{"id":8621,"date":"2023-06-26T16:12:10","date_gmt":"2023-06-26T15:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=8621"},"modified":"2023-06-26T16:34:15","modified_gmt":"2023-06-26T15:34:15","slug":"ukraine-finds-morale-boost-in-russian-chaos-as-counteroffensive-advances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/analysis\/defense\/war\/ukraine-finds-morale-boost-in-russian-chaos-as-counteroffensive-advances\/2023\/06\/26\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine Finds Morale Boost in Russian Chaos as Counteroffensive Advances"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

KYIV,<\/span> Ukraine<\/span> (AP)<\/span> \u2014<\/span> The<\/span> armed<\/span> rebellion<\/span> against<\/span> the<\/span> Russian<\/span> military<\/span> may<\/span> have<\/span> been<\/span> over<\/span> in<\/span> less<\/span> than<\/span> 24<\/span> hours,<\/span> but<\/span> the<\/span> disarray<\/span> within<\/span> the<\/span> enemy’s<\/span> ranks<\/span> was<\/span> an<\/span> unexpected<\/span> gift<\/span> and<\/span> timely<\/span> morale<\/span> booster<\/span> for<\/span> Ukrainian<\/span> troops.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> spectacle<\/span> of<\/span> Yevgeny<\/span> Prigozhin’s<\/span> mutiny<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> critical<\/span> military<\/span> command<\/span> and<\/span> control<\/span> hub<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> Russian<\/span> city<\/span> of<\/span> Rostov-on-Don,<\/span> and<\/span> later<\/span> Russia’s<\/span> scramble<\/span> to<\/span> fortify<\/span> Moscow<\/span> as<\/span> troops<\/span> marched<\/span> to<\/span> upend<\/span> the<\/span> country’s<\/span> military<\/span> leadership<\/span> was<\/span> greeted<\/span> \u201cwith<\/span> applause\u201d<\/span> by<\/span> commanders<\/span> of<\/span> Ukraine’s<\/span> Eastern<\/span> Group<\/span> of<\/span> Forces,<\/span> said<\/span> its<\/span> spokesperson,<\/span> Serhii<\/span> Cherevatiy.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u201cSoldiers<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> front<\/span> lines<\/span> are<\/span> positive<\/span> about<\/span> it,\u201d<\/span> he<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201cAny<\/span> chaos<\/span> and<\/span> disorder<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> enemy’s<\/span> side<\/span> benefits<\/span> us.\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>A<\/span> video<\/span> of<\/span> well-known<\/span> Ukrainian<\/span> drone<\/span> commander<\/span> \u201cMagyar\u201d<\/span> watching<\/span> the<\/span> revolt<\/span> while<\/span> eating<\/span> enormous<\/span> amounts<\/span> of<\/span> popcorn<\/span> went<\/span> viral.<\/span> A<\/span> plethora<\/span> of<\/span> gleeful<\/span> memes<\/span> mocking<\/span> Russian<\/span> leader<\/span> Vladimir<\/span> Putin<\/span> inundated<\/span> social<\/span> media,<\/span> and<\/span> statement<\/span> after<\/span> statement<\/span> from<\/span> Ukraine’s<\/span> top<\/span> brass<\/span> described<\/span> the<\/span> turmoil<\/span> as<\/span> a<\/span> sure<\/span> sign<\/span> of<\/span> more<\/span> instability<\/span> to<\/span> come.<\/span> The<\/span> impending<\/span> crisis<\/span> ended<\/span> with<\/span> Prigozhin<\/span> exiled<\/span> to<\/span> Belarus<\/span> through<\/span> an<\/span> agreement<\/span> brokered<\/span> by<\/span> Minsk.<\/span> But<\/span> for<\/span> Ukrainians<\/span> watching,<\/span> the<\/span> damage<\/span> was<\/span> already<\/span> done.<\/span>
\n<\/span>When<\/span> Russia’s<\/span> vulnerability<\/span> was<\/span> exposed<\/span> and<\/span> President<\/span> Putin<\/span> yielded<\/span> hours<\/span> after<\/span> he<\/span> branded<\/span> Prigozhin<\/span> a<\/span> conspiratorial<\/span> traitor,<\/span> he<\/span> seemed<\/span> weak<\/span> and<\/span> desperate.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> short-lived<\/span> insurgency<\/span> had<\/span> little<\/span> impact<\/span> on<\/span> Russian<\/span> military<\/span> posture<\/span> along<\/span> a<\/span> 1,000-kilometer<\/span> front<\/span> in<\/span> eastern<\/span> Ukraine,<\/span> but<\/span> could<\/span> give<\/span> Ukraine<\/span> the<\/span> impetus<\/span> it<\/span> needed<\/span> to<\/span> step<\/span> up<\/span> the<\/span> initial<\/span> stages<\/span> of<\/span> its<\/span> counteroffensive.<\/span> Yes,<\/span> military<\/span> leaders<\/span> admit<\/span> the<\/span> counterattack<\/span> is<\/span> progressing<\/span> more<\/span> slowly<\/span> than<\/span> expected.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>“In<\/span> the<\/span> short<\/span> term,<\/span> attention<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> diverted<\/span> from<\/span> the<\/span> war<\/span> and<\/span> some<\/span> resources<\/span> have<\/span> been<\/span> diverted<\/span> from<\/span> the<\/span> front,”<\/span> said<\/span> Nigel<\/span> Gould<\/span> Davis,<\/span> senior<\/span> fellow<\/span> in<\/span> Russia<\/span> and<\/span> Eurasia<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> Institute<\/span> for<\/span> International<\/span> Strategic<\/span> Studies.<\/span> But<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> long<\/span> run,<\/span> this<\/span> shows<\/span> a<\/span> lack<\/span> of<\/span> unity<\/span> among<\/span> the<\/span> Russian<\/span> military,<\/span> he<\/span> said.<\/span> “It’s<\/span> terrible<\/span> for<\/span> Russian<\/span> morale.<\/span> Officers<\/span> and<\/span> soldiers<\/span> alike.<\/span> This<\/span> is<\/span> very<\/span> good<\/span> for<\/span> Ukrainian<\/span> morale.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> leader<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Wagner<\/span> mercenaries<\/span> abandoned<\/span> the<\/span> armed<\/span> uprising<\/span> and<\/span> repulsed<\/span> the<\/span> troops<\/span> marching<\/span> towards<\/span> the<\/span> Russian<\/span> capital.<\/span>
\n<\/span>On<\/span> a<\/span> Russian<\/span> telegram<\/span> channel,<\/span> a<\/span> military<\/span> official<\/span> blogging<\/span> about<\/span> the<\/span> war<\/span> urged<\/span> Russian<\/span> soldiers<\/span> to<\/span> stay<\/span> focused<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> war.<\/span> One<\/span> message<\/span> reads,<\/span> “Brothers!<\/span> Remember<\/span> those<\/span> who<\/span> have<\/span> guns<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> line<\/span> of<\/span> contact.<\/span> The<\/span> enemy<\/span> is<\/span> on<\/span> you.”<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Ukrainian<\/span> soldier<\/span> Andrii<\/span> Kvasnytsia,<\/span> 50,<\/span> who<\/span> was<\/span> injured<\/span> fighting<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> eastern<\/span> city<\/span> of<\/span> Bakhmut,<\/span> where<\/span> battles<\/span> are<\/span> nonstop<\/span> along<\/span> the<\/span> southern<\/span> flanks<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> salt-mining<\/span> town<\/span> occupied<\/span> by<\/span> Russian<\/span> troops,<\/span> said<\/span> \u201cEveryone<\/span> is<\/span> excited.\u201d<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u201cMy<\/span> friend<\/span> called<\/span> me<\/span> today<\/span> and<\/span> he<\/span> said:<\/span>
\n<\/span>‘Andrii,<\/span> I<\/span> haven’t<\/span> been<\/span> drinking<\/span> for<\/span> so<\/span> many<\/span> years,<\/span> but<\/span> today<\/span> I<\/span> have<\/span> a<\/span> good<\/span> reason<\/span> to<\/span> drink,\u201d<\/span> he<\/span> said.<\/span> \u201cIt<\/span> is<\/span> all<\/span> hard,<\/span> not<\/span> easy,<\/span> but<\/span> we<\/span> will<\/span> certainly<\/span> win.”<\/span> He<\/span> spoke<\/span> to<\/span> The<\/span> Associated<\/span> Press<\/span> in<\/span> Kyiv,<\/span> where<\/span> he<\/span> is<\/span> recuperating.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>As<\/span> Wagner<\/span> troops<\/span> marched<\/span> toward<\/span> Moscow,<\/span> Hanna<\/span> Malyar,<\/span> Ukraine’s<\/span> deputy<\/span> defense<\/span> minister,<\/span> announced<\/span> progress<\/span> in<\/span> several<\/span> directions<\/span> along<\/span> the<\/span> front<\/span> line<\/span> where<\/span> fighting<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> raging<\/span> for<\/span> weeks,<\/span> and<\/span> that<\/span> Russian<\/span> advances<\/span> further<\/span> north<\/span> were<\/span> thwarted.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u201cThe<\/span> enemy’s<\/span> weakness<\/span> is<\/span> always<\/span> a<\/span> window<\/span> of<\/span> opportunity,<\/span> it<\/span> allows<\/span> us<\/span> to<\/span> take<\/span> the<\/span> advantage,\u201d<\/span> she<\/span> told<\/span> AP,<\/span> adding<\/span> that<\/span> it<\/span> was<\/span> too<\/span> early<\/span> to<\/span> assess<\/span> how<\/span> the<\/span> political<\/span> game<\/span> playing<\/span> out<\/span> in<\/span> Russia<\/span> might<\/span> give<\/span> Ukraine<\/span> the<\/span> military<\/span> upper<\/span> hand.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Ukraine<\/span> stepped<\/span> up<\/span> attacks<\/span> in<\/span> several<\/span> directions<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> southeast<\/span> earlier<\/span> this<\/span> month,<\/span> a<\/span> move<\/span> that<\/span> signaled<\/span> its<\/span> much<\/span> anticipated<\/span> counteroffensive<\/span> had<\/span> begun.<\/span> But<\/span> progress<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> “slower<\/span> than<\/span> expected,”<\/span> acknowledged<\/span> Ukrainian<\/span> President<\/span> Volodymyr<\/span> Zelensky.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Russian<\/span> Defense<\/span> Minister<\/span> Sergei<\/span> Shoigu<\/span> announced<\/span> last<\/span> week<\/span> that<\/span> a<\/span> new<\/span> reserve<\/span> force<\/span> would<\/span> be<\/span> formed<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> end<\/span> of<\/span> June<\/span> to<\/span> strengthen<\/span> Russian<\/span> forces<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> Ukrainian<\/span> front.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  KYIV, Ukraine (AP) \u2014 The armed rebellion against the Russian military may have been over in less than 24 hours, but the disarray within the enemy’s ranks was an unexpected gift and timely morale booster for Ukrainian troops. The spectacle of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mutiny in the critical military command and control hub in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8622,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[276,2480,2482],"tags":[870,4388,4426,6389,7029],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/IMG-20230626-WA0001.jpg","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8621"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8621"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8623,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8621\/revisions\/8623"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}