Putin’s strategy to enter Ukrainian cities with tanks, with no infantry on the ground, is far from a classic military operation, but it is a “military presence” that significantly affected Russian forces.
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The military stalemate and Russian casualties make Ukrainian civilians more vulnerable than ever on the ground.
That, at least, is the analysis by retired Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire, known for his tragic experience of the Rwandan genocide.
“In urban areas, you have to go with a lot of infantry to protect the tanks with precision. We see a lot of destruction in Russian equipment. Because the Russians demolished buildings to the ground, they created ideal sites for ambushes. “Ukrainians with small arms,” explains Romeo Dallaire in an interview with Mario Dumont. They are able to take out tanks because there are almost no infantry.”
In conflicts, foot soldiers have the role of approaching the enemy and engaging him in combat. They form the backbone of the Combat Weapons Team, which also includes artillery and armored soldiers.
If Putin intends to take over the whole of Ukraine in this way, he finds himself stuck in a scenario that could make him more “aggressive and unpredictable,” Mr. Dallaire believes.
This possibility raises concerns about the worst for civilians still stuck in conflict zones, Especially in Mariupol, where residents are struggling to evacuate And where humanitarian aid struggles to get in.
Civilians are the tool in all of this. They are among the targets of the military operation. We also did it during World War II, but in this context as in Rwanda, civilians are the negotiating tool. It is a tool to create the horrors of war, to break the political spirit and the will of the people to fight.
According to the former general, civilians are more at risk than ever, especially because the Russian army has shown that it is not afraid to commit crimes against humanity to achieve its goals and that it is facing Ukrainian forces who are relentless resistance.
They will persecute society and continue to destroy Ukraine. We are going to see a horrific attrition for weeks and weeks before we can come to a solution,” Dallaire regrets.
*** Watch his full interview in the video above. ***
