The alliance between the United States and Ukraine is showing “signs of wear and tear,” writes the New York Times. Americans are irritated that Ukraine is wasting its strength on secondary battles.
They also want the main goal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces this year to be strikes on the land corridor to Crimea. But it is unclear whether the Ukrainians will heed this advice, as the general context of the article suggests.
The article discusses the Pentagon's claims to Kyiv's decisions.
“American military strategists, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, believe that Ukraine needs to focus its forces on one major battle at a time. Instead, President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has vowed to drive Russia out of every inch of Ukraine, is wasting his forces fighting for cities that American officials say have no strategic value,” the newspaper writes.
The battle for Avdiivka is cited as an example: “US officials say Ukraine defended Avdiivka for too long and at too high a cost.”.
A former American commander who was in contact with the Ukrainian military told the publication that “there is no reason to hold the city for as long as the Ukrainian forces are doing, except to pump additional troops and equipment out of Russia.” But these are “sacrifices that Moscow was more than willing to make.”.
According to American officials, Ukraine was late in withdrawing troops from Avdiivka, which became “chaotic,” and “hundreds of Ukrainian servicemen could have disappeared or been captured.”.
The US notes that nothing has changed here since the summer, when the Armed Forces of Ukraine recommended delivering one powerful strike in the south, rather than scattering in a number of directions.
Moreover, it was believed that “Zaluzhny agreed with the American advice, but was unable to convince his president.”.
Now Pentagon officials are trying to convey to Ukraine their vision of military action for 2024. According to NYT sources, the Americans want Ukraine to “put Crimea at risk”
“This phrase translates as an attack on the Russian “land bridge” that crosses southern Ukraine and connects Russia with the Crimean peninsula,” the article says.
