AFU achieved local success in Zaporizhzhia region - ISW
During counterattacks southwest and southeast of Orikhiv, Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian forces achieved localised success, according to geolocation footage from 10 June
This is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Censor.NET reports.
Despite geolocation footage showing localised successes of the Ukrainian Defence Forces southwest and southeast of Orikhiv, Zaporizhzhia region, Russian military commanders continue to claim that Russian troops in the area are successfully defending against Ukrainian offensive attempts.
The ISW notes that Russian troops in Zaporizhzhia region continue to defend themselves against Ukrainian attacks in accordance with sound tactical defence doctrine.
"According to ISW's preliminary assessment, Russian troops responded to the start of Ukrainian counter-offensive operations in western Zaporizhzhia region in accordance with established Russian doctrine, which stipulates that the first echelon of troops repels or slows down the attacking forces with minefields, fortifications and strongholds, and the second echelon of troops counterattacks any attempts to break through.
Russian reports of Ukrainian attacks in southern Ukraine in recent days suggest that Ukrainian forces have made limited breakthroughs and temporarily taken new positions before Russian forces later retake or push Ukrainian forces out of those positions.
This tactical pattern indicates that Russian troops are likely to support doctrinally sound defensive operations in southern Ukraine," the report says.
The ISW said that Ukrainian troops are currently attempting an extremely difficult tactical operation - a frontal assault on prepared defensive positions, which is complicated by the lack of air superiority.
The institute noted that the initial assaults by Ukrainian forces should not be extrapolated to predict all Ukrainian operations.
"It is not surprising that Ukrainian troops suffer losses during initial attacks against some of the best-trained Russian forces in Ukraine. However, the initial attacks, especially the footage that Russian sources deliberately disseminate and highlight, are not representative of all Ukrainian operations. The Russian military remains dangerous, Ukrainian forces are certainly in for a tough fight, but Ukraine has not yet redeployed the vast majority of its counter-offensive forces, and Russian defences are not uniformly strong across the front line," ISW added.
