ISW warns of danger of sudden breakthrough by Russian troops in Ukraine

9 months ago
8

The shortage of ammunition and military equipment caused by delays in US aid could leave the current front lines in Ukraine very vulnerable. This could be exploited by Russian forces for a sudden breakthrough. The Institute for the Study of War said this.
The Institute for the Study of War analysts said that Ukraine's prioritisation of areas of the front line which are most at risk from intense Russian offensives could create vulnerabilities elsewhere.
The institute’s experts warned that Russian forces could take advantage of this to make a sudden and unexpected advance. A breakthrough could happen if the supply of weapons to the Ukrainian military continues to decline.
They also noted that the fact that Russia retains the initiative along the entire line of contact increases the risks of such a development, allowing Russian military commanders to increase or decrease the intensity of operations on any part of the front line at their discretion.
The Institute for the Study of War analysts stressed that Ukrainian forces are likely trying to mitigate the problems caused by the lack of ammunition and are identifying priority areas on the front line.
However, military analysts are convinced that this has risks for the Ukrainian forces.
On 12 March, the German news outlet Der Spiegel published an interview with unnamed Ukrainian commanders who stated that almost all Ukrainian units and formations are suffering from a shortage of ammunition and military equipment.
Der Spiegel noted that Ukrainian units can only hold their current positions if Russian troops do not use their full capacity to attack.
Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, warned that there is a threat of Russian units advancing deeper into Ukrainian formations in certain areas of the front line.

Loading comments...