Russia’s defensive minefields are backfiring on Putin

Here’s why Russia’s strategy is hurting Moscow now
Mines littering the pathways of attack
The minefields are too deep
Stopped and destroyed
The defeat at Mala Tokmachka
The strategy is backfiring
Advance through Russia’s minefields
Heavily laden minefields
Taking back territory
Russia can’t counter attack
Russia is pinned to its defensive lines
Recent developments in Robotyne
Moving forward
Ukraine’s passed the mined roads
A very good sign
Another withdrawal on the horizon?
Here’s why Russia’s strategy is hurting Moscow now

One of the biggest obstacles that slowed down the Ukrainian summer counter-offensive was the large number of mines Russian forces used in their defensive strongholds. 

Mines littering the pathways of attack

Anti-vehicle and anti-personnel minefields litter the routes of attack for Ukraine's Armed Forces and Kyiv’s top general has blamed mines for the offensive's very slow progress. 

The minefields are too deep

“You can no longer do anything with just a tank with some armor, because the minefield is too deep,” General Valerii Zaluzhny explained to The Washington Post on July 15th. 

Stopped and destroyed

General Zaluzhny is Ukraine's Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and he went on to say that any armor was eventually stopped by mines then “destroyed by concentrated fire.” 

The defeat at Mala Tokmachka

This was exactly what happened during one of Ukraine's first big defeats at the start of the country’s counter-offensive near the village of Mala Tokmachka at the end of July. 

The strategy is backfiring

However, the Russian strategy of minefield defense is now working against its military objectives and could be a “serious complication” according to a report from Newsweek. 

Advance through Russia’s minefields

"The Russians have mined the south so heavily that they also cannot advance," Mark Voyger, a former advisor to U.S. Army Europe General Ben Hodges, told Newsweek. 

Photo Credit: Facebook @lvivSF

Heavily laden minefields

"Their forces are going to end up in those same minefields that they've laid so heavily, so massively across the south,” Voyger continued. 

Taking back territory

Voyger went on to explain that even if the Ukrainian offensive stalls out there is a good chance Russia won’t attempt to take back the land it has lost because of its minefields. 

Russia can’t counter attack

“Even if the Russians wanted to counterattack, I don't think they could do it now with all the heavy fortifications and minefields that they have there," Voyger added. 

Russia is pinned to its defensive lines

Russia is currently pinned to its line of defense in the south according to Voyger and it is more likely that a push from Moscow would come somewhere in the east he explained. 

Recent developments in Robotyne

However, recent developments in the south have seen Ukraine finally break through the defenses at Robotyne and have made it through the roads Russia had heavily mined. 

Moving forward

"We don't stop here," said one of the commanders who led a group of Ukrainian troops into Robo Tyne and who identified himself by his callsign Skala according to Reuters. 

Ukraine’s passed the mined roads

"We have passed the main roads that were mined. We are coming to those lines where we can go [forward]. I'm sure we'll go faster from here," Skala explained. 

A very good sign

Whether or not the breakthrough in Robotyne will prove to provide the momentum Kyiv needs to roll up the Russian line in the south is yet to be seen, but it is a very good sign if Russia is being barred from a counterattack because of its minefields. 

Another withdrawal on the horizon?

If Ukrainian forces can set up a corridor through the worst of Russia’s minefields in the south then it's commander might be able to keep pushing forward and threaten Russia’s positions in the south, precipitate another withdraw like the one in Kherson in the 2022. 

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