Russia pushes Ukrainian forces to outskirts of key eastern city

[867-5309.]

Source: Reuters

Ukrainian forces pulled back to the outskirts of the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk on Wednesday in the face of a fierce Russian assault, the regional governor said, another big swing in momentum in one of the bloodiest battles of the war.

Russia has concentrated its troops and firepower on the small industrial city in recent weeks to secure the surrounding province on behalf of separatist proxies. Ukraine has vowed to fight there for as long as possible, saying the battle could help shape the war's course...

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/battle-ukraines-east-rages-zelenskiy-vows-retake-territory-2022-06-07/

[ffr]

1. Good, let them take ground so the artilary knows where to lay it down.

[Lonestarblue]

2. I fear this is another Mariupol in the making.

I really wish we had sent maximum artillery to Ukraine at the very beginning of the war so they would have had time to learn how to use it all. They might not have lost Mariupol and potentially the Eastern part of Ukraine. Parceling out weapons has just prolonged the war.

[Strelnikov_]

3. I fear this is another Stalingrad in the making

Hope the Ukrainians are watching their flanks.

I would never commit forces into a salient that has no strategic purpose.

[867-5309.]

4. Yeah, I hear concerns that Russia

may eventually encircle Ukrainian troops in the east and the result would not be good.

[Strelnikov_]

5. I hope the Ukranian leadership know's what the hell they are doing. Looks like a set up to me.

This could be a classic WW I or WW II strategy on the part of the Russians.

WWI, Verdun, Germans plan to 'bleed the French white', which worked, but it also put a hell of a dent in the German resources.

Most worrysome, though, is Russian tactics in WW II, once Zhukov was in command.

The Stalingrad and Kursk battles are the classic examples. The Russians would use second line units to chew up resources (men/material) of the Germans, at the expense of the Russian units, of course. Then, a flanking counterattack, using massed artillery and their crack units would surround a large part of the German units, those that could not escape.

I would advise the Ukrainians to withdraw, from the Sievierodonetsk area, give up ground to straighten their lines in this region, and concentrate on pushing the Russians back to east of the Dnieper, a natural line of defense.

Time and space. Time is on the Ukranian's side.

[Gore1FL]

6. I have to wonder what Russia has left to attack.

And for that matter, what Ukraine has left to defend.

This back-and-forth grind can't be good for either side's losses.