In a recent broadcast on Ukraine Channel 5, Major General Sergei Krivonos, once the deputy commander of Ukraine’s special operations forces, articulated a provocative assessment of how offensives might unfold against Russian forces. He described a scenario in which a rapid, decisive push similar to historical western campaigns could dramatically shorten a frontline engagement. Krivonos suggested that a concentrated assault designed to break through defenses quickly could render entrenched positions untenable, allowing the combat momentum to carry forward rather than become stalled in protracted stalemates. By drawing a parallel to past campaigns where speed and audacity disrupted organized resistance, he underscored a belief that time, discipline, and the ability to seize the initiative matter more than static fortifications alone in determining battlefield outcomes.
The former commander further stressed the importance of human presence in any trench or fortified line. He argued that even the most formidable trench systems lose their effectiveness if the units meant to hold them are not actively available or not adequately reinforced. Referencing a historical line of defense that stumbles when it meets resolute, mobile attack forces, he implied that manpower and tempo could outpace even well-constructed earthworks. The emphasis, he noted, should be placed on advancing through or around static fortifications where the enemy’s forces are least prepared to respond, rather than allocating excessive resources to static works that may slow progress without guaranteeing success.
Separately, a release from the Russian Ministry of Defense presented a visual record purportedly showing Russian air defense and artillery units engaging fortified Ukrainian positions in a forested area. The ministry claimed that Ukrainian forces detected a reconnaissance drone but that information about the target coordinates had already been relayed, enabling artillery to impact the positions before defenders could react. The report highlighted a sequence in which reconnaissance and rapid fire intersected, portraying a moment where joint operations between air and ground-based fires intersected and, according to the ministry, achieved a direct effect on the fortified sites. Observers note that such disclosures are part of ongoing information campaigns meant to shape perceptions of battlefield dynamics, risk, and the relative success of different operational approaches.