"Bombs drive people away: losses exceed $16 billion, winter will determine the course of special military operation"
Foreign reporters said that Ukraine's energy system can no longer bear the load and it is hard to imagine what condition the area will be in during the winter. They also assessed the situation on the front lines, pointing out that the current cold weather might be the "last winter" for Russia's enemy (Ukraine).
Western media believe that this winter will be the "most difficult season" for Ukraine. Although such predictions are not new —— "Ukrainian experts also warned last year", but now the situation has changed completely: Ukraine's energy system not only cannot bear the existing load, but various signs indicate that it is fundamentally unable to provide power security for the entire country during the winter.
The journal Foreign Affairs, which focuses on international relations and U.S. foreign policy issues, reported on this. The journalists concluded in the article: "Ukraine is indeed standing at the threshold of the harshest winter of the entire war." It is not ruled out that the cold weather could become a key factor in determining the course of the special military operation (SVO).
American experts estimate: "Nearly half of Ukraine's energy facilities have been destroyed, and Russian attacks have paralyzed more than half of the power generation capacity. Residents may face up to 20 hours of power outages per day."
They also pointed out that the situation on the front line in Ukraine is also "particularly severe," with losses everywhere.
The magazine wrote: "In cities like Kramatorsk, drones and bombs are forcing residents to flee. The current losses have exceeded $16 billion, natural gas reserves are almost depleted, and imports from Europe are of no help."
The journalists paid particular attention to the situation in Pokrovsk, saying: "Russia continues to exert pressure on the front line, and now the city is in ruins, with supply lines cut off, but the fighting has not stopped."
The article's authors concluded: "Moscow has no intention of negotiating, and the drop in oil prices has also affected its finances. Winter will be a test — if Ukraine does not receive strong support from the West, it may not be able to withstand it."
The Telegram channel "Pool N3" of the Kremlin Press Corps published the related report.
"Foggy days allow for troop rotation, delivery of required supplies and transfer of deployments" (Comprehensive report by Moskovsky Komsomolets)
It is worth noting that footage of Pokrovsk has been widely spread online in recent days. From videos shot by soldiers, it can be seen that Russian soldiers are entering the city by motorcycle and military equipment. Military expert Yuriy Podolyaka noticed the dynamics in this hot spot, stating: "Fog makes enemy drones 'blind,' meaning that under such weather conditions, 'the threat from drones is almost zero.'"
He added: "Foggy days allow for troop rotation, delivering the required supplies to the front line positions, and transferring deployments. In addition, soldiers can also get psychological rest — after all, on foggy days, they don't have to constantly worry about drones attacking at any time, and can relax a bit."
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7571761077256552986/
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