How the Russian Army Developed Giant Lines of Defense Before a Hypothetical Counterattack

Ukraine has been announcing a counterattack for several months. It will be his army “ready”According to the Secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov, citing BBCSaturday, May 27. On the Russian side, since the fall, the army has been building its defensive lines over hundreds of kilometers. Digging trenches, scattering mines and “dragon’s teeth”, these pyramidal concrete structures strengthen cities and protect roads…

these efforts Drawn by analyst Brady AfricResearcher at the American Enterprise Institute. Its statements are not exhaustive and do not distinguish between different types of structures and obstacles. However, they show the breadth of the network developed in the occupied territories and in Russia.

“Russian forces have been building fortifications since the start of the invasion.”Brady Afric explains to franceinfo. But the rhythm “Intensified from November in the occupied areas in the south and east”, is the details. This year, Russian forces began building more fortifications In the north of Crimea and along the roads and waterways leading to the peninsulaAnd this work continued in the spring along the entire thousand-kilometer front line. “It could be due to renewed fears of a Ukrainian counterattack, softening of the earth, or a combination of factors.”

Layered defense

Russian forces aim to “Take as much land as possible in the Donbass”In order to respect Vladimir Putin’s roadmap, explains analyst Ulrich Bonnat, who specializes in Central and Eastern Europe. Their limited resources, achieve this goal “Suppose, therefore, to freeze the rest of the front, in particular by protecting the land corridor connecting Crimea with Russia.”

A network of trenches was dug little by little, further from the front line, with artillery positions. It is preceded by multiple obstacles, such as anti-tank ditches three or four meters deep and “dragon’s teeth”. The last line is sometimes provided to provide backup parking and vehicle storage. The total depth of all these defensive structures can reach 30 km, According to a recent report (in English) From the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank.

Finally, minefields are widely used by Russian troops: anti-tank (Soviet TM-62, in particular), anti-personnel or mixed. “Mine launch systems can further complicate the work of Ukrainian sappers, in order to slow down the troops.Ulrich Bonnat explains.

These lines are not intended to prevent any crossing. On the other hand, they must hold back a possible counterattack and “To allow the Russian forces to have, on a permanent basis, a point of retreat.” When designed properly, they should deflect attackers “In a certain direction, well covered Artilleryilluminates the analyst. The goal is to lead the enemy to where you think you are strongest.”

complex system south of Zaporizhia

These efforts are particularly evident in the south of the city of Zaporizhia, One of the most strategic axes for the re-occupation of Ukraine. Journalism Investigation Center (link in Ukrainian), a Ukrainian group, said it had located a 70-kilometer trench north of Melitopol, the unofficial capital of the occupiers in the region. Tokmak, for example, is strategically important because its loss would cut off Crimea from other territories occupied by Russian forces. So a ring of fortifications was built around the city, and three defensive layers were erected to the north: an anti-tank ditch, the “Dragon’s Teeth” and a network of trenches that housed artillery positions.

To the south, Crimea is increasing its efforts to fortify itself, protecting, for example, the E97/M17 (northwest) and E105/M18 (northeast) motorways. Again, an intricate network of trenches and obstacles was discovered. In February, he quoted the leader of the occupation, Sergei Aksionov Russian agency Interfax (link in Russian)has declared that these constructions fall under a “personal initiative”In agreement with the Kremlin and funded by the Russian federal budget. He had then promised to complete the work in April – which could not be verified, due to a lack of knowledge of the initial project. Defensive lines were established on some of the western shores of the peninsula, in order to prevent a hypothetical Ukrainian amphibious operation.

“Ukrainian forces received armor and tanks for a mechanized operationcontinues Ulrich Bonnat. They will seek to quickly go to the depths to create chaos and panic.” Russian forces will try to stop these moves “Allowing artillery and aviation to intervene” Against the Ukrainian material. Therefore, Western equipment plays a central role in striking Russian logistics and command centers in depth. Ukrainians “It requires engineering capabilities to cross minefields (…) and overcome obstacles”And Calling for more support for Cave, Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General of NATO, announced on May 24.

On the other hand, “The Russians know very well that these lines are monitored by satellites,” he said. Ulrich Bonnat confirms. So there is a “Prepare to discourage Ukrainian forces by installing several lines in the sectors most likely to launch a counterattack.”

kyiv has also launched major projects

However, in other sectors, “These lines of defense respond more to the desire to appear in opposition to the Kremlin.”says the analyst. Thus, the governor of the Russian Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, was one of the first to announce the installation of “Dragon’s Teeth”, in the fall of 2022. A way to position himself as a defender of the population. But the interest of the defensive line in the Russian lands is debated, a fortiori when it is reduced to a minimum. At the end of May, armed militants crossed the border from Ukraine.

“These defensive lines are usually built with excavated materials and Russian forces sometimes use civilian contractors.”As Brady Afric says. Several press investigations revealed recruitment campaigns and the use of employees who sometimes came from Central Asia. Zigzag trenches, partial burial of “dragon’s teeth”… These military technical works must be respected. The Russian army can count on a unique excavator in the world, write the Washington Post (in English) : BTM-3 is capable of digging 800 m per hour.

Ukraine is no exception. In mid-May, the governor of the Zaporizhia region, Oleksandr Starukh, made a tour for journalists. Recently developed defensive device. This supposedly left the Russian artillery at a distance in order to prevent strikes on the city. We’ve been working on it since the beginning of Marchcommented, Quote by Ukrinform (in Ukrainian). Military engineers collaborated with civilian bulldozer operators and the result was effective.” On a larger scale, all involved Ukrainian regions are digging the ground, which will bear the imprint of the conflict for decades.