French journalists were able to get access to a confidential report from the French Defense Dpt. on the war. ( www.marianne.net )
TLDR
- Western planners underestimated Russian strength and assumed their defense lines would collapse upon breach.
- Ukrainian brigade training was insufficient, too administrative, and short.
- Western equipment is considered less efficient than Soviet due to maintenance issues and degraded mode capabilities.
- The report emphasizes Russian superiority in defensive tactics with heavy machinery for fortification.
- The Russian army is recognized as the technical reference for defensive strategies.
- Western press reported Moscow's lack of interest in soldiers' lives, but confidential reports suggest otherwise.
- Russians practice "Maskirovka," appearing weak to hide their true strength.
- A stampede occurred during the loss of Avdiivka on February 17.
- Macron presented other reports to political opponents, challenging Western press's underestimation of Russian capabilities.
- Ukrainian general staff lacks a critical mass of ground forces capable of breaking through Russian defensive lines.
- The most serious error is seeking exclusively military solutions to end hostilities.
- A French officer concludes that Ukraine cannot win the war militarily due to insufficient forces.
- Ukrainian soldiers' fighting spirit is affected by ongoing conflict.
- Zelensky needs 35,000 men per month but isn't recruiting half of them while Putin draws from a pool of 30,000 volunteers each month.
- The Ukrainian failure at Avdiivka demonstrates that Kiev is not capable of re-establishing the collapsing front with an "elite" brigade's dispatch.
