Ukraine changes its tactics after heavy losses in counteroffensive – NYT

The New York Times reports that according to US and European officials, during the first two weeks of Ukrainian' counter-offensive, about 20% of Ukrainian military equipment was damaged or destroyed. Among the losses were Western combat vehicles such as tanks and armoured personnel carriers, which the Ukrainian forces had counted on to repel Russian aggression.

However, the casualty rate dropped to 10% in the following weeks as Ukraine changed its tactics, retaining more troops and equipment needed for a major offensive.

"Some of the improvement came because Ukraine changed tactics, focusing more on wearing down the Russian forces with artillery and long-range missiles than charging into enemy minefields and fire," the report said.

The losses have also slowed because the counteroffensive itself has slowed and even halted in places as Ukrainian soldiers struggle against Russia’s formidable defenses.

"And despite the losses, the Ukrainians have so far covered only five of the 60 miles (8.4 kilometres out of 96.5) they hope to cover to reach the sea in the south and split the Russian forces into two," the newspaper notes.

Ukraine's counteroffensive

On June 4, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a counteroffensive on the southern frontline, continuing a series of offensives near Bakhmut and in other directions.

On June 24, the Ukrainian Defense Forces officially confirmed the liberation of the territories near Krasnohorivka in the Donetsk region, which had been under occupation since 2014.

On June 24, the eastern grouping of Ukrainian troops launched an offensive in several other areas simultaneously.

On the morning of July 3, Hanna Maliar reported that the Defense Forces advanced in the southern and eastern directions. Over the past week, the Ukrainian military liberated about 38 square kilometers. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are advancing on the flanks and effectively destroying the Russians in the Bakhmut direction, but the situation is intense.

On July 4, it was reported that Ukrainian military forces were advancing on the southern flank around Bakhmut in Donetsk region and in the south.

On July 5, Captain Valeriy Shershen, a spokesman for the joint press center of the Tavria Defense Forces, said that the Ukrainian servicemen in the south were holding their positions, conducting mine clearance, regrouping and preparing for further offensive actions.

On Wednesday, July 5, the General Staff reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are making progress near Klishchiivka in the Bakhmut sector, and Ukrainian soldiers are now consolidating their positions.

On the morning of July 5, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Ukrainian Defence Forces were continuing their offensive in the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions, consolidating their positions, inflicting artillery fire on the identified enemy targets, and carrying out counter-battery operations.

On July 7, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported that the Defense Forces were advancing on the flanks of Bakhmut and grinding the enemy to a halt in the south, with the ratio of Russian army losses being more than five times higher.

Also on Saturday, July 8, it was reported that the Ukrainian military had achieved tactically significant gains in the area of Bakhmut. At the same time, Ukrainian forces continued their counteroffensive in at least three other areas of the front.

On July 9, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of the Land Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said that Ukrainian troops continue to advance in the Bakhmut direction, and that Russian forces are getting trapped in some places.

Later, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said that the Chechen special forces Akhmat had been redeployed to the Bakhmut direction: the Kadyrov soldiers were allegedly in Klishchiivka.

On July 10, the commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, emphasized that Bakhmut was under the fire control of the Defense Forces. The General Staff emphasized that since the beginning of the counteroffensive, the Ukrainian Armed Forces had liberated 169 km² of Ukrainian land in the Melitopol and Berdiansk directions, an area commensurate with the size of Odesa. In the Bakhmut sector, the Defense Forces have recovered 24 km² of Ukrainian territory.

On July 12, the General Staff reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had hit the Duna hotel in Berdiansk, as previously reported. Russians were taking away the bodies of the killed soldiers by truck. Ukrainian aviation launched 6 strikes on the Russian forces' military positions and 2 on enemy air defense systems. Over the course of the day, missile and artillery units destroyed 1 control center, 16 artillery pieces at firing positions, 4 anti-aircraft missile systems and 2 enemy electronic warfare stations.

According to the General Staff on July 13, the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to conduct offensive operations on three frontlines - Bakhmut, Melitopol, and Berdiansk. At the same time, the Russian army is using reserves and moving its troops.

On July 14, it was reported that the Defence Forces in the Melitopol sector had advanced 1,700 metres to the south and southeast over the week.