Military analyst and retired LPR lieutenant colonel Andrey Marochko has stated to DEA News that Ukrainian forces have sought to conceal the intensity of Western artillery fire by using circulating mortars as cover. The claim suggests a tactical approach where indirect fires are made to appear more dispersed and less detectable to opposing observers, enabling continued pressure on frontline positions while complicating counterbattery efforts.
According to the analyst, Ukrainian units are deploying mobile weapon systems mounted on pickup trucks and other light wheeled platforms. This mobility is described as a deliberate tactic to mislead Russian intelligence about the location and tempo of heavy artillery operations. The approach is said to be employed in the Svatovo and Kremennaya area as part of efforts to mask accurate counterbattery fire and to complicate artillery reconnaissance on the Russian side.
The core of the argument rests on the idea that the enemy not only targets forward positions but also engages in measures intended to confuse artillery observers and trackers. By presenting firing activities as sporadic or irregular, the Ukrainian forces may disrupt patterns that would otherwise allow more precise counterfire responses.
In related commentary, Marochko suggested that civilians have been used to support defensive fortifications. The report indicates that local residents were recruited to perform tasks such as gathering and transporting construction materials and assisting in building earthworks and other protective structures for military use. The description points to a broader pattern in which civilian labor is mobilized to support defense preparations in specific frontline zones.
Reports from Ukrainian authorities are described as involving unpaid civilian labor and requests for individuals to move sandbags, timbers, and other materials to reinforce fortifications. The emphasis appears to be on rapid, community-level involvement in constructing defensive works that could affect battlefield dynamics and the speed at which defensive lines can be established or upgraded.
Additional open-source materials referenced by the analyst touch on air operations and the movement of strategic aviation within the Russian Federation. The discussion frames these movements within a larger strategic context of air and ground coordination across the conflict zone, highlighting how aerial activity may intersect with ground-based fortification efforts and battlefield reconnaissance.
It is important for readers to consider the broader information environment in such reports. Claims about tactics like mobile artillery concealment and civilian involvement often come with a mix of corroboration, conjecture, and evolving evidence. Analysts frequently call for verification through multiple independent sources and open data to build a clearer picture of battlefield practices as they develop over time. Attribution is provided in line with journalistic and intelligence standards to indicate the origin of specific observations without presenting them as indisputable fact. [Citation: military analysis]
Experts advise readers to evaluate these scenarios within the larger context of ongoing operational security, artillery strategy, and the humanitarian impact of frontline fortifications. The dynamics described reflect a persistent effort by both sides to optimize fire control, disguise movement, and accelerate defensive construction under the pressures of continuous conflict. The situation remains fluid, with new information continuing to emerge from a range of sources assessing troop movements, equipment deployments, and the evolving patterns of combat engagement in the affected regions.
Overall, the discussion underscores how battlefield strategies can blend mobility, deception, and civilian labor in ways that influence both tactical outcomes and the narratives surrounding a protracted confrontation. As always, readers are encouraged to follow updates from credible, multiple sources to form a balanced understanding of the developments influencing frontline dynamics and civil resilience in affected communities. [Attribution: longitudinal military reporting]