The Ukrainian counter-offensive is dazzling: in total, “since the beginning of September, our soldiers have already liberated 6,000 km2 of Ukrainian territory in the east and south, and we continue to advance”, declared the Ukrainian president Monday, September 12 in a video. Are we witnessing a turning point? On the ground, we are extremely cautious, aware that if Russia is certainly weakened, its artillery remains extremely powerful.
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The Ukrainian General Staff has blocked almost all communications and journalists are prohibited from joining the front line.
In Mykolayev, in southern Ukraine, the one we will call Yuri, close to the command of the Ukrainian troops in the region, confirms: the troops are advancing on the southern front, but nothing has yet been won: “I will tell you what the situation is so that you understand why we are asking you for heavy artillery”, he explains.
“For one of our shots, we get thirty in return. In other words, we need a lot more to really succeed in our offensive: we need tanks.”
If the Ukrainian army manages to advance, it is thanks in particular to its intelligence services and the motivation of its fighters. But Youri affirms it: the Russian artillery remains a wall. “We lack soldiers capable of handling tanks, as well as gunners and drivers”continues Youri.
Vitaly Kim, the governor of Mykolaiv, confirms: Russia, admittedly weakened, remains infinitely more powerful. “The Russian occupiers have enormous numbers of men as well as very large stocks of ammunition, he points out. But our army uses intelligence a lot and tries to trap the adversary. We’re trying to use our heads to win.”
Among the threats hanging over the Ukrainian counter-offensive, Russian artillery, but also Crimea, from which, from a distance, Russia is bombarding Ukrainian troops and infrastructure.
Yuri is a wealthy man and in his own way helps to motivate Ukrainian fighters by paying them a bounty of around 1,000 euros for each Russian helicopter shot down.
“We have to help motivate the troops! This bounty is my way of showing my gratitude to these guys who are in the trenches, as well as my appreciation and respect.”
These bonuses will obviously not be sufficient. In the West, he hammers home this message: “Please help us strengthen our air defense: we ask you again and again.” This counter-offensive is the moment or never to save Ukraine before winter, people whisper a lot in Ukraine. And this call for help, Youri intends, more than ever, to make it pass.