Brig Gen Oleksandr Tarnavskiy estimated Russia had devoted 60% of its time and resources into building the first defensive line and only 20% each into the second and third lines because Moscow had not expected Ukrainian forces to get through.
The hubris is shocking
Guys don’t forget how amazing it is already just by saying the word Russian defensive line. Russia was supposed to be the top dog, but it is now in defensive position.
Yeah if we’re talking about the aggressor’s defensive lines somebody done goofed
I wonder how far out of the norm this is. I’d imagine the first line is usually going to have the most time and resources dedicated to it, but ignoring the fallback lines because “nah theh won’t breach it” is just stupid
It has probably less to do with ignoring the fallback lines and more with the fact that they simply don’t have the recources and time to build any kind of foolproof defensive lines. Their troops are stretched quite thin there and by strenghtening one part you’re just going to make the Ukrainians attack you elsewhere.
Russian command underestimating their opponent and/or being incompetent. No, we haven’t seen evidence of that anywhere in this war so far.
Slava Ukraini
Very good news! Godspeed for those in the front.
To be honest, if I was Putin, I would have killed myself at that point. He has no reason to exist for the future. Just pure suffering and humiliation.
But somehow ofc he will turn this into a “it’s NATO’s fault” or another narrative to turn the hate elsewhere for average ZRussian copium
He doesn’t have to kill himself, he has enough money to disappear and live in a mansion in a 3rd world country.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
There were hopes for similar rapid progress in the summer counteroffensive, which aims to push down towards the Sea of Azov, cutting off Russian troops in Kherson and occupied Crimea from other forces and severing their supply lines.
Instead, it stalled for months, with casualties mounting but frontlines apparently static, feeding discontent and criticism in western capitals that had provided weapons and training.
Tarnavskiy shrugged off that criticism, saying he preferred to judge a job when finished and thanking the UK and other allies for their support in training and weapons, including Challenger tanks that are already in the field.
Russian troops were ensconced in concrete dugouts behind anti-tank traps and beyond a minefield so packed with explosives, and so exposed, that any vehicles – de-mining or assault – that approached the area were shelled heavily from fixed, reinforced positions, he said.
That position has been fiercely rejected in Ukraine, where many feel only total defeat of Russia will forestall another invasion; any settlement that rewarded Moscow for use of force would give it reason to try again in future.
Tarnavskiy is commander of the Tavria operational and strategic group of forces, named after the historic region that included Crimea, a reminder of Ukraine’s military commitments, now sharpened by the losses of the last 18 months.
The original article contains 969 words, the summary contains 216 words. Saved 78%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
I tip my fedora to someone who translated this quote in the title. ‘More is yet to come’ is the correct way, while that sounds like poor autotranslation. Guardian, why?
