Ukraine’s Fight Against Russian Forces and Domestic Discord

The conflict in Ukraine is intensifying, and the country’s military is facing a series of setbacks and internal disagreements.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Ukrainian and US commanders have conflicting views on the best course of action. The US is advocating for more aggressive attacks with higher casualties, while Ukraine is focused on preserving its forces.

One major point of contention is the allocation of resources. Veteran Ukrainian soldiers, who have been on the frontlines since the beginning of the war, are frustrated with the distribution of tanks and armored vehicles to newly formed units.

These units, they argue, consist of inexperienced soldiers, some of whom have never been in combat before. According to US officials, the percentage of soldiers with prior combat experience in these US-trained battalions ranges from 50% to 70%.

Russian Volunteer Corps, fighting for Ukraine, offer to ex Wagner mercenaries to join them, end the “SMO meatgrinder” and then march on Moscow. pic.twitter.com/Qn76alrfoO

— Top News 🇺🇦 (@TopNewsWorks) August 25, 2023

The harsh realities of war have taken these inexperienced soldiers by surprise. A soldier from the 47th Brigade described his company’s first infantry engagement against a heavily fortified Russian trench line.

Despite rigorous training exercises, they were unprepared for the intensity of actual combat.

During a joint press conference with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the challenges faced by his country’s forces.

He admitted that progress was slow and dangerous, with thousands of mines in their path. Despite capturing the village of Robotyne in southern Ukraine, Ukrainian forces remain vulnerable to Russian artillery, missile, and drone attacks.

On the other hand, Russia continues to make heavy accusations against Ukraine.

Vasily Nebenzya, the Russian Permanent Representative to the UN, accused the Ukrainian regime of waging a hybrid war against Russia to serve the geopolitical interests of the US and its allies.

He claimed that Ukraine was forcibly conscripting young men and sending them on suicidal missions against Russian fortifications, without considering the resulting casualties.

This is who they’ll be training – involuntary conscripts dragged from the streets of Odessa to a meatgrinder which Ukraine’s NATO sponsors now admit is unwinnable. https://t.co/R0mjaS6OlX pic.twitter.com/TFukNvXyZs

— agency denier (@cealaigi) August 18, 2023

In a shocking revelation, it was reported that Ukrainian field commanders have resorted to executing deserters. This extreme measure comes as the Ukrainian leadership grapples with US demands for greater sacrifices.

An official quoted in The Wall Street Journal said, “We built up this mountain of steel for the counteroffensive. We can’t do that again.”

The US continues to urge Ukraine to utilize the combined arms training received at allied bases in Europe.

However, Ukrainian armed forces commander Gen. Valery Zaluzhny disagrees, stating that the nature of the conflict is misunderstood. He likened the situation to the largest tank battle in history, which took place near Ukraine in 1943.

As the conflict rages on, the future remains uncertain. The discord between the US and Ukraine, along with internal strife within the Ukrainian military, paints a grim picture. 

This article appeared in Watch Dog News and has been published here with permission.