The Ukrainian Counteroffensive Is Not an Action Movie

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The Ukrainian counteroffensive, under way since the spring, is slogging through miles of trenches and minefields. Progress will depend on the battlefield, not on Western impatience.

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Dragging On, as It Must

Attacking an entrenched force, as the Ukrainians are doing now, is the stuff of military nightmares. The enemy knows you’re coming, they’ve prepared for your attacks, and their objective is to cede back as little ground as possible while making you pay in blood for every inch. Offensive operations, such as the initial Russian invasion into Ukraine, are different: They are predicated on shock, speed, and mobility, especially if they begin with at least some modicum of surprise.

The American military, with its focus on