Former CIA Director david petraeus It showed itself optimistic as to the chances of Ukraine at war and assured that Russia may falter under pressure.
“I am cautiously optimistic, with reservations,” he told the CNN. He specified that Ukraine can potentially “break the line in a couple of places”while adding that the fate of the contest will depend on the Russian reaction.
Also, in an article for The Washington Postwritten with military scholar Frederick Kagansaid that the Ukrainian counteroffensivewhich has been going on for ten weeks, may continue for four months, so he called for patience.
“Defenders can hold out for a long time and then suddenly break, allowing an attacker to quickly advance before the defense solidifies in the rear,” they stated.
“The Ukrainians intend to generate exactly this effect – and there are reasons to think that they can,” they added.
Petraeus highlighted the network of minefields, trenches and anti-tank “dragon’s teeth” that extends along the 600 kilometers of the front line and assured that even The United States would have a hard time countering it..
The former CIA director told the CNN that Ukraine “has adapted impressively” to the situation.
“He pressures his opponent until something snaps, at which point he will commit his reserves and attack,” Petraeus and Kagan pointed out in their article for The Washington Post.
According to the latest reports, Ukraine had to change its tactics at the beginning of the counter-offensive after losing several heavy armored vehicles. Now it is turned by artillery to hit the Russian forces.
“When the conditions are right, they cut their way through these minefields. They can’t mount combined arms through these, and they’re starting to make small but significant progress in at least two areas,” Petraeus explained.
Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the south advances
The ukrainian troops continue their advance in mining southern frontoffensive that included the first raid on the annexed Crimean peninsulaa propaganda operation that could continue in the coming weeks.
He Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that, on Thursday, kyiv forces moved closer to the second line of Russian defense in the Robotyne areain the western region (oblast) of Zaporizhzhya. In that way, they further extended their breakout of the Russian defensive lines in the area.
Geo-located images released Thursday show Ukrainian forces advanced further into Russian defensive lines west of verbove (18 kilometers southeast of Orikhiv) and to the south of robotyne (10 km south of Orikhiv).
The spokesperson of the Southern Operational Command of Ukraine, Capt. Natalia Humenyukensured that the Putin’s troops carry out additional lateral redeployments from Kherson to the front line in Zaporizhiasuggesting that Ukraine has further degraded the Kremlin’s defensive lines in the area, according to ISW.
Moscow conducted offensive operations on the line Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminnanear Bakhmut, along Avdiivka-Donetsk City and in the western part of the Zaporizhzhia province. According to lSW, they apparently made progress.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces on Thursday led offensive operations along at least two sectors of the front and advanced near Bakhmut and in the western Zaporizhia region.
kyiv’s attacks in the area are part of its efforts to reach the sea of azov.
The area represents a key target for Ukraine as penetrating there would mean break the Russian land bridge between the annexed Crimea and eastern Donetsk.
The ISW had previously said that Ukraine’s marginal gains in this area are significant.
“The ability of the Ukrainian forces to advance to the outskirts of Robotyne – to whose defense Russian forces have devoted considerable effort, time and resources – remains significant, even if Ukrainian advances are limited at this time,” said the Ukrainian forces. think thank you based in Washington.
Since the start of its counteroffensive in early June, Ukraine has seized the initiative in three different segments of the front located in the Donetsk and Zaporizhia oblasts and in the area where both border.
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Source-www.infobae.com