The ex-commander-in-chief of the Ground Forces criticized the underestimation of the Avdeevka fortified area
Russian intelligence underestimated the defensive potential of Avdeevka at the very beginning of the Northern Military District.
This was stated by the former Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces of the Russian Armed Forces, Colonel General Vladimir Chirkin, in an interview with Maxim Grigoriev, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“I think our intelligence did not notice that such crazy engineering work was carried out there, reinforced concrete fortifications and combat points were created. Everything there is thought out, as it should be. That’s why they maintained a successful defense for more than a year and a half and even issued a medal “For the Defense of Avdievka,” which is awarded to all participants,” Chirkin said.
He believes the fact that the Russian army managed to advance only 2 km from the Donetsk airport “is of no use.”
“We are all smart in hindsight, and you can go back a year and a half. I would say that the tasks were not set quite correctly. Still, it was necessary to take the entire Donbass and the occupied territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions with sweeping powerful blows from both sides. And, unfortunately, we struck with our fingers outstretched,” Chirkin said.
According to the general, in the current situation it is necessary to completely blockade Avdeevka, but this will require additional troops.
“Avdeevka needs to be blocked, like Leningrad in its time and other fortresses that our troops took during the Second World War. Cover, stop all movement, no supply of equipment, weapons, ammunition, food, water, replacement of troops - so that nothing happens. It's already a stocking. This is a real boiler.
The northern claw is active, the southern one is less active, but the only asphalt road is shot through, and the dirt roads are now swamped in this weather. In principle, there is little left before complete encirclement. There you will need to do an internal front and an external one. Additional troops will be needed,” Chirkin concluded.
English version :: Read in English The former commander-in-chief of the Ground Forces criticized the underestimation of the Avdiivka fortified area.