How can you know for sure that the much hyped Ukrainian counteroffensive has flopped entirely? Because they are already talking about the next one.
Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba:
“Ukraine can get the promised American Abrams tanks for the next counter-offensive, the current offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is not the last and decisive one.”
The US and other Western Nations invested hundreds of billions into arming and training Kiev’s forces for a decisive offensive, that was to render spectacular results coinciding with the NATO meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11th and 12th.
Almost 20 days into the operation, top officials have begun the work of saying that it’s not such a big deal.
Ukrainians have defended themselves valiantly, but offensive are another matter entirely. Attackers are expected to lose three men to every defender – but in this case, Ukrainian losses are around the ‘ten to one’ level.
And in all the hundreds of different offensive actions, in many parts of the front, they have not once reached the first line of defense, and have been repelled always from the screening lines of defense.
The battles occur in variations of the same theme: most attacks a repelled right away, but when overwhelmed, defenders would retreat a few hundred meters, leaving attackers in a fire bag under heavy artillery and air fire, then attackers have to flee in disarray, and Russian defenders retake the positions.
Why? To begin with, see above the Russian fortifications that can be seen from space. That’s serious preparations that are also reflected in tactical preparedness.
Add their absolute unchallenged air force dominance, overwhelming artillery superiority, and – as of now – much superior troop morale.
Apparently, Ukrainian forces and mercenaries were trained believing that Russian forces would cower, fold and retreat in confusion – which could not be further away from the truth.
As the first days of Ukrainian attacks devolved into a complete shitshow for them, the media immediately started the ‘repurposing’ of the offensive: revealing the ‘real objective’. Look at this priceless cover from The Atlantic, above.
Before, the objective of the offensive was to decisively conquer Melitopol and Mariupol, destroy the land bridge to Crimea. But now, it’s about something else: ‘to show the Russians that the war is not worth fighting’ – whatever the hell that means.
Now, the cat is completely out of the bag, and even MSM outlets like CNN have to admit the obvious failure of the offensive.
“In its early phases, Ukraine’s counteroffensive is having less success and Russian forces are showing more competence than western assessments expected, two western officials and a senior US military official tell CNN.
The counteroffensive is ‘not meeting expectations on any front’, one of the officials said.
According to the Western assessments, Russian lines of defense have been proving well-fortified, making it difficult for Ukrainian forces to breach them. In addition, Russian forces have had success bogging down Ukrainian armor with missile attacks and mines and have been deploying air power more effectively.
Ukrainian forces are proving ‘vulnerable’ to minefields and Russian forces ‘competent’ in their defense, one of the Western officials said.”
Of course, the CNN sources immediately try to cope and say that the operation is ‘still in its early stages’, and that a full evaluation will only be made by mid-July.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Zelenzky also addressed the inevitable subject of the offensive flop. BBC reported:
“President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged battlefield progress has been ‘slower than desired’, weeks into Ukraine’s military offensive to recapture areas occupied by Russia.
‘Some people believe this is a Hollywood movie and expect results now. It’s not’, he told the BBC.
‘What’s at stake is people’s lives. Whatever some might want, including attempts to pressure us, with all due respect, we will advance on the battlefield the way we deem best’.”
This story originally appeared on TheGateWayPundit
