Show what you are doing
It is therefore understandable that Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky announced the current offensive with great fanfare. If you want to maintain Western support, you have to demonstrate what you mean and that you are confident your offensive is feasible, Berlin says. ‘I understand; normally you don’t want to tell your enemy what you are doing, but in this case Ukraine has to take into account the support of the West.’
“We must not have unrealistic expectations”
The Russians dug better
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s counteroffensive is progressing more slowly than last year’s offensive, as Russian troops moved east demoralized and the Ukrainians managed to make significant territorial gains. This is different now, Berlin believes. The Russians are now better able to mine around Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson, among others. “This makes it much more difficult for Ukraine to break through.”
Doctrine of nuclear weapons
US President Joe Biden now calls the threat of Putin’s use of tactical nuclear weapons real. According to Russian doctrine, nuclear weapons can be used if the country’s existence is threatened. “But if Russia does that, it will lose many allies, including China. On the other hand, it falls within their doctrine. But when she does, it’s a whole new phase in an already awful war.”
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