Life in Ukraine’s Trenches: Gearing Up for a Spring Offensive

NYT WORLD: Life in Ukraine’s Trenches: Gearing Up for a Spring Offensive
By Michael Schwirtz and David Guttenfelder
Section: World
Source: New York Times
Published Date: April 29, 2023 at 03:00AM

With fighting in the eastern Donbas region settling into a bloody stalemate, a patch of the Zaporizhzhia region of southeastern Ukraine could prove to be the war’s next big theater.

In a thicket of trees between two vast farm fields, a plywood trapdoor built into the forest floor opened to reveal stairs leading underground. Inside was a subterranean bunker, cut into the black earth, where Ukrainian troops from a mortar unit awaited coordinates for their next target. The men squeezed past one another down a shoulder-width dirt corridor lit with LED strips, staring at tablet computers showing a live drone feed of the terrain outside. Blast waves from artillery shells and rockets shook the bunker, and a radio crackled with a warning of incoming Russian helicopters. But the soldiers were focused on their screens, specifically on a line of Russian troops and heavy equipment dug in a short distance away and marked with red plus signs. That would be their target. “The guys dug all this by hand, and they want to fight, they want to shoot,” said the unit commander, a 32-year-old with a braided ponytail who uses the call sign Shuler. “We just want to kick them off our land, that’s it.” For the soldiers of the 110th Territorial Defense Brigade, to which the mortar unit is attached, this is a critical moment in the war. With fighting in the eastern Donbas region settling into a bloody stalemate, their patch of the Zaporizhzhia region of southeastern Ukraine could prove to be the next big theater, a focal point of a long-awaited counteroffensive. Ukraine is under pressure to show some measure of success in bolstering morale for soldiers and civilians, shoring up Western support and reclaiming stolen territory.

Read More at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/29/world/europe/ukraine-russia-counteroffensive.html

How ready is Ukraine for a spring offensive?

Ukraine's spring offensive could be on the horizon, but are the country's troops truly prepared?  Some reports have framed this spring offensive as Ukraine's make-or-break opportunity to recapture territory held by Russian forces.  When asked about Ukraine being re-supplied in time, military expert and Royal Armoured Corps veteran Justin Crump told Forces News that "overall, Ukraine is supplied pretty well".

Azov Readies For Ukraine Offensive Against Russia Amid Shadow Of Mariupol Defeat, "Neo Nazi" Image . After months of largely static front lines, Ukraine is gearing up to launch its much-awaited spring counteroffensive. The Azov brigade is reportedly scrambling to rebuild from heavy combat losses as it seeks to play a key role in Ukraine’s upcoming major assault. Kyiv has designated the group as one of six "offensive brigades" to spearhead the spring counteroffensive, as per The Washington Post. The group is now reportedly trying to recruit 6,500 new fighters, as more than 1,000 of its troops remain in Russian captivity. According to the Washington Post, Azov has not received any weapons from Western nations including the US, despite its evolution. But questions over the lack of oversight into where US weapons are going in Ukraine has raised concerns about the arms reaching Azov fighters.