War in Ukraine: “We can no longer exclude a total recovery of the territory” – Liberation

Counter-offensiveArticle reserved for subscribersWar between Ukraine and RussiafileFor Michel Goya, military historian, the Ukrainian victories show the glaring weaknesses of the Russian army, whose best troops are worn out and replaced by recruits of lesser quality. It also points to the shortcomings of intelligence. By claiming to have taken over 3,000 km 2 of territory in the east of the country, the Ukrainian army has made all predictions lie. The counter-offensive is advancing much faster than expected and could lead to new breakthroughs against the Russians, says military historian Michel Goya. How to explain the success of the Ukrainian counter-offensive in the south and east of the country? Simultaneously carrying out two operations of such magnitude, the Ukrainian army achieves a real performance. After six months of war, the soldiers have gained experience and remain determined to defend their country. The sending of Western equipment and materials also played an undeniable role. However, these are two different operations. In the Kherson region, the Ukrainians wage siege warfare and use artillery to try to isolate Russian troops in the northern Dnieper. They launch denial strikes from behind and multiply small attacks up front hoping their opponents will crack. In the Kharkiv region (north-east), the Ukrainian army managed to make a breakthrough by attacking the heart of the enemy disposition, preventing it from fighting coherently. At the same time, these Ukrainian victories show a new times the weaknesses cry…