‘There is a very big difference between the first and second line of defence,’ says Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Tarnavskyi — Russia invested 60% of their time and resources into building the first defensive line since breached by Ukrainian forces, and only 20% each into the second and third lines
by marketrent
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Stanislav Pohorilov covers an interview first reported in the Observer:^1
>According to Tarnavskyi, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are now between the first and second defensive lines.
>”In the centre of the offensive, we are now completing the destruction of enemy units that provide cover for the retreat of Russian troops behind their second defensive line,” he said.
>Tarnavskyi emphasised that the counterattack was restrained by a huge minefield put down by the Russians. Behind it, Russian troops “just stood and waited for the Ukrainian army,” knocking out Ukrainian equipment.
>[…] Now that the minefield has been breached, the Russians have lost much of their advantage. “There is a very big difference between the first and second line of defence,” Tarnavskyi said.
>He explained that the second line is not so well built, so the Ukrainians can use their equipment, although there are still minefields.
^1 https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/09/3/7418200/
I’d point out the numbers of KA-52’s shot down as evidence of where Russia’s defending. They have a very limited number of these, and each one killed puts more pressure on the remaining.
That so many have been shot down strongly implies russia put everything into Ukraine either not reaching the first/second line, or reaching it so weakened that they could be pushed back. If Ukraine’s forces are relatively healthy then Russia is in big trouble right now.