Ukrainian Assault Forces Are Counterattacking. But The Goal Isn't To Push Back The Russians.
The Russians' struggle with satellite communications is a chance for the Ukrainians to firm up their defenses.
Elon Musk blocked Russian Starlink terminals last week
The move effectively stranded far-flung Russian infiltration groups relying on drones for resupply
A strong Ukrainian force seized the opportunity to launch local counterattacks
The Ukrainians’ aim isn’t to break through Russian lines, but rather to stabilize their own lines
When billionaire Elon Musk blocked Russian forces’ access to Starlink satellite navigation last week, it was a signal for Ukrainian forces to counterattack.
Now, several days into the Ukrainian operation in Dnipropetrovsk and neighboring Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southeastern Ukraine, it’s apparent that the Ukrainians aren’t actually aiming to break through Russian defenses and roll back recent Russian gains.
Instead, a powerful force of Ukrainian assault troops, supported by American-made tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, and Swedish-made armored personnel carriers, is trying to clear Russian infiltrators from the wide no-man’s-land in Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia—and establish new and stronger defensive positions in preparation for a renewed Russian offensive widely expected in the coming weeks.
“This is not a counteroffensive, but a clearing operation,” French mapper and analyst Clément Molin explained. That’s not to say the current op isn’t a top priority for Kyiv, however.
Russian forces led by the 127th Motor Rifle Division had been steadily advancing across Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia before the bitter winter slowed their assaults. In a shocking upset for Ukrainian forces, the Russians even captured the town of Huliaipole—a key logistical node—when the outgunned Ukrainian territorial troops garrisoning the town retreated in late December.
