The disappointing outcome of the Ukrainian army’s counteroffensive in the summer allowed the Russians to advance further east. They seized more territory near Awdijiwka and the city of Mariinka. According to David Petraeus (71), a top military expert and former US general, the failure of the counteroffensive also lies with the USA and the West.
In an interview with the British broadcaster “BBC,” the former CIA director and ex-commander in Afghanistan and Iraq didn’t hold back. He believes there is a clear reason why the Ukrainians “could not achieve the breakthrough everyone had hoped for.” He pointed out that Ukraine simply didn’t receive enough weapons.
Petraeus especially criticizes the USA. Their tanks arrived too late in Ukraine. The lack of agreement on the extent of the arms delivery or the provision of combat aircraft has also contributed to the current outcome of the counteroffensive. According to Petraeus, aircraft are crucial at the beginning of an operation.
“Our military doctrine states that you need air superiority and many other things to break through the type of defense structures we have seen in the south (of Ukraine),” said Petraeus.
Western weapons could free Ukraine from the stalemate
For Petraeus, it is also clear that the West has underestimated Russia. He particularly emphasized the unyielding combat spirit of the Russian forces. Many soldiers prefer to die on the front lines rather than retreat. Ukraine cannot afford this mentality, especially considering Russia’s much larger population.
The former CIA chief also pointed out Russia’s Ukrainian policy in the years leading up to the conflict. “I think one of the reasons why Vladimir Putin believed he could evade responsibility for the invasion of Ukraine is that we did not take sufficient measures after the annexation of Crimea,” said Petraeus. He also noted that the West’s reaction to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 enabled Russia to invade Ukraine.
To resolve the current stalemate between Ukraine and Russia, superior Western weapons are needed, according to Petraeus.
Ukrainian soldiers are “vulnerable” to cold and artillery fire
Ralph Thiele sees the situation similarly. The retired colonel and chairman of the Political-Military Society emphasized that weapons systems and ammunition at the front are being replenished “very slowly.” Therefore, Ukraine must “save” on essential defense fighting, he told FOCUS online.
A Ukrainian soldier called “Som” told “Spiegel” a similar story. “They have ten times as much equipment as we do,” he said, “and 20, if not 30 times as many projectiles.” He also spoke of increasing losses. From his company, which once consisted of 100 soldiers, he can only send 15 into battle. Many are dead, wounded, or simply too exhausted to continue. “If they throw more forces into the fight, we will probably have to surrender Awdijiwka to them,” said “Som.”
The bridgehead that the Ukrainian army could establish on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River at least provides some hope. In the southern region of Kherson, soldiers have crossed the river and can transport vehicles to the Russian-occupied area by water. “We are expanding the bridgehead daily and bringing more and more troops to the left bank,” reported a major in the Ukrainian army.
Marineinfanterie of the “Spiegel”.
However, expert Thiele sees a vulnerability in the Ukrainian counteroffensive. The soldiers are not only exposed to the freezing cold but also to the Russian artillery fire “largely defenseless”. “Awdijiwka could fall soon,” Thiele fears.
Expert takes on the West: More than just lip service is needed now
According to Thiele, Ukrainian Chief of Staff Valeriy Saluschnyj made it clear a year ago what he needed for success: 300 heavy tanks, 600 to 700 infantry fighting vehicles, 500 howitzers, and a lot of ammunition. Equally important are combat drones and equipment for drone defense. “Presumably, it is precisely the new technologies of the West that, in conjunction with traditional forces, can achieve local superiority and thus a breakthrough,” says Thiele.
Therefore, the West must react quickly. Thiele’s clear conclusion is: “Time is running out if one wants to see Ukrainian success. Otherwise, Ukraine will have no choice but to concentrate on ‘holding the line’, fortifying defensive positions, and fighting for political negotiations. To ensure Ukrainian success, Western partners must finally boost their arms industry beyond mere lip service and deliver sufficient hardware to Ukraine. Taurus and F-16 are not ‘miracle weapons’ that can compensate for this. Currently, some Western countries seem to be using Ukraine primarily as a reference market to sell their modern weapon systems elsewhere in the world.”
