Ukrainian offensive against Russia: recapture of Cherson falters

Status: 10/27/2022 10:49 am

Ukraine wants to recapture all territories illegally annexed by Russia. But in the Cherson region, the troops are making little progress. Rainy weather and lack of equipment are to blame.

By Bernd Musch-Borowska, NDR, currently Kyiv

In the Cherson area, the Ukrainian armed forces are preparing for the offensive to recapture the territory annexed by Russia. Several attempts to advance to the strategically important city in southern Ukraine have so far apparently failed. Russia repeatedly reports that it has successfully repelled Ukrainian attacks.

“The Russians have dug in over there,” Vitali told a reporter for the Reuters news agency — pointing in the direction of the Russian positions. “The Enemy” is about 2.5 kilometers from here. “But we have highly motivated people here who would never give up. They all know that Ukraine and all their families have their backs,” emphasizes Vitali.

“We monitor every movement of the enemy: what weapons they are using and from where they are shooting at us. This is the only way we can repel targeted attacks on our position,” says Yuri, another Ukrainian soldier. His unit moves on in the trenches, according to Reuters footage.

No Russian retreat

The situation at the front is tense, admits the unit’s commander, who gave his name as Nikifor:

The Russians have dug in and they don’t seem to plan on retreating. They reinforce their positions, trenches and positions. They have heavy artillery and mortars. But we also make life difficult for them, and our counter-attacks are not without problems either. The enemy is not stupid. These are not all beginners.

Dark green: Russian army advancing. Hatched: areas annexed by Russia.

Image: ISW/26.10.2022

Rainy weather makes progress difficult

Bad weather and difficult terrain made it difficult to retake Cherson, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov also acknowledged. The counter-offensive in Kherson is more difficult than in Kharkiv – for two reasons:

First of all, this is an agricultural area down south, and there are many irrigation ditches between the fields that the Russians use as supply routes and trenches. And secondly the weather: the rainy season has begun and we are not making any headway with our wheeled vehicles, only with tracked vehicles. That limits our options.

Ukraine has been advancing on the strategically important city of Cherson for weeks. Last week, the supreme commander of the Russian armed forces in Ukraine, General Sergei Surovikin, described the military situation as difficult.

Ukraine – Offensive in Kherson making poor progress

Bernd Musch-Borowska, NDR, currently Kyiv, 27.10.2022 10:18 a.m

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