The battle for the Donbas may well be decided by artillery. Russia has an overwhelming weight of firepower it can bring to the fight. But – it is indiscriminate.
New missile systems sent by the UK may not allow Ukraine to rival the destructive power of Russia’s big guns and rockets – but they should allow it to accurately target them with return life – and eventually wear them down.
On his visit to the front, President Zelensky will have passed some of Ukraine’s forward artillery positions – as he visited Lysychansk. This small industrial town sits on a hill overlooking the Siversky Donets river – and will be crucial defensive position if Severodonetsk falls.
A few days ago, that looked all but inevitable. But, with Ukrainians on the counter offensive, it now seems Russian forces may be struggling to take even their most modest of objectives.
