By reporting thus, Forbes has obviously become pro-Putin. /s
Also:
1/4 Ukrainian forces suffer ‘stiff resistance’ and losses in assault on Russian lines
“
Ukrainian forces have suffered losses in heavy equipment and soldiers as they met greater than expected resistance from Russian forces in their first attempt to breach Russian lines in the east of the country in recent days, two senior US officials tell CNN.
One US official described the losses – which include US supplied MRAP armored personnel vehicles as “significant.”
Ukrainian forces managed to overrun some Russian forces in the east around Bakhmut. However, Russian forces, armed with anti-tank missiles, grenades and mortars, have put up “stiff resistance,” with their forces dug into defensive lines that are several layers deep in some areas and marked by minefields that have taken a heavy toll on Ukrainian armored vehicles.
...”
2/4 Ukraine suffers ‘significant losses’ as long-awaited counteroffensive begins against Russian forces: US officials
3/4 The Ukrainian Army Lost Bradley Fighting Vehicles And A Leopard 2 Tank Trying And Failing To Breach Russian Defenses In Southern Ukraine
One of my sources explained that when the Ukrainians make some progress in their ‘counter-offensive’, the Russians immediately mine the path they had taken, and then trap them in their forward position...pretty much leaving them as sitting ducks.
If they were Europeans or Americans being sent into those conditions, there would be hell to pay in the streets of those countries, but, thankfully, they’re just Ukrainians...
Who thought that there suddenly would not be casualties?
“Ukrainian military fully controls Neskuchne village near Velyka Novosilka...
Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Hanna Maliar:
Ukrainian army advanced near Berkhivka water reservoir,
also established control over Makarivka and
Blahodatne villages”
Looks like the elites are having doubts
This is unbelievable! An army lost equipment and suffered losses during offensive action. My God they even lost some tanks! I hope they immediately gave up! No? hmm.
[The losses include at least five of the battalions’ specialized engineering vehicles. Fitted with mineplows and minerollers, these vehicles lead tanks and infantry fighting vehicles through minefields, plowing and rolling a path so the tanks and IFVs can break through enemy defenses.]
Ah. That explains the pic in another thread showing the plowed paths other vehicles were taking.
Looks like Ukraine is trying to regain some lost ground before the mud season. Then it may become a frozen conflict and the armies will stay behind the trenches. As long as Zelensky and Putin are in power, the war may last for another couple of years.
This war has shown that tanks are not an end-all be-all weapon, in that there are *lots* of superior anti-tank weapons out there. So the new tank doctrine will evolve to be to use them strategically, and with a lot of finesse.
And of course, to hit the enemy where they don’t have anti-tank weapons in abundance, and to get your tanks out of there when such weapons show up in force. Which severely limits their operational time in an area.
In WWII, the Russians lost a LOT of tanks because they used them separately from infantry. Tanks without infantry support are very vulnerable, even then. But then, after getting their tanks punished for a while, they would pull them back and send in human waves of infantry without tanks to face German machine gun nests. This did not work.
So far in Ukraine, the Russians have lost the majority of their heavy armor already. It waits to be seen if the Ukrainians are any smarter with their use of tanks.
unique [ yoo-neek ] adjective
existing as the only one or as the sole example; single; solitary in type or characteristics: a unique copy of an ancient manuscript.
If there's more than one of them, they aren't unique.
you lose
More propaganda. Ukraine is a top notch fighting force and they would never lose that much equipment. Russia is losing much more equipment because it is documented by mr speedy from texas who knows everything about the equipment losses by ruzzia and so does USMC Resmom.
Big deal!
The things are designed to be disposable in battle...
Not all that surprising.
In war there are some breaching maneuvers where you attack enemy strong points in an attempt to quickly break through into rear unprotected areas. This is often the highest risk and highest loss types of maneuvers.
Other times you try flanking maneuvers or encirclement to capture troops or cause them to retreat.
The military leaders of Ukraine get to choose their methods. Personally, I would like to see more flanking moves into Russian territory to get behind Russian defensive positions in Ukraine. Politically risky, but probably more military benefit as it will call for more Russian troops to be pulled from Ukraine and onto the Russian border.
With technology advanced, the nature of war has changed and has made tanks and armored vehicles outdated, just like the battleship. They are just targets for long range precision munitions.
There is video of the Russian destruction of wooden decoy Leopard tanks destroyed by Russians
The decoy fooled the Russian drone operators and the press
