SPECULUM VERUM
-Preparations of the Ukrainian crews to overcome the minefields were neglected. Soldiers, who escaped from the destroyed wagons, they will be traumatized, after that, what they've seen, and they won't be back in the fight anytime soon – thinks Gen. Waldemar Skrzypczak. He comments on the progress from the offensive in Zaporozhye, where the Russians more and more often boast of broken Leopards.
According to General Waldemar Skrzypczak, former army commander, continues on the Zaporozhye section of the front “mine war”. Ukrainian tanks and armored combat vehicles are trying to overcome fields full of traps, to reach the main Russian defensive positions. It is not without losses on the side of Ukraine. The Russian part of the Telegram website shows more and more photos of damaged Leopard tanks.
– The method of overcoming minefields by the Ukrainians testifies to this, that the crews were not well prepared for this. We've seen the reports, that the pioneer tanks were being pushed forward. However, without cover, they become an easy target for Russian soldiers armed with anti-tank weapons – says Gen. Waldemar Skrzypczak, former army commander.
It resembles one of the first attacks shown during the counter-offensive. During the frontal attack south of Mała Tokmachka, five vehicles were lost, including specialized Leopard tanks, used to clear passages through minefields and engineering dams.
Pioneer tanks, which Gen. violinist, are machines with features similar to bulldozers, plowshares to push the earth sideways. Along with the layer of ground, they also move mines. The Russians stuffed the earth with thousands of mines, and their minefields extend hundreds of meters into the position. According to the general (he is a tanker by education) in such a situation blast-priming should be used. Then, the so-called. extended explosives, they are like a 100-meter rope, which exploded, destroys mines and lays out a safe trail.
The effects of using this weapon can be seen in 55. seconds of the video below.
We've known for months, that the Russians mine like crazy. Mines laid in spring, are unseen today. Despite this knowledge, the tactics of overcoming minefields have not been refined. Ukraine also does not use smoke screens, which would make it impossible to detect and target tanks from Russian positions. Against a well-placed cover, even drones will not help. Illumination rounds, on the other hand, blind soldiers equipped with nocto- and thermal imagers – scores Gen. violinist.
Underlines, that different “great drawback” offensive, there is no air superiority. The Russian air force can attack columns of combat vehicles.
How's the offensive going? The hardest comes later
According to Gen. Fiddler causes it, that the pace of advance in Zaporozhye is slow, while Ukrainians are expected to make a significant breakthrough. Thinks, that the Ukrainian forces have not yet reached the main lines of Russian defenses. The losses, according to analysts, are several Leopard tanks (some severely damaged) and several Bradley combat vehicles (Ukraine received 106 such machines)
– Reminds me of movies from the beginning of the war, when Russian tanks, after being hit by an armor-piercing shell, had their turrets flying off. Maybe Ukraine commits a similar sin, pushing tanks, as if only they were going to win the battle – comments the military.
– Leopard is a powerful machine. When hitting a typical Russian mine, he will lose a wheel or tear his caterpillar. The crew has a chance to evacuate. The problem is that, some will be injured, and some will be traumatized after that, what they saw. These soldiers won't be jumping into a new tank right away, to return to the front – he goes on. Reserved, that the battle in Zaporozhye could be a preparation, deceptive direction before the main blow.
Similarly, Gen. Mieczyslaw Cieniuch, former Chief of the General Staff. – The ten kilometers, which the Ukrainians had to defeat, this is basically an access to the first line of Russian defence, the stairs start later – he said “Gazeta Wyborcza”.
commented, that Ukraine currently has – next to a dozen “old” brigades – 10-12 brigades trained in the West and equipped with Western equipment. – For now, only two of them are used in combat. The main forces were not even touched. Ba, in my opinion, they are not yet in the immediate rear of the front – assessed Gen. Shadow.
Meanwhile, Russian propaganda is going crazy over photos of damaged Leopard tanks. Even machines, that have only been damaged and can be repaired, they are labeled in propagandists' accounts as “destroyed Western technology”. The Russian news agency RIA Novosti published a telegram, that the tanks destroyed so far were worth it 6 million dollars (note. red. – in fact, it is the approximate value of one machine).
– I think, that the Russians showed us the same 5 vehicles about a thousand times under 10 different angles – US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told the media. He referred to the losses suffered by Ukraine on the front in Zaporozhye.
The Russian authors of Telegram are trying to create Leopard slayers from among the Russian soldiers. For example, a channel “Z heroes” published an interview with a tanker nicknamed “chap”. Standing by the T-80BVM tank, rebuilt after being hit by an anti-tank launcher, he announced, that “Russian tanks are better, faster and stronger than Western machines”. The Russian announced, that he would be a night hunter hunting leopards.