Ukraine's military is shifting to a defensive strategy that failed Nazi Germany in WWII

Business Insider ^ | 2/17/24 | Michael Peck

[hardspunned]

In 1943, as the tide of war turned against the Third Reich, the German high command opted for a desperate strategy on the Eastern Front. Outnumbered and outgunned by the Red Army, the Germans pinned their hopes on a mobile, aggressive defense to stop a relentless series of Soviet offensives in Ukraine and southern Russia.

As today’s Ukraine fights over many of the same battlefields of 1943, it has chosen a strategy that echoes the German approach from 80 years ago. After the failure of its much-anticipated summer counteroffensive, and running low on ammunition and stamina to fight off continual Russian attacks, Ukrainian commanders talk of switching to an “active defense.” It hopes to block Russian advances while looking for opportunities to counterpunch and regain ground.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

And the rest?

[Dr. Franklin]

Funny, but Putin is employing a strategy that resulted in a revolution in 1917 during WWI. Stalin’s strategy of using human waves of unarmed people as cannon fodder to exhaust German ammunition only worked because the Soviet population concluded that the Nazis were worse than Stalin. Reports are that Putin lost thousands of soldiers daily for a political victory in Avdiivka, which may eventually occur, but hasn’t happened yet. Eventually, people in Russia will see through Putin’s propaganda, and then things get interesting.

[MeganC]

Unlike Russia the Chinese have thousands of modern tanks that actually work. They also can field millions of men.

While Russia is busy with Ukraine the Chinese just might decide to retake the relatively undefended Far East. If they do then what’s ‘mighty Russia’ going to do about it and with what forces?

[mac_truck]

Why am I not surprised by your admiration for and comprehension of Soviet propaganda?

Simmer down Eva, only the Nazis thought it was 'propaganda'...and they found out the hard way it wasn't.

[MeganC]

Then you equate the Soviet Union with Putin’s Ruzzia.

Thank you.

[GOPJ]

According to reports from the Financial Times, the three companies will have to work together with the aim of guiding public capital in a direction that would attract billions more in private investment.

“The notion is that this initial seed capital would be a de-risking mechanism, and it would create the potential for private sector capital to come in at scale,” said Brandon Hall, co-head of BlackRock’s Financial Markets Advisory arm. “Ukraine will have its own organisation to source and syndicate these local investment opportunities.”

Founded in 1988, initially as an enterprise risk management and fixed income institutional asset manager, BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, with $8.59 trillion in assets under management as of the end of 2022. JPMorgan, meanwhile, was brought in partly for its debt expertise – and has helped Ukraine in this way before, having enabled the country to repay more than $25 billion of sovereign debt since 2010, and to restructure its debt to the tune of $20 billion in 2022.

“The fund is being set up to also give public and private sector investors the opportunity to invest into specific projects and sectors,” said Stefan Weiler, JPMorgan’s head of debt capital markets for central Europe, Middle East and Africa. “There will be different sectoral funds that the fund identified as priorities for Ukraine. The aim is maximise capital participation.”

Sounds like 'seed money' comes from US taxpayers and is NOT attached to any 'profits' that might come from rebuilding. Also, private firms will hire people to write grants to get money indirectly from US taxpayers - and the actual building - will be a profit enterprise by Blackrock etc. I'd like to see the numbers every few months...

[Rockingham]

German General Gotthard Heinrici had a successful flexible defensive approach during WW II against vastly superior Soviet forces.

Heinrici yielded territory slowly and imposed major casualties on his opponents by evacuating front lines just before an attack. This resulted in many Soviet attacks being a "swing and a miss," so to speak, with the blow falling against almost empty positions defended by artillery fire. This preserved Heinrici's combat power and spared casualties. Heinrici did counterattack when Soviet troops were vulnerable, sometimes regaining lost territory or crippling their offensive potential.

This operational method is similar to what George Washington and the Continental Army often used, fighting when they had to but regarding survival as an organized military force as more important than winning any particular battle. They preferred to fight only when they had to, or when the odds were fully in their favor and a decisive victory could be achieved, as at Yorktown. Perhaps this is what the Ukrainians intend -- without fully explaining themselves to the Business Insider.

[buwaya]

“Three weeks ago it was the key defensive stronghold holding the defenses of eastern Ukraine together”

That is silly. Adiivka was a vulnerable salient. It could be and was bypassed on both flanks. The Russians coukd have attacked anywhere else on that long front, without regard as to whether they held Adiivka or not.

The Uke garrison was one brigade and it seems they withdrew.
The Russians outnumbered them on the order of 10:1 locally. And the critical factor seems to be that the Ukrainians didnt want to commit their limited artillery ammo stocks to continue holding this vulnerable point.

[PAR35]

Did you miss the purchase of another 220,000 rounds of 155 a few weeks ago "to enhance NATO’s deterrence and defence and to support Ukraine" per the NATO press release?

Are YOU paying attention to what is happening?

" Recent NSPA purchases include a 5.5 billion dollar contract for 1,000 Patriot missiles and 4 billion dollars for 155-mm artillery, anti-tank guided missiles and tank ammunition."

Press release dated 23 Jan 2024 can be found here (cut and paste link) https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_221972.htm

[Justa]

"They’re certainly WELCOME to try, but...."

What could Russia do to stop them?

Deploy conventional forces?
-Spent in Ukraine

Complain to the UN and the West to sanction them?
-U kidding?

Use nuclear weapons?
-Super popular response w/ Russians considering both nations have nukes also.

This is the type of blind, arrogant stupidity that resulted in WWI. The Germans figured on a 90-day Schlieffen Plan victory. They didn't expect French resistance or Britain and the US to respond.
Sound familiar?
The Allies didn't see Germany prevailing lacking the economy and long-term popular support in the face of sanctions and blockade.
Sound familiar?

I see Russia ne Soviet Union, breaking up even more.

Others can play that game -and probably soon will.

Blind, arrogant stupidity of greedy oligarchs

1910:

2010:

...As 100s of millions suffer, with a million casualties

There's no foreign policy. It's just corruption and greed

[hardspunned]

Where was the counter battery fire at Avdiivka? It was not there! You’re either wrong or worse, NATO had the munitions and withheld it for some reason (most likely incompetence).

[PAR35]

The answer for Avdiivka is the aid bill being held up in Congress. Strategic move on the part of the New World Order.

[mac_truck]

Then you equate the Soviet Union with Putin’s Ruzzia.

[BobL]

“I see Russia ne Soviet Union, breaking up even more.”

Well, pal, Putin has made it perfectly clear that there will be a Nuclear War before Russia breaks up and that will mean the TOTAL DESTRUCTION of dozens, if not hundreds of Western Cities, including Western Capitals.
.
.
Hmmmm...
.
.
...perhaps the Neocons are on to something with this plan?

[USA-FRANCE]

Unlike you, I’m American and I DO NOT have to support ANYONE in Russia, nor do I have to support anyone in Ukraine, for that matter.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Well here is the thing...
Because you are deeply involved and a heavy poster in most of the threads concerning Russia’s war on Ukraine, you evidently have an opinion and an inkling towards one side or the other in this war - just like every single one of all the others posting on these threads.

Neutrality does not exist.

When I said “who do we support” I meant what’s your opinion on the subject and which side on the conflict do you think is more morally right.

It’s evident that you have an “inkling” towards one side or the other. Unless you’re an old fashioned Swede who for a while believed in “neutrality”...

[hardspunned]

If that aid bill was passed a month ago it would have made no difference. Unless the munitions were sitting in a warehouse in Poland they couldn’t have gotten there in time. The munitions aren’t in Europe. The 155mm the Ukes needed last week to save Avdiivka is raw steel and explosives sitting in a warehouse in Texas waiting to be processed into artillery shells. If we borrow the $61B and send it to Ukraine, the Ukes can defend themselves by throwing stacks of hundred dollar bills at the attacking Russians.

[Reverend Wright]

“I guess it’s time to give the Ukrainians a few dozen nuclear weapons.”

---

The inevitable end-state for NeoCon nihilists.

Just like Speedy at the start of it all, when she wished to have the world destroyed by nuclear war, rather than have Putin “win”.

[packagingguy]

If Ukraine wins Blackrock will have plenty of income from Black Sea natural gas in Ukraine’s territorial waters.

Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine

https://cnnbc.com/blackrock-gets-half-a-trillion-dollar-deal-to-rebuild-ukraine

[BobL]

“Neutrality does not exist.”

Wrong, shut off the money and the weapons to Ukraine, and I WILL SHUT UP, just as I never posted about Ukraine before the Neocons started their war in 2022, and just as I no longer attack DeSantis, since he stopped attacking Trump.

The minute the Ukraine pipeline ends, I’m (again) done with Ukraine, and I will post about Russia as fit, such as when they pass laws to protect children from Grooming (something that really upsets the Ukraine Cheerleaders, by the way, as it makes it difficult for them to get us angry at Putin, when we see what our leaders are doing regarding Grooming).

Like I say, I’m NEUTRAL on this war - if Europe wants this war, they can fight Russia, and if not, they need to quit YAPPING THEIR MOUTHS at us.

[kiryandil]

Ukraine is using a Nazi strategy makes perfect sense to me.

Yes, we did Nazi this coming...