Ukraine has failed to take advantage of the temporary Russian crisis and the counter-offensive continues to limp. The writes it New York Times who, quoting the usual “anonymous officials” of the US army, tells of a “slow and bloody path” for the Ukrainian troops who, despite the announcements of small territorial conquests, are currently unable to get the better of the Russian defenses.
BECAUSE OF THIS the news of the possible crossing of the Dnipro river acquires great importance; for now the Russians are denying it but it is too early to make an assessment. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelensky has returned to visit troops in the east to bestow honors and words of motivation, on the day another village, Rivnopol, was reconquered by his men.
So this weekend is shaping up to be something of a missed opportunity, according to the columnists Now and their sources. After all, we read in the US newspaper: «So far, the situation on the front line has not changed. Ukraine may seek to exploit the Russian unrest, but the weekend rebellion has not prompted any Russian ground units to abandon their positions in the south or east of the country. According to American officials and independent analysts, there appeared to be no immediate defensive gaps in the Russian lines to be exploited.”
In other words, the Russian soldiers have remained steadfast in their positions. After all, what else were they supposed to do? Return to one’s homes as in Everybody at home, join Prigozhin or even engage in suicidal actions? None of this, there was no chaos at the front.
EVEN THOUGH KIEV he claims that two Russian companies of the 76th Airborne Assault Division would be transferred to Moscow with military cargo to defend the capital. According to the same sources, “the Russian command plans to keep them (in Moscow) for at least a week”.
On the other side of the fence, the soldiers of Kiev are forced to face various obstacles. First of all: the conformation of the territory, which offers no hiding places like the hills of Donbass or the woods of Karkhiv.
THEN THE TRENCHES and the Russian counterattacks. “Russian Ka-52 attack helicopters were able to evade air defenses, slowing Ukrainian movements and damaging or destroying Western-supplied tanks and armored fighting vehicles,” the military said. New York Times, “furthermore, not only are the minefields larger and more ubiquitous, but Russian troops have proved adept at filling some minefields cleared with Western-supplied equipment.”
Quick response, what the Moscow wards have always lacked so far. Perhaps because now for the first time they are in the position of having to defend themselves, albeit in occupied territory.
For this reason, according to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, connected remotely to yesterday’s European Union Foreign Affairs Council, it is important to “increase military support” for his country now, in order to “accelerate Russia’s defeat”.
Support that has never been lacking from Washington and that is constantly reiterated by US President Joe Biden.
In fact, on Sunday evening, the US head of state had a telephone conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky, regarding «the hostilities and the ongoing trials in Russia. The world must put pressure on Russia until international order is restored,” as the Ukrainian leader later explained on Telegram.
Whose priority, in addition to fighter bombers, at the moment seems to be his country’s entry into NATO. According to the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Olga Stefanishyna, there is already a majority of countries ready to support Kiev’s quick access to the Alliance.
BUT WHILE international diplomacy is moving, after the astonishment caused by the abortion of Prigozhin’s coup we are once again looking at the battlefields.
If it were confirmed that Kiev has managed to establish a bridgehead on the Russian-controlled bank of the Dnipro, the possibility of a pincer movement from Zaporizhzhia to the Black Sea would become more concrete.