WSJ: Slow progress on Ukraine's fortifications ahead of expected Russian offensive
Ukrainian troops are building fortifications in expectation of a Russian offensive in the spring, though some worry that the progress is not fast enough, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on March 7, citing Western officials and Ukrainian soldiers.
Since late 2023, multiple observers have noted lackluster progress in fortification efforts as Russia began taking the initiative in some parts of the front.
After Russia captured Avdiivka and several nearby villages in the past few weeks, Ukrainian officials expect a more formidable offensive in the coming months.
"What's happening right now is what Russia has spent a long time preparing for. It has gathered enough forces and resources to pressure various axes all at once," Maksym Zhorin, the deputy commander of the Third Assault Brigade, told the WSJ.
Bracing themselves for the coming assault, Ukrainian troops are building trenches and antitank ditches, hoping to replicate Russian defenses that stalled Ukraine's counteroffensive last year.
Ukrainian soldiers reportedly have to build trenches themselves, even under fire, the WSJ wrote.
"In the circumstances we're in, we have to dig, entrench, and build by ourselves," Zhorin said.
"The lack of layered defenses along the front line should be of some concern for Ukraine," defense analyst Franz-Stefan Gady told the WSJ.
"The situation will get quite critical for the Ukrainian forces."
Speaking at a press conference last December, President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed the importance of building up defenses, urging government authorities, businesses, and the military to join their efforts.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said earlier this week that Ukraine has already earmarked more than Hr 30 billion (almost $790 million) for fortifications.
Asami Terajima
