this post was submitted on 20 Dec 2023

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Gas, drones and convict recruits: Ukrainian soldiers describe Russia’s deadly surge on the frontlines (www.cnn.com)

submitted 10 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

33 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The front lines where Ukraine and its allies had hoped for a summer breakthrough now epitomize the bleak, dark winter ahead — of Russian resurgence and Kyiv’s mounting losses.

“As we like to say in the army, the plan was good on paper, but we forgot about the trenches,” joked Ihor, a commander in the 15th National Guard. CNN is only using his first name to protect his identity for security reasons. Speaking with CNN deep in a command post in Orikhiv, in southern Ukraine, he is interrupted by panicked noises in the radio room.

...

The Ukrainians face relentless waves of Russian convict recruits, properly trained and equipped, backed by armor, and often – they believe – given a mix of drugs to bolster their attack. Ukrainian soldiers showed CNN drone footage of an injured Russian, his legs severed, yet a ghoulish smile on his face, seemingly oblivious to the pain.

Those fighting in besieged Ukrainian trenches say they now face another threat: the use of gas as a weapon. Nine incidents have been recorded in recent weeks in this area, one Ukrainian combat medic told CNN, in which a caustic and flammable gas had been dropped by drones onto Ukrainian lines, causing one fatality. The gas is used to cause panic and followed by conventional shelling or drone attacks, soldiers impacted said.

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[–] Blaster_M@lemmy.world 10 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Russia literally resorting to STIM'ed Marines now...

[–] autotldr@lemmings.world 3 points 10 months ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:

The front lines where Ukraine and its allies had hoped for a summer breakthrough now epitomize the bleak, dark winter ahead — of Russian resurgence and Kyiv’s mounting losses.

The Ukrainians face relentless waves of Russian convict recruits, properly trained and equipped, backed by armor, and often – they believe – given a mix of drugs to bolster their attack.

Ukrainian soldiers showed CNN drone footage of an injured Russian, his legs severed, yet a ghoulish smile on his face, seemingly oblivious to the pain.

“Usually, more meat means more mince,” Ihor said, a reference to Russian generals throwing their forces into the “meatgrinder” of the front line without concern for their losses.

In a tiny bunker closer to the front line, CNN observed a Ukrainian drone unit, part of Ihor’s command, trying to hunt Russians at a nearby crossroads.

The crisis in US and EU funding for Ukraine is at the forefront of their minds here, as a series of grainy drone images show bare tree lines, injured Russian soldiers lolling in a crater, and a landscape so cruel it seems remarkable any human life emerges from it.

The original article contains 900 words, the summary contains 181 words. Saved 80%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[–] Chickenstalker@lemmy.world 0 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I'm an armchair colonel. But I think Ukies are not committing fully to the offensive for fear of high casualties and the bad PR it brings. However, the Russian people have shown to be immune to losing thousands of soldiers since they are completely cowed by Putin. This means a battle of attrition will favor the Russians. Ukies have no choice but to yolo like it is Verdun if it ever seeks to win this war. They need to KO the Russians in one blow and push them out of Ukraine. Only then can the ukies hunker down again and weather the human waves.

[–] Rednax@lemmy.world 7 points 10 months ago

The staleness of the war feel very much like WW1. WW1 was not won at the frontlines. It was won by the industry and the logistics networks. Ukraine needs a way to harm the Russian industry and logistics, while getting more support of the western economies.

[–] Linkerbaan@lemmy.world -4 points 10 months ago

But I've been told that they were sending 60 year old grandpa's because all the young Russian men died a year ago.

[+] chitak166@lemmy.world -23 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I guess Russians aren't as incompetent as the average redditor thought they were.

[–] BombOmOm@lemmy.world 29 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

Most people thought the '2nd largest superpower in the world' would have an invasion of the poorest country in Europe wrapped up in a few weeks. After Ukraine defended themselves and took back huge swaths of their territory, people readjusted to Russia's (lack of) power.

Now the primary driver is making sure Ukraine stays armed so every invading Russian is forced to go the fuck back home.

[+] chitak166@lemmy.world -20 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (4 children)

Yeah, but people also thought Ukraine could take back Crimea and see how that's going.

Their rhetoric was the same, too. Ukraine just needs these weapons and they'll be able to accomplish this goal.

I'm waiting for everyone who was gungho about that to come out and admit they were wrong.

It's been awhile, but I see no shortage of posters like you telling me Ukraine just needs more weapons and they're be able to accomplish a different goal.

[–] BombOmOm@lemmy.world 16 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

We have visual confirmation Ukraine has destroyed over 13,500 Russian vehicles, including 2,500 Russian tanks. They are doing a damn good job and next goal needs weapons. An army doesn't run on wishes alone.

[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 15 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Wars invariably take longer than expected. There’s a reason “home by Christmas” is a meme. That doesn’t change the fact that Ukraine has liberated huge swathes of their territory since the beginning of the invasion. I’m all for more weapons for them; giving up aid just sends all the despots of the world the message that all they need to do in order to take whatever they want is out wait the fickle west.

[+] chitak166@lemmy.world -15 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Wars invariably take longer than expected.

Gee, how come I never see this in response to "3 days"?

Oh right, propaganda.

[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 17 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Because people like to mock the obvious Russian hubris? They’re getting worked by a country with hand me down weapons from 40 years ago, of course people laugh at “Kyiv in 3 days”.

[+] chitak166@lemmy.world -15 points 10 months ago (1 children)

So... russians are woefully incompetent and should be made fun of for that.

When Ukrainians are losing against russians... "wars take longer than expected."

This war should really teach rational people how powerful modern propaganda is, and how ignorant its perpetrators are of its existence.

[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 18 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

You’re trying to make an equivalence between the poorest European nation and the previously believed second most powerful army in the world. That’s not a rational stance. If anyone was told on February 25th 2022 that in two years time Ukraine would hold all territory on the right bank of the Dnipro and still contest territory in Luhansk and Donetsk it would rightfully be considered a miracle. Shit, Russia has moved a huge portion of their Black Sea fleet to Novorossiysk to avoid Ukrainian attacks against an opponent with no Navy. They can’t even use the port they stole. Do you not recognize the power imbalance is a factor? I’m not even sure what your point is other than acting like you’re smarter than the rest of the room.

[+] Thirdborne@lemmy.world -12 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Why do you guys keep calling Ukraine the poorest nation in Europe? They must be burning enough money to compare with a top 10 military expenditure. It's gone impressively well for them, but the way they are glorified like this is blatant propaganda. It's another front in the fight, but with the dishonesty, it makes it hard to judge the nobility of the cause.

[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 15 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Because they are according to GNI per capita? Never heard of international aid?

[+] Thirdborne@lemmy.world -11 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It's dishonest to frame this war that way. Ukraine is some kind of proxy for a global alliance against Russia. We are good at lying to ourselves. Not as good as Russia, but the more we do it, the less certain we can be of anything.

Maybe you propaganda lovers need the lies for some internal reason? I don't personally feel that if I'm justifying my decisions with lies, I should resolve the inconsistency in my value system.

[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 14 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Here you go goalpost moving. First it’s not true now it’s misleading? It’s not dishonest, their support is faltering and it’s obvious they can’t succeed it on their own. Stop acting like anyone you disagree with is just a victim of propaganda, it’s obnoxious at best and bad faith at worst.

I might add that “Ukraine is a puppet of the west” is a Russian propaganda talking point; physician heal thyself.

[–] mea_rah@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

I mean, just look at the list of countries by GDP/capita: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states_in_Europe_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita

Sort by rank, scroll all the way down. There it is.

[–] 100_percent_a_bot@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Classic case of a vatnik being incapable to see the bigger picture. Your propaganda narrative went from "Ukraine has no chance of winning since they'll be overthrown in two weeks tops" to "Ukraine has no chance of winning since they failed to retake Crimea".