“The objective of Russia’s enormous fortification project is to slow a potential assault and to channel any Ukrainian forces that break through into a narrow area. This would allow Russia’s reserves to regroup and give its artillery time to strike the attackers, potentially ending the counteroffensive before it really begins.”
“But some analysts say that while Kyiv’s Western backers have focused on missiles, armored vehicles and ammunition, they have not committed the right support to break through Russia’s defenses. Matveichuk said it was “problematic” that the Ukrainian army was short of engineering tanks and other such tools.”
Ukraina on alkanut raivata aukkoja omiin miinakenttiin, jotta omat pääsevät niistä läpi maahyökkäyksen alkaessa.
Toisaalla:
U.S. officials say managing the risk of escalation remains one of the most difficult aspects of the war for Biden and his foreign policy advisers. When deciding what new weapons systems to provide Ukraine, they focus on four key factors, officials said.
“Do they need it? Can they use it? Do we have it? What is the Russian response going to be?” said a senior State Department official. Like others interviewed for this report, this person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations.
A possible explanation for Putin’s reluctance to hit the West is the diminished state of Russia’s military, according to U.S. officials.
Unquestionably, the Biden administration’s willingness to cross Putin’s red lines has bolstered Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and recapture territory in the east and south. What remains to be seen, however, is whether Putin will continue to allow the West to defy his threats without consequence.
“Certain red lines exist,” said Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, “… but because we don’t have a way to know for sure what they are, that’s what creates risk.”
