So far, Ukrainian troops have put up a tough fight with the advancing Russian army, but Russian troops are making slow progress in some areas.
The battle for Donbass was the main battle of Russia’s aggression on Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian troops would resume larger operations in the Donbas this week. According to him, the invaders could use more rockets and more air bombs against us.
Military experts believe that the best Ukrainian army units are in the east, in positions prepared to repel the Russian offensive.
Geography for us
The terrain in eastern Ukraine poses a major problem for the advancement of Russian forces.
The main stage of the war could be the battle for Slavyansk.
If Russian forces advancing from Izyum could occupy the city, they would be able to move east towards Rubizhne to surround the relatively small group of Ukrainian troops, or move further south to surround the larger Ukrainian contingent.
If Mariupol falls, Russia will be able to release additional forces to push north into the area west of Donetsk.
Russia, most likely, will actively use artillery, try to destroy the well-fortified defense positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the air, and then launch an attack on the ground.
Attacking Ukrainian troops with head-on infantry, without prior artillery, is fraught with huge losses for the Russian army and significantly increases the risk of defeat.
Layered defense
Retired Brigadier General Ben Barry of the International Institute for Strategic Studies argues that Ukrainian forces have had years to prepare their defenses and that it would be very difficult for Russian forces to push them out of defensive positions.
“The Ukrainian side will not only have World War I style trenches, they will also have fortified main towns and villages that they will defend,” he said.
According to him, Ukrainian armored vehicles and artillery are being placed in the previously prepared earthen shelter.
Many Ukrainian troops in the east have extensive fighting experience, suppressing pro-Russian separatists since fighting began in 2014.
Their number could also increase if the Ukrainian military command re-enacts units no longer needed to defend Kyiv after the departure of Russian troops from the north of the country.
If Russian artillery succeeds in destroying the main fortifications of the UAF, Russia is likely to send motorized infantry forward, supported by tanks, to quickly pass through the area under fire from Ukrainian forces.
Fighter-bombers and attack helicopters will be used to support the offensive from the air.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba believes that the fighting in the east will be similar to the operations of World War II.
Russia’s problems
Logistics was one of the main problems of the Russians in this war.
“Combat training, motivation and leadership will also be key. Russian troops are not performing well in Kyiv, and we don’t know if they have learned their lessons,” Brigadier General Barry said.
According to some reports, to date Russia has lost more than three times more military equipment than Ukraine.
It’s not yet clear how this could affect operations in the east, but replacing missing equipment could cause serious problems.
Source: korrespondent
