It is over a week since the first satellite images of the 64-kilometer-long Russian military column in the direction of Kyiv first appeared.
Maxar Technologies, which released the photos, told CNN early last week that the column consists of armored vehicles, tanks, and vehicles carrying artillery and logistical support.
But the column’s journey towards the Ukrainian capital has not gone smoothly at all.
– It stands and stomps.
This is the situation description of Lieutenant Colonel Palle Ydstebø, head of the section for land power at the war school.
Waiting for the most effective weapon
– Noticeably small
– The column was obviously set up in the hurry and the crash, and was not prepared for these problems, says Ydstebø to Dagbladet, and continues:
– This means that they are now not allowed to use the resources in the column, nor the combat forces, ie the soldiers who are going to fight.
On Thursday, Britain’s defense minister said the column still appeared to stand still about 30 kilometers outside Kyiv, and that the Russians have moved far slower than expected.
Before the weekend, NTB wrote that the long Russian military column outside Kyiv has barely moved in recent days, according to satellite images – and that it was still more than 30 kilometers from the center of the Ukrainian capital
– It has moved “noticeably little” in the last three days, British intelligence said.
SECTION HEAD: Lieutenant Colonel Palle Ydstebø is head of the section for land power at the war school. Photo: The Armed Forces
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Traffic jam
The fact that the column is probably full of artillery and support weapons does not help much in the deadlocked situation it is now in.
– This has become a single huge traffic jam, says Ydstebø.
– The column only has value if it reaches the various combat departments with the supplies. When it stands still as it is now, it is in contrast very vulnerable to attack, he adds.
That the vehicles are now stuck in the mud and do not get through, is probably due to poor planning, said chief researcher at the Armed Forces Research Institute, Tor Bukkvoll to Dagbladet before the weekend.
– The military experts I have spoken to understand very little of this. Tracked vehicles such as tanks are not intended to drive on their own machine as far as this column has traveled. Possible parts of it are simply worn out, said Bukkvoll.
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– Something has happened
Ydstebø also believes that something has not gone according to plan here.
– Something has definitely happened, he says.
– This may indicate that there are major problems with the road network, as well as practical problems with directing and steering the column going forward. The fact that Ukrainian soldiers have begun to attack it helps even less, says Ydstebø.
– How vulnerable is it, as it stands now?
– It is very vulnerable – both to aircraft attacks, assaults and snipers who shoot at the tires, artillery attacks and other raids along the column.
– Is it likely that it could risk being lost?
– There is a limit to how long it can stand there and experience even more problems, Ydstebø answers.
Stopped by traffic jam
Food and fuel shortages
Tida also does not play on the team with the fighting morale of the soldiers who are stuck in the column, the lieutenant colonel believes.
– If no supplies arrive for them, they will not receive food, he points out.
– And if they do not get fuel, they do not get the cars either, he adds.
He says he has seen many commentators, who “wonder what in the world is happening and not happening”.
