Yes: 'The much-publicised Ukrainian offensive in Kherson was a disinformation campaign'

[speak easy]

Ukraine’s southern offensive ‘was designed to trick Russia’

The much-publicised Ukrainian southern offensive was a disinformation campaign to distract Russia from the real one being prepared in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine’s special forces have said.

It was successful in provoking Russia to move equipment and personnel to the southern front, including partly from Kharkiv region, said Taras Berezovets [press officer for the Bohun brigade of Ukraine’s special forces].

“Meanwhile [our] guys in Kharkiv were given the best of western weapons, mostly American,” he said.

Part of the special operation involved rooting out informants in Ukrainian-controlled parts of Kharkiv to stop them passing information about Ukraine’s preparations to the Russians, said a military source with knowledge of the operation.

“The [informants] were almost completely cleaned up. They mostly comprised normal Ukrainian civilians but there were some Russian agents undercover as Ukrainian civilians,” said the source. “The Russians had no idea what was going on.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/10/ukraines-publicised-southern-offensive-was-disinformation-campaign

[Leghorn21]

1. Yeah, they tricked the hell out of ME, man!!!!

This is a most MARVELOUS DAY!!! 🇺🇦🌻

[Chainfire]

2. It sound like the Ukrainian leadership had read, Sun Tzu, Clausewitz and Liddell-Hart

while the Russian generals were reading Playboy.

[Journeyman]

3. So you're saying the Russian response was a bust? . . .

[AllyCat]

11. LOL!

[housecat]

6. cool

[edhopper]

17. Playboy

Had very good and smart articles. More like they read Bill O'Reilly history novels or Art of the Deal.

[GoCubsGo]

4. Beating the Russians at their own "disinformation" game?

Good on 'em! Great to see the Russians getting a taste of their own medicine.

[oioioi]

5. "The informants were almost completely cleaned up. They mostly comprised normal Ukrainian civilians"

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Each case is individual. I don't know their interactions with Ruzzians: torture, extortion vs family

Do you?

(But the writing at most is awkward.)

[blue-wave]

8. Good Job!!

I believe they tricked most of the world. I have no problems with that. Kick the orc butt all the way back to Moscow.

[Beastly Boy]

9. I am not buying this. The Kherson offensive is for real.

UAF liberated about 400 square miles of occupied territory on the southern front. That's more than any other counter-offensive they attempted for the past three months. Hitting targets in Crimea and destroying bridges used by Russia to cut off their retreat is for real too.

It is more likely that Russia spread their forces too thin all across the frontline when they responded to the real threat they faced in the South, and Ukraine's offensive in the East is an opportunistic move by Ukraine to take advantage of the weakened front lines, which went incredibly well for them.

I am still expecting some serious shit to hit the fan in Kherson.

[The Magistrate]

10. I Am Inclined To Agree, Sir

Wheels within wheels.

[uponit7771]

16. +1, I Ukr can advance as fast as the north offensive but doesn't need to

[grantcart]

18. Yep they are now trying to get the Russians to pack up and move north

They prepared two prong and then reinforced the prong with the weakest defense.

They are paralyzing the Soviet style central planning of the Russian military.

[relayerbob]

20. Oh, they are def going south

They've trapped all those russians in Kherson and knocked out the bridges. My money is on an attack on Melitopol, it's already weak, and they can cut the Russians in half there.

This statement by Ukraine SOF is only a half-truth ... assuming it's not actually part of the disinfo campaign.

[SouthernDem4ever]

24. Either way I'll take it

As long as Russia is on the losing end

[AllyCat]

12. This is so nice to read.

I am so happy today for UA!

[Warpy]

13. I admit I wondered about that since it seemed to be an odd choice

and they didn't seem to be making significant progress.

They were just waiting for supplies to catch up to the northeast front.

Rope a dope.

[Martin68]

14. When they shut down information to the press, it was clear they were up to something. They even said

it was going to be a rather small operation - nothing major. Misdirection is a classic strategy. In magic and boxing, too. The Russians are like, "Oh, look over there. They are going to attack us!" The Ukranians are moving men and equipment down south to prepare for a major operation elsewhere.

[mitch96]

15. Best line in the whole post. "The Russians had no idea what was going on." yup, ropeAdope.nt

[relayerbob]

19. Meanwhile, in the south

The Ukrainians have trapped tens of thousands of troops in Kherson Oblast, by luring them in and blasting the bridges behind them. Double whammy for the idiots Orcs. Slava Ukraini!!

[calimary]

22. Excellent! Hey, all's fair...

[oldsoftie]

21. US tactics, training & equipment are being shown to be MASSIVELY better than the Soviets.

Not that anyone who has ever been in the military didnt already know this.
For all practical purposes UKR didnt even really HAVE a military of any competence just 15 yrs ago. Then they asked us & our allies for help. Now look at them. We MUST increase their offensive capabilities.
Remember, the Afghans received training & equipment for years also. The difference is that UKR also has the DESIRE to defeat the enemy. The Afghans collapsed because they just didnt even try

[sarge43]

23. Deception as a winning strategy

I'd say the Ukrainians read Sun Tzu's The Art of War very carefully. It was risky, but it became evident fairly quickly that Russia had big talk, but not much walk.

This war will be studied in war colleges and academies for some time to come.

[GB_RN]

25. Deception Works...

See, Operation:Mincemeat in WWII and the fictional US First Army Group (plus another fictional army group), ostensibly under the command of General Patton - to trick the Germans before Operation Overlord. First Army Group consisted of plywood and inflatable tanks (which would be broken down and relocated around England to fool German aerial reconnaissance flights) and troops with fake unit patches; the whole works. The Nazis bought the deception, hook, line and sinker.

http://www.americainwwii.com/articles/pattons-ghost-army/

[Kid Berwyn]

26. Such a comedian!