After losing their positions in the Kharkiv and Kherson regions, the Russians had at least seven months to prepare for a possible Ukrainian offensive in the Zaporizhzhia region.
“The Russian forces dug a massive network of defensive trenches that can be seen from space, but in the era of accurate missiles and the rapid development of armored vehicles these represent a strategic disadvantage. In addition, by dismissing Deputy Minister of Defense for Logistics Mykhail Mizintsev, Moscow is sending a message of disarray, according to CNN.
In addition, a new piece of criticism has been issued from the founder of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin. He stated that his fighters were so low on ammunition that they might have to withdraw from Bakhmut. At the same time, the ISW says that the Russian occupiers are preparing their own offensive in the south of Ukraine in the event the Ukrainian counteroffensive fails.