NEAR KUPIANSK: Rows of white concrete barricades and coils of razor wire stretch throughout an open subject for greater than a kilometre. Trenches with rudimentary residing quarters are being dug underneath the quilt of darkness. Artillery rumbles not far-off.
New defensive strains visited by Reuters close to the northeastern metropolis of Kupiansk on December 28 present how Ukraine has stepped up building of fortifications in current months because it shifts its navy operations towards Russia to a extra defensive footing.
The defences, which bear some similarities to these rolled out within the Russian-occupied south and east, goal to assist Ukraine climate assaults whereas regenerating its forces as Moscow takes the battlefield initiative, navy analysts mentioned.
“As quickly because the troops are shifting, traversing fields, you are able to do with out fortifications. However when the troops cease, you should instantly dig into the bottom,” a Ukrainian military engineer with the decision signal Lynx informed Reuters close to Kupiansk.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy introduced that Ukraine was “considerably enhancing” fortifications on November 28 after a counteroffensive that it launched in June was unable to quickly punch by Russian strains.
Kyiv says it’s unswayed in its ambition to retake all remaining occupied territory, however for now’s centered on politically delicate conscription reforms to replenish manpower and on addressing artillery shortages on the entrance.
Russia has been ramping up offensive strain round jap cities equivalent to Kupiansk, Lyman and Avdiivka, and not wants to carry again its reserve troops for concern of a potential Ukrainian breakthrough, the navy analysts mentioned.
Zelenskiy mentioned Ukraine’s defensive constructions wanted to be boosted and work on them accelerated across the three cities, in jap elements of the Donetsk area, and within the areas of Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kyiv, Rivne and Volyn.
These areas stretch all the way in which up from Ukraine’s east, alongside the border with Russia and Belarus, to its western ally Poland. Zelenskiy mentioned the southern Kherson area, a swathe of which remains to be occupied, would even be bolstered.
Defensive posture
There is no such thing as a publicly accessible knowledge for the depth or scale of the fortification building.
Ukraine has had defensive strains in some areas of the jap Donbas area since 2014, when Russia backed militants who seized territory. It has been closely dug in at locations equivalent to Avdiivka all through the full-scale invasion.
Stronger fortifications would decelerate Russian troops and suck fewer Ukrainian forces into defence, liberating them up from the entrance so they might, as an illustration, obtain extra coaching, mentioned Jack Watling, senior analysis fellow for land warfare on the Royal United Providers Institute.
“The Ukrainians at the moment are shifting onto a defensive posture as a result of their offensive has culminated,” he mentioned in a phone interview, including that Russia had retaken the initiative on the battlefield and was in a position to decide on the place to assault.
With Ukrainian artillery ammunition shares declining, the speed of Russian casualties was falling, making it simpler for Moscow to generate new models, which in time might permit them to open up new strains of assault, he added.
“On the Ukrainian facet, they’re making an attempt to minimise their very own casualties, but additionally regenerate offensive fight energy,” mentioned Watling.
He mentioned fortifications is also used to defend Ukraine’s flanks when it goes again on the offensive.
Dragon’s enamel
On Wednesday, Reuters reporters visited trenches being dug with an excavator and shovels at an undisclosed location within the Chernihiv area close to the Russian border.
“When the civilians have performed their job (constructing the positions), we’ll densely mine it,” Serhiy Nayev, Ukraine’s joint forces commander who oversees the northern navy sector, informed reporters on the website.
The navy has expanded its defensive fortifications within the north by 63% in the previous few months, Ukraine’s joint forces quoted Nayev as saying on Thursday.
Final month, Reuters reporters visited newly constructed Ukrainian trenches in Chornobyl close to the border with Belarus, a Russian ally utilized by Moscow as a staging floor for the February 2022 invasion.
A big navy engineering car churned by the snowy floor because it carved out a large anti-tank ditch.
“(The works are ongoing) alongside the entire Northern Operational Zone. These works are at the moment underway in Sumy area, Chernihiv area, right here within the Kyiv course,” Nayev mentioned on the website.
“Concrete constructions, barbed wire, … ‘dragon’s enamel’ (concrete barricades)…; they are going to be mined and barbed wire will probably be placed on them. This will probably be a steady concrete impediment for armoured autos,” he mentioned.
Close to Kupiansk, Ukraine’s navy confirmed Reuters reporters newly constructed defensive strains, however mentioned the precise location couldn’t be disclosed publicly for safety causes.
A navy engineer utilizing the decision signal “Lizard” mentioned they sometimes put down the “dragon’s enamel” first, adopted by coils of razor wire after which mines, in the event that they use them.
“I consider most of those boundaries ought to have been constructed a lot earlier, most likely within the spring. It takes an excessive amount of time,” he mentioned.
A number of hundred metres behind the “dragon’s enamel”, work was underway to increase a community of personnel trenches bolstered with wood beams the place there have been additionally residing quarters and wood bunk beds.
Lynx, the opposite serviceman, mentioned Ukraine was making an attempt to minimise the usage of mines for its fortifications to keep away from leaving harmful munitions on its territory.
“That is our land. We would not wish to litter it a lot,” he mentioned.
New defensive strains visited by Reuters close to the northeastern metropolis of Kupiansk on December 28 present how Ukraine has stepped up building of fortifications in current months because it shifts its navy operations towards Russia to a extra defensive footing.
The defences, which bear some similarities to these rolled out within the Russian-occupied south and east, goal to assist Ukraine climate assaults whereas regenerating its forces as Moscow takes the battlefield initiative, navy analysts mentioned.
“As quickly because the troops are shifting, traversing fields, you are able to do with out fortifications. However when the troops cease, you should instantly dig into the bottom,” a Ukrainian military engineer with the decision signal Lynx informed Reuters close to Kupiansk.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy introduced that Ukraine was “considerably enhancing” fortifications on November 28 after a counteroffensive that it launched in June was unable to quickly punch by Russian strains.
Kyiv says it’s unswayed in its ambition to retake all remaining occupied territory, however for now’s centered on politically delicate conscription reforms to replenish manpower and on addressing artillery shortages on the entrance.
Russia has been ramping up offensive strain round jap cities equivalent to Kupiansk, Lyman and Avdiivka, and not wants to carry again its reserve troops for concern of a potential Ukrainian breakthrough, the navy analysts mentioned.
Zelenskiy mentioned Ukraine’s defensive constructions wanted to be boosted and work on them accelerated across the three cities, in jap elements of the Donetsk area, and within the areas of Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Kyiv, Rivne and Volyn.
These areas stretch all the way in which up from Ukraine’s east, alongside the border with Russia and Belarus, to its western ally Poland. Zelenskiy mentioned the southern Kherson area, a swathe of which remains to be occupied, would even be bolstered.
Defensive posture
There is no such thing as a publicly accessible knowledge for the depth or scale of the fortification building.
Ukraine has had defensive strains in some areas of the jap Donbas area since 2014, when Russia backed militants who seized territory. It has been closely dug in at locations equivalent to Avdiivka all through the full-scale invasion.
Stronger fortifications would decelerate Russian troops and suck fewer Ukrainian forces into defence, liberating them up from the entrance so they might, as an illustration, obtain extra coaching, mentioned Jack Watling, senior analysis fellow for land warfare on the Royal United Providers Institute.
“The Ukrainians at the moment are shifting onto a defensive posture as a result of their offensive has culminated,” he mentioned in a phone interview, including that Russia had retaken the initiative on the battlefield and was in a position to decide on the place to assault.
With Ukrainian artillery ammunition shares declining, the speed of Russian casualties was falling, making it simpler for Moscow to generate new models, which in time might permit them to open up new strains of assault, he added.
“On the Ukrainian facet, they’re making an attempt to minimise their very own casualties, but additionally regenerate offensive fight energy,” mentioned Watling.
He mentioned fortifications is also used to defend Ukraine’s flanks when it goes again on the offensive.
Dragon’s enamel
On Wednesday, Reuters reporters visited trenches being dug with an excavator and shovels at an undisclosed location within the Chernihiv area close to the Russian border.
“When the civilians have performed their job (constructing the positions), we’ll densely mine it,” Serhiy Nayev, Ukraine’s joint forces commander who oversees the northern navy sector, informed reporters on the website.
The navy has expanded its defensive fortifications within the north by 63% in the previous few months, Ukraine’s joint forces quoted Nayev as saying on Thursday.
Final month, Reuters reporters visited newly constructed Ukrainian trenches in Chornobyl close to the border with Belarus, a Russian ally utilized by Moscow as a staging floor for the February 2022 invasion.
A big navy engineering car churned by the snowy floor because it carved out a large anti-tank ditch.
“(The works are ongoing) alongside the entire Northern Operational Zone. These works are at the moment underway in Sumy area, Chernihiv area, right here within the Kyiv course,” Nayev mentioned on the website.
“Concrete constructions, barbed wire, … ‘dragon’s enamel’ (concrete barricades)…; they are going to be mined and barbed wire will probably be placed on them. This will probably be a steady concrete impediment for armoured autos,” he mentioned.
Close to Kupiansk, Ukraine’s navy confirmed Reuters reporters newly constructed defensive strains, however mentioned the precise location couldn’t be disclosed publicly for safety causes.
A navy engineer utilizing the decision signal “Lizard” mentioned they sometimes put down the “dragon’s enamel” first, adopted by coils of razor wire after which mines, in the event that they use them.
“I consider most of those boundaries ought to have been constructed a lot earlier, most likely within the spring. It takes an excessive amount of time,” he mentioned.
A number of hundred metres behind the “dragon’s enamel”, work was underway to increase a community of personnel trenches bolstered with wood beams the place there have been additionally residing quarters and wood bunk beds.
Lynx, the opposite serviceman, mentioned Ukraine was making an attempt to minimise the usage of mines for its fortifications to keep away from leaving harmful munitions on its territory.
“That is our land. We would not wish to litter it a lot,” he mentioned.
