...
Military analyst: The Russians have succeeded in gathering their forces in Eastern Ukraine | Abroad | DR Russia has almost taken control of one of two disputed regions in eastern Ukraine. Russia's goal in eastern Ukraine is to lay waste Luhansk and Donetsk. to pursue a "genocidal policy" in the two regions.- The current offensive by the occupiers of Donbass can make the region. They want to burn the cities to ashes, as we saw with Mariupol, says Zelenskyj. The statement comes after the fighting in eastern Ukraine in recent days has become more and more violent. Russia has intensified the bombings, and the Russian forces are moving further and further into the area, was also the message from the Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister last night. - The fighting has reached its maximum intensity. The enemy is storming the positions of our soldiers in several directions. We have an extremely difficult and long battle ahead of us. We must realize that we are at war, and unfortunately losses on our part are inevitable, says Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar. This morning, it was announced that the Russian forces control as much as 95 percent of Luhansk. Yesterday the number was 90. The Russian success in eastern Ukraine is the fruit of two months of fighting in the area, where almost all military focus has been concentrated on Donetsk and Luhansk. This is what Kristian Lindhardt, major and military analyst at the Defense Academy says: - When they withdrew out of the Kharkiv region, President Putin said that the intention had always been that it was in fact eastern Ukraine, ie the two breakaway republics, that one wanted to control, he says and continues: - And now it looks like to that after two months of fighting they begin to have control of one of the two republics. And it is an expression of the fact that they have concentrated all their efforts in one place. not least the Ukrainian fighting force, says Kristian Lindhardt. - The Ukrainians are fighting incredibly well. And then one must also remember the continued Western support. Sure, the Ukrainians are militarily competent, but now they are also increasingly getting the weapons they need. The two things put together make the Ukrainians a very, very tough opponent, he says. At the same time, according to Kristian Lindhardt, one must keep in mind the Russians' way of fighting. Namely that they push the Ukrainian forces back instead of succeeding in surrounding them and removing them from .Donbass is located in eastern Ukraine close to Russia and houses the two major regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.Parts of Luhansk and Donetsk have in in recent years has been controlled by Russian-backed separatists, and Russia's Vladimir Putin has made no secret of his goal of "liberating" the region, which houses a large number of Russian-speaking Ukrainians. Immediately before the war, he signed a statement acknowledging Luhansk and Donetsk as independent from Ukraine.- There are certainly lots of Ukrainian soldiers falling, just as there are also falling Russians, but because the Russians are not allowed to surround them, the Ukrainian forces can constantly retreat to the next line of defense and the next and the next.- And that means that the Ukrainian soldiers can fight again tomorrow, rather than if the Russians had been bitten by them and surrounded them, says Kristian Lindhardt and emphasizes that not due to the Russians' lack of attempts to get the shovel under the Ukrainians.- Two or three weeks ago there were fierce fighting around the city of Izium, where the Russians tried to attack south and southeast out of the city. Here they could have taken a large part of the Donetsk and Luhansk area and surrounded the Ukrainians. But it did not succeed, because the Ukrainians had read the situation and offered really fierce resistance. But despite Ukrainian fighting spirit, it is still moving forward for the Russian forces in Eastern Ukraine. In recent days, Russia has intensified attacks around the industrial city of Severodonetsk, Luhansk's largest city. one of the only areas in the region that remains under Ukrainian control, and if the Russian forces succeed in displacing the last Ukrainian soldiers from the city, it will have great strategic significance, says Kristian Lindhardt.- This will mean that they actually can turn to the Russian and say: So! Now we have liberated the Russians living in Luhansk. This means that they have come a very long way towards meeting the goal they set a few months ago, says Kristian Lindhardt. to stop the war.- It could happen if he makes a trade-off of what it really is Russia is sacrificing to achieve what they so desire. Is it worth it? Despite the success in Luhansk, there is still a long way to go before the goal of a "liberation" of both Luhansk and Donetsk is reached, he says. which right now they only have about half of, then they have to spend months on it again. So it could be tempting for Putin to say that now we are close to achieving our goals - even if that is not the case. They lack people, and therefore they are trying in different ways to get someone to sign up this "military special operation" .Kristian Lindhardt, major and military analyst at the Defense AcademyMilitary progress has not been without cost to Russia. Russian side - and this has led to new, creative ways to intensify the Russian war effort. The Duma, the Russian National Assembly, on Wednesday approved a law abolishing the upper echelons to serve as a professional soldier in the country's army. Until now, only Russians between the ages of 18 and 40 have been able to serve, while as a foreigner they have had to be 30 years old. This is an expression of someone whose desperation from Russia's leadership, assesses Kristian Lindhardt from the Defense Academy. they are trying in various ways to get someone to sign up for this "military special operation", he says and says that it is precisely the definition "military special operation that gives Russia challenges in getting enough soldiers.- Because it is not a war, you can not force people to leave. It must be voluntary, he says and continues: - Raising the age ceiling will ensure that they can keep, for example, who has turned 40. And it is good that you can use it gray gold on. But the problem is that a person between 40 and 50 - all other things being equal - is less suitable right in the outer front line than, for example, one between 20 and 40 years.