On Monday, 11 March, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a regular meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, where, among other things, the construction of new defence lines was discussed. Zelensky said that the task is to build three 2,000-kilometre-long defence lines.
Kommersant Ukrainian in a blitz interview with military expert Mykhailo Zhyrokhov, found out what the construction of three defence lines means, how it will affect the further course of the war, and whether there are historical precedents for the construction of such large-scale fortifications.
– Does the construction of three defence lines mean that we will not conduct offensive operations, including the liberation of the occupied territories?
Every master plan of every country has a plan A and a plan B, a defence plan and an offensive plan. The Russians are now advancing, making some progress, but at the same time they are also building two defence lines in the rear – in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region, as well as in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Why this has not been done here is a huge question, but this is military practice and it is right, and it is good that they have started doing this now.
As for the plans, we have both offensive and defensive plans, but it is now clear that Ukraine is moving to a defensive position. Our task is to stop the offensive potential of the Russians, which will even increase after Putin’s election, because another wave of mobilisation is likely to be announced, and we will see even more Russians at the front.
– Are we now moving towards the “German” scenario, when after the Second World War Germany was divided into two parts: GDR and FRG. Like, what we manage to win back before the US elections, we will stay with that?
As for the GDR and FRG, this is a question that, unfortunately, does not depend on Ukraine. It depends on the foreign policy factors that will develop at least in the coming months. In addition to America, there is also the factor of Europe, the factor of confrontation between Germany and France. This is a historic confrontation, and they are now trying to decide who will be the future leader of the EU. So it’s very difficult to say anything, because there are certain developments in terms of weapons and ammunition, so things may not turn out the way they seem.
– Has any other country ever built such large-scale fortifications?
Estonia is currently building on the border with Russia, Finland is building on the border with Russia, Poland is building on the border with Belarus and the Kaliningrad region. This is a normal practice.
I don’t want to take examples from the distant Second World War or the First World War. I’m not talking about Israel, where the border is fortified, or any other country.
All countries with such neighbours have powerful fortifications.
Author – Iryna Shevchenko