Contrary to what President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday, his Russian troops are struggling to overcome the challenges posed by the invasion of Ukraine.
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“The Ukrainian Armed Forces skillfully exploited Russia’s lack of maneuver, frustrating the Russian advance and inflicting heavy casualties on the invading forces,” the UK MoD said.
One of the big mistakes of the Russian forces was to multiply the fronts in the first hours of the invasion, according to retired Canadian Armed Forces Lieutenant-Colonel Rémi Landry.
Photo: AFP
A truck full of Russian army rocket launchers was destroyed on the outskirts of Kharkiv on Wednesday.
“They started their attacks on five different axes, were taken to divide their troops and extend their logistical lines,” said the man who is a professor at the University of Sherbrooke.
For two weeks, Russian forces have not carried out attacks that would allow them to take control of several areas at once. And they are unlikely to do so next week, argues the Institute for the Study of War.
It would be surprising if the Russians completely surrounded Kyiv or moved more troops to step up assaults in northeastern Ukraine anytime soon, he said.
Damage in sight
“Putin must realize that he can no longer succeed. […] He will not be able to crush and conquer Ukraine, because they have basically shown that they have an indomitable spirit,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the BBC yesterday.
However, Russian forces still have the capability to do “a lot of damage”, NATO military sources told the BBC.
“Despite the negotiations, the Russian army continues to shell towns. The strikes are intensifying day by day and I expect it to continue,” confirmed the Newspaper Justin Massie, professor of political science at the University of Quebec in Montreal.
Supporting troops
Vladimir Putin is still looking for fighters to support the 150,000 soldiers at the front. More than 40,000 Syrians have already volunteered to fight alongside Russia, and a thousand Chechens are believed to be on their way to Ukraine.
For Justin Massie, these foreign fighters are perceived as “cannon fodder” by Moscow.
“Their deaths are not important for Putin, while the deaths of Russian soldiers have domestic consequences,” he argues.
– With AFP
The true face of war
This photo that we publish today is particularly hard and difficult to look at. We are well aware of this, but we decided to publish it in order to show all the horror and violence of a war. We consider it our role to show the reality that the people of Ukraine are living, even if it is shocking. The vast majority of our readers are adults and are knowledgeable. However, we recommend that parents do not let their children watch them alone and without explanation.
Dany Doucet
Chief Editor
