Russian Perspective on Ukrainian Attacks, Air Defenses, and Strategic Advances

This segment continues the conversation with Russian journalist and former soldier George Mamsurov, providing insight into Russia’s view on Ukraine’s long-range attacks, drone warfare, and battlefield strategy in key regions like Zaporizhzhia and Pokrovsk.

🔴 Ukrainian Attacks on Russian Territory: Limited Effect

Ukraine is targeting Russian cities and factories, but Mamsurov emphasizes:

Russia’s vast size and dispersed infrastructure make such attacks less damaging.

Unlike Ukraine, Russian production centers are harder to cripple due to scale and redundancy.

Even when Ukraine launches 200 drones or missiles, most are intercepted with minimal effect on the front lines.

Mamsurov argues that unless Ukrainian soldiers physically control territory, drone and missile attacks serve only as distractions, not decisive actions.

🔴 Russia’s Defensive Capabilities and Adaptation

Russia claims to use only Russian-made weapons, operated by Russian troops—creating a self-contained and adaptive military system.

Russia has successfully adapted to advanced Western systems like:

Bayraktar drones

HIMARS rockets

Javelins and other precision-guided munitions

Mamsurov says these weapons were threatening early on, but Russia has developed effective countermeasures, citing air defense success and battlefield adjustments.

🔴 Strategic Battlefield Goals in Southern Ukraine

Front line activity around Zaporizhzhia is described as significant, but not just about the city itself:

The land is flat and lacks natural elevation, complicating defense and favoring rapid movement.

Russia is pushing from the Donetsk region to potentially:

Cut supply lines

Threaten Pokrovsk (referred to as “Pakovsk” in the transcript), which is considered strategically more important than Zaporizhzhia.

Capturing Pokrovsk would:

Collapse Ukrainian defenses in the region.

Open the way to liberate (i.e., capture) wider areas of the south, including Zaporizhzhia.

🔴 Russian Operational Reserves & Penetration Plans

If Russia breaks through Ukrainian lines, it has operational reserves ready to exploit breaches.

Mamsurov emphasizes the importance of logistics and control:

Fast advances must be supported by supply lines.

Russia is reportedly positioned to reinforce successful offensives rapidly.

He notes that Pokrovsk is not the only potential point of collapse—there are multiple active pressure zones where Ukrainian defenses may fail.

🟨 Core Message

Russia believes:

Its size, self-sufficiency, and military adaptation make it resilient to Ukraine’s long-range strikes.

Territory must be taken by infantry, not just bombed from afar.

Strategically, Pokrovsk is key—its fall could shift the momentum decisively.

Russia is prepared with reserves to take advantage of breakthroughs, indicating readiness for larger offensives.

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