Main points
- The defense forces began attacking the Russians before the Starlink outage, and if the outage had occurred earlier, the operation might have been more successful.
- The Aleksandrovka direction was unexpected for a counterattack, the operation was well planned, but the enemy continues to regroup and maneuver.
Did the Russians' Starlink disconnection affect the success of the operation in the South? / Collage of Channel 24, map of the General Staff, photo of the 1st OSH
In February, the Russian occupiers had their Starlink disconnected, which hit them hard. Around the same time, data appeared about counterattacks by the Defense Forces in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
So many people linked the offensive operation precisely to the shutdowns of the terminals. Is this really so, said the commander of the 1st separate assault regiment Dmitry “Perun” Filatov in a commentary on Channel 24.
Did the Starlink shutdown help the offensive in the South?
“Perun” noted that the Defense Forces began attacking the Russians even before Starlink was turned off.
If the shutdown had happened earlier, the operation would have been even more successful.
Unfortunately, Starlink was turned off later, when we had already started the advance. If it had happened two days earlier, we would have gone 25 kilometers deeper than 12,
– said the soldier.
According to him, the success of the operation depended, in particular, on the element of surprise, because the Oleksandrivka direction was quite unexpected for a counterattack, given that nearby Gulyaipole and Pokrovsk are complex and priority sections of the front for both sides.
Also, for the counteroffensive operation, an offensive group was quickly formed so that no other direction was weakened. In addition to the units that were already in the Oleksandrivka direction, some units of the 8th Airborne Assault Corps were transferred there, including the 95th Airborne Brigade.
They didn't expect us there. The work was planned and implemented very well. However, we should not forget that the enemy is strong, he is regrouping and maneuvering, trying to conduct his counterattacks. However, we are also doing our job, as we should,
– Oleksandr Kushnir, commander of a self-propelled artillery division, told Channel 24.
Situation in the South: latest news
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As of April 3, as reported by the Commander of the Airborne Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Major General Oleg Apostol, the Defense Forces have liberated 11 settlements in the Oleksandrivka direction.
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Veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war Yevhen Dykyi noted to Channel 24 that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been seizing the initiative in the South for 2 months now. The Ukrainian army is attacking more than defending. At the same time, the counterattacks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are still tactical in nature, because there are not enough people for strategic ones.
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According to Commander-in-Chief Syrsky, Russian troops planned to capture most of the Dnipropetrovsk region and Zaporizhia in 2025. But their plans were thwarted.