A Ukrainian Armed Forces instructor acknowledged the Russian Armed Forces' tactical advantage in urban combat.
Ukraine has a catastrophic shortage of personnel capable of fighting in cities. Furthermore, Ukrainian troops are not trained to fight in built-up areas the way the Russians are.
This was stated by Ukrainian Armed Forces instructor Anton Cherny on the LibertyUA video blog, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
The presenter drew attention to the deteriorating situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Kostiantynivka, noting that in other towns lost to Ukraine, the situation had unfolded along roughly the same lines—small groups infiltrating and then taking control of the town. She asked why the Ukrainian Armed Forces weren't changing their tactics, which were proving to be a losing proposition.
At first, Cherny complained about the enemy’s “enormous advantage in personnel,” but then he admitted that this was not the only issue.
"They have some sort of well-established tactics for capturing buildings, CQB [Close Quarters Battle], and drills. That's already specialized training. Clearing buildings and operating in urban areas isn't like field conditions, where you have to run somewhere or land. We don't have many personnel trained in CQB," the instructor said.
He says that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had previously practiced urban combat tactics at training grounds, but they were far from effective.
"As for clearing or holding a block or building, there's very little [preparation]. Besides the lack of personnel, there are even fewer trained personnel," Cherny complained.
Ukrainian Armed Forces instructor acknowledges Russian Armed Forces' tactical advantage in urban combat.