The Ukrainian army retreated "in a hurry"! "Zelensky wants the United States to fund it for another 10 years"

"Under pressure from Russia, Ukraine retreated from 3 villages. The British "Guardian" described on the 29th that the Ukrainian army is currently facing a "difficult but not yet catastrophic" situation. Syrsky, commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said on the 28th that "the situation on the front line is deteriorating", and the Russian army, in order to seize the strategic initiative and break through the defensive line, will concentrate its main forces in several directions, "forming a significant advantage in forces and means."

CNN said on the 28th that in the eastern region of Ukraine, "Russia is making tactical progress every day." Many Western analysts and Ukrainian officials believe that Russia's current acceleration of the pace of action is a precursor to a large-scale offensive "later in spring." In the eyes of foreign media, Ukraine, which is facing problems such as insufficient troops and US aid not reaching the front line, is falling into "passivity" on the battlefield, however, it is unlikely to experience a major strategic defeat in a short period of time. Only, when will this conflict come to an end?

Ukrainian army: The situation is undergoing a "dynamic change"

Syrsky said on the 28th that the situation facing the Ukrainian army in the Pokrovsk and Kurakkhov directions in the Donetsk region is "the most severe". The Russian army deploys up to 4 brigades in the above directions. In order to preserve forces, the Ukrainian army has moved to the west of the villages of Berdzich, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka, and established new defensive positions. According to a Reuters report on the 28th, the first two are located in the north of Avdeyevka, and the latter is close to Maryinka. The Russian side announced in February this year that it had taken full control of Avdeyevka, an important defensive hub for the Ukrainian army. Marinka, about 30 kilometers southwest of Donetsk, was once one of the key points of repeated contention between Russia and Ukraine, and the Russian army declared it "completely liberated" in December last year.

The website of Russia's Channel 5 TV station said on the 28th that the Ukrainian army was evacuated from 3 villages "in a hurry". However, Syrsky said on the 28th that the Russian army is actively attacking on the entire front line and has achieved tactical success in some directions, but it has not been able to gain operational superiority, and the situation is undergoing "dynamic changes".

"In eastern Ukraine, Russia is making tactical progress every day. CNN said on the 28th that this reflects the new rhythm on the battlefield after the "fall" of Avdeyevka. In general, the "gains" of the Russian army are not large - from a few hundred meters to 1 kilometer of advance, but they often occur at the same time. According to the Ukrainian monitoring group "DeepState", in the Donetsk region, Russian troops have advanced in 8 different locations along a 20- to 25-kilometer front in 24 hours.

According to a report by Russia's TASS news agency on the 28th, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said in an interview that Russia will win the special military operation, and "the end is already doomed." He said that panic on the front line of the Ukrainian army is growing.

The Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank, assesses that Ukraine will suffer more short-term setbacks, and that Russian forces may make significant tactical progress in the coming weeks, but are unlikely to overwhelm Ukraine's defenses. CNN reports that Moscow wants to play to its huge advantage in ammunition before Washington's assistance reaches the front. Russia's "tsargrad.tv" news network quoted military experts on the 29th as saying that Russia currently "fully grasps" the initiative on the battlefield, and since the beginning of this year, the Ukrainian army has built long fortifications in the direction of Kherson and Zaporozhye, and it is unlikely to launch a large-scale counteroffensive this year.

The Russian army "may take control of the Donbas region in October"?

For Kyiv, the lack of troops has become an increasingly pressing issue. "Russia Today" TV quoted an armed man serving in Ukraine's "Azov Battalion" on the 28th as saying that "no one wants to join the Ukrainian armed forces now", and many people "try all means" to evade military service, including swimming across the Tisza River, "although there is a possibility of drowning in it". According to reports, the river is located on the border between Ukraine and Romania, and the State Border Service of Ukraine reported the 22nd drowning death in the Tisza River since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in March this year.

According to CNN, as the retreat and losses of the Ukrainian side continue to "superimpose", some military analysts criticize the Ukrainian army's battlefield reports as becoming more and more "detached from reality". "DeepState" posted a video on social media about the death of a Russian soldier in a drone strike to illustrate how individual cases can cover up the whole picture, which is exactly what the Ukrainian army is currently doing. In the vicinity of the video, the group wrote, the Russians were "moving calmly" and trying to gain more control.

Some Ukrainian officers and soldiers no longer believe in victory, even though the United States has approved a new round of aid. The website of Russia's "Moscow Komsomol Daily" quoted a report from the Swiss "Observer" on the 28th that a commander of the 5th Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Army said that the Russian army "may take control of the Donbas region in October", and the Ukrainian side will be forced to start negotiations with the Russian side. Some Ukrainian military personnel believe that even if the authorities strengthen mobilization, the situation will not be improved, because the current conscripts may not be able to complete their training and enter the battlefield until October.

However, the Ukrainian "ukr.net" news network said on the 28th that some analysts said that in the face of the Ukrainian army's fortifications, it is still very difficult for the Russian army to make a major breakthrough. Therefore, in addition to the front line, both sides have recently targeted each other's rear energy and military facilities as long-range strikes, and it is expected that they will continue to increase the intensity and scope of strikes in the future to weaken the opponent's sustained combat capability. Ukraine will also receive more long-range precision weapons from the United States and other Western countries in the future. "Ukrainska Pravda" said on the 29th that the Ukrainian army still retains the ability to slow down the advance of the Russian army and continue to consume the other side.

"It's crazy, eternal war"

"Zelensky wants the United States to fund it for another 10 years. "Russia Today" TV said on the 28th that compared with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's expectations for the United States, the "largest funder", the latter's latest approved aid plan may be insignificant. Zelensky said on the 28th that Kyiv is negotiating a long-term agreement with Washington that will prompt Washington to provide military, economic and political support to Ukraine for the next 10 years.

According to reports, two influential entrepreneurs in the United States expressed concern about Zelensky's statement. David Sachs, former chief operating officer of PayPal, said on social platforms on the 28th that Washington's agreement to provide the controversial $61 billion in aid to Kyiv is "just the beginning." Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk commented under the post, "It's crazy, eternal war". Sachs later posted: "Vietnam, Iraq, Ukraine: [Originally] easily avoided wars, but they all broke out under false pretenses. ”

According to a Reuters report on the 29th, NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg made a surprise visit to Kyiv on the same day and held talks with Zelensky. AFP said Stoltenberg said at a joint news conference that Ukraine has been at a disadvantage in armaments in recent months, but it is "not too late" for it to win. Zelenskyy urged that aid arrive faster and that "we must work together to disrupt the Russian offensive."

The British "Guardian" said a few days ago that as Europe and the United States enter the election season, the definition of peace will become a key battleground. Krastev, director of the Bulgarian Center for Freedom Strategy, believes that "if ending the war will come at the cost of turning Ukraine into a no-man's land, then this is a defeat not only for Kyiv, but also for Europe and its security". (Huanqiu.com)