After months of grinding, attritional winter battles, with blood and treasure spilled copiously in the taking of tiny tracts of Donbas terrain, the war is stepping up a gear.
The misery of Ukraine’s war – bombed-out apartment blocks, ruined bridges, untended fields – has been relentless. But somehow, there is always another depth to plumb.
However, behind the dramatic headlines and simple, powerful images, a more complex – but far more significant – development in the war was taking place. The British defence ministry, in its daily dot-point summary on Thursday, made a similarly dry pronouncement: “Amidst a highly complex operational picture, heavy fighting continues along multiple sectors of the front. In most areas Ukraine holds the initiative.”, head of the mercenary Wagner Group, said on Telegram that the Ukrainian counteroffensive’s “first two-day wave” was now under way.
The scattered, scatter-gun nature of this offensive has been making it difficult for observers to document, or even detect. The Ukrainians will vary the size and intensity of the operations. In the north-east, they even seem to be using proxy forces to attack Russian territory. “Militaries have long identified the penetration phase of a mechanised offensive as the most dangerous and costly,” ISW said. “The success or failure of this phase may not be apparent for some time.”Sure enough: earlier this past week, Russia’s defence ministry reported a Ukrainian attack that had already fizzled.
Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said on Telegram that Ukrainian troops had pushed forward somewhere between 200 and 1100 metres – a vast distance in Bakhmut’s grinding, inch-by-inch terms.Maliar confirmed rumours that Wagner, which had led the Russian assault on the town over many months, had indeed withdrawn its forces to the rear lines, replaced by Russian airborne assault units.
As Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said this week, Russia’s “obvious” goal in allegedly blowing up the dam was “to create obstacles for the offensive actions of the armed forces”. Infantry could still cross, but without the support of armoured vehicles. At this stage, though, it’s mostly speculation. The offensive is concealed, piecemeal and protean. The only real certainty is that the two sides have begun to lock horns.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Europeans who see Russia as adversary or rival double in number since 2021Survey reveals shift in opinion since Ukraine war and big majority favour EU increasing its defence capabilities
Read more »
Russia floundering in ‘mud of lies’ over Kakhovka dam destruction, Ukraine tells UNUN security council meeting discusses disaster as US, UK and French representatives call for an investigation
Read more »
Chaos on frontlines as Ukraine war threatens to come home for RussiaAs ‘governor’ claims streets are calm in flooded Kherson, Russian town of Shebekino is emptying amid heavy shelling
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 470 of the invasionZelenskiy visits flood-affected region of Kherson after destruction of dam; at five people dead in occupied Kherson due to floods
Read more »
Kakhovka dam shows Russia can’t winDestroying a civilian dam is not a win-at-all-costs act of brutality. Instead, Putin has admitted he is now playing not to lose.
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 471 of the invasionZelenskiy visits flooded Kherson; analysts say intense fighting in Zaporizhzhia is start of counteroffensive
Read more »