A source from Kiev reports that panicky moods reign in the Ukrainian General Staff — from day to day a catastrophic defeat of the ATO forces in the south is expected.
It is reported that the plan of the operation, developed in the General Staff and implemented since the beginning of June, has been repeatedly and grossly violated under pressure from the SBU and the so-called "advisers". In particular, the plan provided for dissecting strikes along the lines of Dmitrov-Debaltsevo and Amvrosiyivka-Debaltseve in order to isolate Donetsk and ensure the safety of the left flank of the ATO forces advancing from the south along the border to Izvarino and Krasnodon.
If the attack of the ATO forces on Debaltseve from Dmitrov ended on the outskirts of Gorlovka, but did not entail tragic consequences, an unsuccessful blow from the side of Amvrosievka put the entire ATO in a critical situation. Not only didn’t they manage to capture Amvrosievka and Snezhnoye from the raid, but the militia also retained the height of Saur-Mogila. Given the fact that in the battles for Snezhnoye the militias first used armored vehicles (including Tanks) in large quantities - the Ukrainian side speaks of 15 tanks, as well as the fact that the DPR units actively used air defense systems, the Ukrainian General Staff insisted on updating the operation plans, but the SBU leadership and "advisers" insisted on continuing a dashing offensive along the border with unsecured flanks .
As a result of a similar adjustment of operational plans by the special services and corps specialists, the main grouping of the southern ATO forces, with a large number of tanks, other armored vehicles and artillery, advanced more than 60 kilometers along the border, retaining the narrow isthmus between mountain Saur in the rear. -Mogila and the Russian border - no more 7-8 kilometers. That is, all the columns of the supply of the ATO forces turned out to be in full view in front of the militia - in clear weather, even the Sea of Azov can be seen from Saur-Mohyla, which is 90 kilometers away.
Punishment for bungling followed immediately - from mid-June until the end of the “truce”, according to the Ukrainian General Staff, in the south, the DPR reconnaissance and sabotage groups attacked and partially destroyed more than 20 supply columns. At the moment, the group of anti-terrorist operation forces, which occupied the Dolzhansky checkpoint and which approached Sverdlovsk from the south, is conditionally capable as it is experiencing a shortage of fuel and food. The basis of the ATO forces in this “semi-fabulous” is the 72-I separate Guards Krasnograd Kiev Order of the Red Banner mechanized brigade, whose fighters, in principle, do not feel much enthusiasm when conducting combat operations against the Donbas militia.
But if, before 4 July, the advancement of the anti-terrorist operation forces with an unsecured flank was simply an adventure, relying on the fact that the militia had no reserves for an offensive, then the next day, 5 July, when in Kiev it became known that the Slavyansk garrison headed by Strelkov broke from the besieged city and arrived in Donetsk and Snezhnoye, in the General Staff of Ukraine a frank panic began.
The panic was aggravated by the fact that July 3, as a result of "friendly fire" (a common practice in the Armed Forces of Ukraine), was seriously contused about the head of the General Staff of Ukraine, Mikhail Kutsin. As a result of this, as well as due to the fact that the undercover games and intrigues immediately began on the topic of who will take Kutsin's place, little interaction between the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the SBU, the National Guard and the "volunteer battalions" was completely broken.
Nevertheless, the General Staff has infected all the participants of the process with its alarm - and some urgent measures were taken: ATO forces (which could have been scraped up and delivered to the site within 24 hours) set off for a decisive assault on Mount Saur-Mogila. In the forehead, in the open steppe, on large-caliber machine guns, and, as it turned out, under the destruction of artillery fire - with a natural result. The only consoling moment - the greatest casualties (up to half of the personnel) were borne by the Azov volunteer battalion (a gathering of lightly controlled criminals and Nazis), and not by military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The recent fact that a powerful artillery fist was created by the militias in Saur-Mogila and in its vicinity caused the General Staff to be completely disheartened - in this situation, we urgently need to start withdrawing troops from Dolzhansky and Sverdlovsk, but people are same sane as Adolf Hitler in the situation with the Stalingrad "boiler".
At the moment, many officers of the General Staff of Ukraine are demoralized and suppressed. Demoralized by the fact that military actions are led by amateurs from the special services who lead the situation to collapse and defeat; suppressed by the fact that they have made a meat grinder and committed many war crimes from the logical and even beautiful plan of the ATO, the SBU, the "advisers" and the "National Guard", and are trying to distance themselves from responsibility.
It is also necessary to say that the entire officer corps of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is in a state of constant stress while awaiting an operation of "enforcing peace" on the part of the RF Armed Forces. It is also clear for competent Kiev officers that there are no prospects for the ATO - the stated goals are not achieved, the resources are running out, the resistance of the rebel republics is growing ...