Ukraine has begun a decisive battle for territory in the south of the country and must finish it before winter brings unfavorable conditions for a counteroffensive. This is reported by the Financial Times.
"The fighting season is coming to an end. The Ukrainians have gained the upper hand, and they need to continue to use their advantage," said Chris Murphy, a Democrat from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
According to officials, Ukrainian forces urgently need to recapture the south before winter, because the ground in the region has not frozen for the past three years, which means that the area will soon become very dirty. And in such conditions it is difficult to maneuver and you will have to use the main roads, which means being vulnerable to attacks.
"Of course, it is very important to quickly move forward with the liberation of the occupied territory, because there is a feeling that changes in the weather will limit further active combat operations in this region," - noted the former deputy chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Ihor Romanenko.
According to military officials and analysts, Ukraine can liberate Kherson by mid-November.
At the same time, it is emphasized that despite the low morale of the Russians, Moscow has strengthened its position in the south, which makes any Ukrainian offensive more difficult.
"The Ukrainians need to think about using their smart, flexible special training they've received from us and our allies to figure out how to manipulate the Russians into giving up some ground advantage," said former senior Pentagon official Evelyn Farkas.