Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia isn’t going as quickly as some in the West would like. Ukraine doesn’t care.
Just take it from the country’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba. He said, “Criticizing the slow pace of the counteroffensive equals spitting in the face of the Ukrainian soldier who sacrifices his life everyday moving forward and liberating one kilometer of Ukrainian soil after another.”
Kuleba made the comments Thursday, Aug. 31, while addressing the press in Spain during a meeting of European Union countries.
In some of the most pointed remarks to come from Ukraine’s government toward its critics, Kuleba said, “I would recommend all critics to shut up, come to Ukraine, and try to liberate one square centimeter by themselves.”
When Ukraine first launched its summer counteroffensive, the lack of air cover left its armored vehicles too vulnerable to attack from Russia’s dug-in positions. Ukraine suffered heavy casualties in June, and lost a good chunk of Western-supplied armored vehicles.
So, Ukraine switched tactics. Instead of attacking head on and rapidly advancing, as NATO doctrine might dictate, Ukraine is taking the slower, more methodical approach of using small attack units to swarm Russian positions on the battlefield; liberating occupied territory one minefield and trench line at a time.
Kuleba isn’t the only Ukrainian telling critics to keep quiet. The Defense Ministry of Ukraine also released a not-so-subtle video reminding the world of it’s Ukrainian soldiers fighting the Russians in the trenches.
It’s also worth pointing out Ukraine is making gains in a battle no NATO nation would ever expect to face, since it’s largely being waged without much of an air force. Ukraine is closer to flying U.S.-made F-16s. However, had the Biden administration approved the transfer of the fourth generation fighter jets earlier, it’s reasonable to believe the current counteroffensive would be progressing at a swifter pace.
As the battle in the trenches grinds on, Ukraine is simultaneously stepping up attacks on Russian supply lines, weapons depots, and air defense sites. Ukraine’s plan is to bleed Russia on the battlefield and behind the lines, where weapons and wartime decisions are made.
Just in the last two weeks, Ukraine launched multiple nighttime attacks on Russian territory. With each wave, Ukraine seems to penetrate deeper into Russian airspace. Ukrainian strikes recently took out transport planes, logistic centers, and weapons stockpiles.
Ukraine’s new ability to strike deeper into Russian territory is not because of any Western-supplied weapons, but as a result of home-grown ingenuity.
Ukraine modified its Neptune anti-ship missiles so they can now strike land-based targets more than a hundred miles away.
Ukraine’s military brass tapped into the country’s rich experience with weapons manufacturing to modify the Neptune. The Ukrainians are about to gain more experience making weapons. BAE Systems announced this week it’s joining Rheinmetall and building a weapons plant in Ukraine.
Russia said any Western-owned weapons facility in Ukraine would be a legitimate military target. The CEO of Rheinmetall said his company’s own air defense batteries would protect its interests.
Reuters contributed to this report.
