This Tuesday’s French newspapers look at the aftermath of the war in Ukraine, at a time when the Kiev army is investing in a new front: the left bank of the Dnipro river, which cuts through the country.
RFI – In recent weeks, Ukrainian troops have multiplied their incursions into the area, which has been occupied by Russia since the first days of the war. While Western military and experts are trying to unravel the strategy, the Kiev army is claiming advances in the region and pointing to “heavy enemy losses”.
According to Le Monde, hundreds of Kiev soldiers currently occupy an area of around 50 kilometers along the river. For the daily, this is considered “the most important advance by the Ukrainian army” in recent months.
The gain of ground is “symbolic and strategic”, says Le Parisien in its headline. However, the daily believes that Kiev’s goal of retaking this region is ambitious, as tens of thousands of Russian troops are said to be deployed on the right bank of the river.
Interviewed by the daily, former military aviator and defense consultant Xavier Tytelman believes that the Ukrainian army’s goal is to “push back” the Russian troops as much as possible, looking for a gap in their line of defense. Meanwhile, President Volodymir Zelensky is waiting to take a long-term view on the continuation of the war.
Le Parisien points out that Ukraine has high hopes for the delivery of F-16 fighter jets by Western countries, scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2024. In addition to the continued support of its biggest ally, the United States – a guarantee ratified on Monday (20) during a visit by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to Kiev.
Failure of the counter-offensive
“Kiev faces the spectre of military defeat” is the headline in Le Figaro. The daily classifies the long-awaited Ukrainian counter-offensive as a “disappointment” and highlights the concern of Western countries about the duration of the conflict.
For the newspaper, after 21 months of war, Ukraine is accumulating bad news, both on the military and diplomatic fronts. The article points out that while the war in the Middle East is attracting all the attention, Moscow is showing its resilience, displaying its ability to adapt and putting its arms industry “in fighting order”, while at the same time receiving immense military support from allies such as North Korea and Iran.
“What if Ukraine loses the war to Russia?” asks the daily. Le Figaro points out that the feeling of success is already triumphant among Russians. In an interview with the daily, Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraine’s former foreign minister, says that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants a victory before the presidential election in March 2024. According to him, before then “there will be no slowdown”.
*** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***