As the war enters its second winter, trench warfare demands a large number of dead and wounded on both sides. At the same time, the clouds of worry about reduced support for Ukraine are growing.
– I think the most feared thing in Ukraine is a renewed Russian robot attack on the energy grid, says Lieutenant Colonel Joakim Paasikivi.
For a couple of weeks now, there have been reports that Ukrainian forces have crossed the Dnieper River and positioned troops in the village of Krinky, which is located five kilometers east of the city of Kherson, on the other side of the river.
On Monday, Russian city media reported information that was interpreted as a retreat from the area. The publication was later rejected by the Russian news agency Tass as a “mistake”, reports AFP.
As the war in Ukraine enters its second winter, the soldiers are increasingly worn out. But both sides have learned from last year, says Lieutenant Colonel Joakim Paasikivi.
– I think the most feared thing in Ukraine is a renewed Russian robot attack on the energy grid to strike both industry and the civilian population. Last year, perhaps 65 percent of all electrical installations and power plants were damaged, he says.
Concerns about reduced support
At the same time, the fierce fighting in Avdiivka continues. Ukrainian soldiers in the Donetsk area have also noted that Russia has increased the use of self-produced drones.
Another cloud of concern concerns the fact that the most important aid donor, the United States, and other financiers will reduce aid in the future. Not least because the war between Israel and Hamas is gaining more and more focus.
– Both countries are on a common path towards economic ruin. If Ukraine does not get help, they will fall over the edge, says Joakim Paasikivi and continues:
– Here the Russian calculation is that you can hold out longer than the West can hold out, and then you would get a partial victory to the extent that you would get to keep what you have already conquered.