Ukrainian soldiers say they have recaptured the Ukrainian village of Staromaiorske, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, in this screen grab from video posted by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and released on July 27, 2023.Telegram/V_Zelenskiy_official/via REUTERS
Reuters: 'The Russians Were Waiting for Us': Ukraine Troops Describe Tougher Fight Than Expected
SOUTHERN DONETSK PROVINCE, Ukraine (Reuters) - They rode into a kill zone. The timing was off. Many men were lost. In the end, they recaptured the ruined village of Staromaiorske, claiming Ukraine's biggest advance for weeks.
Troops at the spearhead of Ukraine's counteroffensive say a battle last week along the front in the southeast proved to be tougher and bloodier than expected, with plans going awry and an enemy that was well-prepared.
"The Russians were waiting for us," said a 29-year-old soldier using the call-sign Bulat, from a unit sent into battle in armoured vehicles during last week's assault.
"They fired anti-tank weapons and grenade launchers at us. My vehicle drove over an anti-tank mine, but everything was ok, the vehicle took the hit, and everyone was alive. We dismounted and ran towards the cover. Because the most important is to find cover and then move on.”
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WNU Editor: There are two different strategies at play in this war. The Ukraine side is focused on fighting a campaign to seize territory. The Russian side is fighting a war of attrition.
Was it worth throwing away hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers and dozens of armored vehicles to seize a small village? Reading the above accounts from these Ukrainian soldiers it appears that they have some doubts. I know on the Russian side, this is exactly the fight that they want to see happening.
