremlin's tough stance, eight NATO diplomats told Radio Liberty on condition of anonymity.
20.38 The US is trying to end Russia's war against Ukraine, but today the situation is "not easy." US President Donald Trump said this at a Cabinet meeting.
20.19 The Farg'onaazot chemical plant in Uzbekistan supplies Russia with a chemical critical for the production of Iskander-M ballistic missiles. This is evidenced by a study by the Economic Security Council of Ukraine.
20.01 Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky visited combat units in Kupyansk, Kharkiv region, listening to reports from commanders on the operational situation.
He noted that "our units managed to significantly improve the tactical position directly in the city," The infiltration routes of the enemy's sabotage and reconnaissance groups are blocked. Currently, the territory of Kupyansk is being cleared of Russian invaders, who have "successes" only in the propaganda sphere.
"We are working to gradually push the enemy out of its bridgehead north of the city, as well as from a number of other areas where the Russians still maintain their presence," the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine added.
19.58 The United States has suspended the delivery of certain weapons to Ukraine without notifying its European allies, in particular Germany. This was stated by the commander of the German Army's ground forces, Christian Freuding, in an interview with The Atlantic.
18.11 The war should be ended in a way that prevents Russia from launching a third invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this at a press conference with Irish Prime Minister Michail Martin.
17.51 Russian dictator Vladimir Putin said that Europe is "making proposals unacceptable to Russia" for a peace plan for Ukraine. According to him, Europe is "hindering the peace efforts" of US President Donald Trump and "making unacceptable proposals."
17.27 There is no consensus in NATO regarding Ukraine's accession to the organization, said Alliance Secretary General Mark Rutte.
"Now, as you know, there is no consensus on Ukraine's accession to NATO. As for the principle, this is the Washington Treaty of 1949, and this Washington Treaty is still valid, as is what we decided at the 2024 Washington Summit," he said.
17.23 US President Donald Trump's special representative Stephen Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Axios journalist Barak Ravid reported on Tuesday at X.
16.29 The Ukrainian and American delegations have developed a 20-point plan to end the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine. Some things still need to be worked out. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky.
16.07 In the temporarily occupied Kherson region, state-owned enterprises have found themselves in a personnel and financial collapse: salaries are delayed for months or not paid at all, and instead of striking workers, the occupation authorities are attracting students under the guise of "training practice." This is reported by the Central Labor Relations Commission.
15.22 The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service has spread information that France allegedly wants to involve its private military companies in direct participation in the war against Russia. This is another Russian fake, the Center for Countering Disinformation said.
The Russian Defense Ministry claims that a French government decree allows private military companies to participate in the war on the side of Ukraine. The Russians claim that Ukraine needs French PMCs to work in mobile air defense groups and with weapons transferred by France.
"The purpose of such statements is obvious: the Kremlin is trying to shift responsibility for the continuation of the war onto European countries, creating the impression that they are the ones "pushing" Ukraine into the fight. The Russian Federation has issued similar fakes repeatedly. While in reality, the only reason for the protracted war is Russian aggression and the Kremlin's refusal to stop hostilities," the CPD emphasized.
14.43 On the night of December 1, units of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck Russian targets in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions with strike UAVs. This was reported by the SSO command. It is noted that in the Donetsk region, SSO drones struck a place of accumulation of Russian personnel in Pokrovsk, and in Beloyarivka they successfully destroyed an ammunition depot of the 51st Special Operations Division. In the settlement of Denezhnykove in the Luhansk region, a fuel depot of the 3rd MSD was hit.
14.38 The defense forces continue defensive operations in difficult sections of the front, in particular in Pokrovsk, Vovchansk, and Kupyansk, while the Kremlin's statements about the "capture" of settlements by the Russian army do not correspond to reality. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
13.47 Russia is using more than 18,000 foreign citizens from 128 countries in the war against Ukraine, of whom 3,388 have already died. This was announced by Bohdan Okhrimenko, head of the Secretariat of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, during the Congress of Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine in Kyiv, Ukrinform reports on December 2.
13:45 In Ternopil, the death toll from the Russian strike on November 19 has risen to 36 people.
A woman who was seriously injured in a rocket attack on Ternopil on November 19 died at St. Luke's Hospital in Lviv. She lived in a house that was damaged by shelling.
As of December 2, the death toll had risen to 36, including 29 adults and seven children. Five people - four adults and one child - are still missing.
13.31 The administration of US President Donald Trump has planned to return frozen assets to Russia after signing a peace agreement and ending the war against Ukraine, Politico reports, citing informed sources.
It is noted that US officials allegedly informed the EU's sanctions representative, David O'Sullivan, about this during his visit to Washington in the summer.
13.12 The Russian army occupied the village of Kozatske (previously known as Moskovske) in the Donetsk region and advanced into the Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions. This was reported by the analytical project DeepState on December 2. It is noted that the Russians occupied the village of Kozatske in the Pokrovsky district of the Donetsk region.
The advance of the occupiers in Pokrovsk and Myrnograd is also recorded, as well as near Shakhovo and Mykolaivka in the Pokrovsky district of the Donetsk region and the village of Kamianske in the Vasylivskyi district of the Zaporizhia region.
13.05 The Ukrainian delegation personally and in detail reported to President Volodymyr Zelensky on the results of all meetings in the USA . Rustem Umerov and the participants in the negotiations in Florida reported on the main accents of the American side in the dialogue.
"The work was conducted on the basis of the Geneva Document, and this document was finalized," the head of state noted.
12.44 Russia is "ready for peace talks," but with their help it wants to achieve its "goals" in the war against Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
According to him, "through peace negotiations we must achieve our goals set within the framework of a special military operation (this is what Russia calls a full-scale war against Ukraine - ed.)."
Peskov said that Russia supposedly wants peace, but Russian dictator Vladimir Putin had "root causes" to start a war against Ukraine.
12.33 In November, National Guard units destroyed dozens of Russian equipment, including 35 tanks and over 350 artillery systems. This was reported by the Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko.
"Every day, the National Guard does what hurts the Russian army the most - destroys its "eyes", equipment, logistics, command posts. What the enemy's offensive potential is based on," the message says.
Yes, in November alone, our guardsmen scored minus points against the Russians:
35 tanks
53 armored vehicles
290 cars
356 artillery systems
262 radar stations
5 anti-aircraft missile systems
11 mortars
16 electronic warfare systems
52 warehouses with ammunition and fuel
12.20 Spokesperson for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Major Andriy Kovalev, reported that search and assault operations and the elimination of Russian invaders in the city are ongoing in Pokrovsk, Ukrinform reports. According to him, the invaders, taking advantage of the thick fog, made another attempt to propagandize by planting their flag in one of the districts of Pokrovsk, so that propagandists could use this as evidence of taking control of the entire city. After that, the Russians hastily fled. The clearing of enemy groups is ongoing. Kovalev stressed that the Russians' attempts to create propaganda illustrations that they supposedly control the city are leading to significant losses of their manpower.
10.58 Off the coast of Turkey in the Black Sea, the Russian tanker Midvolga 2 with 13 crew members was attacked, which was heading from Russia to Georgia. This was reported by the Turkish Ministry of Transport. It is noted that the tanker Midvolga 2 was attacked 80 miles from the coast of Turkey. The vessel, with its engines running, is heading towards Sinop.
10.30 Briton Ross David Cutmore has been exposed, who, on behalf of the Russian special services, carried out intelligence and sabotage activities in Ukraine in 2024-2025. The man is currently in custody. This was reported by Ukrainskaya Pravda, citing a source in the SBU.
10.15 The European Union will continue to develop defense cooperation with Ukraine. This was stated by Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal after a meeting with EU High Representative Kaia Kallas in Brussels.
The parties discussed the implementation of joint defense initiatives that will strengthen Ukraine and Europe. In particular, Ukraine's participation in SAFE projects.
9.58 Intelligence officers of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine destroyed an S-300 installation and two expensive radar stations of the Russian occupiers in Donbas.
In just one night, the following fell under the hot hand of the intelligence officers:
9A83 launcher from the S-300V air defense system, which was on combat duty;
two expensive 1L125 Niobium-SV radar stations at once.
"Such strikes significantly reduce the ability of Muscovites to control the airspace over Donbas and create conditions for new air operations by the Defense Forces of Ukraine," the GUR emphasized.
9.45 Ukraine ranks fourth in the world in terms of the number of deaths from landmines in 2024. This is stated in the report of the International Campaign to Ban Anti-Personnel Mines.
A total of 6,279 people were killed or injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war worldwide in 2024. This is the highest number since 2020.
The ICBL report notes that 90% of mine victims are civilians, and almost half of them are children. In total, 1,945 people were killed and more than 4,300 were injured.
The largest number of victims was recorded in Myanmar - 2029 people. Next is Syria - 1015 people. In third place is Afghanistan - 624 people. After it is Ukraine - 293 people.
9.39 As a result of the Russian attack on the Dnipropetrovsk region on the night of December 2, fires broke out. Two people were injured. This was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council Mykola Lukashuk and the deputy head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration Vladislav Haivanenko. It is noted that the Russians hit the Mezhivska community with KABs, as a result of which a 77-year-old man and a 79-year-old woman were injured.
9.25 As a result of the Russian attack on the night of December 2, an energy facility was damaged in the Odessa region, and critical infrastructure is temporarily operating on generators. This was reported by the head of the Odessa OVA, Oleg Kiper.
9.13 A man who was injured during the Russian shelling of the Ukrainian capital on November 29 and was in serious condition has died in hospital. This is the third victim of the massive enemy attack on Kyiv.
8.58 On the night of December 2 (from 18:00 on December 1), the Russians attacked Ukraine with 62 Shahed, Gerbera type attack UAVs and drones of other types from the directions: Bryansk, Orel, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk - RF, Chauda - TOT AR Crimea and Donetsk, more than 35 of them were "Shaheeds". This was reported by the Air Force. According to preliminary data, as of 08:30, air defenses shot down/suppressed 39 enemy Shahed, Gerbera type UAVs and drones of other types in the north, south and east of the country.
8.40 On the front of the past day, 226 combat clashes between the Defense Forces and Russian invaders were recorded, in the Pokrov direction the Ukrainian military stopped 72 enemy assaults. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on December 2. Missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces hit one area of concentration of Russian personnel
8.13 The number of victims of the Russian ballistic missile strike on the Dnieper River on Monday, December 1, has increased to 45, with four people killed. This was reported by the acting head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, Vladislav Haivanenko.
7.50 A fire broke out at an oil depot in the city of Livny, Oryol region of the Russian Federation as a result of a drone attack. This was reported on December 2 by the governor of the region, Andrey Klychkov, and the Russian Ministry of Defense. The Astra TV channel, citing local residents, notes that an oil depot in Livny was under attack. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, drones attacked 8 regions of Russia and the temporarily occupied Crimea at night. The air defense allegedly intercepted and destroyed 45 Ukrainian UAVs. In particular, 14 drones were allegedly shot down over the Bryansk region, 8 over the Krasnodar region, 5 over the Volgograd region, 4 over Chechnya, 2 over the Rostov region, 1 over the Oryol, Lipetsk and Tver regions, as well as 3 over the Black Sea and 6 over Crimea.
7.25 Over the past 24 hours, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed 1,110 Russian occupiers, 14 artillery systems, and 58 units of automotive equipment and tanker trucks. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 02.12.25 were approximately 1,175,030 people.
04.31 The Russian military leadership continues to make numerous statements about the alleged successes of its army. In particular, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov reported in new reports that Russian troops have "encircled" Stepnohirsk in Zaporizhia region, are "advancing" in Dnipropetrovsk region and have taken control of about 30% of buildings in Kostyantynivka. In addition, there were allegations that units of the Zapad group entered Lyman in Donetsk region.
The Central Military District noted that such statements are mainly aimed at influencing the Western audience and strengthening Russia's political positions in diplomatic negotiations. Currently, a significant part of Vovchansk is controlled by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. In addition, Russian statements about the alleged capture of Kupyansk do not correspond to reality.
03.26 Ukrainian military announced a significant improvement in the tactical situation in Kupyansk. Over the past ten days, they have managed to significantly clear a significant part of the city, stopping the enemy's attempts to isolate the local garrison and hinder the advance of enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups. The main hot spot is currently concentrated in the north of the city, it is in this area that the escalation of hostilities began. In parallel, the clearing of the central part and a decisive operation in the southwestern sector, where significant enemy units were previously located, are continuing.
01.59 The Italian government has issued a decree on a new, twelfth package of military aid to Ukraine. The decree concerns the transfer to Ukraine of military vehicles, materials and equipment, the list of which is specified in a secret document of the General Staff.
01.27 Russian ruler Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a so-called "security zone" along the border with Ukraine. He announced this during a meeting with the military leadership. Russian media interpret this statement as the Kremlin's intention to take control of the border areas of the Kharkiv, Sumy and Chernihiv regions of Ukraine.
00.28 Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian troops allegedly took control of the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region and Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region. However, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported in the evening briefing that fighting is still ongoing in the Pokrovsk direction.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] NATO believes that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have almost completely lost control of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region.
Russia has repeatedly stated that it has surrounded the large cities of Pokrovsk and Mirnograd in the Donetsk region. For example, on the evening of December 1, the Kremlin allegedly reported the capture of Pokrovsk. Kyiv denies these claims and says that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are taking countermeasures to ensure that these settlements remain under the control of the Ukrainian army. BATTLE FOR POKROVSK AND MIRNOGRAD
The Ukrainian Armed Forces command says that to capture this agglomeration, Russia has concentrated about 150,000 troops on a small stretch of the front (about 40-50 km). This is almost the same number as Moscow attracted in February 2022 for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian military and political leadership denies the very fact of the encirclement of Pokrovsk and Myrnograd. Moreover, back in October, the Ukrainian army began to take active actions to keep the agglomeration under control. First of all, it is about transferring additional means and forces to this direction.
The measures taken by the Ukrainian army significantly slowed the advance of the Russian military, and by early December, Russian forces had not achieved their stated goal of capturing both cities.
In addition to containing the Russians directly within the city, the Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to somewhat slow down their advance on the flanks, and to provide the main positions between Pokrovsk and Myrnograd with supplies, in particular using air and ground robotic complexes.
As of early December, most military analysts say the Russian Federation has “firm control” over about half of Pokrovsk — the part of the city south of the railway. The railway embankment, which divides the city in half from west to east, is the conditional line of demarcation.
Declaring the "capture" of Pokrovsk on December 1, the Russian Ministry of Defense showed footage of Russian soldiers calmly marching and unfurling the Russian flag on Independence Square (Shybankov Square until 2024) near the Taras Shevchenko monument. But this area is significantly south of the railway, and this video only shows that the Russian military controls the southern part of the city.
The northern part of Pokrovsk, according to experts, has turned into a solid "gray zone" in which any movement is recorded, and fighters of both armies are primary targets for enemy drones.
IT'S MORE DIFFICULT IN MYRNOGRAD
The situation in Myrnograd is more complicated than in Pokrovsk, according to observers. Here, Russian troops decided not to engage in urban fighting, but to cut off the Ukrainian group of paratroopers and marines, taking them into a cauldron - that is, into complete encirclement.
The Ukrainian command assures that there is no encirclement and, despite the difficulties, the rotation and logistics of Ukrainian forces in Myrnograd are still being ensured.
DeepState notes that the situation in Pokrovsk and Myrnograd continues to remain critical for the Ukrainian army.
According to NATO's assessment, Ukrainian defenders in Myrnograd are "virtually surrounded" and dependent on drone supplies.
The Alliance has a separate group of officials assessing the situation on the battlefield in the Russian-Ukrainian war, based on both non-public data provided by Ukrainian partners and intelligence from allies. According to the Alliance's assessment, it can now be said that "Myrnograd is almost completely surrounded."
"There is a narrow corridor through which the Ukrainians can withdraw certain forces, but it is a really narrow corridor, and even it is under fire control. That is, in general, it is an encirclement, although it is not yet a complete encirclement," said a NATO representative.
The Alliance also notes that the Ukrainians in the city have not laid down their weapons and continue to repel attacks, although they are experiencing a problem of lack of supplies.
"Currently, Ukrainian forces are still conducting defensive actions inside the city, but since supply routes are almost completely cut off, the Ukrainian military is dependent on drone deliveries, which is becoming increasingly difficult," the source said.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[NewsFront] 21:43 According to operational data, units of the Russian Armed Forces dissected "cauldron" in Dimitrov (Mirnograd) into two parts, moving along the railway tracks. 21:18 Russian Ministry of Defense posteda selection of footage of Russian drone operators working in various areas of the air defense system.
20:42 In the period from 17:00 to 20:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed six Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the aircraft type over the territory of the Republic of Crimea.
20:35 "Rubicon" destroys the manpower and transport of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, video.
20:25 Zaporizhzhia direction
The West Zaporizhzhya section began to move under the cover of dense fog.
Taking advantage of weather conditions and the enemy's inability to use UAVs, paratroopers of the 7th Guards Airborne Division (g) broke through the enemy's defenses and advanced north and east of Stepnogorsk and in the center of Primorsky, breaking through to the northern part.
North of Stepnogorsk, the Russian Armed Forces completed the encirclement of the city's garrison in its central part and began its liquidation.
Along the road to Zaporizhzhia, the enemy has been driven out of a number of strongholds, and our assault units have advanced east of the northern part of Primorskoye in the direction of Veselyanka.
East of Stepnogorsk, our units made a breakthrough and reached the near approaches to Lukyanovskoye.
In the East Zaporizhzhia sector, the Russian Armed Forces have completed the clearing of Dobropolye and are continuing their advance towards Varvarovka.
19:46 The Pantsir-S air defense missile and gun system crew works around the clock of controls in airspace in the area of responsibility of the North group of forces.
18:53 Scouts of the Guards Artillery Regiment of the Tula Guards Airborne Forces Unit of the North Forces Group revealed a Ukrainian Armed Forces stronghold where constant enemy personnel movement was observed. After establishing the precise target coordinates, they were handed over to a D-30 122mm howitzer crew for fire engagement.
16:03 Artillerymen of the 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Army Corps of the "Southern" group of forces destroyed a 120mm mortar of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
15:55 In the area of the village of Varvarovka in the Khar'kov region, a Severian unit burned a Ukrainian pickup truck with infantry,video.
15:20 At 14:05 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty destroyed one Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle of the airplane type over the territory of the Bryansk region.
14:15 Naval infantry of the Sever group destroy the infantry of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Sumy region,video.
12:42 Ministry of Defense summary of the progress of the Special Military Operation as of December 2, 2025:
Units of the North military group have liberated the city of Volchansk in the Khar'kov region.
Units of the motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were defeated near the village of Vilcha in the Khar'kov region.
In the Sumy direction, formations of three mechanized brigades, an airborne assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a territorial defense brigade were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Alekseevka, Andreevka, Varachino, Kondratovka, Konotop, Ryzhevka, Sadki and Khomino in the Sumy region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 205 servicemen, 18 vehicles and two artillery pieces.
Units of the "West" force grouping have improved their tactical position. They have inflicted losses on the personnel and equipment of two mechanized brigades, two assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a territorial defense brigade, and a National Guard brigade near the settlements of Boguslavka, Kurilovka, Kucherovka, and Novoplatonovka in Khar'kov Oblast, and Drobyshevo and Yarovaya in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost up to 235 troops, three armored combat vehicles, including two US-made HMMWVs, 13 vehicles, and a Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 multiple launch rocket system. Thirteen electronic warfare stations and four ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces have improved their position along the forward edge. Formations of three mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade, a mountain assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a naval infantry brigade have been defeated near the settlements of Zakotne, Konstantinovka, Kramatorsk, Reznikovka, Seversk, Slavyansk, and Chervone in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 120 service members and four armored combat vehicles, including a British-made Mastiff armored vehicle. Eight vehicles, an electronic warfare station, and seven ammunition and supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the Center group of forces completed the liberation of the city of Krasnoarmeysk in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The manpower and equipment of five mechanized, infantry, airborne, and airborne assault brigades, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a naval infantry brigade, a territorial defense brigade, and two National Guard brigades were damaged in the areas of the settlements of Artemovka, Belitskoye, Belozerskoye, Grishino, Dimitrov, Rivne, Rodynskoye, Svetloye, Shevchenko of the Donetsk People's Republic and Novopavlovka of the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 495 servicemen, a Swedish-made Viking armored personnel carrier, and two vehicles.
Units of the "East" military group actively liberated the settlements of Zeleny Hai and Dobropillya in the Zaporizhzhia region.
They defeated the formations of two territorial defense brigades and three assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Gulyaipole and Zaliznychnoye in the Zaporizhzhia region.
The enemy lost over 265 servicemen, 10 vehicles, a US-made 155mm M777 howitzer and a supply depot.
Units of the Dnepr group of forces inflicted losses on the manpower and equipment of a mechanized, mountain assault brigade, and two coastal defense brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Magdalynivka, Novoboikovske in the Zaporizhzhia region, and Nikolske in the Kherson region.
Up to 80 Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen, 12 vehicles, six electronic warfare stations, four ammunition depots, supplies and fuel depots were destroyed.
11:56 A unit of unmanned aerial systems of the Sever group of forces, operating as part of the 106th Airborne Division, discovered a heavy hexacopter of the Ukrainian Armed Forces of the Baba Yaga (Vampire) type in the area of the settlement of Sadki in the Sumy region.video.
As a result of the work of the FPV drone crew "Prince Vandal Novgorodsky", the enemy's heavy drone was destroyed.
11:24 Servicemen of the 128th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 44th Army Corps of the North Group of Forces evacuated civilians from Vovchansk in the Kha'rkov region.
10:20 The number of civilians injured by the Ukrainian Armed Forces has risen again this week exceeded 100 people. From November 24 to 30, 102 civilians were injured by shelling by Ukrainian forces: 94 people were wounded, including seven minors, and eight were killed. In total, Ukrainian armed forces fired at least 3,091 munitions at civilian targets on Russian territory over the past seven days.
9:27 Ukrainian Armed Forces continue attacks on civilian infrastructure in the left bank of the Kherson region
Yesterday afternoon, the Ukrainian Armed Forces fired 17 shells from barrel artillery at populated areas of the Kherson region of the Russian Federation:
Throughout the night, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continued their artillery bombardment of the Kherson region, firing a total of 20 shells from cannon artillery. The following villages were shelled: Sagi, Peschanivka, Korsunka, and Novaya Zburyivka.
9:01 A crew of the 122mm BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system from an artillery unit of the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army of the Center group of forces destroyed stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
8:32 During the past night, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 45 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
14 – over the territory of the Bryansk region,
Eight – over the territory of the Krasnodar region,
Six – over the territory of the Republic of Crimea,
Five – over the territory of the Volgograd region,
Four – over the territory of the Chechen Republic,
Three – over the Black Sea,
Two – over the territory of the Rostov region,
One – over the territory of the Oryol region,
One – over the territory of the Lipetsk region,
One – over the territory of the Tver region.
8:12 Oryol Oblastwas subjected to a drone attack resulted in a fire at fuel and energy facilities in the Livny District, according to Regional Governor Andrei Klychkov.
8:01 Crews of the 220mm BM-27 Uragan MLRS of the Vostok group of forces distributed propaganda leaflets over the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces garrison in Hulyaipole.
The work is being carried out against a backdrop of deteriorating conditions for Ukrainian units, who are under threat of encirclement. The leaflets emphasize the lack of prospects for further resistance.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[REGNUM] Russian troops have liberated Krasnoarmeysk in the DPR and Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region. Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported this to Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin.
At a meeting held on November 30 at a command post of the Joint Group of Forces, the head of state and military leadership also stated that the Russian Armed Forces are confidently maintaining the initiative and continuing to fulfill their missions, advancing on virtually all fronts. This news marks the 1,376th day of the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine.
SITUATION AT THE FRONT, SVO
Vladimir Putin emphasized that the Kiev regime abandoned its soldiers to the slaughter near Krasnoarmeysk.
"Without regard for losses at all and, in my opinion, understanding that this was no longer possible, he still threw more and more units into the slaughter, practically, without exaggeration. Considering that, aside from the nationalist and neo-Nazi battalions, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are essentially a workers' and peasants' army, they don't feel sorry for the common soldier," the president noted.
In turn, Valeriy Solodchuk, commander of the Center group, confirmed that the forest belts near Krasnoarmeysk are strewn with the corpses of Ukrainian soldiers. He called this attitude of the Ukrainian Armed Forces command toward service members the extermination of their own people. Solodchuk also told the president that Ukrainian Armed Forces service members are forbidden from surrendering under threat of execution.
"According to Ukrainian soldiers who have laid down their arms, they are forbidden from surrendering under threat of execution and reprisals against their families and loved ones," Solodchuk explained. He added that there are multiple known cases of Ukrainian FPV drones killing Ukrainian soldiers approaching Russian positions with their hands raised.
"This is a tragedy. A tragedy for the Ukrainian people, linked to the criminal policies of this thieving junta that seized power in Kyiv," Vladimir Putin declared.
Citing the successes of the assault units of the Vostok group operating in the Zaporizhzhia direction, Vladimir Putin asked that words of gratitude be conveyed to all personnel of the groups and the command staff for their difficult, but very important work for our country.
"Commanders of troop groups must continue to carry out their tasks in strict accordance with the plans of the Central Military District," the president emphasized.
by Sergey Adamov
On December 2, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the liberation of two cities that had been fought over for months: Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk in Ukrainian terminology) in the DPR and Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region. These are the second and third major settlements lost by the enemy in the past few days. As a reminder, the fighting for Kupyansk ended in the penultimate week of November.
Chief of the General Staff, Army General Valery Gerasimov, and Commander of the Center Group of Forces, Colonel General Valery Solodchuk, reported to Vladimir Putin about the fundamental change in the situation in Krasnoarmeysk and Volchansk.
This occurred during the president's visit to one of the command posts of the Joint Group of Forces. Solodchuk, in particular, informed the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the significant losses suffered by the Ukrainian Armed Forces during the battle for Krasnoarmeysk. The forest belts near the city are strewn with the corpses of Ukrainian soldiers, the colonel general emphasized. This is the result of the enemy's attempts to relieve the remnants of the group trapped in the "cauldron."
After establishing control of Krasnoarmeysk, fighters from the Center group unfurled the Russian national flag on Shibankov Square, which became a symbolic point in the battle for the city.
The situation in Krasnoarmeysk's satellite town of Dimitrov (Ukrainian name Myrnohrad) is approaching critical for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Opportunities for an organized withdrawal have been significantly reduced.
The day before, Russian troops had consolidated their positions in the southeastern part of Dimitrov up to Sretenskaya Street and advanced into the northern districts, attacking from the direction of Novoekonomichesky.
Our soldiers reached a road junction south of the town of Rodinskoye, which was critical for enemy supply, and established new defensive positions in the area.
In Dimitrov itself, Russian troops occupied parts of the city's south, west, and east, advancing toward the center from several directions at once.
The current frontline configuration has resulted in the operational encirclement of Ukrainian forces in the northern districts of Dimitrov. The exact number of those "stewed in the cauldron" is unknown. According to reports from the field, the forces that had previously fought in Krasnoarmeysk have withdrawn here.
These are battle-battered units forced to fight amid shortages of water, food, and ammunition. The enemy is attempting to resupply the encircled forces using drones, but most of them fail to reach their targets.
A potential retreat from the city is only possible through Russian positions near the town of Krasny Liman. However, in their current state, enemy forces are unlikely to break through.
KRASNOARMEYSK: THE ROUTE TO THE NORTH OPENS
The liberation of Krasnoarmeysk and the expected completion of the operation in Dimitrov pose serious risks for the Ukrainian Armed Forces group in northwestern Donbas.
With the loss of these positions, Ukrainian troops are left with only one fortified area: the powerful Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration, which also includes the cities of Druzhkovka and Konstantinovka.
The enemy will have a hard time holding on to this area, despite the dense residential and industrial development, military expert Alexander Romanenko noted in a commentary to Regnum News Agency.
"They should probably be used to the idea that we don't assault fortified positions head-on, but instead outflank them and cut off supply routes. This takes longer, but is more effective. Therefore, if they're counting on tying down our troops in urban combat, they'll soon be disillusioned with their strategy," our source noted.
The expert noted that Russian troops are already looming over the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration from the east, from the area of Chasov Yar and Artemovsk, and are also advancing from the Seversk area.
From the northeast, Russian troops are advancing from the Serebryanskoye forestry in the direction of Yampol and further on to Krasny Liman.
From the south, assault units of the Russian Armed Forces are developing an offensive on Konstantinovka from the Dzerzhinsk (Toretsk) region, and from the east - from the Krasnoarmeysk region.
With the fighting in Dimitrov over, Russian forces may launch an offensive northward toward Dobropillya. This offers the opportunity to sever communications between the Ukrainian Armed Forces group in Slovyansk and enemy forces in the Kharkiv region.
The liberation of Kupyansk, in turn, opened the way for an offensive on the city of Izyum, the rear of the entire Donbass enemy group.
Thus, the entire Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration could end up in one big “cauldron”, surrounded from the north, south, east and west.
VOVCHANSK: THE UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES NO LONGER HAVE A CENTER FOR DEFENSE.
Russian troops also completed their assault on the city of Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region, where fighting had been ongoing for the past few months.
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov conveyed congratulations to the service members who participated in the operation and expressed gratitude to the personnel and command.
Before the start of the Northern Military District, Volchansk's population was 17,000. In 2023–2024, the city was transformed into a powerful fortified area with an extensive underground communications system and a defensive line built along the Volchya River. To organize the defense, fortifications were built in the city's industrial zone and residential areas.
According to reports from the field, the Ukrainian Armed Forces command has deployed more than 20 brigades and regiments from various branches of the armed forces, including special forces, assault troops, marines, mechanized and motorized infantry units, national guardsmen, and territorial defense forces.
In total, the enemy had a force of 33 battalions here, reinforced by more than 90-100 tanks and 300-350 armored vehicles, 37 multiple launch rocket systems, and approximately 220 artillery pieces and mortars. During the fighting, 50,000 people passed through the city.
During the defensive battles, the enemy lost thousands of people killed and wounded.
In an operational sense, the completion of the capture of Vovchansk makes it possible to begin an offensive deep into the territory of the Kharkiv region in the direction of Stary Saltov and Bely Kolodez.
This will eventually expand the buffer zone along the Russian border. "Volchansk was like the key to the border area; there are no other major cities there," noted military expert Alexander Romanenko.
At the same time, in his opinion, one shouldn't expect the entire Ukrainian Armed Forces defense in the border zone to collapse now . "But it's undeniable that it will become much more difficult for them now. There's no longer a central point around which to build a defense," the expert added.
Russian troops may also launch an offensive to the north, expanding the buffer zone not only in depth but also in width.
Ukrainian sources traditionally "ignore" our successes. However, analysts note that in November, Russian troops liberated a total of 56.5 square kilometers of territory, twice as much as in September. If the current pace is maintained, they will be able to continue their offensive on the enemy's last stronghold in Donbas.
Text/data taken from the Telegram channel of poisk_mil
[CllonelCassad] The structure of the corps system of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The transition to it was completed in October 2025.
The new system includes 18 corps, of which 13 are in the Ground Forces, two are in the Air Assault Forces, one is in the Marine Corps, and two are in the NGU.
Full list of corps and year of creation:
• 1st Corps of the NGU, 2025 ;
• 2nd Corps of the NGU, 2025;
• 3rd Army Corps, 2025;
• 7th Corps of the Air Assault Forces, 2024;
• 8th Corps of the Air Assault Forces, 2025;
• 9th Army Corps, 2023;
• 10th Army Corps, 2022;
• 11th Army Corps, 2023;
• 12th Army Corps, 2023;
• 14th Army Corps, 2023;
• 15th Army Corps, 2023;
• 16th Army Corps, 2025;
• 17th Army Corps, 2023;
• 18th Army Corps, 2022;
• 19th Army Corps, 2023;
• 20th Army Corps, 2023;
• 21st Army Corps, 2023;
• 30th Naval Infantry Corps, 2023.
The 21st, 23rd, and 37th Separate Motorized Infantry Battalions are now the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Motorized Infantry Battalions of the 56th Motorized Infantry Brigade (A0989) of the 11th Army Corps.
The 4th International Legion (formerly the 4th Training Battalion of the International Legion of Defense of Ukraine) has been reorganized into the 154th Separate International Training Center (A4071) of the Ground Forces.
[Breitbart] In the most recent incident, operations at Vilnius airport were suspended for 11 hours on Saturday night. Lithuanian authorities said at least 60 balloons were flown from the woods in Belarus, 40 of them reaching areas critical for aviation safety and making it one of the most serious incidents to date. Lithuanian aviation authorities said the balloons appeared to be sent at regular time intervals and directed at the runways.
[NavalNews] Satellite images observed by Naval News show the Russian Navy special purpose submarine RFS Khabarovsk in the water, moored at a quay at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk. While the ceremonial launch took place on November 1st, the submarine actually entered the water around November 30, 2025.
Previously, the submarine was observed located at the slipway outside factory hall number 1 where it was rolled out on November 1st, following a construction period that lasted a decade. The rolling out ceremony was attended by several high ranking profiles including the Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov; the Commander of the Russian Navy Admiraal Alexander Moiseyev, the Director-General of the United Shipbuilding Cooperation Andrey Puchkov and the director of the Sevmash shipyard Mikhail Budnichenko.
The submarine is classified as a special purpose submarine designed and build to launch the nuclear powered ‘Poseidon’ torpedo’s and is currently only one of two submarines capable of launching such torpedo’s with the other submarine being the special purpose submarine RFS Belgorod. Russia previously announced that it has tested these torpedo’s near the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago, reporting that these torpedo’s functioned as intended.
During the roll-out, the propulsion unit of the submarine was covered in sails to prevent direct observation and ensure secrecy. Though the submarine was rolled out of the construction hall on November 1st, the submarine spend several weeks outside on the slipway before finally being placed in the water. During this time, construction was still ongoing with satellite images showing a shed placed on top of the aft hatch, directly aft the sail, and sails covering the bow to prevent observation of the outer torpedo doors.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
