Delays in the provision of Western security assistance to Ukraine help Russia launch offensive operations on several frontlines at once to put pressure on Ukrainian forces in several areas. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) writes about this in its report, UNN reports .
Details
According to analysts, Russian troops are currently conducting at least three offensive operations: along the border of Kharkiv and Luhansk regions, in particular in the direction of Kupiansk and Lyman; in and around Avdiivka; and near Robotyno in the western part of Zaporizhzhia region.
Following the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Avdiivka and Russia's claim of control over the entire city, ISW and several Ukrainian and Western sources assessed that delays in Western security assistance, such as artillery munitions and critical air defense systems, prevented Ukrainian forces from defending Avdiivka from Russian offensives.
A critical shortage of Western-supplied equipment and fears of a complete cessation of U.S. military aid forced Ukrainian forces to reduce the amount of material supplies along the entire front, which likely prompted Russian forces to take advantage of the situation and launch limited offensives outside the Avdiivka area,
Experts noted that Russian troops have launched an offensive outside Avdiivka - along the border of Kharkiv and Luhansk regions since the beginning of January 2024 and in the western part of Zaporizhzhia region over the past 48 hours. At the same time, the Institute's report emphasizes that this Russian offensive could prevent Ukrainian troops from preparing personnel and equipment to resume counteroffensive operations.
Ukraine will suffer if it simply digs in and tries to defend itself until the end of 2024, as some Western powers and analysts believe,
To recap
Ukraine's defense forces stopped an attempted Russian offensive in the Zaporizhzhia sector overnight, disrupting their plans, destroying equipment and forcing their personnel to flee.