The Ukrainian soldiers of the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade attempt to storm a Russian defensive position when suddenly it goes black.
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Ukrainian forces are waging an increasingly intense battle against Russian forces in eastern and southern Ukraine in an attempt to regain control of occupied land. Video material published by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense shows examples of the brutal warfare and highlights the need for Western military equipment. The Russian-controlled areas in southern Ukraine have been heavily fortified over the past 1.5 years, and the offensive has led to heavy losses of Ukrainian lives and equipment under a new, extensive counteroffensive. Many Russian soldiers have also been killed. The forces are fighting particularly intensely in two core areas in the south, with the aim of reaching the Sea of Azov to split the Russian-controlled areas in two, which will complicate Russian war logistics. Show more
After a very bloody and unsuccessful start to the counter-offensive, Ukrainian soldiers now see little hope on the battlefield.
But the price they pay in life and equipment is high.
A new clip, published by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, shows the brutal battle the Ukrainian soldiers are now facing.
As part of the counter-offensive, which has been ongoing since the beginning of June, the soldiers are trying to liberate occupied land from the Russians in eastern and southern Ukraine.
The clip (which you can watch above) shows four soldiers sitting inside the American Humvee, an armed vehicle given to the Ukrainian forces by the United States. Another soldier fires at the Russians from the hatch.
In the next moment, the vehicle is hit by what is supposed to be a Russian artillery shell.
Shows need and problem
By sharing such images, the Ministry of Defense easily conveys a message that is important to them: In all simplicity, it shows the world why Ukraine believes that it needs Western equipment.
Because despite being hit, all the soldiers in the armored vehicle must have survived, and according to the Ukrainians, the brigade must have succeeded in taking the Russian position.
«Thank you to the American people! Your Humvees save the lives of our soldiers.” they write in English on Twitter.
At the same time, the clip also shows something more:
It shows one of the Ukrainian forces’ biggest problem, through months of counter-offensives. Namely kilometer upon kilometer of a formidable Russian defense structure, with mined fields, trenches, tank ditches, further protected by Russian artillery and attack helicopters.
The seas: This is how Russia’s defense works are in Ukraine
EXHAUSTED: Ukrainian soldiers photographed at the front line in Donetsk last week. Photo: Libkos / AP / NTB
The areas in southern Ukraine, which Ukrainian forces are now trying to retake, have been under Russian control since the start of the full-scale war last winter.
This means that the Russians have had a year and a half to plan and build up a very strong defence. Europe has not seen an army attempt to break through such a heavily defended area since the Second World War.
That is what the Ukrainians are now trying to do.
Since the beginning of June, Ukraine has launched a comprehensive counter-offensive, in an attempt to take back as much of the occupied land as possible.
The expectations were very high in advance. Several Western politicians suggested that Ukraine would quickly break through the Russian defences. Nevertheless, progress has been much slower than many expected.
In the very first weeks of the offensive, many Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the face of a very resistant Russian defense. A significant part of the military equipment Ukraine’s allies have sent them was also destroyed.
According to the newspaper The New York Times the Ukrainians lost as much as 20 percent of their vehicles and weapons in the first two weeks of the offensive.
So how is it actually going now, two months later?
MANY INJURED: A Ukrainian soldier has to have both legs amputated after being injured on the front line in July Photo: Evgeniy Maloletka / AP / NTB
This is happening in the war now
In short, there are five different places along the front line that are central right now.
What military analysts describe as the two most important axes for Ukraine’s counter-attack are taking place in the south of the country.
Here, Ukraine is trying to reach the stated goal – the Sea of Azov. The aim is to cut the areas Russia controls in half, between eastern Ukraine and the Crimean peninsula. It will make the Russian supply lines vulnerable and the war logistics far more complicated for them.
See map of the front line here. The blue is Ukraine’s progress since June:
This is happening along the two important axes now:
In Donetsk county, the Ukrainians have in recent days recaptured the village of Urozhaine, and are continuing their push south towards the big city of Mariupol. The Russians seem to be trying to defend every single village along the road. In the Zaporizhzhya region, east of Donetsk, Ukrainian forces are in the process of gaining control of the town of Robotyne, which the Russians have spent a lot of resources on holding throughout the summer.
At the weekend, Ukrainian military authorities reported that they had “partial success” at the city. The goal for the Ukrainians along this axis is to reach the city of Tokmak, and then Melitopol, two cities that are important for the Russian war logistics. REBREAK: On Wednesday, the Ukrainian authorities declared that the village of Urozhaine has been liberated. Photo: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
At the same time that Ukraine’s main offensives are going in the direction of the Sea of Azov, their soldiers are also on the offensive in two other places:
In eastern Ukraine, throughout the summer the Ukrainian army has advanced ever further around the destroyed and contested city of Bakhmut, which Russia, with the help of the Wagner group, took control of in May after nine months of urban warfare. In the Kherson region, the last In recent weeks, there have been more and more reports that the Ukrainians have managed to cross the Dnipro River at two points, and are pushing Russian forces back here as well. METER BY METER: Throughout the summer, Ukrainian soldiers have had to fight hard for every single meter of land they have liberated. Photo: LIBKOS / AP / NTB
– The goal for Ukraine is to continue to spread the Russian forces thinly outwards, and make it difficult for them to deploy reserves, writes military analyst Mike Martin at King’s College in London on Twitter/X.
According to Martin, this strategy is working for Ukraine.
– The Russians seem to be running out of reserve forces, and must now move forces around between the various parts of the front line. It is VERY bad news for them, he writes further.
Does this mean that the Russian ability to resist Ukraine’s offensive is collapsing? It is too early to say.
In several areas, Russia has recently also tried to go on the offensive.
Particularly in the north-east of the country, near the city of Kupjansk in the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian forces are trying to resist a major Russian advance.
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Published: 18.08.23 at 01:35
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2023-08-17 23:36:16
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