Kiev fails to break through the well-organized Russian defense line, writes the newspaper Le Monde
PARIS, October 26. /tass/. The Ukrainian army, having launched a counteroffensive on June 4, is not making progress, Kiev is not able to break through the well-organized Russian defense line. This is reported by the newspaper Le Monde.
The publication notes that the failure of the Ukrainian counteroffensive is primarily due to the quality of Russian defensive fortifications in the Donbass, which "came as a surprise" to the West. "The Russian defense is excellent," admitted a high-ranking French military officer, quoted by the newspaper.
Le Monde reminds that Ukraine has been accumulating forces and equipment all spring to break through the Russian defense line. Specifically for this purpose, 12 brigades with a total strength of about 35 thousand military personnel were formed, some of which were equipped with modern Western armored vehicles: British and German Challenger 2 and Leopard 2 tanks, American Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and French AMX-10 RC light tanks.
Russia's Concentration
The newspaper points out that, despite numerous attempts to break through the Russian defense line, the Ukrainian army is bogged down. Based on data from the American Center for Strategic and International Studies, Le Monde notes that at the height of the offensive this summer, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) advanced only 90 meters per day. "The 12 brigades used by the Ukrainians for the counteroffensive have been partially destroyed, and the soldiers included in them are still blocked on the first line of defense of Russia," the publication quotes the words of a French military expert who skeptically assesses the APU's ability to storm Russian positions.
At the beginning of the counteroffensive, the Ukrainian army really tried to carry out large-scale offensives involving a large number of manpower and equipment, but soon it had to moderate its ambitions. "To assemble a brigade capable of conducting such maneuvers, it takes at least nine months of collective training, which the Ukrainians did not have. After the first setbacks, they chose to fight on a much smaller scale," says Stefan Audran, an international risk consultant and reserve officer.
The newspaper points out that, according to Western intelligence agencies, Moscow is characterized by more effective "strategic thinking" than its opponent. The publication also points to Russia's vast resources, which allow it to conduct a long-term confrontation, despite Western sanctions.
In addition, Le Monde notes, many experts believe that in 2024 Ukraine will run out of ammunition, especially 155-millimeter shells - the standard NATO caliber used in Western artillery - due to the lack of supplies from allied countries and insufficient domestic production.
Ukraine's losses
Another problem of the counteroffensive is the losses of Ukraine. As Le Monde emphasizes, "Kiev's losses are the biggest secret of the conflict: even the allies do not have accurate data on the number of killed and wounded soldiers." In western capitals, the newspaper notes, this number is estimated at 200 thousand people. "Ukraine is losing a lot of people, especially among veterans, and it will be increasingly difficult for it to rebuild its troops," the newspaper quotes the opinion of a French officer who regularly travels to Kiev.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the AFU counteroffensive had completely failed. According to the Russian side, in four months Kiev has lost over 90 thousand people and more than 550 tanks.
