What happened?
The Ukrainian army has apparently achieved a long-awaited success in its counter-offensive. The General Staff in Kiev reported a breakthrough in the south on Sunday morning: near the village of Verbowe in the Zaporizhia region, the troops “pushed the enemy out of their positions and established themselves in the positions they had reached.”
Reports already circulated this weekend that the Ukrainians could use armored vehicles to overcome Russian fortifications – minefields, trenches and concrete blocks, so-called “dragon’s teeth” – near the city.
According to the American Institute for War Studies ISW, it is the best fortified Russian defense line in the region.
The commander of Ukrainian forces on the southern front, Brigadier General Olexander Tarnawskyj, confirmed the breakthrough this weekend in an interview with the American broadcaster CNN. Military bloggers are now also reporting on the fighting in Werbowe itself.
The Ukrainians had delivered a powerful blow just a few days earlier when rockets hit the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Crimea. Several officers were killed.
Why is the breakthrough so important?
The Ukrainian counter-offensive to retake the Russian-occupied territories has been going on for three and a half months. However, no major successes have been achieved so far. This comes as no surprise to military experts: very few expected the Ukrainians to march through, but rather a longer, grueling march forward.
But breakthroughs like those at Werbowe or the attack on the Black Sea Fleet are only psychologically important. Not least to keep Western allies on the same page. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently issued an urgent warning in an interview with The Economist: he hears statements from Western politicians that they are always on Ukraine’s side. “But I see that he or she is not here, not with us,” says Selenski. Some partners may see Ukraine’s recent difficulties on the battlefield as an opportunity to force us to negotiate with Russia, Zelensky said. But this is a bad time because Putin sees it too.
Selenski himself now says that the war may drag on for a long time. It is all the more important that Ukraine does not lose the support of the West. The best way to convince our partners in Europe and the US is to achieve success on the battlefield.
And the region around Werbowe is also of strategic importance. The goal of the troops on the southern front is to advance to the Sea of Azov. The Russian-occupied city of Tokmak, which serves as a supply hub for the invaders, is a prime target for the Ukrainians. It should be shelled with artillery. This weekend’s breakthrough is a step in that direction.
How does Russia respond?
Heavy artillery fire on Ukrainian troops near Werbowe. The Ukrainians paid dearly for the breakthrough, the losses were high, as one Ukrainian officer told the Wall Street Journal: “We have the upper hand. We destroy them. But the price…”
As the American institute ISW reports, Russia is now resorting to a resource that has in fact already been exploited: Wagner. According to the ISW, the fighters of the slain mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin should be deployed back to the front, especially in southern Bakhmut. The institute estimates that they will have little influence. It is unclear how many fighters there are. (aargauerzeitung.ch)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
