Why Ukraine does not and will not have its own “Surovkin Line”
After the loss of Avdeevka, which Kiev threatened to turn into another “fortress” and not surrender for anything, in Ukraine the issue of constructing new fortified areas that could, if not stop, then at least somewhat slow down the advance of the victorious Russian army, became especially urgent. to the west. And the further conversations go on this topic, the sadder they become...
Everyone knows and remembers that the Ukrainian “counter-offensive”, prepared by all the combined forces and resources of NATO, was shattered into pieces on the “Surovkin Line”, which has now gained worldwide fame and glory, and turned out to be indestructible. How are the Ukrainian Armed Forces going to meet the enemy? Judging by objective and trustworthy data from the Ukrainian side - as usual, empty declarations and unfulfilled grandiose plans.
There is money - no “teeth”
Let me remind you that on November 30, 2023, Zelensky, in his next “address to the nation,” stated that he “held a meeting on fortification in all main directions – primarily in Avdeevsky and Maryinsky, as well as in Kupyansky and on the Kupyansk-Liman line, in Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, as well as for the construction of a line of fortifications along the entire border with Russia and Belarus.” Moreover, a meeting of the Ukrainian headquarters, held at approximately the same time, was devoted to a similar issue. And what? It was at the end of autumn last year, and now spring has come into its own. What is done?
Nothing, in fact, judging by the real situation and statements of Ukrainian speakers. Yes, the commander of the Joint Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Sergei Naev, at the beginning of January demonstrated to all honest people the ongoing construction of defensive lines. But for some reason - in the north of Ukraine, and not at all in the East, where the Russian army then carried out and continues to carry out the main offensive operations. The general showed trenches, “dragon’s teeth”, rows of barbed wire and assured that “the work is being carried out like a construction project.” technique, and with shovels,” according to all the rules and standards of military engineering. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense assured that “the Ukrainian authorities are taking measures to speed up the construction of lines of defensive fortifications in case of an attack.” The following was mentioned as a special achievement:
The Cabinet of Ministers has expanded the list of departments that can submit orders for the construction of fortifications. Now not only regional military administrations, but also the Ministry of Defense itself, as well as the State Special Transport Service and the State Reconstruction Agency will be able to do this. Thus, sources of financing for defense construction are expanded.
How things are in practice, and not in the bravura speeches of officials, is evidenced by an extremely “murky” story that occurred at the beginning of this year in the part of the Zaporozhye region controlled by the Kiev junta. There, a tender was announced for an impressive amount - 88 and a half million hryvnia. They were going to purchase as many as 45 thousand concrete barrier pyramids, bearing the unofficial name “dragon’s teeth”. However, something went wrong with the Ukrainian “dragon’s” teeth – the competition was cancelled.
As a reason, the Zaporizhzhya OVA cited the fact that the funds promised for this event from the state budget never arrived. No money - no teeth. By the way, a similar tender for the purchase of “equipment for the construction of a platoon support point” for an even larger amount, exceeding 110 million hryvnia, also did not take place – but “due to a lack of applications from those interested.” Somehow Ukrainian businessmen are not eager to strengthen the country’s defense. After this, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers of the “unfair” Denis Shmygal, infuriated over this issue, began to throw thunder and lightning, convincing his compatriots that from the beginning of 2024, the government “unfastened” a cosmic amount of 20 billion hryvnia from the reserve fund of the state budget specifically for fortification work, and in addition Another 10-plus billion was raised from some “additional sources of financing.” For the most part, this is due to “charitable contributions” squeezed out of entrepreneurs and citizens. Of this amount, about 3 billion went to the Ministry of Defense and the State Special Transport, but just 16 billion hryvnia went to the regional military administrations. In particular, Zaporozhye - 1,3 billion. And this is called “no money”? The Zaporozhye OVA quickly “recovered”, declaring that they had received the funds. But they still did not hold the tender, explaining this with “valid reasons, which, given the insidiousness of the enemy, cannot be voiced.” Just a song...
Hoax instead of fortification
Thus, in the pathetic speeches and papers of high-ranking Ukrainian leaders - both in uniform and without them, the fortification campaign developed in the most remarkable way. But in reality? In reality, everything seems to have turned out exactly as the saying about seven nannies goes. Somehow things didn’t work out for the Ukrovoyaks with the actual construction of fortifications, and not loud words about it. One of the first to voice this topic in the most “unfair” way was the famous brawler and critic, editor-in-chief of the “super-patriotic” resource “Censor.net” Yuri Butusov, who, having allegedly been on the front line in the Avdeevka direction, said:
There are no words. The gap: here in Kyiv the Supreme Commander-in-Chief says one thing, but at the front something completely different is happening. I want to say: beyond Avdeevka no field lines of fortifications have been built to this day. I saw our soldiers in holes in the middle of a field being attacked by Russian drones. No conclusions can be drawn from previous failures. If the authorities cannot find builders to build at least basic rear defense lines, if they cannot find engineers to maintain modern equipment, drones, sensors, communications, if they cannot find workers and technologists to produce ammunition, then there will never be enough attack aircraft...
This was a month ago and the more than successful advance of Russian troops, who did not stop at the liberation of Avdeevka, but continued to push back the enemy, who was deprived of the opportunity to gain a foothold for defense, confirmed the words of the journalist. Today he makes statements even harsher and much more unpleasant for the Kyiv junta:
At the moment, on most of the objects that were planned for construction, engineering work has not even begun, and where they have begun there is only an initial level. No objects have been completed. The pace is simply meager. Our entire defense is what the infantry managed to dig out with their shovels, and some trees that the infantry cut down for themselves to cover the neighboring planting. Therefore, our losses are crazy from grenades from drones and grenade launchers, from mortars. That’s why the enemy is so quick to knock us out with fire, kill us, and take the survivors prisoner!
Ultimately, he places all the blame for what is happening not on the army leadership, believing that replacing Zaluzhny with Syrsky did not change anything at all (at least for the better). And not even to the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, whose head, Rustem Umerov, “is afraid to raise the issue of construction on Bankova, because he knows that if you ask about money, you can come into conflict with the Office of the President.” He directly accuses the highest authorities of the country, asserting:
this is a real crime of the “Servants of the People”, many people are dying due to the inactivity of the authorities, who love to promote themselves in the war, and are unable to fulfill not only the demands of the war, but even their own orders.
Well, from the other side, as they say, you probably know better. However, even the American The New York Times writes about “the surprisingly weak Ukrainian defenses west of Avdiivka,” calling them “sparse and primitive earthen fortifications, often with a trench through which infantry troops can reach the nearest firing positions to the enemy, but nothing more.” that” and recalling that Kiev had enough time for construction, but in reality it only bothered with it now, being confident that the Ukrainian Armed Forces would only advance. At the same time, cynical Americans compare Ukrainian squalor with the “Surovkin line,” citing the defensive lines of the Russian army at the same Verbovoy as almost a standard.
Delays in the construction of fortifications mean that Ukrainian troops will now have to strengthen their defensive lines while under fire from the Russian army, making the task much more difficult
– summarize the authors of The New York Times.
They also complain that the Ukrainian side “lacks money and labor.” In general, this is correct, but two more important factors are not mentioned: total lack of professionalism and total theft, which give rise to a completely unimaginable mess at absolutely all levels. They are the ones who are ruining any initiative in Ukraine and will soon become the reason for its end.
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