‘Ukrainian Forces Gained Asymmetric Advantage, Russia Did Not Expect This’
- 27.09.2023, 16:03
British analysts spoke about a factor that increases the chances of the Armed Forces of Ukraine breaking through the Russian defences.
Ukraine actually took advantage of Russia’s underestimation, and is now successfully attacking military installations of the occupiers on the territory of the Russian Federation, Sky News analysts agree.
They recalled that Ukraine, despite the de-occupation of 50% of the territory previously seized by the Russian Federation, still remains a significantly smaller country than Russia. Therefore, it is extremely important for Kyiv not to get drawn into a war of attrition that is beneficial for Russia.
According to experts, the Armed Forces of Ukraine received an “asymmetric advantage” thanks to the transferred Western weapons. Now the Ukrainian army, analysts note, is fighting in a modern “Western style,” while Russian troops are still fighting in the style of the 20th century.
Russia clearly did not expect the war with Ukraine to last longer than a few days - Moscow expected Ukraine to submit, and quickly, the article reads.
"From a military perspective, Russia would have known that Ukraine's limited navy would have been no match for the Black Sea fleet and that Russia's air force would dominate any air war. Russia also had a significant advantage on the ground, which is why Vladimir Putin always characterized this conflict as the so-called special military operation,” journalists write.
However, as the war progressed and Western confidence in Ukraine's military capabilities grew, the range of weapons available to Ukraine expanded. This allowed Ukraine to carry out a series of targeted attacks on key Russian military installations.
“Not all these attacks have been successful, and most will be nothing more than an "irritation" to the Russians rather than prove decisive in military terms; however, each of these attacks is a clear demonstration to Russia that they have a fight on their hands. The longer the war goes on, the more Russia's core military capability is weakened,” the British analysts say.
By striking key Russian military installations, Ukraine is forcing Russia to re-prioritize its military forces and capabilities.
Experts added that Russia had never expected to be so vulnerable to a Ukrainian attack, so it now has to use limited air defences, soldiers and other military assets for defensive purposes rather than offensively.
This factor increases Ukraine’s chances of breaking through the front line.