The numbers you are talking about in terms of how much terrain has been taken back by russia, you ve also got to think about how many lines is that costing, how long is it taking and how much capability isn t requiring russia in order to make what i would call very limited gains? because at some point, the logistical resupply aspect is the key for success in any more. a famous russian general once said if you don t have the logistics supply, the war effort will run dry very quickly. and this is what we are seeing at the moment. this is always been the problem with russia s ability to lodge any sustained counteroffensive, and so what the ukrainians are doing are absolutely heading right to the nub of what will prevent them from doing that. in military parlance, we call that central gravity. if you look at what the critical kid abilities and you
Be flabbergasted if, in the russian campaign planning strategic process, they wouldn t have identified the bridge as one of their critical vulnerabilities, and therefore what that would then lead you to do is, how do you defend that bridge at all costs from being compromised because of the significant consequences it will have if the ukrainians managed to compromise line of communication in any way. this is all part of getting ahead of the game, understanding what you re vulnerabilities are and how you defend those vulnerabilities at all costs, and then understanding what the consequences are and the contingency planning is if that critical vulnerability is compromised. and now it has happened, i think what will be really interesting to see play out is the way russia deals with that. you mentioned using ac line of communication, which is one contingency plan, but there are only so many contingencies that you can actually have until you get to what
Russia claims that there is exports are being still curtailed in some sense are being still curtailed in some sense because of for example the swift sense because of for example the swift payment system. there are also keen to swift payment system. there are also keen to re establish fertiliser exports keen to re establish fertiliser exports through a pipeline which actually exports through a pipeline which actually goes across ukraine, which seems actually goes across ukraine, which seems highly unlikely. but, yeah, they werem seems highly unlikely. but, yeah, they were. we seems highly unlikely. but, yeah, they were- - - seems highly unlikely. but, yeah, they were. we have talked before about the drug they were. we have talked before about the drug on they were. we have talked before about the drug on the they were. we have talked before about the drug on the russian - about the drug on the russian economy, the fact as you say chipz can t get the swift payment thr
As if he wanted to show the world that russia and crimea were now joined forever. so, for the second time in less than a year, the bridge that vladimir putin built, this symbol of russia s annexation of crimea, has come under attack. the kremlin says it will respond by continuing with what it still calls the special military operation russia s war in ukraine. but what the kremlin won t be continuing, it said today, is with the deal that had kept global food prices stable. brokered by the un, the agreement allowed ukraine to keep exporting grain via the black sea. moscow, though, says it s not getting what it was promised and will no longer guarantee the safety of shipping. the kremlin insists its decision is unconnected to the attack on the bridge. but right now, russia seems in no mood for a quick compromise. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow.