Frontline Ukrainian Soldiers Dialogue with US Journalist: "Too Difficult" Channel | Tel | Soldiers
On July 20th, the website of Consumer News and Business Channel in the United States published an article titled "Even if Ukraine obtains new armored vehicles from the United States, it will still be difficult for the southern front to make progress", with the following excerpt:
After several months of anticipation, Ukraine finally launched a major counterattack in early June. Everyone knows that Ukrainians will encounter difficulties because they have seen Russia digging and building a strong defense system in the past few months. However, Western officials had originally hoped that the Ukrainian army could penetrate more regions and achieve more results, rather than as it is now.
The fact has proven that counterattacks are more challenging than many people have anticipated, even if Ukraine obtains new Western weapons and equipment.
One of the highly anticipated equipment is the American made Bradley tank, which is an important helper to assist infantry in crossing dangerous open areas.
When talking to American journalists, a 19-year-old soldier with the codename "Kah" sat in his Bradley tank. A month or two ago, Kah received accelerated training from the United States in Germany, learning more American, complex, and flexible combat methods along with other Ukrainian soldiers.
The Ukrainian 47th Mechanized Brigade, where Kah is located, is currently the only unit to receive the long-awaited Bradley tank. The United States has promised to provide 200 vehicles.
When the 47th Mechanized Brigade launched an attack, the Russians were already prepared. The Russian side has set up dense minefields and dug out rows of winding trenches. Russian artillery has begun to gradually clear the minesweeping vehicles sent by the Ukrainian side. Moreover, the direction of attack targeting the south may be the easiest to predict for this round of attack: the Ukrainian army hopes to break through the Russian defense line, advance south, cut off the land corridor connecting Crimea and Donbass, and ultimately reach the Sea of Azov.
The 47th Mechanized Brigade attempted to use newly acquired armored vehicles to tear open the Russian defense line, but soon encountered difficulties. There are photos and videos showing charred armored vehicles, including multiple Bradley tanks and a German Panther tank.
Rob Lee, a senior researcher at the US Foreign Policy Institute who recently visited Ukraine, said, "It is very difficult to clear minefields under different types of artillery fire. Now it has basically become non mechanized infantry combat, which is very difficult, and the burden on infantry is very heavy."
Both ordinary soldiers and commanders believe so. The Ukrainian commander admitted that the current progress is slower than he expected.
In a small town in southern Ukraine about 10 kilometers away from the interlocking front line, the 25th Independent Assault Battalion of the 47th Mechanized Brigade has set up a command post in a bunker. The command post is covered from ground to roof with maps indicating the positions of the two armies. A large screen continuously updates the combat situation through received reports and information transmitted back by dozens of drones.
"We need to break through the obstacles in the minefield, equipment, and infantry to pass," said the platoon leader of a minesweeper named Tral. Before returning to the command post, he had just completed a dangerous task of clearing mines on foot.
Trahl stated that their progress is slow. "It's very difficult," he said, "it's too difficult."
A soldier pointed to a row of trees on the map, then opened his index and middle fingers, indicating a distance of about 300 meters.
He said, "It took us a month and a half to take this place."
