Russian Leadership’s Will to Fight is Crumbling

Russia’s Command Wants to Create Demilitarized Zones Around Areas it Has Annexed

Jordan Kovacsik
4 min readMay 17, 2023
Infantry gather for an operation, 4 soldiers stand with a Ukrainian flag in the backround. They have forest camo and AK 47s.
3rd UAF Armoured Brigade, by Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, via Wikimedia Commons

The Russian leadership has displayed yet another sign of weakness. They have requested a demilitarized zone around the areas they annexed in a bid to hold on to what little they’ve gained. Let’s talk about why they have changed policy from attack and steal to dig-in and hold.

For starters, recent videos from the Bakhmut front give us a glimpse of Ukraine’s fierce 3rd assault brigade in action. Scenes of tanks literally crushing opposition, followed closely by well-trained infantry, are flooding in from multiple channels. This may not be the massive offensive we’ve been waiting for, but it’s a welcome change of momentum in the region and war.

These UAF attacks are more than likely probing missions. We see drones take point and scout out positions, followed closely by UAF tanks and, subsequently, infantry. However, if the probing mission manages to break through, then all the better, but Ukraine, at this point, still looks disciplined and is reserved.

It’s also clear many of the UAF troops trained by the British and NATO have made it to the front. The British, especially, have always seen the tank as an infantry support weapon. This is why we see such a…

--

--