‘Obstacle Belts From Hell:’ Retired General on Ukraine’s Slow Counteroffensive | WSJ
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 30 июн 2024
- The recent turmoil in Russia in the wake of Wagner Group's mutiny led by Yevgeny Prigozhin could provide opportunity for Ukraine's battlefield troops in their counteroffensive, particularly near Bakhmut, Zaporizhzhia and Vuhledar, where the bulk of the fighting is happening.
But why has there been little progress for Ukrainian soldiers breaking through the front lines?
WSJ spoke to retired Brigadier Gen. Mark Kimmitt, who breaks down what’s happened so far with the Ukrainian counteroffensive.
0:00 Wagner and Russia
0:49 Background on counteroffensive and mutiny
2:18 Ukraine’s struggles
7:39 What’s next?
Russia-Ukraine Conflict
WSJ’s latest news coverage around the 2022-2023 Russia-Ukraine conflict.
#Ukraine #Russia #WSJ
![Roddy Ricch - 911 [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5N3lAfydeWs/mqdefault.jpg)
Its not a slow counter-offensive...its a failed one...
This aged well
@@ahmadmusheinesh4391complete disaster the UA couldn't even get to the 1st defense lines and now Advikka is about to fall
@@megclifton6692and the Russians took Marinka too😂 Russia gained twice the amount of territory they lost in 2023
@@megclifton6692 It has fallen
Disclaimer: No politicians were harmed during the making of this film
Except all the Russian democratic opposition leaders that were killed to get to this point.
Just some of them for those asking for m to name one: Farid Babayev, Boris Berezovsky, Yuri Chervochkin, Natalya Estemirova, Yegor Gaidar, Nikolai Glushkov, Alexander Litvinenko, Sergei Magnitsky, Stanislav Markelov, Sergey Mokhnatkin, Boris Nemtsov, Anna Politkovskaya, Yuri Shchekochikhin, Yury Shutov, Denis Voronenkov, Sergei Yushenkov
No peacemaker were harmed during the making of this film
@@mjw907 Can you name one?
Thanks to the mockingbird and his operation.
@@sextempiric7137uh uh coorporate America uh u h uh global warming.. uh uh uh freedom u uh. Let me use my credit card.
And the mockingbird has complete control!!muahahaha
Looking at this 4 months later. Western media is just so wack
The general said that the Russians destroyed the Khakovka dam which flooded their own minefields and trenches. Then he says that the water retreated giving the Ukranians a chance for an attack. By which logic would Russians create a disadvantageous situation for them? It makes no sense.
Incompetence. They seemed to have undesestimated how much damage their bombs would do to it.
You want logic and reason from Wall Street Coping Journal? 😆
@@Anvilman
Your incompetence, elementary school dropout
@@Conserpov Salty Russian shill is salty.
They didn't blow up the pipeline either
Expecting Ukraine to do what no western military would even consider, have air superiority, top cover and close air support, is of course going to take time… Only the media and armchair soldiers would think that this could could be done quickly….
Looking back at what has happened I doubt that air cover would help (Would get to the objectives) (If we are talking about 100 F-16s). It would change a lot. But if were to expect considerable advancements it would come at high costs on both sides in aircraft and men. It's not that simple to just send F-16s to the battlefield, you have to provide them with something to protect from AA units.
take time = not gonna happen
Ukraine isn’t winning this war if the west really want to WIN it needs boots on the ground and confront the Russians directly.
When the US and Coalition Forces invaded Iraq during both Gulf Wars, what preceded the ground forces going in was over a month of air campaigns bombarding Iraqi/enemy targets. Even in WWII, before the June 6, 1944 D-Day landings, air assets dropped bombs on the beaches, they pretty much missed their targets, but the Commanders knew of the importance of softening up the targets before dispatching in ground forces. Even before the allies landed, the Naval assets bombarded the beaches and bunkers with their 5, 12, 14 and 15 inch guns.
The Ukrainians were sent in without an air campaign to degrade their targets, nor do they have any meaningful air support. These soldiers are being sent to their graves.
" is of course going to take time"
Where I live, it is not called to "take time" but suicide!.
I think expectations were falsey heightened by media constantly talking about the offensives success. Without air support, you cant expect blistering progress on a heavily entrenched enemy. As a matter of fact, historically offensives start slow and then build momentum.
It's called propaganda.
This^ The Russians have air superiority, months of entrenchment, and they have a lot more soldiers on the front now since the last mobilization. I want Ukraine to win, and I wouldn't count it out, but the situation on the front made me doubt that this counteroffensive was going to be a repeat of Kharkiv.
I hope the best for Ukraine. We will support them until this conflict is over.
@@LEFT4BASSspeak for yourself
@@LEFT4BASSsadly they won't win against Russia even in your wildest imagination
@@kulio1214 No... it's called a Counter Offensive.
There is not a expectation of time outside a typical civilians head. They are not going to change it because it's working. The front line in this video has actually moved nearly 80KM towards the Sea and Russia is currently loosing the Key Railway junction that connects Crimea, their frontlines and the Russian/Ukraine border as i am typing this... Which means not only is Russia losing... Ukraine are about to severe the main supply line and have easy access to Crimea... and the worst is yet to come, as it cost's the Russian economy millions to repair the Crimean Bridge... and it Costs Ukraine nothing to destroy it (Free weapons).
What the general doesn't mention is the fact that the Ukrainians have even made it to the defensive line that he explained. If they are struggling just to make it to the Russians' defensive line, how much slower will their progress get once they reach the defensive line?
They can't even penetrate the line of contact, and penetrating just the first line of defense (of which there are several) is going to be an order of magnitude more difficult than that.
Bakhmut was a meatgrinder, but this is even more so!
Putin is banking on the U.S and it's allies loosing domestic patience.
I am from the future, the offensive was a complete disaster
This retired general did a wonderful job of explaining what difficulties forces would face once they face the fortified defenses. He didn't explain why none of the Ukrainian attacks even came close to reaching these defenses that are so hard to break through.
They seems to have gotten close on some fronts and past on others?
@@vyros.3234 NO. They are not even close to the fortified lines. The deepest Ukr has got into the Security zone is in one place, 9km. That's ~3 miles. The closest the fortified lines are to the forward lines of contact is 20km. After a month of being on the offense this is an absolute failure. The Ukrainian losses are staggering for no real progress.
Maybe because he didn't want to lie and he can't tell the truth or he doesn't know about the state of Ukraine armed forces, manpower, equipment, command and control.
He allso didn't explain why they believed the counter offensive would be more effective originally..at the start of it ukraine just fired up some mine sweepers l, tanks l, and Bradley's and just drove at the defensive lines like they actually believed they where going to just drive threw the front lines for a Sunday drive
Desperate Russian lies are desperate lol
You cant expect a quick advance while pushing into the most fortified defensice positions in the world without air support
Then it is crazy to try unless you care nothing about the lives of Ukraine soldiers. Trust me, Biden does not care.
Someone tell me. If the US had to flee with its tail between its legs from Afghanistan in 2021! Then probably the United States does not have such good weapons and military tactics. Then why did anyone even have the idea that if you give the Ukrainians just weapons, then almost everything is quite old, older than the United States had in Afghanistan. Ukraine has even the slightest chance to stand against Russia. Stop supplying them with weapons, have pity on the people!
I was about to say the same thing.
Believe me, if the Russians did the same thing, you'll be the first one to shame on them. Everyone knows it's a suicide mission to do this offensive without enough manpower and air support, but who cares about the death of Ukrainians if it means that Uncle Sam will be pleased? No one! at least not from the west.
They had the air support first... By now 450 jets and 252 ukrainian helicopters have been destroyed. And they dont have the air support any longer. Russian air defence oficers are very dissapointed that Bidon dont want to provide ukrainians with the F-16 jets to train better russian ground to air missiles/ They look forward that Bidon will change his mind...
Notice the language the western media uses: “slow progress” and “limited success”. Never direct words like “failure” or “floundering”.
Notice at how Russia throws men at obstacles at Vuhledar, and Ukraine adjusted their offensive to secure a win.
Russian artillery losses are happening at a rate of twice the war's average. Ukrainians clearly have a plan. The best way to not get punched is to take a scapel and cut the opponent's tendons. You may have a hand, but without tendons you can't make a fist.
@@ChucksSEADnDEAD funniest comment on this thread!
It is the language they use because they are afraid of admitting their errors, their weakness and how their imbecile leaders support a lost cause. This is also how they brainwash their ignorant population. They are losing and they would never admit it.
@@RedSpicyFeast1010you are a bot, lol
@@ChucksSEADnDEAD stop smoking drugs
Because Russia have 1) Air superiority, 2) Fighting from an entranced position, 3) superior numbers, 4) an artillery advantage 5) superior training.
A Ukrainian victory is about as likely as an army of flies winning over their attack on a speeding cars windshild. (spoiler its not the car that gets crushed, and neither is it the Russians)
хорошо сказал!
I like fighting from an entranced position.
Russia has a 7 layer Defense line. This General is describing the 3rd line and the 4th line. The Main lines. Line 1 and 2 are outpost for gauging the enemy strength. That is where the entire Ukraine Army is tangled in for the last few weeks, the Gauging Lines. Then 3 and 4 are the Main Lines, these lines are currently quite. Lines 5 and 6 are retreat lines. Hold Ukraine back and escape with the gear lines. Lines 7 is the cities themselves, the Encircled line. You really do not want to ever be on that line.
@@achristianman6725 after their disasters last spring they learned to finally defend. No matter, their defense will be broken
@@justADeniby the time they break Russian defenses only zelensky will be left hahaha.
@@justADeni broken by what? Ukraine has no air cover and gets slammed every time they try to cross open ground.
@@justADenin ur dreams only. Counter offensive my foot ! 😂😂
@@justADeni So when are you enlisting?
what I have learned from listening to retired generals is that military guys do not automatically become geniuses just because they are retired.
To be fair I think they are limited in what they would be allowed to say and it's likely that they aren't even following the war that closely, they are retired not active after all.
@@harrybuttery2447 absolutely possible. However, I really appreciate those who make absolutely clear what they are experts in, and what they only have basic knowledge about.
@@harrybuttery2447 You kidding? They're watching this by the hour.
No - these guys are PAID to say BS for propaganda. If it was their command they would not say anything even remotely close ;)
Neither do arm chair general commentators safe at home in front of their keyboards
"But why has there been little progress for Ukrainian soldiers breaking through the front lines?" My understanding is that these front lines are designed to be "broken through," until the attacker gets to the first actual defensive line, several km deep, which nobody apparently has, yet. The idea is that those "breaking through" will get bogged down in this area and then will have difficulty escaping, due to planes dropping mines behind them.
By artillery as well, btw.
@@sahteekrem Yes, I heard most of the battles are dueling artillery.
Fire trap.
From the videos I have seen, if they are bogged down for more than 20 minutes they are spotted and killed.
The Russians can "see" virtually every position and direct fire toward it.
The West should tell Zelensky to surrender right now. Ukrainians have already lost and are dying for no reason.
@@corvanhoute8072 A “fire trap” is what the Slavs call decoy flares that aircraft drop to confuse heat seeking missiles. Took me a while to figure out what they were referring to.
Slowly, the reality of the situation is beginning to be acknowledged.
@chrismifflin3862
Let's just hope it leads to peace talks and not further escalation from the West.
Yeah I was surprised MSNBC have a Colonel on saying it's not looking good for Ukraine right after Biden said "Putin has lost this war" When media do a 180 before an event is over its usually to save face.
Is that the same general explain why Ukraine will pull off an successful counteroffensive few weeks ago? What a great general!
I remember hearing another American General (Hodges maybe) saying before the offensive that the Russian defenses would be 'brittle'.
I reckon I could be a General. I really do.
He is dumb but its good for TV
😂🤣
You guys are seemingly unable to understand what is even said. The first statement is not contradictory to second. Ukraine can and will likely find a weak spot. And then it will show itself wether they are able to penetrate. Even the best defence line is useless when there are no soldiers to defend it.
It hasn't failed yet, so he's not wrong yet. Now if they had F35s, F22s and some AWACS this could go a lot faster. But something tells me you'll be concerned about the cost.
Surely the most ridiculous thing was to announce to your opponents a good 4 months beforehand that you were going to stage a huge counter-offensive, giving said opponents months and months and months to dig in, prepare and ready themselves.
That's the key problem. Their entire campaign is based on trying to build hype in order to receive supplies and funding, all while announcing their goals and hoping to seize territory for TikTok videos to build more hype. Idiocy, really, but not so surprising.
The russians already knew this was going to happen anyway
A lot is over confidence because of last autumns victories that the Ukrainians had. What people fail to realize was the Russia was severely over extended last Autum. Russian forces were attacking heavily all year long and were far weaker than the Generals in command wanted to admit resulting in Russian force becoming way to over extended. That is why Russian forces were routed around Izum.
This time Russia has had half a year practically to fortify the borders, bring up fresh forces and dig in. So at this point there is no telling how things hold up. Russia will have due to things to win- spool up its armaments industry and maintain moral. Holding back this offensive should help built Russian moral but who knows.
maybe the point is not to win but to cause as much death and destruction as possible?
@@MrChickennugget360 The Russians weren't routed at Izum. There weren't seasoned combat soldiers there but more like something akin to our national guard and very low numbers. They were stretched way to thin at the time, didn't give much consideration at the time and Ukraine exploited that opportunity.
The gentleman didn't mention that the Ukrainians didn't get any near to the first line, and they stuck in the grey zone that filled with minds, mobile ATGMs units, FPV kamikaze drones, Lancets and manpower divided into small units. And of course not to forget attack helicopters and artillery.
"Filled with Minds"
Geez, just STOP already!
Russia, apart from the fortifications has more arty, more planes, and more ammo. Attacking with these disadvantages is not the smartest plan from a purely military point of view. Also, common military sense says that you need a 3v1 advantage in ground forces - another thing that Ukraine doesn't have. So, no great mystery why the counteroffensive is not going well.
we see how Western corporations for the production of weapons and the mass media send Ukrainian men to a senseless slaughter! the western world is neo-fascism!
If only the Ukrainians had listened to you. General Zaluzhnyi probably hadn't heard about that 3-to-1 number that every armchair general with a Twitter account repeats.
@@MrMuel1205 Armchair general? lol. please read any military tactical book of the last 3 hundred years. If you have passed any military academy in the world (even the worst ones) you have known of that little bit.
@@pmpbds9 Don't worry, he's just butthurt that Ukraine isn't rolling over Russia like it was supposed to happen in his head.
@@MrMuel1205 Seeing you anti-westerners Cope and Seethe that Ukraine is actually beating back Russia is laughable.
I'm a bit disappointed that the general didn't make "Vroom, vroom"-noises, when he handled that APC-model 😢...
He isn't talking to a bunch of 10 year olds.
Kkkk lol
Same here
I'm calling psyops this ain't legit
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂. I knew something was missing and u just pointed it out, what a brilliant!!!!!
He should've used the GI Joe hovercraft to drive over most of those obstacles. It wouldn't even set of the mines. He could've sent a forward recon team with Snake Eyes and Scarlett to cut the barb wire and Roadblock's so strong he could just push the dragon teeth to the side. I mean, really knowing is half the battle.
He is one of the war crimminals from the Yougoslavian war. A real American hero🤮
its not slow, its over. it was over before it started.
Instead of the "allies" (you mean, proxy-war wagers?) expecting UKR to win against Russia, they should have done enough to avoid the war from happening if they really cared about UKR.
Shutup Russian Bot. Russia shouldn't had started the war.
Opportunity for a détente ended when a new US regime was installed in 2020. The new regime encouraged the breakdown of the peace process and due to this, Russia attacked.
How difficult is it to attack soldiers who only fight with shovels and have no morale?
Reality check it is
And oh, they know to run too😂
@@michaelerzuah1105 Russian ebb & flow, draw you in "Liquidate your force" & push you back to the start 💪
so air defense of army of Ukraine is grandmothers armed with cans of pickled cucumbers
@@michaelerzuah1105 yeah the whole spring offensive plan rested on the assumption that the russians woul run at the sight of a Leopard, nobody even mentioned air cover, the hubris was unbelievable
its just nice to watch a load of people eating their own BS
I thought Russia ran out of missiles in March 2022 and that the m777, himars , Bradleys , leopards , storm shadows would be game changers ? And whatever happened to the 8 months of training by nato ?
Uve asked what happens with 20 leopards but didn't ask what happens with 3000 russian tanks. Thats funny.
They were game-changers. The original game was "Russia steamrollers smaller country with world's "2nd most powerful army (sic)"", now the game is "Hope Russia can maintain their defensive lines indefinitely against angry natives with support from the alliance that accounts for 60% of all global defense spending".
@@shadowproxy331 except burned leos and bradleys are in front of you while 3000 tanks are there, source: "trust me dude"
You forgot that Ukraine was givin new Lies to deploy. They'll march on Moscow any day now. lol
@@shadowproxy331 what were these 3000 tanks destroyed by ? Twitter hashtags. ?
finally they are talking about this war half-realistically. Next, we might even hear people talk about soldiers and how the logistics of how Ukraine can get enough solderis to overcome some of the best trench defenses in history... (cough cough, its not possible, they will all die)
Everyone in comments acting like there isnt the whole NATO and United States backing Ukraine Up
Im surprised russia managed to hold on so much. Basically all the westren world supported this war
You can just say it failed you know...
The war has developed not necessarily in our favour.
RuSSians are failing for sure.
@@Hereford1642 Best comment so far!
It's easy to be an armchair commander, but when you realize the ACTUAL fighting against entrenched Russians with many mines, anyone just charging into that would suffer huge losses. The Ukrainians are doing a great job in keeping their losses down while slowly moving ahead. There is nothing wrong with being careful and minimizing losses of their own men, and using more of their drones, which this General did NOT have in previous wars.
Losses down?? They are taking heavy heavy losses. Have u seen the videos 😂😂 You all are going to pretend Ukraine isn't losing men. The cope is amazing
''The Ukrainians are doing a great job in keeping their losses down while slowly moving ahead. '' The Ukrainians are suffering huge losses and are not moving nowhere. To much copium or drinking too much western koolaid .
Losses down?
Except the Ukrainians are loosing valuable troops and armor while the Russian loose nothing😂
@@RUTHLESSambition5you can check the open source materials, Oryx for example, by reports during offensive the ratio of lost vehicles is 1:1 which is just an enormous success for an offensive side.
Maybe everyone is tired of throwing money away for a no win in sight war.
I don’t even think the mutiny was real
Underestimating Russia is the greatest gift their enemies can give them
They didn't underestimate the Russians. Only the ones who believe Western mainstream news do that. They have no choice. No truce, ceasefire is allowed. Men are literally being dragged to the front line to die well within the hour. *Most of them die without laying their eyes on a single Russian.
Yup, they never learn, Napoleon, the Japanese, the ww1 allied expiditionary force, HItler, now Zelensky
Only one nation manage to truly bend russia, and it didnt attack from west or south.
One of their "descendants" call out Putin for taking them for granted, plus he is siding more with china which is massively hilarious
Yes, never underestimate the love Russian/Soviet leaders have for turning their people into cannon fodder. "I die for Putin and the Oligarchs" should be the country's slogan. What a waste.
They were all home sick the day they taught European history. This general lost me when he said the Russians took out the dam. Ridiculous, they could have just opened the floodgates if they wished to flood the river bottom. He probably believes the Zelensky propaganda that the Russians were going to blow the Zaporizhzhia Nuke plant despite the head of the IAEA who has inspectors on site saying this was false.
It’s so funny how people mocked the Russians for slow advancement last year, but switched to saying “WaR iS nOt eAsy” now
People mocked because russian army is the second in the world! They have 2 million army and without limits weapons.
Ukraine has already gained more ground in the counteroffensive then Russia gained in the 9 month counter offensive. Do some research before you make comments and make yourself look dumb.
*Russian winter offensive
one is a large, functional army with centuries of operational history, extensive air cover, advanced air defence and artillery, with mobile warfare doctrine developed over the course of two different countries' military experience, with both bragging extensively about their military might and placing it at front and centre of their society. the other is a third-rate post-soviet military with a history of economic and political dysfunctionality, with no equipment from any later than the day the berlin wall fell. does that help?
@@josephr9930 That's rubbish. Russian took the whole 2 cities in the last 6 month. Ukraine took 3 small villages in a gray zone in a month.
Ukraines offensive is going great no matter what you hear on the news.the ukraine offensive against the western taxpayer has been amazing since day one actually.
Haha yes👍😂
Nice spinning of what really happened with the dam. Ukrainian forces previously admitted to attacking the dam with HIMARS but the general spins it that Russia did it and, oh look, the area is now able to be attacked through by Ukraine. The natural obstacle of the river, is gone....and in his diagram the general missed the mine before the tank traps.
War. War never changes.
FO4
Fallout 1... 90s
Completely ignored is our failure to supply the fighter aircraft and long range munitions that would make this offensive successful. Being able to suppress the troops in trenches, on mortars and artillery dramatically reduces losses of equipment and personnel while crossing the named obstacles. "Not leaving Ukraine defenseless" is nothing to brag about; they need to be armed to win.
So true.
Да не трясись ты
I think the US governments concern about providing long range missiles and aircraft is that Ukraine will use it for strikes into Russia. Which could escalate things even more and who knows how Russia would respond.
Any time a fighter goes up, it gets shot down. Long range munitions wear out barrels fast, and there is no replacement barrels. In fact there is no more ammunition. There is nothing the West or Ukraine can do that will 'turn the tide'. The Russians will win, and Ukraine will be a devastated country.
Do you think there would be a chance that fighter aircrafts would transform to ''flying coffins'', just a possibility??
They haven't reached the first line of defense for over a month and this guy talks about the defense line instead of talking about why they haven't.
cos they just talk out their back sides
Gotta maintain the narrative lol
The first defense line is the line in contact with the enemy you goon.
@@javierititin No that's called the line of contact. The first line of defense is where the entrenched positions are (Ukraine still hasn't reached any Russian entrenched positions). They're currently unable to break through the forward outposts and minefields that Russia has built. Ukrainians keep pretending that they're inflicting heavy casualities on Russia, yet there has been zero evidence that Russian reserves have been used. Meanwhile the Ukrainians have finally learned that throwing men and armour at minefields and artillery positions is foolish, just like your comment you goon:)
@@javierititin that's the security zone the defensive line are about 10 kilometers inland
Ukraine won’t have an army left to hold any gained territory after attacking those defensive lines…
Amirecan general has strategy only for afgan villagers with old rifles. And has no serious experience for more serious operations
That feeling of being surprised and confused the counteroffensive met a brick wall is what happens when Propaganda and reality meet.
its almost as beautiful to watch as the WSJ going from calling wagner great men to terrorists in the span of an hour
@@nicholasgrossman3194i think the people of the West are well informed about the systematic raping and torture that Wagner does around the world. And we are well aware that this war is an unmitigated disaster for Russia. Going from "special opreation" moving on kiyv to cheering not being pushed back in the East after 16 months...
the counteroffensive hit a brick wall? and why is this brick wall further and further into russian occupied territory then? XD
Yeah yeah.. its always "the others" that fall for Propaganda isnt it ^^
@@Grimshak81technically they have not even reach the brick wall yet😂
How's that 3-day war, I mean special military operation, going?
The general said that 'Bakhmut went back and forth' between Ukraine and Russia, which tells me he has absolutely no idea what he's talking about. If he doesn't know that, I completely doubt his competence regarding this war.
No he's just lying. There's a difference.
"slow counteroffensive" ? the counteroffensive was stopped becuase it failed
With such accuracy in their news report, you understand why we go through an economic crisis every couple years
Fact is the Russians won't be defeated. This is not a movie.
Except for the cold war. And Wagner in Syria. And in 2014 in Ukraine. and in economy. And in education. And population growth. And in due time Ukraine. Just get ready for your bullshitposting for the 2024 election, and pray putin doesn't conscript you next.
When watching such documentary movies I continue to be amazed how far from reality are Western media and military and how they completely do not understand Russia and what happens in Ukraine. It was clear that Ukraine's counteroffensive will do nothing.
Every morning I wake up and think about all the dead Russians, and it makes me happy
nobody understands Russia. Everyone thought they will win in several weeks or months
My dear moscowian enemy, you can dream about anything, but we will wash these things that you call military forces in their own blood. I promise)
It only takes two words, Land Mines, and we are done here...
The question they never ask these retirees: WOULD YOU SEND AMERICAN TROOPS INTO THIS DEATHTRAP? Spoiler alert: no, they wouldn't.
If it was American soil and a fascist autocracy had invaded (canada or mexico? 🤣) I kind of do think the US would try to reclaim it's territory. Unless they take Florida. I'm okay with them having Florida.
It's not going to happen. Weapon supply is the whole plan.
@@vanessac8193I'm not, I live in Florida
@@vanessac8193t's not about that. This is a suicide mission that will end in Ukraine not having an army at which point Russia can occupy the rest of it. You have to fight in a way that's realistic and intelligent. This counter offensive isn't either.
@@ranndino Russia is waiting for just what you say which is let the Ukraine expend its army on pointless, ineffective offensives. When Wagner Group has reorganized and incorporated new talent, they will lead a spearhead of a new third Russian army into Kharkov. Russia is signing up 1,200 new volunteer recruits a day; that a regiment a day.
Only 4 days later and Russia is countering on every front including a major breakthrough at Torske. The 42 day offensive so far has not only been stalled, but Russia was able to absorb it so well they felt confident enough to initiate operations of their own. Damning stuff
I think that's more then a bit over stating it. The only thing they seem to be doing is dieing on mass for no gain
The irony of this counter offensive is that Russians took more territory during the operation than Ukrainians
@@crashoveryu What territory Russian took?
@@user-gt2th3wz9c pushing towards Lyman.
Russia is absorbing dead and wounded at a terrible cost with dwindling reserves and a lack of will to fight. Expect the collapse soon.
The counter offensive is not running behind, it failed, call it like it is
Question: How does that 1st trench line get resupplied if it all has to come through the minefield behind them?
Perhaps they have a 'map' so that they can navigate through the minefield
Either they have a map of where the mines are, or there are gaps left in the field for movement. Those gaps are tempting for the other side to use for advancing, but they become death traps as troops and armor are forced to funnel through while being hammered by artillery, aircraft, and drones.
This reminds me of the Western Front in 1916-18. The Russians this time have a defense in depth life similar to the Hindenburg line in WW1. The western allies never did breach the Hindenburg line until September of 1918 and only then because fresh American troops arrived on the scene. The film failed to mention that air support as well as "smoke" will be used to protect any large offensive attack.
Good thing the US and Ukriane is prepping a false flag at the power plant in order to manufacture consent from the US population for boots on the ground.
Can't wait to see the nukes flying over Europe. It'll be a bigger boom to the US economy to rebuild the EU than ww2 ever was.
Ukraine already lost...relax
@@bulavo Yes. Ukraine Army cannot win. Why because Russia cannot afford to loose.
@@bulavoahahaha
Americans were still attacking like in 1915 for the early part of 1918. By the 100 day offensive the trenches were pretty much empty, not because of the immense power of the americans but because of tge dwindeling manpower, industrial capacity, lack of resources from the blockade and most importantly The Spanish Flu. Most of the German elite troops were spent during Operation Michael or Kaiserschlaht as its known. By the latter part of 1918 there was really no elite troops to counterattack, which was what made the Hindenburg line so difficult to breach. It was an active defense.
No one said counter offensives will be sweeping and easy.
Like Russia spent a winter offensive taking one major city, in 8 months of fighting overall.
But trying to breach defensively fortified lines is obviously going to be rough if you’re simultaneously trying to limit casualties and damage of equipment
The Ukrainians did hype it up a bit.
@@uioplkhjA bit is generous
Idk if Ukraine hyped it up as much as the media hyped it up.
@@photosynthesis69 Not as much as the media, no. But the media will always hype things up.
@@uioplkhj Well yeah I mean they need as much support as they can get so it makes sense to hype it up. I don't really see how that's supposed to be a bad thing
Thanks for the CC.
This war is different from the war I fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. This war is not a low-intensity guerrilla war but a WW2 type of battle.
And the fighters are not wearing flip flops and dressed in bedsheets......and no suicide bombers so far.
Exactly. Modern army fighting a modern army.
What's even funnier is that the defensive network the General is describing, hasn't even been reached by the AFU. Ukraine is stuck in the "security zone" aka the gray zone, not even reached the first line of defense.
That's not strictly true, Ukraine has reached the defensive lines in parts of the front weeks ago, in other places they haven't gotten that far. In either case, it's a moot point. It's not the lines which are actually slowing Ukraine's advances as much as the massive mine fields that they have to navigate through.
@@Gwyrddu He just said that. 'Security zone' is the defensive line. Comprised of a few men holding a trench.
@@GwyrdduAll mines can be demined. Its a little part of complex problem - Rusian defence line.
Ukr have no advantage in any component for offence.
Moreover, Ukraine nowdays on pike of its military power. For 8-12 month it tooked off the cream of mobilization potential, got a huge quantity of western military power. And it will newer be same strong as now.
If counteroffence fail - it will be end. Not fast, but inevitable
This is basically what I came here to comment. Whenever I watch news about the war from mainstream networks they are always inaccurate, and their explanations are incredibly shallow. They made it sound like these main defensive lines are what is currently holding Ukraine back when what they are currently having issues with is advancing through minefields with drone spotted artillery fire. Its the exact same thing Russia was having issues with when they tried to advance in this terrain such as with Vuhledar. Ukraine needs to take out most of Russia's artillery to succeed in these area's, which is why we have seen Ukraine shift it's focus on doing exactly that. This video says nothing of this though, instead they spend the whole time explaining something completely detached from what is actually happening on the ground.
bot take
How did the retired general conclude that Russia blew up the Nova Kakhovka dam? Does he site any evidence or is it a “believe me bro” moment?
well he said blowing up the dam helped ukrainians so it must be the russians who did it
he's guessing, they always blame the russians
He had a very strange rationale for it too. If I were the Russians I would have kept the dam intact and if the Ukrainians attacked that way well, then I might flood them. It has never made any sense for Russia to blow that dam when it was done.
According to other sources, Russian communications were intercepted where they admitted to destroying the dam. How were Russian positions flooded with Russians inside you might ask? I imagine the Russia line of communication is trash and the right hand did not tell the left hand what it was up too. Or something to that effect.
Russians were and still are the only people who had access the the area of the dam. They blew it up whether it was a good decision or not.
The missiles and artillery in this video deserve more focus. There is a region in front of the first layer of defense that is within range of the defender's missiles and artillery. So, its not just a layer obstacle course... its a layered obstacle course which shoots artillery and missiles at you the moment you get close to the first layer. So not only do the attackers have to pass all the layers, they have to do so while under fire from missiles and artillery. Going through defenses like that is a suicide mission. You get blown up before you even reach the first layer in most cases...
This is brilliantly covered by experts. I am amazed at what people do to defend themselves.
What many people are forgetting is that the Ukrainians still hasn't reached this types of defenses that has been shown in this video, they are already facing major problems just with mine fields and forward Russian positions and trenches during 1 month of this counter offensive so imagine what will happen when they finally reached this defenses systems.
If u think this is the "big counter" youre wrong. Who would Tell the enemy we are attacking now? They test the enemy and still wait till their best soldiers and weapons are back from western countries to enter the game. Rn ukraine only uses a small amount of ressources to attack. They already prepare for this by encircle bachmut slowly for example. Wait for f16, wait for cluster ammo and more stuff we maybe dnt know about.
They should pretty much cancel the counteroffensive and play defensively until they figure out something if they ever will
its just nice to watch a load of people eating their own BS
@@Schlabberdabadu lol as if f16 and cluster ammos are game changer..guys cut your BS okay..s-300 can counter f16 and Russians are waiting for any plane with s300,s400,s500 and other air defense systems leave aside mighty fleet of Russian AF..talkin with research is easy...do some research then open your holes
I think the dog ate the plans, so they had to improvise. So sad to think so much of our military elite is so unprincipled to come and say these nonsense. Ukraine is weak compared to Russia and will lose. If they were smart they would have not got themselves in this situation.
I feel for all those that are innocent & caught up in the middle of these wars…
Blame one person. Putin
@@hawaiian529 Putin only attacked because NATO intends to destroy Russia using Ukraine as a battering ram. How can you be so stupid? Putin is on the right side of history in this case.
@@hawaiian529 Putin is one man. Russia has hundred-something million people. They could easily defeat Putin, the mob could tear him apart. There's hundreds of thousands, most likely over a million in the police forces and national guard who could just step aside and let the people give the leader the Gaddafi treatment. They're all to blame.
Indeed, I agree.
@@hawaiian529 винить только НАТО.
Honest question - if no side can make meaningful gains, wouldn't it be wise to start negotiating?
Ukraine's counter offensive is not going slowly, it is dead and gone. With a lack of trained soldiers, lack of ammunitions and a robust russian lines of defence there is no way ukrainians can advance any further. No way!
Before the offensive started it's been said they will breach the lines in be at Mariuple in a few days. In fact, they are still far from the first line if deffense.
Who said that?
@@MLVL312all of western media and these retired generals
@@rubengonzalez620 B.S.
Let's put this bluntly, firstly airforce pilots training and planes and support needed before the offensive, secondly not all ground supplies wasn't delivered till late, thirdly the weather gave a late start and finally Ukraine's combined combat is expected to start with a depleted airforce this is one half of combined combat out the window. This last part is like asking a amateur boxer to go into a boxing ring with one arm tied behind their back. This hardly takes a brain surgeon to work out.
Someone tell me. If the US had to flee with its tail between its legs from Afghanistan in 2021! Then probably the United States does not have such good weapons and military tactics. Then why did anyone even have the idea that if you give the Ukrainians just weapons, then almost everything is quite old, older than the United States had in Afghanistan. Ukraine has even the slightest chance to stand against Russia. Stop supplying them with weapons, have pity on the people!
Add to the fact that the amateur boxer is facing an elite professional fighter. Odds are not in favor of The AFU. The economy was slowing down and they needed a distraction, new resources, and an excuse as to why the dollar is dying.
@@saysumn7369 your correct, that's why most countries wasn't willing to help Ukraine in the first place, now after showing a resilience never to be taken every country is willing to help them.
@@saysumn7369 am not sure i would call many of the russian troops elite. We have seen pretty stupid things from them even before mobilisation.
What is afu?
The war was started by russia its their fault...
@@denismorgan9742Without air support it is no suprise how slow the counter offensive is and clearing out mines to add to that.
The first step in solving any problem is to tell yourself and everyone around you the truth. The truth has been the biggest casualty of this conflict which, incidentally, has been going on since 2014. Its a huge pity none of your viewers know what's really been going on there.
"No, we won't give you planes until after the offensive. (and no, we would not even dream of trying any offensive ourselves without enough planes and total air superiority. Frankly, even with all that, all our offensives sucked shortly after the initial success wave during first few days anyway)". Then, a short amount of time later - "hey guys, why are you so slow?".
Did I get the gist of it right?
Nope. You're confusing sensationalist media with military command.
if usa gives plane ...it fly towards moscow on suicide attack not towards crimea and start world war III
Here I got the answer, we were too slow in agreeing upon and delivering western supplied armored vehicles to Ukraine and we didn't give them any Western Airpower to improve their capabilities in ground attack and air superiority. Allowing Russia to build up a large amount of defenses and minefields and forcing Ukraine to an attritional fight before any maneuvers can take place
Absolutely, too little too late.
You are correct sir
Someone tell me. If the US had to flee with its tail between its legs from Afghanistan in 2021! Then probably the United States does not have such good weapons and military tactics. Then why did anyone even have the idea that if you give the Ukrainians just weapons, then almost everything is quite old, older than the United States had in Afghanistan. Ukraine has even the slightest chance to stand against Russia. Stop supplying them with weapons, have pity on the people!
So absolutely correct. What was the matter with the West? Geopolitics at work - yes, none of their people dying, cities being demolished. Being so careful with the feelings of 'friends'.
There is no airfield in Ukraine that cannot be hit by a missile.
Is this the same general that said that Russia is going to lose a year ago?
Yeah.
Spelling error: Retired General Cannot Explain Why Ukraine’s Counteroffensive Is So Bad Failing
They haven’t even gotten to the main defence line structures yet.
with all the modernization and technology, it is scary how much this war looks like WWI. 109 years ago.
why didnt you compare it with ww2?
@@markusengel4701air power isn't really playing that big of a role. Russia hasn't had the economy to wage a massive air war since the fall of the USSR. (The US doesn't really at this point either since it scaled down compared to the cold war.)And Ukraine has soviet era hand-me-downs. So artillery is only really getting shot at by other artillery and drones. Leading to everything being fairly static.
@@alexsitaras6508 Russia had a 240 Billion surplus before the war Started. And thanks to the sanctions the Russian economy is as good as its ever been in decades. Their war factories are running 24/7 wages are up. Imagine that. I think like the U.S. was worried about escalation Putin was worried about a eventual NATO involvement and when he lost a few planes which every nation do in a war.. He decides to using them at the lines rather passed them.. maybe a costly mistake that is costing lives but, Russia is still winning despite
@@jaythomas3224 Putin expecteda three-day overthrow of Ukraine. Now they are hunkered down behind defensive lines over 500 days later. That's not winning.
@@alexsitaras6508 hahaha
If you wanted a swift counter offensive maybe you should not waited to give Ukranians weapons, tanks and jets (and they still don't).
Do you really think the yanks want Ukraine to succeed? They want a forever war so the profit margins go up for the arms industry. They dont care how many lives are spend or who wins. No one will win in the conflict. Only the globalists and the World economic forum will win. Another destroyed slave nation of consumers to add to the pile who can be flooded with immigrants to replace the original population and for ukraine its gonna be way more easy. All the "white" men are dead so the blackies and middle eastern can fill up the ukrainian womens bellies with their devil seed.
This entire attempt of an analysis is a joke. They have been relentlessly switching between causing as much russian casualties as possible to obliterating their supplies and infrastructure. The "counter-offensive" is nothing more than Ukraine exploiting weakspots, directing russian forces to different parts of the frontline and preventing them from launching an offensive.
They've had PLENTY.
Defund Ukraine Make America Great Again
Department of Public Procurement and Supply, Promoboronexport as well as the military of defence have all been embezzling funds and selling weapons sent by the west... UKRAINES CORRUPTION IS THE PROBLEM.
This war will drag on for years. 😢
I worried a bit whether the old man can break through the Russian defence lines, but he did! It was thrilling!
he needed M and Ms,
You’re right the old man actually broke through
It was the helicopters, anti-tank missiles, mines and artillery that stopped the Ukrainians, not the 'barbed wire', trenches or the flat terrain. Imagine how catastrophic their offensive would be if Russian positions were on some signifficantly higher ground.
To be fair russians lost significantly more Ka-52's, and their stocks are fairly low now. Regarding mines and artillery, that's very correct. Hopefully Ukrainian counter-battery fire bears fruit in a month or so
@@justADenirussians havent lost a single helicopter during this offensive
They are around the high ground.Specially near the village peytikhatki (not spelled correctly)
You forgot about the shovels
All of which are more effective if the enemy has to slow down to bypass tank ditches
The writer's strike is no problem. We have WSJ to keep us amused with their comedy.
Ukraine is so successfully conducting a counter-offensive that it did not even get to the 1st such defense that was shown on the video! they all died in the Buffer Zone. The counter offensive has been so successful for a month now
It really is a catastrophe...what is left of the ukrainian army are like chickens with their heads cut off. This is bottom of the barrel recruits with the losses theyve suffered. And so many of the arrogant ukrop fanboys are now so angrily seething
Don’t worry we will send tickets to Kobzon’s concert to all muscovites
@@ironrye4317 don't forget to call a Wagner concert
It's amazing how effective Russian shovels are against a NATO equipped and trained force
Even Nato themselves would need training from the Ukrainians on how to fight a real war .
If they only had weapons, imagine what they could do!
@@michaelfaraday8391or we can learn from the Russian wire defense on tanks against Javelins 😂real geniuses over in Russia 🤡
@@Dfthg-bz3hpjavelins, the first wonderwafel ?
you are called dim for a reason it seems
To all the copium-goblers out there talking about how “Cluster bombs are gonna become a game changer” y’all know that Russia can just start using em too, right? 😂
Russia has been using them.
They can dig tunnels and get out from behind enemy lines, thus avoiding casualties
11 days after this analysis nothing has changed 😅😅
Ukraine hasn't even made it to the first defense lines. They get bogged down in minefields.
I'm sure that's what daddy Putin desperately wants people to believe. Too bad for him.
Did you even watch the video?
Constant flip flopping on all kinds of topics. Wagner went from prisoners with no training equipped with just shovels to "the toughest and best fighters"
It's both. Wagner's core consists of ex-Russian soldiers, a lot of them former special forces e.g. VDV. Which has a lot to do with how the Russian military structure does NOT provide a valuable career path for NCOs, but that's a topic for another day.
So after some meat grinders in Ukraine, namely Soledar, they were depleted heavily of their veteran soldiers and subsequently heavily ramped up their recruitment from prisons.
The core of hardened veterans still existed, as well as whichever convicts survived Bakhmut.
there are 2 main groups within Wagner. the 'core' are actually quite well equipped and trained, but the convicts were sent in with minimal training and equipment. they're the ones that took most of the casualties in Bakhmut.
One of their tactics in Bakhmut was to send in the conscripts to try and create an opening, then sending in the 'good' troops to try and exploit said opening.
Wagner used the prisoners as cannon fodder so it's well trained soldiers would live. So both are true.
No. Wagner had a core of well trained, very experienced soldiers. They drove the convicts ahead of them to draw fire so they return fire at the Ukrainians. The slaughter was so great that the Ukrainians on the front lines had to bring multiple rifles because the barrels would overheat the fired so many rounds. For those who don't know, barrel heat will prematurely set-off the rounds.
Of course, the ones on the third line. Because they send the meat to the front to be slaughtered.
They literally made a trailer for this offensive a half year prior
Yea Ukraine works closely with their U.S. handlers to craft and distribute their propaganda.
Casualties will always be higher for the attacker than the defender. That's just how it works.
Tactics are evolving fast, and western training did not anticipate much of it. Air support is almost non-existent apart from drones, but there are also anti-drone measures. Still artillery strength is highly imbalanced. No, there is comparatively few hand-to-hand combat, because most hits are by artillery and mines. Russians often retreat and then shell the trenches newly occupied by Ukraine - and sometimes the other way around.
Western training and doctrine is silly to say the most of it.
@@MrBahjatt Western doctrine is one of combined arms... unfortunately for Ukraine they have only an effective army at its disposal. This entire video can be made null by effective air control over the battle space
Nah, a ten year old could have googled wiki on the population, resource and armed forces differential between Ukraine and Russia on DAY ONE and understood that Ukraine already lost.
@@1ambrose100 Who needs experts and generals when we have geniuses like you googling on Wikipedia.
To punch through quickly without air support, you need lots of wide area, dense, long range, 24/7 artillery, which I don't think Ukraine has.
It’s taking this long because it failed a month in and they haven’t taken 10 villages
this offensive is against well entrenched troops, who've occupied the area over a year, not those in freshly taken areas, like Kharkiv. Another factor is all those troops, have been pushed back to a smaller area, meaning each position has a higher troop density.
Bahkmut entrenched and fortified for 8 years, and you people were laughing at the Russians for being slow.
There were not enough troops to defend Kharkiv area, that's why they decided to rollback there. Basically, the gaps between formations were too big and the enemy could pass unnoticed.
@@donalexeymore importantly they did not deploy significant numbers of mines.
@@Dan-Martin we are still laughing because russia threw 40k prisoners to death to take a city with 40k prewar population :D
@@justADeni You traded 40k prisoners for 75k Ukrainian soldiers 🤣. Think you got the short end of the stick bud.
We know why - The Counteroffensive is not happening - surprised to see WSJ still beating this dead horse
6:00 that's not "barbed wire." That's razor wire to cut these people's skin.
Russians have been using German Leopard's and US Bradleys as artillery target practice and mine disposal. Still waiting on this magic counter offensive.
An interesting mixture of reluctantly admitted reality, copium and outright nonsense.
Lol 😂large formations with Western tanks, which tanks?? Russia 🇷🇺 has already destroyed half of Leopard tanks before even reaching the first line of defense.
This guy is completely out off reality, perhaps that’s how army fought back in 20th century
Saving Private Ryan, lol
I think that to predict any succes of this offensive you have to know what the losses are in men and material for Ukraine. Any offensive force is bound to lose substantially more than the defenders that are well armed and well prepared. That's just common sense. The losses just could be horrendous. That Ukraine after this time still hasn't found a ' soft spot' is telling.
Can't the Ukrainians have time to plan to find weak spots before losing troops & starting the offensive? Or is it the Russians already know were the Ukrainians is going to attack?
Generally, though, all frontline sources - Russian and Ukrainian - generally indicate Russia is taking greater losses than Ukraine. That shouldn't be the case, as you point out.
Ukraine is fighting an attritional war at this point, and as pointed out at the end, has yet to commit many of its best units. That's partially because they haven't found a soft spot, but it's also because if there is no soft spot, you need to make one. Attritional warfare takes time.
@@MrMuel1205 Leaks indicate ratio 1/7 killed in favor or Russia,stop your denial.
@@MrMuel1205 But it would be against all logic that Russia would take greater losses. That is hard to believe without a credible explanation. And frontline sources in this war where there so much lying can be easily manufactured are questionable. So the question remains: why should Russia, a well armed force with heavy defense lines that Ukraine cannot penetrate so far, take heavier losses which is something that goes contrary to any military strategic theory?
@@harriemeeuwis978 good question. why WOULD russia lose more men? why WOULD russia lose the flagship of the black sea, get the vdv curb stomped in hostomel, lose the kherson oblast in like a week, lose general after general after generel to uncle himars, suffer a military mutiny by their own mercs... Honestly at this point, nobody can predict what kind of clown show still awaits us.
What the general is describing is "1st line of defense". Ukraine didn't even reach that, they are still trying to break the "front line of defense". Just look at the maps of 1st line of defense and front line of defense. Russia has 5 line of defenses, not counting the front line of defense.
Then the Ukrainians will slowly kill them all. Catastrophic loss of life for a failed leaders vanity project. All that suffering. And it is inevitable that Russia will lose, no matter how many years or decades this goes on.
They are gaining miles every few days, Patience boy this is how military operations work . Don't get your panties in a twist.
@@josephr9930Miles? Meters to say the best 😂
@@josephr9930 At what cost? conquering some empty fields while taking massive material and manpower losses,will it be worth in the end?
@@josephr9930 losing thousands of soldiers and hundreds of vehicles per day you may add
Wow. The General fails to mention that the initial counter offensive did fail at the heavily fortified defense lines-it failed dozens of miles in front of them.
Оно провалилилось 24 февраля когда зеленскому приказали атакованть оперативников и погибли дети россиян и украинцев когда был обстрелян Донецк и Луганск. Теперь эти области русские до самых западных границ бывашей украины и это не избежно этому не миновать ни какими силами и действиями. Ошибка была совершена. За ней последствия. Попытки затереть последствия пандемии.
This is propaganda. I think Ukraine's offensive will die off in the next weeks. Russia is already on the offensive at Kreminn area.
You’re not paying attention if you think anything failed. Like mentioned in this video, the UAF is probing and waiting until the dam dries out.
A counter offensive without close air support is not going to be fast. This is a war of attrition now. And Ukraine is in a good position right now. They will be fighting this out all year and once they get the F16s and cluster bombs, they will be able to make big leaps.
@@kennethhamilton5323как только сука одна кассетна бомба взорвётся, Россия направит на Украину тысячу кассетных бомб
@@JIUNnF😂🤡
It's weird watching a major war unfold alongside constant media coverage. I feel like it isn't a good thing that this counter-offensive was constantly hyped up and talked about
We never got this kindo of coverage in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Yemen, or any of the other countries our country has bombed for 20 years or so. Why can't they cover those wars too?
One thing I never understood about defense lines is why don't they just go around them or use airplanes to drop troops behind defense lines and attack from both sides at the same time?
Yeah you would dropped these troops to their death trap, after dropping dropping them behind the defensive line, how would you be able to resupply them after they run out of munitions?