A tactical question

[Craig234]

Ukraine has been expecting this for many years. Why didn't they have it set up to destroy all the things Russians would need when they invaded? Blow up the bridges (I know they did some) and the roads, as I watch the 40 mile convoy arrive at Kyev on a nice highway? Blow up airports Russians are using to fly in forces? Even slowing and separating Russian forces could help.

 

[BirdinHand]

Ukraine has been expecting this for many years. Why didn't they have it set up to destroy all the things Russians would need when they invaded? Blow up the bridges (I know they did some) and the roads, as I watch the 40 mile convoy arrive at Kyev on a nice highway? Blow up airports Russians are using to fly in forces? Even slowing and separating Russian forces could help.

1. Evacuating citizens requires those same infrastructures
2. Moving your own troops involves those own infrastructures
3. Burning bridges/destroying your own infrastructure is the last resort

They may not be at "last resort" yet, they're doing a pretty decent job holding off the Russian advance with guerilla-style warfare.

 

[noonereal]

Ukraine has been expecting this for many years.

Not really.

Humans generally only react to what pokes them today.

Look at teh Covid mess as an example.

 

[Cope]

Ukraine has been expecting this for many years. Why didn't they have it set up to destroy all the things Russians would need when they invaded? Blow up the bridges (I know they did some) and the roads, as I watch the 40 mile convoy arrive at Kyev on a nice highway? Blow up airports Russians are using to fly in forces? Even slowing and separating Russian forces could help.

A simple answer:

War has become not war,in the recent decades. War used to be a terrible thing where loss of life was tremendous, destruction of infrastructure would take us back to those days. Destroying your OWN infrastructure would be a last resort in all out war.
I kind of wish WAR was still that way today. Then Wars wouldn't be fought as willy nilly as they are today.
War should be left as an act of aggression and the WORLD should all speak with one voice that it WILL NOT be condoned. This is not that.

All those roads and airports that you would have blown up are also used by the very people you, as the government, are supposed to be protecting. Basically it would have assured Russia wins the war, albeit, it might have taken longer.

 

[Gateman_Wen]

Ukraine has been expecting this for many years. Why didn't they have it set up to destroy all the things Russians would need when they invaded? Blow up the bridges (I know they did some) and the roads, as I watch the 40 mile convoy arrive at Kyev on a nice highway? Blow up airports Russians are using to fly in forces? Even slowing and separating Russian forces could help.

Good questions.

A 40 mile long convoy looks like a juicy target and an invitation to defeat in detail to me.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Ukraine has been expecting this for many years. Why didn't they have it set up to destroy all the things Russians would need when they invaded? Blow up the bridges (I know they did some) and the roads, as I watch the 40 mile convoy arrive at Kyev on a nice highway? Blow up airports Russians are using to fly in forces? Even slowing and separating Russian forces could help.

Yep, who (other than those living in urban areas) needs such infrastructure to survive?

 

[Craig234]

A 40 mile long convoy looks like a juicy target and an invitation to defeat in detail to me.

Doesn't it? If anyone is worried about Ukranians, there aren't a lot of Ukranians using the roads at their borders going to Belarus, Russia and Crimea now. They aren't using the airports occupied by Russia. The destruction is a lot easier to repair later than the destruction done by Russian forces.

 

[Cope]

Doesn't it? If anyone is worried about Ukranians, there aren't a lot of Ukranians using the roads at their borders going to Belarus, Russia and Crimea now. They aren't using the airports occupied by Russia. The destruction is a lot easier to repair later than the destruction done by Russian forces.

If this was all out war, I'd agree with you, but it isn't. This won't result in the extermination of the Ukranians so they are doing everything in their power (both sides really) to NOT destroy necessary infrastructure. Putin doesn't want to have to repair much to maintain control of the region. The Ukranians don't want it destroyed in the first place.

 

[Craig234]

Another tactical idea I had was that Ukraine should make it easy for Russians to surrender, given how it's clear many are against the war. Now it looks like one Governor is doing it.

Governor of Ukrainian region offers Russian troops a "chance to stay alive" with a deserter's hotline

Russia bombed a maternity and children's hospital in Mariupol, southern Ukraine, city officials said Wednesday. Ukraine's President Zelensky said the attack was "proof of a genocide." Follow here for live news updates from on the ground in Ukraine.

www.cnn.com

 

[Craig234]

Another tactical issue. I keep hearing about cities starving. Can't we do better at providing food? In a worst case the city is surrounded, would be it helpful to have US stealth bombers with orders not to shoot at Russian aircraft drop food?