Ukraine’s weaknesses – and how to fix them

Berlin After the Russian conquest of the Luhansk region, the Ukrainian army also came under heavy pressure in Donetsk. Russia is shelling the city of Sloviansk massively – a target that has been considered agreed for weeks.

A study published this week analyzes the grueling and costly conflict in Donbass. Under the title “Ukraine at War: Paving the Road from Survival to Victory”, Jack Watling and Nick Reynolds from the “Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies” explain why the war could be protracted – and why Russia currently has the advantage.

For the authors, one thing is clear: without Western arms deliveries, Ukraine cannot fend off the Russian attack or even fight back. With more supplies, however, Watling and Reynolds say Ukraine may be able to retake all lost territory. Specifically, the authors name three major weaknesses in Ukraine.