For now, Ukrainian commanders do not think the Russians have the capacity to launch a successful all-out offensive
Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitask’s secretary-general, said “we see that they [the Russians] are preparing for more war, that they are mobilising more soldiers, more than 200,000, and potentially even more than that.” Mr Stoltenberg is not the only one to warn that a new offensive is in the offing. Ukrainian leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, have said the same, and Russian artillery strikes have sharply stepped up in recent days.
Ukrainian commanders say that they believe the main Russian aim in trying to take Bakhmut is to present a success to the public at home, particularly for the Wagner Group. “It is in a valley,” says General Melnyk, so it will be hard, though not impossible, for the Russians to advance from there and to threaten the much bigger cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, which would then become vulnerable to artillery. It is also possible that Ukrainian-held areas in the region could be encircled.
The roads leading to the eastern front are full of military traffic. Driving through the ruins of small towns, and past the incinerated remains of tanks and armoured cars, there is a stream of lorries transporting ammunition, cars packed with soldiers and transporters moving armoured vehicles. So much different equipment has arrived in the past few months that soldiers have a problem identifying what is what.
Sergeant Dubovyi takes out a gadget. While his colleagues are assembling their drone, he uses his device to scan the airwaves to determine whether there is a Russian drone in the area, or electronic interference that could end in their drone being downed. Two laptops sit on the open tailgate of the car, next to flasks of coffee and pastries. Once the drone is airborne it begins transmitting video to the computers.
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Ukraine’s troops in the east are quietly confidentFor now, Ukrainian commanders do not think the Russians have the capacity to launch a successful all-out offensive
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