Advantage Ukraine as Russia unable to build on the initial advances

It is the 27th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The resistance offered by Ukrainian troops have forced the invaders to rethink their strategies. Russia continues to bombard cities in Ukraine destroying buildings, infrastructures and loss of lives. Its forces continue to lay siege to the city of Mariupol while their troops and artillery are on the outskirts of the capital Kyiv. However, Ukraine remains in control of Kharkiv even as the Russians are in Odessa. These details are provided by The BBC

The war between Ukraine and Russia has been going on for more than three weeks. That must be a worry for Russia. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) feels the failure to capture major cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa could lengthen the war. In fact, it could go on for many more days and have serious repercussions. The BBC says the resistance of Ukraine has compelled the Russians to modify their approach. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirms this. They would now become more aggressive and try to destroy the cities with corresponding increase in civilian casualties.


Incidentally, those who have drawn up the plan to take over Kyiv probably did not bother to get the lowdown on the local topography. In order to take over the capital the Russians have to cross the Irpin River. The terrain is of marshlands and bogs and those have thwarted the advances of the Russians. Many of their vehicles have run out of fuel.



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Russian losses keep mounting, it is unable to control any major city in Ukraine

The war between Russia and Ukraine is into its second week. Kremlin describes it not as a war but a “special military operation.” That is how President Vladimir V. Putin looks at it. He believes that everything is going according to plan. However, the ground realities tend to paint a different picture. Russia has not been able to seize and control any of the major cities or population centers. These include Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odessa. In the process, Russia has lost many of its weapons and soldiers. The government of Ukraine has indicated the Russian losses as staggering.

NYTimes dated 8 March 2022 says loss of Russian soldiers is in excess of 12000. The Ukraine military has shot down or destroyed 48 of their airplanes and 80 helicopters. It has also captured or destroyed 303 tanks and innumerable mechanized vehicles and cars. Moreover, they have even taken out two Russian naval vessels, including a warship and blown up dozens of fuel tanker and mobile missile launching systems. These figures are difficult to verify but President Volodymyr Zelensky said - “Russia has not lost as much aircraft in the past 30 years as in 13 days in Ukraine.” Incidentally, satellite imagery tends to suggest loss of roughly 950 Russian vehicles. These include 140 tanks that have either been destroyed or damaged.

Fresh violence leaves 12 dead and 32 injured in Ukraine

The calm and relative peace in eastern Ukraine has been subjected to the worst violence in more than a week with fighting between pro-Russian rebels and government troops in the region – the clashes led to the death of at least 12 people and injuries to another 32.
As indicated by Colonel Andriy Lysenko in a briefing to journalists in Kiev, at least nine troops were killed and 27 had been wounded during clashes in Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Luhansk yesterday.
In addition, the city council of Donetsk has gone online to indicate that at least three civilians were killed and five wounded in overnight shelling of a residential area in the northern part of the city. Here, the fighting had centered on the government-held airport.
Incidentally, in spite of assurances by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that his peace plan is working, violence has continued to rear its head despite a cease-fire declared on September. 5. Nearly 3500 people have died ever since fighting began in April.