Situation on front lines in Ukraine not hopeless - German expert

The Ukrainian counteroffensive has stalled, and the West does not want to support it, but the situation on the battlefield is not hopeless and there are indications that Kyiv has plans.

That's according to German newspaper Welt, Ukrinform reports.

German security expert and political adviser Nico Lange noted that many forget that 95% of the equipment donated by Ukraine's partners had not been used during the counteroffensive (according to Oryx), and many of the pledged weapons systems have yet to be delivered. In particular, the issue concerns about 200 German-made Leopard 1 tanks, of which only about 30 arrived in Ukraine.

Even though U.S. Congress blocks further large-scale aid to Ukraine, military equipment from the Pentagon's warehouses continues to arrive in Kyiv.

The situation in the war zones in Ukraine in some areas can be tense, but there are no reasons for particular concern, the expert said. According to him, Ukrainians continue to bet on exhaustion.

"They are no longer trying to hold positions like they did in Bakhmut. Instead, they want to slow down the Russian troops and let them bleed," Lange said.

He expressed confidence that Ukraine still has big plans. This is evidenced by a weapons wish list that Ukraine sent to the United States, which includes Black Hawk and Apache attack helicopters, as well as F-16 and F-18 fighter jets, long-range missile systems, Abrams tanks, numerous drones and ammunition.

"In general, the Ukrainian wish list indicates a renewed attempt to transition to mobile warfare, which was never implemented during the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the summer," the expert said.

Back then the Ukrainians tried several times to break through the Russian defense lines using German Leopard tanks and American Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, but the attacks ended with the destruction of some of the Western armored vehicles. A few days later, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, decided to change the strategy and abandon the use of mechanized units. It is rumored, the article says, that the commander-in-chief was never in favor of starting the offensive, as he saw no chance of success without sufficient air support, and agreed only for political reasons. With the change in the technique of conducting military operations, the "great counteroffensive" was finally canceled, because without mechanized support, a quick breakthrough was impossible. The change in tactics was a smart move by Zaluzhnyi: with the attacks of small units, he saved his soldiers and gained important time, the article said.

Currently, "Ukraine is probably gathering resources for a new counteroffensive next year," Lange said. One of their starting points could be the bridgehead in Kherson. With the necessary fighter jets, attack helicopters and drones, Ukraine could adequately support the advance of its troops, especially since there are almost no Russian fortifications in this region.

According to U.S. and British intelligence, waves of Russian attacks in the east have catastrophic consequences for the Kremlin with relatively minor successes, the article said. It added that Russia is ready to pay a high price to influence public opinion in the United States and Europe by demonstrating its progress in eastern Ukraine, so that they will force Ukraine to cede territory to Russia in peace negotiations.