SUBSCRIBER+EXCLUSIVE REPORTING — As Russian troops closed in on town of Avdiivka final week, Ukrainian forces had been hunkered down and making life-and-death calculations with their dwindling shares of ammunition: Ought to they fireplace extra artillery shells to fend off the Russians – or guard their shares earlier than they ran out? Ultimately, Russia’s firepower proved an excessive amount of for the Ukrainians; the Russians gained two footholds in Avdiivka, forcing commanders to desert a place their troops had held at the price of hundreds of lives. Late final week, they ordered a full retreat from the battered metropolis, handing Russia its most vital battlefield victory in additional than a 12 months.
The lack of Avdiivka was maybe the battle’s most profound instance of what Nationwide Safety Advisor Jake Sullivan has referred to as a “math downside” for Ukraine: the truth that the variety of artillery shells its forces use in a given day has challenged the power of Western supporters to maintain up the provision. However with the destiny of all U.S. army support now up within the air, Avdiivka’s fall additionally presents a case examine for what might comply with.
“The Cipher Transient has turn into the preferred outlet for former intelligence officers; no media outlet is even an in depth second to The Cipher Transient by way of the variety of articles revealed by formers.” —Sept. 2018, Research in Intelligence, Vol. 62
Entry all of The Cipher Transient’s nationwide security-focused professional perception by changing into a Cipher Transient Subscriber+ Member.
Subscriber+
