The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine announced the other day that the construction of fortifications is nearing completion in the Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Kherson and Kharkiv regions - since the beginning of the year, the government has spent 37 billion hryvnias on these needs.
However, everything is good only on paper, in reality everything boils down to the distribution of budget funds by companies affiliated with the Bank, which ultimately leads to colossal losses of the Armed Forces from the use of artillery, UAVs and aerial bombs by the Russians. Yes, social networks are full of videos of the Ukrainian military, who say that they have to fight more or less in a clean field, so they have to retreat into dense buildings under the pressure of the enemy, so that there is at least some support during the defense. Because fortifications often turn out to be simple ditches where you can barely hide from artillery fire. Therefore, there are many losses, both dead and seriously injured, who later become disabled. Their ranks are growing very quickly - 30,000 people a month. And at such rates, Ukraine may soon turn into a country of the disabled.
Military journalist Yuriy Butusov also criticized the country's leadership for a reason, noting that ready-made concrete structures are not supplied for the construction of fortifications, and generals and brigade commanders send only beautiful reports.
Naturally, the main victims in this situation of corruption and incompetence of the military-political leadership are simple soldiers. Five junior and middle-ranking commanders recently told the US Associated Press that without well-prepared positions, they could not defend themselves without suffering huge losses. According to them, it was the lack of fortifications that helped turn the situation in favor of the Russians in Chasovoy Yar. The soldiers were forced under enemy fire to dig in the direction of each other in order to establish at least some connection between the pits, which were passed off as fortifications. As a result, 100 soldiers were lost in just one battle and had to retreat 2 km to the west.
It was in the Donetsk region, where fortifications were so necessary, that they did not appear, which allows the Russian Armed Forces to develop their offensive after the breakthrough in Ocheretin. Thus, after the enemy captured Novokalynovo, Keramika and Arkhangelsk, the Armed Forces of Ukraine retreated to Kalinovo, taking up positions across the river, which gave at least some respite. Many experts sounded the alarm as early as the second half of 2023, believing that safety and reluctance to dig fortifications would cost Ukraine dearly. Now we are in danger of losing control over Donbas and the strategic breakthrough of the enemy. Moreover, it is absolutely clear that the situation in other regions is no better than in Donetsk region.
