Editor-DN
Over the past nine months, hundreds of people have been killed or injured in Ukrainian rocket attacks on Russian-trained personnel in occupied territory. Despite repeated losses, Russian commanders continue to mass forces at exposed, vulnerable points within accurate weapons range of Ukraine.
On Thursday, about a dozen Russian soldiers disembarked from civilian vehicles in southern Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Oblast, unaware they were under surveillance. Moments later, a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), deployed to a range of 92 km, launched an M30/31 rocket, a Forbes report said.
The rocket landed near the group, scattering deadly fragments and killing or seriously injuring at least five soldiers. Ukrainian forces refrained from executing a follow-up “double-tap” strike — a tactic previously used in Zaporizhzhia that reportedly killed dozens of survivors and first responders. Despite this, the number of Russian-trained people is increasing.
The HIMARS strike targeted a concentration of enemy forces at a training ground in the occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region. pic.twitter.com/1ekYWoMMNo
— War Translated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) November 21, 2024
Since February, hundreds of Russians have been killed in eight similar attacks in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk Oblasts. Analysts say the decision to conduct the training in exposed areas near the front lines is a reflection of the continued failures of the Russian military leadership.
This vulnerability brings to the fore the infamous bombardment of Chornobyuka near Kherson, where Ukrainian forces hit Russian command posts 22 times in eight months.
In a 2023 Military Review article, U.S. Army officials observed, “Some suggest that the Russian experience at Chornobaivka and elsewhere can be explained by the Russians’ inability to overcome challenges in professionalism, training, and communications.” is.”
The continued deadly attacks on trainees show that these systemic challenges have not been resolved.
Ukraine has intensified its focus on disrupting the Russian command system. After being authorized by the US, UK and France to use Western weapons to attack inside Russia, Ukrainian forces launched a major attack using ten ex-British Storm Shadow cruise missiles at a command post in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. raided Reports suggest that a Russian general may have been killed and a North Korean counterpart wounded in the attack.
Such attacks, which eliminate experienced battlefield leaders, further weaken an already strained Russian command structure.
The situation could change dramatically with the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump in January. Trump has signaled the withdrawal of US aid to Ukraine, possibly including HIMARS systems critical to these attacks. He has also signaled a willingness to let Russia operate unchecked in Europe. If the policy changes, it could provide a lifeline for struggling Russian forces.
