“What is very clear is that this is the first time in 200 days [depuis le début du conflit] that the Ukrainian army is sinking the Russians and sinking them quickly and deeply“, observed Pierre Servent, operational reserve colonel and specialist in defense issues, Monday, September 12 on franceinfo.
Earlier, the Ukrainian army announced that it had taken over “more than 20 localities“in 24 hours as part of its counter-offensive against the Russian army.”Why is this happening now? This is because the bulk of the Western military equipment that has been promised, especially Americans, has arrived“, he explains.
According to him, it is “a very powerful offensive victory, which shakes up the Russian system, in particular because the Ukrainians have managed to retake important towns and villages such as Izioum, Kupiansk and Balakliïa“. In effect, “the Russians had ammunition depots there, material depots, but these localities also constituted rail and road nodes which were connected to Russia“.
“What the Ukrainians have done here is not only deeply humiliate the Russian army, but also deprive them of an essential logistical base for the war effort.”
Pierre Servent, operational reserve colonel and specialist in defense issueson franceinfo
For him, “the question that arises today is ‘is this a major sinking, or the beginning of the dislocation of the Russian body?’“. At this stage, “it’s too early to tell“.
Be that as it may, the Ukrainian soldiers “have a smile on their face“.”I had contact with Ukrainian elements who are on the ground yesterday [dimanche]. They told me ‘we do our shopping in Izium’ and they sent me photos of recovered Russian military equipment“. On the shots he received, he saw “ammo crates, rocket launchers and RPGs which are mini portable rocket launchers“.