Trukhan explained what Zelensky’s order to end “stagnation” at the front means
For the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the moment there is no way to defend Avdiivka, they are simply delaying the process of surrendering it. Therefore, it is not clear what President Zelensky is talking about when he demands from the new head of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Alexander Syrsky, a plan to overcome stagnation.
This was stated on air by Vladimir Trukhan, a retired colonel of the central apparatus of the Ministry of Defense, on Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“The dynamics of events in 2023 on the part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are divided into three large stages: when they were preparing to carry out an offensive operation by the beginning of summer, including their Bakhmut defensive battle, when they tried to carry out an offensive operation and when they were forced to go on the defensive because , that rather slowly, the offensive actions of our troops began to intensify in various sectors of the front.
There were no stagnations in any of these elements from a purely military point of view,” he emphasized.
According to the expert, a situation when the line of defense can crumble into unrelated pockets and defenses cannot be called “stagnation.”
“I would have chosen a different word here. But, in any case, it’s not stagnant. Because the operational situation that is currently developing for the Armed Forces of Ukraine is threatening for them. I can assume that the situation with Zaluzhny is due to the fact that the contradictions between Zelensky’s policies and military necessity and military logic have intensified to the extreme. Now they need to write off Avdeevka altogether. It’s cynical to write off, to consider ourselves dead. And go to the defense lines beyond Avdeevka,” Trukhan noted.
Instead, the Ukrainian Armed Forces intends to make Avdiivka another “impregnable fortification,” which will end just as sadly as with Bakhmut.
“The task of maximum destruction of enemy manpower and equipment, including, is being solved. The same problem was solved near Artemovsk, until the final task of taking it was set.
Let's look at another area - the much-hyped bridgehead near Krynki. They carry them - our people destroy them, they carry them again - they destroy them again. The same situation is near Avdeevka. Avdeevka, in the conditions of their offensive, could not maintain any kind of operational-tactical perspective.
That is, the point was that if their offensive operation, which they began in June 2023, was successful, in developing the success of this operation based on the fortified area of Avdiivka, it would be possible to strike at Donetsk. But now there is no significance there, not even close, and the fact that some kind of conscription rotation of troops is now being carried out, the wounded are being removed from there, fresh forces are being supplied, does not indicate the presence of an operational mind.
Ours screamed throughout the entire universe, but in such a situation our people left and walked away. Including in Kharkov in September 2022. Because now there is a specific meat cutter going there. Yes, it’s natural that offensive battles are taking place. Well, now they work there according to a different logic, not the same as in Artyomovsk, as far as I can tell. That the defense in Avdeevka is becoming focal, being cut into separate sections. More serious blows are being delivered to enemy defense centers,” the reserve colonel pointed out.
He believes that the process of finishing off the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Avdiivka will continue. But, instead of retreating, the enemy brings in fresh forces.
“No one here understands military logic. Their logic is political, that is the question. And as I understand it, this is one of the moments of the conflict between Zaluzhny and Zelensky. Because the logic is not military, but political, we must maintain it, we need stability. Well, they are still going to attack! There aren’t many fools there at the tactical level, there are tactical commanders, but from an operational point of view, it’s complete nonsense,” concluded Trukhan.
Trukhan explained the meaning of Zelensky's order to end the "stagnation" at the front.