Espreso. Global
Review

Not only speed of offensive, but its pace matters: military results of the week

8 July, 2023 Saturday
15:25

The offensive strategy from Commander-in-Chief Zaluzhnyi, the Russian defense in the south will still crack, and the use of chemical weapons by the Russian forces – read more in this week's military summary

client/title.list_title

Ukraine needs aircraft to strengthen its air defense

Now the enemy's tactics are changing. On the one hand, a certain stockpile of cruise missiles is being maintained. The Ministry of Defense has stated that the Russians have the potential to produce 100 missiles of various types per month, 60% of which are cruise missiles. The main emphasis should be on strengthening Ukrainian air defense, and there is hope that Ukraine will be able to reliably defend all cities, primarily thanks to the supply of aircraft.

Bakhmut: Ukrainian Armed Forces under pressure on flanks, Russians use chemical weapons 

On July 7, the spokesperson for the Eastern Military Grouping Serhiy Cherevatyi said that the Defense Forces continue to hold the initiative in the Bakhmut sector and put pressure on the enemy on the northern and southern flanks. Over the last day, they have advanced more than a kilometer. It is difficult to determine where exactly this advance is. Bakhmut is being covered from two flanks. In the north, Ukrainian troops are counterattacking in the direction of Orikhove-Vasylivka and cutting off the road to Sloviansk deep into the occupied territory. There are also battles for the dominant heights in Berkhivka. Now the Russians hold part of the heights, we are in front of the reservoir from the north.

The third assault brigade is operating there. Deputy commander Maksym Zhorin said the brigade continues to move. Some of the heights are under Ukrainian control, some are still in the process of being occupied. The enemy is trying to resist, mainly with new units.

Klishchiivka is on the southern flank. On July 7, the General Staff reported a partial success of the Defense Forces and their consolidation in the area. Heavy fighting continues there. Ukrainian brigades have driven the enemy out of two important strongholds on the heights in front of Klishchiivka. Then the lowlands begin, where the settlement itself is located.

As for the new units, they are trying to hold Klishchiivka, including two tank regiments that have been deployed in recent days. They will try to make it impossible for Ukrainian units to advance. I think these are vain hopes of the Russians. Zhorin said that due to panic, the enemy started using chemical weapons. He mentions a substance called lewisite - when it gets on the skin, it immediately causes pain. This is a significant violation of the rules of warfare. I understand that these munitions were launched from the Grad systems.

On the southern flank, the enemy is still trying to hold this entire line behind Klishchiivka - Andriivka, Kurdiumivka, Ozarianivka - with new reserves. There is a rocky road behind this line and the enemy has pulled up these tank regiments along it. This suggests that the fate of Bakhmut is already sealed, but the enemy is trying to move the last of its reserves here. Even from the Zaporizhzhia front, Enerhodar, they have moved them.

Offensive in the south: Zaluzhnyi's new strategy, Russia's defense will still crack

As for the south. There are gradual, slow actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Orikhiv direction, from Velyka Novosilka, and in the Vasylivka area. Infantry units and artillery are working on the reserves (up to 30 km deep). The second level of strikes is 80 km. This is the destruction of Russian reserves and important facilities in the depths of the defense. The main thing is not speed, but the destruction of the stability of the enemy's defense. At some point, it will crack anyway, which will be a sign of the beginning of the next stage of hostilities. In the south, the front line is quite wide, with Ukrainian units conducting spot probing and artillery activities along all sections.

We had several offensive operations - the liberation of the Kharkiv and Kherson regions. They were different in terms of dynamics and approaches. Now we have the third model, which is significantly different from the previous two. The enemy is fortified and has a significant number of defense lines. Just a hard and fast advance of our two formed corps can ensure advancement in certain areas. When the enemy's defense is strong, it is risky and wrong. We now see a completely different approach, which is aimed at 'chewing up' the enemy. Russia cannot help but react to Ukrainian offensive actions - where the defense is weak, it begins to transfer reserves from the second and third lines of defense. And this is where the artillery is actively working. Minefields, enemy artillery, aviation and electronic warfare are holding back the Ukrainian advance. Until these factors are minimized, it makes no sense to talk about rapid advancement. We should talk not about speed, but about the pace of the offensive during the operation. The pace is the ratio of Ukrainian actions to those of the enemy. If Ukrainian forces impose their tactics of warfare, and this is what it looks like, it is also an indicator that Zaluzhnyi's new strategy is working in the new realities.

Tags:
Read also:
  • News
2025, Wednesday
19 February
13:08
EU approves 16th sanctions package against Russia – Journalist Jozwiak
12:56
Affiliate Material
I wasn't afraid of causing pain — it helped the wounded: combat medic Lidiia Zabolotska's story
12:35
Russia in Riyadh lies about not targeting Ukraine’s energy sector as it strikes Odesa – Zelenskyy
12:13
OPINION
Ukraine expects unity from Europeans, Europeans expect unity from Ukraine
11:57
Zelenskyy delays Saudi Arabia visit to avoid legitimizing U.S.-Russia talks
11:36
Review
Kurakhove pocket: Ukrainian Armed Forces hold ground under extreme conditions. Serhiy Zgurets' column
11:10
UK may supply Ukraine with Typhoon fighter jets if ceasefire is reached
10:52
U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg arrives in Kyiv for talks
10:36
Russia remains unwilling to negotiate on Ukraine following talks in Saudi Arabia — ISW
10:15
Russian drone attack causes power, water, and heating outages in Odesa, leaves 4 injured
09:54
Russia’s Syzran oil refinery on fire after drone strike
09:30
Russia loses 1,300 soldiers, 19 tanks, 72 artillery systems in one day of war in Ukraine
2025, Tuesday
18 February
21:30
EU plans to provide Ukraine with €6 billion military aid package amid US-Russia talks
21:15
Exclusive
Massive Russian force gathers near Ukraine's Lyman as attacks intensify
21:01
Exclusive
"Signal to world and primarily Europe": MP Tsymbaliuk on US-Russia negotiations
20:42
Ukraine will not legally recognize Russian-occupied territories, says Zelenskyy
20:26
Turkey is ideal for negotiations between Russia, Ukraine, and US, says Erdogan
20:11
Updated
Fox News reports on proposed three-stage peace plan by Russia and US. Lavrov claims he hasn't seen it
19:56
Exclusive
Ukraine prepares for elections, says former SBU officer
19:40
OPINION
How 50% became stumbling block in Ukraine-US relations
19:25
UK Defence Secretary declares world is in "new era of threat"
19:09
How Ukrainian simulators help troops master new weapons
18:50
Exclusive
EU plans to extend sanctions against Russia - Espreso correspondent from Brussels
18:31
US-Ukraine mineral deal terms worse than Germany's post-war reparations – The Telegraph
18:10
Ukraine won't accept Russia's ultimatums: Zelenskyy on US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia
17:52
Zelenskyy, First Lady inaugurate Ukraine's new Embassy building in Ankara
17:30
Europe ready to ramp up defense efforts for Ukraine amid global pressure — Ursula von der Leyen
17:11
Russia says European peacekeepers in Ukraine would be viewed as “escalatory step”
16:54
Exclusive
Trump appears to be outmaneuvering both Beijing and Moscow, says political analyst
16:36
Exclusive
EU aims to compete with U.S. for global influence – Espreso correspondent from Brussels
16:15
Ukraine’s strike on rare Russian S-350 puts pressure on Moscow’s defenses
15:55
Ukraine Russia war live map, February 5-12
Russia's year-long push for Pokrovsk shows no success: military observer explains why
15:27
Exclusive
Europe faces a new reality – Ukrainian MP Knyazhytskyi from Paris
15:12
Lithuania calls for security guarantees before considering troop deployment to Ukraine
15:06
Updated
U.S. and Russia hold over 4-hour talks in Saudi Arabia
14:55
Ukraine allocates over $35 million to maintain Chornobyl shelter
14:31
Russia enhances accuracy of North Korean KN-23 missiles — Ukraine's spy chief
14:22
Reuters streams live from Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Kyiv authorities respond
14:16
Exclusive
If U.S. invades Russia, no one will resist — psychologist
13:53
Ukraine recovers 7,017 fallen defenders' bodies since start of Russia’s full-scale invasion
More news