Pro-Kyiv fighter details Russian trench-building drive, urges Ukraine to match efforts
Konstantin Denisov, a fighter with the Freedom of Russia Legion, revealed what Ukrainians can learn from the enemy during a Radio NV broadcast on Oct. 4.
The Russians used the time after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine before the start of the major Ukrainian counter-offensive in the summer of 2023 on the southern front to dig in and fortify themselves, Denisov stated.
At the same time, the Russian legionnaire called it "debatable" whether Ukraine used this time to protect its own positions and settlements further from the contact line, and noted that to answer this question "we need to involve the specialists who are responsible for this."
"You see, (the Russians) have a rigid (command) vertical," Denisov said.
“They had to dig some trenches. They came to the farmer, to the utility company, pointed a machine gun, took the equipment, and started shoveling, digging, mining, and concreting. And it often happens here that every other official or responsible official still needs to be persuaded. And he will pick his nose and think about whether to do it or not. You see? And according to the laws of wartime, there must also be a rigid vertical. … Everything is clear: set, fulfil, provide, perform, and move on.”
Russians are also learning warfare from Ukrainians, Denisov said.
"We can also learn some elements of the enemy's work from them — about centralization, execution of all these orders, and preventing this laxity," said the Russian volunteer.
“It occurs from time to time, but still. There have been cases when we have to almost persuade one, two, or three officials to do their job.”
At the end of July, Censor.NET editor-in-chief Yuriy Butusov said in an interview with Radio NV that no defense lines have been built in the Kupyansk sector, or in the Soledar, Bakhmut, Lysychansk and Severodonetsk sections of the front in eastern Ukraine.
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