A Ukrainian soldier on a tank performs firing observe close to the frontline space in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on March 29, 2023.Muhammed Enes Yildirim/Getty Pictures
A terrifying video captures a Russian drone’s assault on a German-made Leopard tank beneath.
Russians cheered these defeats. Some imagine they’re indicators Ukraine’s counter-offensive is a failure.
They might but be upset. Ukraine’s counter-offensive has simply begun.
Scenes from the frontlines of the Ukraine Battle have lately seemed dire for Ukraine’s forces as their counteroffensive will get underway, together with pile-ups of broken or wrecked tanks and combating automobiles.
One terrifying video captures a Russian loitering drone’s assault on a German-made Leopard 2 tank beneath. The hit is actual however the full harm is not proven and could not be independently assessed.
The Leopard is among the many extra superior weapons Ukraine has obtained from its Western backers to assist in retaking its land from Russian invaders.
Russians celebrated.
“Some outstanding Russian ultranationalists claimed that broken or destroyed Western-provided gear indicated that Ukrainian forces did not launch a large-scale counteroffensive,” notes the Friday evaluation of the Institute for the Research of Battle assume tank, which carefully tracks the battle and the pro-Russian bloggers who form their public’s understanding of it.
Accounts and pictures of the laborious combating are rising from the Zaporizhia area, the place Ukraine is utilizing a few of its strongest weapons to attempt to punch by means of Russian strains and is confronting so-called dragon’s enamel positions to cease tanks, minefields, relentless artillery, digital jamming, drones, and even airstrikes.
It’s not clear if the dire scenes are coming from the fulcrum of Ukraine’s counteroffensive, the place casualties are more likely to be highest as they try and press by means of what could possibly be as much as 20 miles of Russia’s mutually reinforcing positions. As Insider’s Ryan Pickrell has reported, it’s in these maelstroms the place even the very best automobiles could be destroyed and troops killed.
“One other Russian milblogger claimed {that a} counteroffensive can solely last as long as 10 to fifteen days, implying that Ukrainian counteroffensive will quickly culminate,” in line with ISW.
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That optimism could also be misplaced. The counter-offensive is about six days in. Ukraine is advancing in its east and has made restricted positive aspects in Zaporizhia — positive aspects that could possibly be constructed upon in successive waves or supported through different assaults. Russia has parried a few of Ukraine’s assaults, however will these show the primary effort?
Solely time will inform.
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