Corner: Current situation is ‘active defense’, Ukrainian commander says aims to wear down Russia | Reuters

January 15: Although Ukrainian Ground Forces are primarily focused on defending the 1,000-kilometer Eastern Front, they should not be neglected as an offensive force. In this photo, Army Commander Sirsky responds to an interview in Kharkiv Oblast on the 12th (2024 Reuters/Valentyn Ogirenko)

KHARKIV OBLAST, UKRAINE (Reuters) – Ukraine’s ground forces are mainly focused on defending the 1,000-kilometre eastern front, but should not be overlooked as an offensive force.

In an interview with Reuters last weekend, Ukrainian army commander Shirsky (58) made it clear that the war situation has changed and that the Ukrainian side’s hopes of making a big breakthrough have diminished. He is the number two commander of the Ukrainian army. His demeanor is calm and collected and his message is unmistakable.

Initially, there were high expectations for a summer offensive by Ukraine, but Russia’s defensive position remained largely intact. Initially the Ukrainians advanced only a few kilometers in some areas before the Russian forces pushed back in others.

“Our goal remains the same: to hold our position and inflict maximum damage and attrition on our enemy,” Silsky said.

Mr. Silsky, dressed in a combat uniform, speaks attentively at an undisclosed location in the eastern Kharkov region. As the invasion enters its second year, Russia says it wants to seize the initiative.

Shirsky said Russia was applying pressure on multiple fronts along the Eastern Front, aiming to take full control of the Donbas industrial region despite significant losses in personnel and supplies.

Russia also says it wants to regain lost positions in the southern regions of Kherson and Zaporozhye.

The Ukrainian army is conducting “active defense” (Shirskiy), launching small-scale counterattacks. It is a tactic to keep the enemy on their toes while looking for an opportunity to attack to regain the initiative.

Both sides are keeping commitments small to save ammunition and personnel, Silsky added. In other words, the Russian side seems to have learned to adapt to the situation and limit its losses.

“Battalion-level offensives are very rare,” said Silsky, who said the growing use of drones has forced a change in tactics.

Ukraine has asked its Western allies for additional supplies, saying it does not have enough ammunition to sustain the desired level of attacks.

Since 2014, Shirsky has commanded troops fighting Russian forces, earning him the nickname “Snow Leopard.” The team fought in eastern Ukraine using snow leopard “hunting tactics,” Silsky said. “This animal is very alert, cunning and courageous.”

Shirsky made his mark in September 2022 when he led a lightning counteroffensive to recapture much of the Kharkiv region, forcing the Russian army to retreat.

The operation took advantage of Ukraine’s strengths, particularly its agile forces that were able to outflank fortified positions and penetrate deep into enemy lines.

But Schilski’s record as a commander isn’t perfect. In early 2023, he led the defense of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in what was the deadliest battle of the war, with thousands of soldiers on both sides believed killed.

Bakhmut fell into ruin and was eventually taken by Russia. Some military analysts wondered whether these cities with so many casualties were worth fighting for. Shirsky argues that by disabling the private military company Wagner, Ukraine hindered Russian combat operations in the area.

Schilsky said Russia still sees him as a threat, pointing to multiple assassination attempts as evidence of that. “We are used to missile attacks,” he said.

Silsky agrees with General Zarzhny that technology will play a key role if Ukraine is to win the war. This is because there were no significant advances in artillery or trench warfare.

Schilsky explained that electronic warfare has intensified over the past year. The proliferation of drones and other guided weapons has increased the possibility of disturbances (interference with radar waves, etc.).

To gain the upper hand, the Ukrainian military will need more advanced kit that operates on multiple frequencies simultaneously.

But there is still the possibility of moving forward by creating an “artificial advantage” (Shirskiy said), as Ukraine did in the fall of 2022.

“No matter what happens, there will be areas that are well defended and areas that are not,” Silsky said. The key is to concentrate forces at the most vulnerable points at the most opportune times, a principle that “has not lost its relevance,” she said.

*For related information, please see the “Related Content” menu on the right side of the screen.

Our Code of Conduct: Thomson Reuters “Principles of Trust”, opens in a new tab

2024-01-17 05:00:29
#Corner #Current #situation #active #defense #Ukrainian #commander #aims #wear #Russia #Reuters