British intelligence reports that reinforcements have been installed in the vicinity of Zaporizhia and Luhansk, among others. But the front is like one long “border line,” says Hammelburg. “To keep it airtight, you need hundreds of thousands of soldiers side by side. They don’t have those resources.’
The necessary men are there, but the Russians don’t have them at hand. In addition, the Russian army has many problems with the supply of weapons to the front. “They have a huge logistical problem with implementing their plan of attack,” says Hammelburg.
Millimeter work
In recent days the fighting has become much fiercer. According to Hammelburg, the Russians moved two kilometers west in four days. “Another example of millimeters back and forth ahead”.
At the same time, there are many reports of the number of victims. The number of deaths on the Ukrainian side is not very clear, estimates on the Russian side report more than 800 deaths per day. “A massacre of the first order,” says Hammelburg.
Live Blog | Follow the latest news about the war and all its aftermath in this live blog
Water pipeline
At the same time, Russia is building a new oil pipeline to the Donbass region. There are several reasons for this, Hammelburg says. ‘In Donbas, there is probably only a lack of drinking water, which needs to be replenished. But there are also political reasons. In Russia’s eyes, Donbas is part of the motherland, Hammelburg says. “And all states within the federation must be provided with public services and therefore also with water.”