Ukraine has successfully stopped the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region that began a few weeks ago, but the situation in Donbass is different and the Ukrainian army continues to lose territories there, writes Le Monde.
The armed forces of Ukraine withdrew from the “Kanal“ of Chasov Yar, as they are currently on the west bank of the water supply canal created in the 1950s. This 10-meter obstacle will prove to be a difficult tactical challenge for the Russian army. Kiev claims it can hold this line “for a long time”.
Thanks to its high position, Chasov Yar, which had a population of 12,000 before the invasion, blocked the Russian offensive on other towns and villages in Donetsk Oblast and the region.
In recent weeks, the intensity and scale of the Russian army's attacks in Donbas have increased. For example, in the outskirts of Toretsk, the Russian army achieved success, and Ukrainian military analysts point out that this was due to mistakes by the Ukrainian military command. “This is the result of a serious mistake by the command, which ordered the simultaneous rotation of two brigades without coordination. As a result, the adversary, who saw the operation through its reconnaissance drones, took advantage”, Oleksandr Kovalenko pointed out.
A possible breakthrough from Toretsk could enable the Russians to attack the southern flank of Chasov Yar, making its defense much more difficult.
The inability of the Ukrainian armed forces to block Russia's push in the Donbas can be explained by the asymmetry of the means used in this theater of war. Russian firepower is far more destructive, despite the resumption of Western munitions supplies to Ukraine.
The Russian army is attacking Ukrainian positions with 250 or 500-kilogram glide bombs capable of destroying sturdy bunkers and leveling entire cities. Ukrainian soldiers say that Western military aid is the most important thing for them to survive on the front.