Russian Defenses in Southern Ukraine

Satellite imagery has revealed the extent of Russian defenses built up in southern Ukraine ahead of an expected spring counter-offensive by Ukrainian forces. The defenses include layers of anti-tank ditches, trenches, minefields, and obstacles, stretching for hundreds of miles across the southern front. Breaking through these defenses will be a huge challenge for the Ukrainians, who must bypass or overcome them at speed to create momentum that causes Russian command and control to melt down. Russian defenses are most concentrated near the front lines in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, in the east, and across the narrow strip of land connecting the Crimean Peninsula to the rest of Ukraine.