Why Ukraine’s counteroffensive isn’t moving as quickly as Zelensky and his Western allies hoped

During the winter, the United States and its NATO allies armed Ukraine with heavy and modern war material with a single objective: to launch a rapid and withering counter-offensive in the summer that will drive the Russian troops out of the conquered Ukrainian territory. even the president Volodymyr Zelensky even said that this counteroffensive would not stop until the recovery of crimeathe Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia in 2014. But a month after the counterattack was launched, things are not going as planned.

On Monday, Admiral Rob BauerChairman of the Military Committee of the NATOsaid it is “not a surprise” that Ukraine move slowly.

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“The counteroffensive it’s hard. People should never think it’s an easy ride.”he stated.

“There are a considerable number of Russians in Ukraine. There are considerable defensive obstacles.”he added.

Members of the 59th Ukrainian Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade named after Yakiv Handziuk during repair work on a tank near a front line in the direction of Donetsk, on July 2, 2023. (EFE/EPA/NIKOLETTA STOYANOVA). (NIKOLETTA STOYANOVA/)

Before, Ukraine had admitted that his advance in the south of the country was hard in the face of the fortified positions of the Russiansbut claimed that his forces were reconquering territory anyway.

Ukraine He summarized on Monday that he had recovered 37 km2 in the east and south of the country in a week that he described as “difficult”.

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“Last week was difficult at the front, but we made progress. We progress little by littlesaid the president Zelensky on Telegram.

The great counteroffensive started in early June. Its objective is to retake the territories occupied by Russia since it invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

In Russia there is optimism about what happens on the battlefield. Defense Minister, Sergey Shoigusaid this week that, despite the “attempts to destabilize” the country (referring to the Wagner Group rebellion), the army continued to inflict damage on the enemy, which “It significantly reduces his offensive potential.”

Shoigu claimed that Russian forces destroyed 16 Leopard tankswhich means “almost 100% of the tanks supplied by Poland and Portugal”, in addition to 920 armored vehicles and other types of Western weapons, such as missile systems HIMARS and the Storm Shadow delivered by the UK.

The Russian military claims that several tanks and armored personnel carriers supplied by the West to Ukraine have been destroyed in heavy fighting.

“This demonstrates the expectations clearly inflated by the vaunted Western weapons”sentenced Shoigu.

But what is really going on with the counteroffensive?

The situation of the war in Ukraine as of July 5, 2023. (AFP).

the powerful fortified defenses which were built by the Russians in the winter, the air raids and especially the vast minefields are making a big impact on the counteroffensive Ukrainian and make it a slow operation.

The minefields in the south of Ukraine They are so dense that soldiers trying to retake territory can only advance “tree by tree,” a soldier participating in the reconquest told CNN. counteroffensive.

Three rows of “dragon’s teeth” and Russian trenches located east of Vasylivka, Zaporizhia, on March 4, 2023. (Satellite image ©2023 Maxar Technologies / CNN)

Contrary to what Admiral Rob Bauer stated on behalf of NATO, the Western allies of Ukraine they are concerned about the fact that the progress of the counteroffensive be so slow, according to CNN.

The concern arises because the slow pace of the counteroffensive It means that the millionaire Western support could become increasingly unsustainable if the conflict is prolonged, since several countries are already dealing with internal economic crises that must be addressed. Then your priorities would start to change.

Western officials told CNN that Russian defense lines have proven to be well fortified, making it difficult for Ukrainian forces to break through. In addition, Russian forces have managed to jam Ukrainian armor with minesattacks with missiles and they have been deploying their air power more effectively.

Ukrainian servicemen ride in a tank in the Donetsk region on June 28, 2023, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Genya SAVILOV / AFP). (GENYA SAVILOV/)

An analysis by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington-based think tank, concluded that some of the most strategic sections of the war front line are protected by multiple lines of defense, making it difficult for the Ukrainians to advance through them.

Ukrainian forces are proving “vulnerable” to minefields and Russian forces are “competent” in their defense, a Western official told CNN on condition of anonymity.

The one who did speak openly about what is happening is the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milleywho said that the rhythm is not surprising, because Ukrainian soldiers were fighting “for their lives”.

“We are giving them all the help humanly possible, but at the end of the day, Ukrainian soldiers are attacking through minefields and trenches.”explained last Friday.

“So yeah, sure, it’s a little slow, but that’s part of the nature of war.”Milley added.

“[La ofensiva] It advances steadily, cutting its way through very difficult minefields… you know, 500 meters a day, 1,000 meters a day, 2,000 meters a day, that kind of thing.” followed the general.

Another of the great problems of the counteroffensive of Ukraine the thing is troops have no air cover, since they have not received the requested F-16 combat aircraft. The situation is aggravated because they are under frequent Russian attacks from above.

“The Russians knew that this area is where the main attack will take place, so they prepared thoroughly. Here they have artillery and aviation, and both fighters and helicopters are working regularly,” a sergeant major of the Ukrainian 47th Brigade, which is involved in the fighting in the south, told CNN.

Zelensky criticized the West on Saturday for being slow to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets.

“There is no schedule for training missions. I think some partners are taking time. Why do they do it? Don’t know”said.

A Ukrainian gunner fires a 2A36 Giatsint-B gun at Russian positions near Avdiivka in the Donetsk region on June 23, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Genya SAVILOV / AFP). (GENYA SAVILOV/)

According to CNN, Ukraine has remarked that although the counteroffensive is underway, the main thrust of it is yet to come.

This was stated by the Deputy Defense Minister, Hanna Maliar, who said in June that Ukraine was holding back some of its reserves for the “main attack.”

Meanwhile, this Tuesday the head of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksi Danilov, said that the priority of his army at this moment is to cause “the maximum destruction” of troops, weapons, military material, supplies and logistical infrastructure of the Russian forces.

“In this phase of active hostilities, the Armed Forces of Ukraine is fulfilling its number one task: maximum destruction of human resources, equipment, fuel depots, military vehicles, command posts, artillery and air defense of the Russian army.”Danilov said on his Twitter account.

“Now the war of destruction is just as important as the war of kilometers”, said Danilov, who explained that the neutralization of Russian troops and military material will result in more possibilities for the Ukrainian forces to advance and regain territory.

Once this phase is over, some analysts explain, Ukraine it will mobilize its best units and put more heavy weapons on the battlefield to break the Russian defense lines.

The dead in the Ukrainian war. (AFP).

Source: Elcomercio