Ukrainian armored units have launched attacks on several front lines since Monday, the British Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday based on an intelligence situation report. Russia, on the other hand, regards Ukraine’s counter-offensive in the south of the country as a failure. Since the beginning of the war, the British Ministry of Defense has been unusually transparent in sharing its findings with the public.
Ukraine reports offensive in the south
According to the London situation report, the Ukrainian troops pushed back the Russian forces somewhat in places, exploiting weak points in the Russian defense lines. A Ukrainian regional authority also sees successes by the Ukrainian military in Russian-occupied areas near the southern city of Cherson. The same applies to the cities of Beryslav and Kakhovka, says the deputy head of the Kherson regional council, Yurik Sobolevskyi, on Ukrainian television. He didn’t want to give details.
Cherson is located in the Black Sea estuary delta of the Dnieper, Beryslav and Kakhovka northeast of it on the river inland. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian armed forces are going on the offensive throughout the east and south. “Active military action is now taking place along the entire front line: in the south, in the Kharkiv region, in the Donbass,” he said in his daily speech on Wednesday night.
Contradictory reports from the Russian side
Contrary to reports from London and Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said its troops pushed back Ukrainian forces. The attempt at a counter-offensive had failed and Ukraine had suffered heavy casualties, Moscow said. Three Ukrainian helicopters were shot down. In addition, Ukraine lost four fighter jets during the two-day fighting in the south. The ministry speaks primarily of clashes in the front line between Mykolayiv in the Black Sea coastal area and the city of Kryvyi Rih to the north-east of it.
Reports from the battlefield cannot be independently verified.
German general warns of potential of Russian armed forces
According to a general in the German Bundeswehr, the Russian armed forces would be able to open a second front. “The bulk of the Russian land forces is currently tied up in the war against Ukraine,” said Inspector General Eberhard Zorn in an interview with the Reuters news agency published on Wednesday. “Nevertheless, we should not underestimate the potential of the Russian land forces to serve another theater of war.”
The majority of the Russian navy has not been used in the war against Ukraine, Zorn said. “The Russian air force still has considerable potential, which also poses a threat to NATO.” This means that Russia still has “considerable reserves and, from a purely military point of view, would be in a position to further expand the conflict regionally”. However, such action by Russia would be “very unreasonable”.
Zorn said of the current war situation in Ukraine: “The Russian offensive momentum has slowed down, but it is steady.” The Russians pressed ahead “with no regard for civilian Ukrainian casualties”. Russia has enormous stockpiles of ammunition. “This ammunition is old and very imprecise, but that is exactly what leads to major destruction of civilian infrastructure.” According to Zorn, the Russian armed forces fire 40,000 to 60,000 rounds a day. “Nevertheless, I’m not currently expecting far-reaching offensives into the interior of Ukraine.” Russian forces focused on conquering the Donbass. “However, a military decision is not in sight.”
Source: Nachrichten
