Russian Troops Discovered Empty Trenches—And Penetrated 9 Miles Behind Ukrainian Lines

Kyiv has half the infantry it needs

Ukrainian infantry. 47th Mechanized Brigade.

Hobbled by an antiquated and inefficient mobilization system, the Ukrainian military is short 100,000 trained infantry. It may be accurate to say Kyiv has half the infantry it needs.

And that manpower shortage is why, in recent weeks, Russian infantry—apparently from the 132nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade—were able to simply walk right past the Ukrainian trenches around the village of Nove Shakhove, a few miles northeast of the besieged fortress city of Pokrovsk, and march nine miles into the Ukrainian rear.

The Ukrainian Deep State analysis group was first to publicize what Ukraine Control Map described as “a large Russian breach all the way to Zolotyi Kolodiaz, northeast of Pokrovsk, through numerous fortifications because (no surprise) Ukraine didn’t man them.”

Pokrovsk was already in terrible danger before the weekend breach. Now it’s in even more danger.