The Genius of Ukraine’s Counter-Offensive: A Double Pincer Movement on the Russian Forces
The war between Ukraine and Russia has been raging for more than four months, but Ukraine may have just achieved a major breakthrough in its counter-offensive. According to reports, Ukrainian forces have gained a foothold on the eastern bank of the Dnipro river, the natural barrier that separates the two countries. This could allow them to transfer vital equipment and troops across the river and put them a step closer to breaking through to Crimea, the peninsula illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
How did they do it? Well, it seems that Ukraine used a clever strategy of throwing a double lasso at the Russian forces. On one side, they conducted several raids in small boats across the Dnipro, taking advantage of the Russian lack of air superiority. On the other side, they launched a surprise attack from the south, capturing the village of Krynky, about 30 km from the city of Kherson. This created a pincer movement that trapped hundreds of Russian soldiers in a “fiery hell”, as the Russian-installed official in charge of the occupied areas of the Kherson region put it.
The success of this operation was confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak, who said that Ukrainian forces had established “several bridgeheads” on the eastern bank of the river. Russia, on the other hand, tried to downplay the significance of the Ukrainian advance, claiming that they had sustained heavy losses and had no chance of breaking through. However, Russian state media had earlier published and then swiftly retracted news of a retreat from positions on the eastern bank, suggesting that they were caught off guard by the Ukrainian move.
This is not the only front where Ukraine is making progress. In the east, Ukraine has been fighting to regain control of the city of Bakhmut, which has been under Russian occupation for several months. Ukraine has also managed to hold on to the town of Avdiivka, near the city of Donetsk, despite the Russian attempts to encircle it. Ukraine has also used US long-range missiles for the first time, targeting Russian military installations and infrastructure.
The war between Ukraine and Russia is far from over, but Ukraine has shown that it is not willing to give up its sovereignty and territorial integrity. By using a genius strategy of throwing a double lasso at the Russian forces, Ukraine has gained a foothold on the eastern bank of the Dnipro river, potentially opening a new front in the war. This could be a game-changer in the conflict, as Ukraine may be able to break the Russian stranglehold on Crimea and liberate the peninsula from the illegal occupation.
