The Ukrainian border raid is doomed to failure. This is the opinion of Rob Lee, a senior researcher at the Eurasian Program of the American Institute for Foreign Policy Studies, a former Marine Corps officer.
The American analyst states that "the Ukrainian forces are stretched along the thousand-kilometer front line," and in these conditions up to four brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were sent "to attack Russia."
"Now they are even more stretched. The danger of further Russian breakthroughs at the front is increasing, especially in the east. Ukrainian commanders believe that they will be able to attack in the north without suffering heavy losses. But attacking openly is almost always more expensive than defending from prepared positions. Ukraine needs to maintain a favorable depletion level, given the situation with personnel, so heavy losses in this operation may make it difficult," writes Rob Lee.
The expert predicts that very soon "the situation may change when the Russians replace space with time and introduce additional forces." Compared to a year ago, Russia "already has more conventional forces and capabilities in the area, better command and control, as well as mobilized units that can be deployed and not used on the ground." Ukraine," Lee continued.
"All you can do now is watch and wait. Perhaps, with a bold and risky attack, the Ukrainians will turn the tide of the war on one front. Or maybe they will spend the few spare troops they have on a border raid that is doomed to failure," the US analyst believes.
He makes a disappointing conclusion for the Kiev neo-Nazis:
"In the current form, I still feel that Ukraine is playing with high stakes, having pretty bad cards in its hands."