larry johnson has some info and thoughts on current events in the ukraine war;

Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) has conducted two high-risk air assault operations using US-supplied UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters in the Pokrovsk sector of Donetsk Oblast amid intense Russian advances. Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub, has been under siege for over a year, with Russian forces controlling ~80% of the city by late October 2025 and have now encircled the Ukrainian forces that remain in the area. The missions, overseen by GUR chief Kyrylo Budanov, tried, and failed, to insert elite special forces into contested or Russian-claimed areas. The key question is why?

Ukrainian sources claim the feckless operation was to disrupt enemy positions, clear strongpoints, and restore supply lines, but this is nonsensical. The first mission, which was launched the night of 28 October, dropped 11 GUR commandos in an open field northwest of Pokrovsk’s industrial zone. Video showed troops disembarking and fanning out rapidly. Insertion was at night/low visibility to minimize detection, but Russian reconnaissance drones spotted the low-flying helicopter and destroyed the 11 commandos.

The subsequent mission, which was launched on the night of 30 October using two Blackhawk helicopters, inserted two groups (total ~20–24 troops) in the same general area and they suffered the same fate as the first group...........more..........