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The scorched earth tactic helps Ukraine to stop the advance of Russian forces

The village of Demydiv suffered severe flooding when a nearby dam was breached, but residents say it helped prevent Russian tanks from closing in on Kiev.

People in the village of Demydiv, north of the capital Kiev, Ukraine, in the past few days have begun to dry soggy carpets on the floor, packing up their belongings in flooded basements.

They were trying to recover from the aftermath of a severe flood that would, under normal circumstances, be great misfortune. But this time, it was that flood that brought them tactical results, stopping the advance of Russian forces near the capital.





A corner of Demydiv village these days seen from above.  Photo: NYTimes.

A corner of Demydiv village remains flooded after a nearby dam was breached. Image: NYTimes.

On February 25, a day after Russia launched a military operation, the Ukrainian army decided to destroy a dam near the village of Demydiv. The water of the nearby Dnieper River immediately flooded in, engulfing the village of Demydiv and its surrounding fields and mudflats.

This move of the Ukrainian army has turned the village of Demydiv, located on the P02 route directly to the capital Kiev, into a giant swamp. Demydiv residents have seen floodwaters engulf many houses, but they are happy about it.

This muddy wetland hindered the advance of the Russian tank convoy heading towards Kiev, giving the Ukrainian army valuable time to lay out its defenses.

“Everybody understands and no one feels sorry,” said Antonina Kostuchenko, a villager in Demydiv. Her living room now smells musty, the water line is still high up to the base of the wall.

“We saved Kiev,” she said proudly.

The village of Demydiv is not unique in Ukraine. Since the early days of the conflict, Ukraine has rapidly destroyed parts of its own territory, often targeting strategically located infrastructure, in order to create an obstacle in the way of Russian forces, which already have superior numbers and weapons.

Ukrainian soldiers did not hesitate to blow up major bridges, land mines on arterial roads or disable many railway lines and airports. Their ultimate goal was to slow down the Russian advance, prevent the enemy from occupying strategic positions, and push the Russian tank convoy into less favorable terrain.

Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said that to date, more than 300 bridges have been destroyed across the country. When Russian forces tried to capture an important airport on the outskirts of Kiev on the first day of the operation, the Ukrainian army shelled the runway, creating many craters, making it impossible for the plane carrying Russian special forces to land. .

What Ukraine does is what military experts call the “earth earth” tactic, usually applied when the enemy has overwhelming offensive power. They self-destroyed houses, roads, bridges, solid works, treasures, facilities… in order to prevent progress and not allow the enemy to use them as bases.

The scorched earth tactic has been assessed to have played an important role in Ukraine’s efforts to hold back Russian forces in the north and prevent them from taking control of the capital, Kiev.

“Ukrainians are obviously very creative when it comes to making it more difficult for Russian forces,” said Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Institute for Foreign Policy Studies in the US. “Attempts to slow down the enemy’s lightning advance are very effective.”





Residents refuel a generator that powers a pump that sucks floodwater out of the village of Demydiv.  Photo: NY Times.

The villagers of Demydiv operate a pump that sucks up flood water. Image: NY Times.

One measure frequently used by Ukrainian troops in Kiev last month was to knock down life-line bridges, forcing Russian forces to build pontoon bridges to cross the river. The places where the pontoon could be bridged were all pre-coordinated by Ukrainian artillery, in order to cause great damage to any attempt to cross the river.

According to Minister Kubrakov, this tactic is continuing to be used in Donbass, eastern Ukraine.

Even so, the scorched earth tactic also cost Ukraine a great deal in terms of civilian infrastructure. The Ukrainian government said the total damage to transport infrastructure after two months of fighting was about $85 billion.

But Ukrainian officials and soldiers say this approach is particularly effective. In the village of Demydiv, they created a large lake to block the advance of the Russian armored convoys. Subsequent Russian shelling further damaged the dam, complicating drainage efforts.

Two months later, the villagers of Demydiv still had to paddle in rubber boats to get around. Bare corn stalks emerge from flooded gardens. In front of the houses, piles of black mud are still sticky due to the soil being soaked in water for a long time.

However, in interviews, many villagers still insist that the difficulties they face cannot compare with the strategic benefits that Ukraine has achieved.

“Fifty houses flooded is not a big loss,” said Volodymyr Artemchuk, a volunteer who is helping to fuel the drainage pumps in the village.

The flooded area around the village of Demydiv created a natural barrier on the west bank of the Dnipro river north of Kiev, making it impossible for Russian tanks to pass and had to move into locations previously ambushed by Ukraine. , experts said.

They also limit Russia’s ability to pass some strategic locations, such as the Irpin River, a tributary of the Dnipro River. Russian forces tried to cross this river many times but were unsuccessful. They had to build pontoon bridges and drive their cars through swampy areas, all in unfavorable positions, not to mention under fire from Ukrainian artillery.

The flooded area has also contributed to the protection of the village of Demydiv. Although the village was on the Russian line of attack and Russian troops were also patrolling around, Demydiv never became a site of fighting.

The flooded village is said to have turned the tide in the fighting in March, helping the Ukrainian army successfully resist Russian forces closing in on the capital Kiev. By the end of March, Russian forces withdrew from the area.





Demydiv village location (red square).  Graphics: Kyiv Independent.

Location of the village of Demydiv (red square) in the north of Kiev, right next to the Dnieper River. Graphics: Kyiv Independent.

Although some have complained about the slow progress of the cleanup, which is expected to take weeks or months, the majority of villagers remain elated.

Roman Bykhovchenko, 60, is drying his soggy shoes on a table in his yard. When he stepped into the kitchen, water bubbled up through small slits in the plank floor. Still, “it’s worth it,” he said.

Vu Hoang (According to NY Times)

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