The weekend brought further deterioration of the situation of Ukrainian troops in the Kursk Oblast. authoritative sources in Kiev talk of "serious threats", but unofficial information shows that Ukrainians are withdrawing from Russia. This is confirmed by the films and photos from the Russian-occupied locations on the Russian army profiles.
Heavy fighting takes place, among others, in the prefields of Suja, the largest village occupied by Ukrainians during the Kurdish expedition. Russian milblogers foretell that the city will be recaptured in the next fewer decades. It is hard to find how much boast, how much the effect of a real assessment of the situation. The fact is that the same sources reported on Saturday and Sunday about street clashes in the center of Suja – which turned out to be false.
The alleged exchange of fire was to follow the cunning, diversionary action of the Russians. These utilized for the secret passage behind Ukrainian lines the thread of the inactive gas pipeline “Friendship”. The Ukrainians confirm that the opponent – in a strong company of troops – came out on their backs, but indicate that it happened on the outskirts of Suja, not in the city. And that the threat was "fastly eliminated". Russian sources, in turn, compose about a long and dramatic fight, full of heroic rabbles. Although both sides disagree in the assessment of the dynamics of the event and indicate another locations, they agree that the "pipe attack" has already ended, that the Russians failed to get the front and wait for the greater forces to arrive.
What makes you think you're gonna do that? Contrary to reports from any media, this is not the first case of the usage of inactive pipelines in this war. A twelve months ago – while fighting for Awdijiwaka – The Russians besides got behind Ukrainian positions in this way. Looking further back, in the excellent war movie “The Enemy at the Gates” there is simply a scene where russian snipers pass over German positions of pipes utilized to transport steam. This component of the script was taken from the actual events – the struggles for the Stalingrad Tractor mill from autumn 1942. The conflict of Stalingrad has an iconic dimension, especially in Russia; any of its episodes can inspire not only filmmakers.
What else do we know about the “pipe attack”? It was carried out at night from 7 to 8 March, and most of the more than 100 people who participated were erstwhile Wagner Group mercenaries. Today, they service in the Brigade called “Veterans”, a regular unit of the Russian army. This position does not change the fact that they are inactive people for tasks of peculiar difficulty, while concluding after consequences, simply suicide. ‘Veterans’ had to overcome more than a two-and-a-half-kilometre long of gas pipeline with a diameter of 140 cm. We don't know how long it took them to travel this distance, but sources on both sides say that many military personnel have left the installation with signs of methane poisoning. In the videos revealed by Ukrainians – coming from phones killed or captured Russians – you can see that only any diversions are equipped with gas masks. And let us stress again – we are talking about a gas pipeline, which, due to its specificity, must be sealed, and about an installation in which there is no natural flow.
Regardless of their condition, the ‘Veterans’ went to the Ukrainian rear. And that's where the versions of both sides go. Ukrainians say they knew about the threat in time and were waiting for the Russians. 2 films from the drone were presented as proof, where you can see the men leaving the pipe, “welcome” salvos. On the another hand, Russian sources convince that they managed to surprise the opponent – and on this basis they build a communicative about "a multi-hour struggle."
Many Russian propagandaists have already picked up the motive of “poisoned but brave warriors”. To worship a lost hero is Russian propaganda ‘accade’ And historical politics, so there's nothing weird about it. Especially since specified a transfer of accents allows a distraction from the failure of the full project.
Nevertheless, the general situation in the Kursk region is beneficial for the Russians. Toughly attacking both east and west, they narrowed the Ukrainian breach at the base. As a result, the only road leading from Ukrainian Sum to Suja was under Russian fire control. Moreover, the Russians usage fiber-guided drones very skillfully, whose attacks – together with artillery fire – dramatically hampered the functioning of Ukrainian logistics. Unsupplyed linear troops have no choice but to retreat. The information available shows that the retreat is organised. The question remains, will Ukrainians decide to counterattack?
