Ukraine's armed forces use tactics of small groups to liberate territories during counteroffensive – The New York Times
The Ukrainian military has to fight hard for every house and knock out the occupiers from strongholds in the south to break through the enemy's initial line of defense. However, when the second line of enemy defense is breached, the way to the sea will be open.
The New York Times reports on how Ukrainian defenders advance and what tasks they perform on the front lines.
As noted, during the counteroffensive, Ukraine relies mainly on the tactics of using small assault groups to capture small areas that are strongholds of the Russian occupiers.
Although drones and artillery are actively used in battles, the driving force behind the Ukrainian counteroffensive is still hundreds of small assault groups, which often consist of only 8-10 soldiers.
Observers write that Ukrainian troops are trying to advance toward Mariupol, taking control of the key settlement of Robotyne and waging fierce battles near the village of Verbove.
Andriy, a veteran of the Marine Corps, spoke about the battles on this front. He and his combat comrades had to knock out the Russians from occupied positions, moving from house to house.
Photo: The New York Times
"It's a hard way to fight a war — village by village, house by house — with no guarantee of success. Once taken and secured. However, the surviving Russian fortifications provide a base for the Ukrainians to plot their next move forward," Western experts noted.
The fighters also talked about the battles for Urozhayne, where two lines of trenches with tunnels were equipped. This made it possible for Russian troops to fire in one place and appear in another. Battles for the village lasted for nine days, and on August 19, the Russians retreated under a hail of Ukrainian artillery.
Photo: The New York Times
It was a small but necessary step, experts emphasized. As in the case of Robotyne, its release meant that Ukrainian troops broke through the first level of defense of the Russian Armed Forces.
No less important is the fact that they have been holding it for two weeks.
"Russians have more artillery, more tanks, more drones, and more people. And they also fortify very well — whenever they get somewhere — be it a settlement, a forest belt, or just a field," – said Denys, a soldier of Ukraine's armed forces.
According to him, many similar problems arise in every settlement, so the marines draw up an assault plan and conduct preparations. Denys explained that the most important thing is to keep the first street.
Then, with the help of a reconnaissance drone, each building is inspected, after which the unit, divided into two groups, begins an assault.
"The fire team shoots the Russians hiding on different building floors, and then the maneuver team clears it. That's how we advance house by house," said Denys.
According to him, if the assault fails, they call in the artillery and destroy the house.
However, the Russian invaders are using new tactics. For example, they spill a combustible substance on a minefield. When Ukrainian fighters try to clear the passages, they drop a grenade from a drone, which causes a barrage of fire and explosions.
Photo: The New York Times
Observers noted that in such conditions, the daily success of Ukrainian fighters is measured in meters, but dozens of assaults by small groups continue every day for several weeks. Therefore, collectively, they make it possible to achieve successes that will create more and more problems for the weakened Russian forces.
Photo: The New York Times
After the first and the second lines, there will be the straight way toward the sea, no more fortifications. We will move like rockets," said another Ukrainian marine, Maksym.
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It should be noted that the Russian command is rotating troops in the southern direction. According to the Institute for the Study of War, combat units from the Luhansk region are being transferred to the south. This is a situation in which the military leadership of the Russian Federation needs to decide which part of the front is a priority.
On September 1, the Ukrainian Defense Forces eliminated almost 600 invaders; in general, since the beginning of the Russian aggression, the invaders have lost more than 264,000 soldiers.
In its turn at the front, according to the General Staff, during the past 24 hours, Ukrainian aviation carried out six strikes on the areas of concentration of personnel, weapons, and military equipment and 5 – on the enemy's anti-aircraft missile systems.
