Kyiv is set to launch a counterattack, with conflicting accounts of its date and map, after around 15 months of bitter warfare. What is this attack? And what are its conditions? Will Ukraine succeed in implementing it?
What does counterattack mean?
A military tactic used when one side successfully defends an enemy attack and forces it to retreat with a similar attack. Its main purpose is to thwart an enemy attack or regain lost territory on the battlefield.
most important conditions
According to historical sources, this attack has several conditions to achieve its objectives:
It requires the attacking side (Ukraine) to strike the opponent’s forces (Russia) quickly and decisively with the aim of shocking and crushing the adversary. Surprise the enemy because he is not on alert and does not expect this attack. The complete secret of the plan for preemptive strike success.
What are the most famous counterattacks in history?
Operation Bagration, which was carried out during World War II, was one of the greatest counter-attacks in military history when the Russian Red Army in 1944 managed to outwit the German forces, and the 3 July of the same year, Minsk was recaptured and then released the rest. from Belarus. The Battle of Austerlitz on December 2, 1805, known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, is one of the most important victories and decisive conflicts of Bonaparte’s Napoleonic Wars, when the French army defeated the Russian and Austrian.
Ukrainian case
Russia anticipated this attack, and to thwart it, in recent days has launched massive and comprehensive strikes on the positions of Ukrainian forces to hit contact points, army command centers, positioning sites and warehouses that contain weapons, ammunition, fuel, oils and petroleum materials, which Kiev attributes to Moscow’s fears of the planned attack.
Western officials, who spoke to Sky News Arabia, said the Ukrainian military was preparing at full speed for this battle.
According to their statements, several clues confirm the approach of the hour of the attack:
Repositioning of forces and deployment of tanks, combat vehicles and combat engineers. Demining and construction of bridges over rivers. Ukraine launched long-range attacks against Russian targets.
What are Ukraine’s goals?
CNN quoted US officials as saying the counterattack will target Russian weapons, command centers, armor systems and artillery to prepare the battlefield for advancing forces from Kiev.
According to Ukrainian military expert Oleh Danilov, to “Sky News Arabia”, Ukraine is aiming behind this:
Breaking the land bridge between mainland Russia and Crimea. This will cut off crucial supply lines for Russian forces in the Zaporizhia region. Isolation of Russian bases in Crimea. Restoration of critical infrastructure such as the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station in Kherson.
Regarding the contradictory Ukrainian accounts of the counterattack, and that Kiev needs more time to prepare, the French newspaper “Le Figaro” says that Zelenskyy fears launching a counterattack due to the exhaustion of the Ukrainians and of the state of exhaustion in the ranks of its forces.
Ukraine has the means to launch a massive counterattack, but it is forced to wait for the right moment. An early attack would cost the Ukrainians dearly.
Are there indicators to identify the attack?
In this regard, US military expert Andrew Mattrick says that the main sign of the start of the Ukrainian attack will be:
Kyiv mobilized all Western armored vehicles in the front line. Heavy use of Western armored vehicles on the line of contact. The mass of weapons, heavy armor, infantry and tank reconnaissance and combat vehicles will be the most important precursor to the start of this attack. Ukraine’s ability to make its plan a success remains ambiguous, according to Business Insider.
The main challenges facing Ukraine
In this regard, retired US General Mark Hertling says that Ukraine faces several obstacles:
Troops crossing the Dnieper to face Russians who have been preparing for months. There are Russian defensive belts waiting for the Ukrainian forces in Kherson and Zaporizhia, as Moscow’s control over these has given them a fixed defensive advantage. Offensive operations require more forces and greater maneuverability. The attack requires precise targeting and fire, as well as longer and more secure Ukrainian supply lines. The vast area of Ukraine and the length of the battle front make getting all the units into position a big challenge.
In the same context, General Richard Barrons, former commander of the British Combined Forces Command, says:
Ukraine’s air defenses are overstretched and could face a barrage of Russian missiles once the offensive begins. There is a question mark over Ukraine’s ability to control its airspace. Ukraine is expected to provide artillery and long-range missile launchers to fend off Russian aircraft and air defense systems.
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