‘No safety in retreat’. Ukrainian soldiers claim insufficient fortification construction – AP

“No Security in Retreat: Ukrainian Soldiers Say Rear Defensive Lines Virtually Nonexistent.”

The article with this headline was published by the AP agency.

It presents the opinions of several Ukrainian soldiers who believe that fortifications for the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) are not being constructed at a sufficient pace.

“It is necessary to increase the pace of fortification construction… so that in the event of a retreat, we can fall back to a prepared position. These fortifications are insufficient,” said the commander of a unit, Batyar.

“There was a lack of responsibility… People didn’t realize that fortifications could save lives if done in advance. Many thought that we… wouldn’t need to prepare such lines. They didn’t anticipate a new Russian offensive,” explained Alexander, deputy commander of infantry in the 47th brigade near Avdiivka.

Five commanders in Avdiivka and Chasove Yar told AP that without well-prepared positions, they cannot establish themselves in unfamiliar terrain and defend without suffering significant losses.

In Chasove Yar, the lack of fortifications helped tilt the situation in Russia’s favor. In mid-March, the 67th Ukrainian brigade was redeployed and took positions roughly three kilometers from the city. According to one of its soldiers, instead of bunkers and trench mazes, they found a series of pits “barely sufficient to hide in during artillery shelling.”

Under fire, “soldiers would climb out of the pits and start digging toward each other to establish some form of communication,” he said. The soil was so sandy that when shells hit, the dug trenches collapsed.

Unable to take cover and unable to resist Russian fortifications, they retreated two kilometers back. According to the soldier, over 100 Ukrainian soldiers died or went missing as a result.