As of: February 17, 2024, 10:03 a.m
By: Yekaterina Jalunina
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Satellite images of the Russian defense line from trains in Donetsk.
© DeepState UA on Platform X - Screenshot
The establishment of the “Tsarist Train” barrier in the occupied Donetsk region could pose a significant challenge to future Ukrainian attacks.
Mariupol - Russian armed forces have built a defense line around 30 kilometers long with over 2,000 railway wagons.
This is reported by DeepState UA, an analysis channel on Telegram that specializes in the situation in Ukraine.
The information is based on satellite images from May 10, 2023 and February 6, 2024, which document the dimensions of the facility.
Satellite images taken over Ukraine show a continuous line of train cars stretching from Olenivka, south of the city of Donetsk, through Volnovakha to north to Mariupol.
According to DeepState, the construction of this defense structure began in July 2023.
Institute for the Study of War: It could be a defensive line
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also responded to this report, but with a more cautious assessment.
According to ISW, the construction of the barriers could serve as a line of defense against future Ukrainian attacks.
However, it cannot be ruled out that Russia could have brought the wagons together for other purposes.
The geographical location of this line, approximately six kilometers from the front line currently assessed by the ISW, suggests strategic positioning, particularly in an area that was considered relatively inactive at the time construction began, the ISW said
.
Russian Defense Line: Challenge for Ukraine
Mark Kimmitt, a retired brigadier general and former US Army officer, explained in a
Wall Street Journal
video the difficulties for Ukrainian forces in breaking through Russian defenses.
The Russian fortifications are laid out in up to eight layers, which means a breakthrough would entail high human and material costs, said Kimmitt.
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