The one full of explosives is a rolling bomb, the one in the video full of sand bags making is way in a minefield is looking like you say. Sand bags to protect the center fuel tank and prevent it from turning over.
i dont see it that way, yes ukrainian attacks can get bogged down in mud, but so did the germans during the relief/breakout operations of the korsun pocket under even more unfavorable conditions, and they got out nonetheless. the russians are defending lands that they just conquered, they are very lightly fortified and not mined, it is very likely that under the weight of ukrainian counterattacks they will be giving back some of their progress. russia's only viable course of action really is to use heavy artillery, since ukrainian progress will likely be slow due to terrain and lack of preparation.
I do not say that they would not be able to "get out"(there is still mud road open). I just say that current front configuration mean extremely unfavorable attrition rate for Ukrainian troops. This is why US had already proposed to abandon Bakhmut and retreat to more favorable defense positions.
but taking out a sizeable ukrainian force was a major objective in the offensive on bakhmut. if the defenders are allowed to slip out and regroup around charsov yar, then it will become an even more difficult objective to take. that is why i said earlier that it is better for russia to surround bakhmut as early as possible, then let the mud bog down ukraine counterattacks and breakout attempts, without even having to stormt he city any further. full encirclement was not achieved before the thaw and now they are limited to attacking build up areas.
Russia has fired missiles that Ukraine cannot intercept. For the first time, 6 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal Daggers were launched at once - Air Force
According to M. Koffman, the majority of the cruise missiles Russia has been firing lately are newly built. Therefore, the monthly number of missiles they fire is probably close to their production rate.
Michael Koffman?
