NATO officer: Ukraine is losing ground, facing counterattack from Russia
(Baonghean.vn) - NATO officers assessed that the counterattack of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has not yet achieved significant results, and is even losing to Russia. Although Ukraine is actually conducting the counterattack, in some areas, Russia is counterattacking.
Stavros Atlamazoglou, a retired NATO officer and now a defense and national security columnist, commented in an analysis published on 19FortyFive: The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ counterattack has so far been fruitless. Soldiers are desperately trying to break through Russian defenses, encountering minefields and large, modern, and sturdy fortifications.
The former NATO officer said that although Ukraine is the one conducting a large-scale counterattack, it is losing ground, and Russia is counterattacking in some places, especially in eastern Ukraine. In the direction of Svatovo - Kremennaya, the Russian army is gradually moving west, despite the rugged forest terrain.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to concentrate its forces in the Bakhmut area, moving large numbers of troops and weapons systems there, in an attempt to erase Russia's previous successes.
"Here, Russian forces may be thin, but so far they are holding their ground. Further south in the Donetsk region, especially in the Adiivka area, Ukrainian forces have not given up their efforts at local attacks, but to no avail," former NATO officer Stavros Atlamazoglou said, citing the latest assessment of British military intelligence on the conflict.
According to Stavros Atlamazoglou, the southern front remains one of the most important for both armies. A breakthrough in the offensive would allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to reach Crimea, and possibly take control of the Kerch bridge. However, achieving this would certainly be at the cost of a very fierce battle.
In addition, the Ukrainian counteroffensive is taking place in two directions: Zaporozhye and Kherson. In Zaporozhye, the Ukrainian army is attacking from the north and achieving some minor successes. However, the Russian army continues to hold its defensive line.
In Kherson, the Ukrainian army has temporarily captured a number of small positions on the left bank of the Dnieper River, according to the former NATO officer. Ukraine does not currently deploy many forces in this area, but they can still pose a large enough threat to make Russian commanders "not sleep well at night".
On the other hand, extensive minefields and fortifications continue to be the main obstacles slowing down the Ukrainian army's progress.
