Analysts question Putin’s Intel accuracy from the front lines of Ukraine


Associate Professor Volodymyr Duvovyk, based in Odessa, said Russian President Vladimir Putin was in Ukraine about concerns that analysts could make decisions in the war without accurate updates because the information filters ranks. Observe that you have enough information about the situation. International Research Center of Metchnikoff National University in Ukraine.

“He may really think that the Russians have an advantage in Ukraine,” Putin said of Putin’s view of the conflict from Moscow.

However, they have not won, Duvovyk said of the Russian army, adding that it is unclear if Putin has anyone to advise on the actual situation at the scene.

“People are afraid [that] … No one tells him the news. President … We need to withdraw, we need some exit ramps, “said the scholar. “And of course Putin is unknown [to be] The person who quit. He stood up on the escalation tree, but he didn’t know how to get off.

“But he’s not going to achieve his goal here in Ukraine, so he’ll have to learn to do that,” Duvovyk said. Told to NTD News March 11.

Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine is to disarm Ukrainian troops and defeat the “Neo Nazi” government in order to protect Russians living in the pro-Russian region of eastern Ukraine from “abuse and slaughter”. Said.

“Once again, I speak to Ukrainian soldiers,” Putin said in his speech announcing the invasion. “Do not allow neo-Nazis or banderite to use your children, your wife, and the elderly as human shields. Take power with your own hands. Than this drug addict or neo-Nazi gang. , It seems easy for us to reach an agreement. “

The Kremlin demanded that Ukraine sign a neutral agreement banning NATO, recognize Crimea as a Russian, recognize the Luhansk and Donetsk regions as independent, and suspend all military operations. I am.

Despite the difficulties facing Russian troops in their mission to demilitarize Ukraine, Dubovic believes that Russian leadership still wants to continue fighting the war.

“Oh [Russia] I still believe that they may bring some reinforcements and provide more petrol and food to the troops trapped in various parts of Ukraine. I think they are trying to do that. “

Russia attacked and destroyed many of Ukraine’s military assets in the first 48 hours of the invasion, but Duvovyk said that Ukrainian people were given foreign aid to their military and sanctions from countries like West NATO. He said he was supported and held a strong resistance to the occupying forces. Not only allies, but also South Korea, Japan and Taiwan in the east.

Ukrainians also have a higher morale advantage as people are fighting to protect their land and their freedom, Duvovyk said.

“Many of them left their families and children in towns and cities. Therefore, it’s not an abstract conflict for them. They know exactly what they are protecting, I know what will happen to those towns, “he said.

Meanwhile, on the Russian side, Duvovyk said, “morale is really low,” according to Ukrainian investigators.

Investigators reported that many Russian soldiers questioned the war, hearing from some of the 2,000 Russian prisoners of war.

Dubovyk stated that some of the common themes reported from conversations with POWs were: What are we doing? They are not fascists here … these people are just civilians and the Ukrainian army sees us as invaders, so they are bravely fighting us. “

He also said that some PoWs are thinking. [people] It brought them freedom. “

But he said, they soon realize that the Ukrainians have fought for their freedom against the occupying forces.

“Some of the troops brought by the Russians are experienced experts, but others are not. They were newcomers aged 18, 19, and 20 and were brought in. [in] Inexperienced and scared, “Dubovyk said. “They are trying to escape, leaving their weapons behind, destroying their equipment and tanks, escaping towards the Russian border and returning to Russia.”

Russia’s progress is different across Ukraine. Some cities in the east near the long-conflicted Donbus region, such as Mariupol’s, are now in a terrible situation after days of bombing and food and electricity shortages.

Man runs after destruction
In this still image from a distribution video obtained by Reuters, a person runs after the destruction of the Mariupol Children’s Hospital as Russia continues to invade Ukraine in Mariupol, Ukraine on March 9, 2022. .. (Distribution via Ukrainian Army / Reuters)

Separatists supported by Ukrainian government forces and Russia have been participating in the War in Donbas since 2014. Before the invasion of Russia on February 24, more than 14,000 people had already died in armed conflict, and about 75,000 troops were fighting trench warfare along 260 miles. -Long connecting lines through densely populated areas.

U.S. President Joe Biden said U.S. President Joe Biden did not send troops to fight in Ukraine, and U.S. and NATO “do not fight war with Russia in Ukraine” because of “direct conflict between NATO”. “Repeatly states. And Russia is World War III and we must work to prevent it. “

With current escalations, some Ukrainian cities in the north, west, and south like Odessa remain largely untouched.

Dubovyk has put Russia’s slow progress into the resistance of strong Ukrainian civilians. Without it, Ukrainian troops would not have been able to resist the Russian attack.

There are tens of thousands of ordinary Ukrainians working with the military to support the defense of the country, Duvovyk said, evacuation of people, distribution of food and water, and planting of Russia sent to Ukraine. Before an invasion that carries out important missions such as the diversion of a sabotage group.

Epoch Times Photo
Soldiers of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces, a military reserve of the Ukrainian Army, will receive food on March 11, 2022 at a warehouse in an underground parking lot converted into a training and logistics base in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Sergei Supinsky / AFP via Getty Images)

The aggression is currently dragging until the third week. For days, Russian troops lined up just tens of miles from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. It is unclear why they got stuck, but given that Ukrainians have shown strong resistance to protect their homes and lands, Russian troops may be aware of how difficult it is to seize Kyiv. He said he had sex.

“”[The Russians are] They are afraid of urban warfare, so they are really afraid to enter the city. They know that the city is highly fortified and that people have all these javelin throws and attack machine guns. And they would expect to fire from every window and every corner, “he said.

He said Ukraine is “not a failed state”, unlike what was seen in Afghanistan.

“of [the] In Ukraine, the government works under a bomb, and shelters are attended by everyone, including medical personnel, including university professors, and have recently given lectures online. So Ukraine is very united. “

Dubovyk warns that Russia believes that if the dispute remains unresolved, it will “force more concessions and cause more pain to Ukraine by bombarding civilian targets.” did.

Melanie Sun

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Melanie is an Australian-based reporter and editor who covers the world news. She has a background in environmental research.