The Ukrainian counterattack is said to have consumed a lot of military equipment. Photo IT
“The rapid breakthrough efforts have resulted in extensive damage or destruction of military equipment,” the London think tank said in a report released on September 4.
In the report, RUSI gives an assessment of the challenges facing Ukraine as it enters the fourth month of a counter-offensive aimed at retaking Russian-occupied territory.
They said that no matter what progress Ukraine makes in this effort, further offensives are still needed to achieve the liberation of Ukraine’s territory and as the war drags on into winter and next year, the Kiev’s allies must remain committed to maintaining momentum against Russia.
RUSI’s conclusions were drawn from a case study of two-week tactical operations in the villages of Novodarivka and Rivnopil, located along the border between Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts.
It said that Ukraine is suffering from a heavy equipment loss rate, “but the design of armored fighting vehicles provided by international partners is preventing this resulting in a high number of personnel deaths. “.
“It is important that Ukraine’s protected moving fleets can be rehabilitated, repaired and maintained,” the report added.
However, “this approach is slow” and the Ukrainian army’s advance of about 700–1,200 yards every 5 days has “allowed Russian forces to reset”.
While Moscow’s forces suffered high losses in artillery and tanks, RUSI said they inflicted sufficient equipment losses on Ukraine in the early stages of the effort to reduce the range. Ukrainian activities. “In short, Russia has achieved tactical success in preventing a breakthrough.”
When Russian forces faced high attrition rates, they took adaptive measures such as increasing minefield depth, dispersing electronic warfare (EW) and primary fire control systems. more precise.
“Exploring technological tools to conduct mine reconnaissance from a distance will bring significant benefits to Ukrainian units,” the RUSI report said.
The report also said Kiev’s counterattack was limited by the capacity of personnel at the battalion and brigade levels and that staff training “would provide substantial support to Ukrainian forces”.
But this will only be useful if the training fits into the structure Ukraine adopts, “rather than teaching NATO methods designed for forces of different configurations”.
In an article published last week, the Kyiv Independent newspaper reported on testimonies from NATO-trained Ukrainian soldiers detailing how they felt “overwhelmed” in the face of Russian troops being attacked. better equipped.
A soldier from the 32nd Independent Mechanized Brigade fighting east of Kharkov in the northern sector of the front said NATO officers did not understand the reality on the ground.
Sergiy Zgurets, head of military analysis center Defense Express, told the news agency that NATO training focused on urban combat means less focus on essential skills such as how to chase enemies. Get out of the trenches, build strike groups and coordinate with artillery and drone support.
RUSI says that Ukraine’s counterattack requires dominance of firepower and it is important to secure this advantage by providing reasonable sourcing for the production of ammunition and spare parts.
“It is important for Ukraine’s partners to assist the country in preparing for the winter war and subsequent campaign seasons now, if the initiative is to be maintained through 2024,” the report states.
