Ukraine makes early ‘tactical gains’ in long
battle to retake Kherson
Western officials say ‘the signs are good’ so far as
Kyiv’s forces seek to regain territory.
BY CRISTINA
GALLARDO
SEPTEMBER
2, 2022 4:49 PM
LONDON —
Ukraine has made “tactical gains” in the first week of its counteroffensive
against Russia as its armed forces prepare for a long and hard-fought battle
before winter sets in, according to Western government officials.
Ukrainian
troops are making progress toward the strategic southern city of Kherson, as
they seek to retake it and deliver a psychological blow to Moscow’s war effort,
said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive
military intelligence.
Kyiv has
warned the operation to retake Ukrainian territories will be slow, but Western
officials Friday said there are signs that the Russians are dropping back in
the region.
“The
[offensive] that they have initiated has already made some tactical gains. That
is clear. It is an operation that is limited to some extent in scope,” one of
the officials said.
“The
Ukrainians themselves have already said that the offensive is, in their words,
a planned slow operation to grind the enemy, which will take time and effort. I
don’t think we should be anticipating gigantic breakthroughs which completely
change the picture … The signs are good at the moment.”
About
20,000 Russian troops have been redeployed to the western bank of the Dnipro
River, but Ukraine’s Western allies believe some of the Russian battalions are
operating well below their potential.
Western
officials cautioned the counteroffensive won’t sweep the Russian forces out of
Ukraine any time soon. However, success in retaking the region of Kherson and
gaining control of the western side of the river would be “really significant,”
the same official quoted above said.
Such a
victory would show Ukraine’s Western allies that they are right to continue
sending billions of dollars of weapons and supplies to help counter Russia,
while hitting morale in Moscow.
One
challenge ahead for Ukraine will be the onset of winter, when both sides will
need to pause the fighting in the worst of the weather. Western governments
have warned Kyiv against spreading its forces too thinly in a bid to capture as
much territory as possible, since the Ukrainians would have to hold any gains
they make.
The
officials said they expect Ukraine to reassess its military goals if it retakes
Kherson. However, the city of Melitopol, also in the south, remains too far
away from the Ukrainian positions, while a ground attack against Crimea during
this offensive is not plausible, they added.
Long-range
strikes launched by the Ukrainians against Russian command and logistical
assets during the summer have achieved “a substantial effect against Russia” by
forcing Moscow to reposition its troops and adjust its tactics, one of the
Western officials said.
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