HomeUkraineGerman newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) reports that Kharkiv offensive has failed and that Russian soldiers refuse to fight. Link to full article and translation in comments.
German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) reports that Kharkiv offensive has failed and that Russian soldiers refuse to fight. Link to full article and translation in comments.
July 2, 2024
German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) reports that Kharkiv offensive has failed and that Russian soldiers refuse to fight. Link to full article and translation in comments.
In the Kharkiv region, many Russian soldiers apparently refuse to continue fighting. Putin’s offensive there has failed. This is not only tactically, but also strategically a disaster for the president.
When almost two months ago, on the 10th May, about 30,000 Russian soldiers crossed the border into the Kharkiv region, chaos broke out on the Ukrainian side. In the early days, Ukraine could hardly organize any significant resistance. Although the attack had been long awaited, the Ukrainians seemed to have been surprised. After two days, the Russian invaders had already reached the town of Wowchansk, about eight kilometers beyond the border. After four days, the commander of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Kharkiv region was fired.
Existential questions were asked in Western media: Would the Ukrainians suffering from a lack of ammunition be able to stop this advance at all? Is Kharkiv, the second largest Ukrainian city, in danger? Or do the Ukrainian defense lines collapse elsewhere when soldiers have to be ordered from there to Kharkiv?
Many Russian soldiers apparently refuse to continue fighting
None of this has occurred. Ukraine has even succeeded in inflicting a significant defeat on Vladimir Putin’s army after a long time. This defeat will have an influence on the further course of the war. Although the national defenders are still in a difficult situation; Russia still has the initiative over long stretches of the front, the situation seems to be stable, at least at the moment – a debacle for Putin.
The minimum goal of the Russian president in the Kharkiv region was probably to create a buffer zone to the Russian border. In addition, Ukrainian soldiers should be tied up there in the northeast so that they cannot be used to fend off Russian attacks in the Donetsk region. Among other things, the town of Wowchansk was to be conquered 40 kilometers northeast of Kharkiv. But the initial rapid advances came to a standstill after about eight kilometers, the city was never completely under Russian control. In the now destroyed Wowchansk, Ukrainian troops have even been able to recapture some blocks of houses and streets in recent days.
The Russian troops there, including elite units, often act frantically and hastily, as reported by both Ukrainian and Russian sources. Russian command structures were destroyed. There are videos that show how Russian soldiers surrender. Many apparently refuse to continue fighting. Because the Russian losses since the beginning of the offensive in the Kharkiv area are monstrous, “the highest in this war,” as British professor and military expert Phillips O’Brien writes.
Ukraine has received new artillery ammunition
Exact figures are difficult to obtain, but intelligence reports from the USA and Great Britain, among others, also speak of more than 1000 dead Russian soldiers in May – daily. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that there would be six dead Russians for every Ukrainian who died. This information cannot be verified.
The reason for the extremely high death toll lies in the Russian tactics. As in other battles, Moscow sends smaller infantry troops to the front without the protection of armored vehicles. With the arrival of new artillery ammunition, the Ukrainians were able to eliminate many of these squads relatively quickly.
In June, Putin no longer “threw significant new reserves into battle at Kharkiv,” says military expert Michael Kofman at War on the Rocks. Attacks in the Donbass, on the other hand, were intensified, especially at Chazsiv Yar and west of Avdijivka. But even there, the Russian army could not make any significant progress. Kofman calls the entire Russian offensive efforts of the past few weeks “not very impressive”, they “ran in the sand”. Ukraine has succeeded in “stabilizing the front lines much faster than many observers have thought”.
Tactically, the offensive was therefore a failure for Russia, strategically even a disaster. Because under the impression of the first successes of the Russian attacks on Kharkiv, the USA and other Western allies decided that in the future targets in Russia may also be attacked with Western weapons. Since then, Ukraine has used US Atacms missiles to bomb airfields, anti-aircraft systems, supply routes and other military infrastructure targets in Russia. Putin’s plan to create a buffer zone even has negative consequences for his country.
In Wowchansk, the Russian invaders now have to fear even greater losses. According to unconfirmed Ukrainian reports, an attempt is underway to encircle the surviving Russian soldiers in the city.
I wouldn’t go getting my hopes up thinking the RuZZian assault will collapse, though. They’ll just throw more meat into it.
The meatwaves will continue until morale improves.
Just go home, take all your mates with you, march on Moscow and give the terrorist putin up to the Hague!!
The sweet sound of Russian tears…
This article contradicts itself. Does author really think that readers are that stupid?
It says that Putin moved 30K troops into Kharkiv region to do what? Capture a city with 1+ million population?
And why did Russians start to make fortifications in these captured areas 2 days after they get there? That’s not what you do for further assault. People need to think straight sometimes…
Oh shit, this photo looked like a high res Fallout screenshot to me first.
Russian soldiers are behaving like little girls.
Problem is, RuZ are building defenses on occupied border villages, which doesn’t do much strategically but it means we will see two red patches on the map for months to come.
It will take too much resources to push them back across RuZ border.
This will also create a tiny buffer against future Belgorod incursion, by Russian freedom fighters.
What is the difference between a tactical failure and a strategic failure? I honestly don’t know.
Ahhh, another day of astonishing military professionalism from Russia. :: sips tea ::
11 comments
Original article (German, paywall): https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/russische-offensive-scheitert-charkiw-putin-krieg-ukraine-lux.CRGXDnN6o8QK1GngT25Wug
Translation:
In the Kharkiv region, many Russian soldiers apparently refuse to continue fighting. Putin’s offensive there has failed. This is not only tactically, but also strategically a disaster for the president.
When almost two months ago, on the 10th May, about 30,000 Russian soldiers crossed the border into the Kharkiv region, chaos broke out on the Ukrainian side. In the early days, Ukraine could hardly organize any significant resistance. Although the attack had been long awaited, the Ukrainians seemed to have been surprised. After two days, the Russian invaders had already reached the town of Wowchansk, about eight kilometers beyond the border. After four days, the commander of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Kharkiv region was fired.
Existential questions were asked in Western media: Would the Ukrainians suffering from a lack of ammunition be able to stop this advance at all? Is Kharkiv, the second largest Ukrainian city, in danger? Or do the Ukrainian defense lines collapse elsewhere when soldiers have to be ordered from there to Kharkiv?
Many Russian soldiers apparently refuse to continue fighting
None of this has occurred. Ukraine has even succeeded in inflicting a significant defeat on Vladimir Putin’s army after a long time. This defeat will have an influence on the further course of the war. Although the national defenders are still in a difficult situation; Russia still has the initiative over long stretches of the front, the situation seems to be stable, at least at the moment – a debacle for Putin.
The minimum goal of the Russian president in the Kharkiv region was probably to create a buffer zone to the Russian border. In addition, Ukrainian soldiers should be tied up there in the northeast so that they cannot be used to fend off Russian attacks in the Donetsk region. Among other things, the town of Wowchansk was to be conquered 40 kilometers northeast of Kharkiv. But the initial rapid advances came to a standstill after about eight kilometers, the city was never completely under Russian control. In the now destroyed Wowchansk, Ukrainian troops have even been able to recapture some blocks of houses and streets in recent days.
The Russian troops there, including elite units, often act frantically and hastily, as reported by both Ukrainian and Russian sources. Russian command structures were destroyed. There are videos that show how Russian soldiers surrender. Many apparently refuse to continue fighting. Because the Russian losses since the beginning of the offensive in the Kharkiv area are monstrous, “the highest in this war,” as British professor and military expert Phillips O’Brien writes.
Ukraine has received new artillery ammunition
Exact figures are difficult to obtain, but intelligence reports from the USA and Great Britain, among others, also speak of more than 1000 dead Russian soldiers in May – daily. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that there would be six dead Russians for every Ukrainian who died. This information cannot be verified.
The reason for the extremely high death toll lies in the Russian tactics. As in other battles, Moscow sends smaller infantry troops to the front without the protection of armored vehicles. With the arrival of new artillery ammunition, the Ukrainians were able to eliminate many of these squads relatively quickly.
In June, Putin no longer “threw significant new reserves into battle at Kharkiv,” says military expert Michael Kofman at War on the Rocks. Attacks in the Donbass, on the other hand, were intensified, especially at Chazsiv Yar and west of Avdijivka. But even there, the Russian army could not make any significant progress. Kofman calls the entire Russian offensive efforts of the past few weeks “not very impressive”, they “ran in the sand”. Ukraine has succeeded in “stabilizing the front lines much faster than many observers have thought”.
Tactically, the offensive was therefore a failure for Russia, strategically even a disaster. Because under the impression of the first successes of the Russian attacks on Kharkiv, the USA and other Western allies decided that in the future targets in Russia may also be attacked with Western weapons. Since then, Ukraine has used US Atacms missiles to bomb airfields, anti-aircraft systems, supply routes and other military infrastructure targets in Russia. Putin’s plan to create a buffer zone even has negative consequences for his country.
In Wowchansk, the Russian invaders now have to fear even greater losses. According to unconfirmed Ukrainian reports, an attempt is underway to encircle the surviving Russian soldiers in the city.
I wouldn’t go getting my hopes up thinking the RuZZian assault will collapse, though. They’ll just throw more meat into it.
The meatwaves will continue until morale improves.
Just go home, take all your mates with you, march on Moscow and give the terrorist putin up to the Hague!!
The sweet sound of Russian tears…
This article contradicts itself. Does author really think that readers are that stupid?
It says that Putin moved 30K troops into Kharkiv region to do what? Capture a city with 1+ million population?
And why did Russians start to make fortifications in these captured areas 2 days after they get there? That’s not what you do for further assault. People need to think straight sometimes…
Oh shit, this photo looked like a high res Fallout screenshot to me first.
Russian soldiers are behaving like little girls.
Problem is, RuZ are building defenses on occupied border villages, which doesn’t do much strategically but it means we will see two red patches on the map for months to come.
It will take too much resources to push them back across RuZ border.
This will also create a tiny buffer against future Belgorod incursion, by Russian freedom fighters.
What is the difference between a tactical failure and a strategic failure?
I honestly don’t know.
Ahhh, another day of astonishing military professionalism from Russia. :: sips tea ::
Maybe they’ll get tired of this little game.