[Goose]

Or, Ukrainian sources are talking a lot about Melitopol to get the Russians to commit lots of resources to prepare for an attack, while Ukrainians actually prepare to attack elsewhere.

BC

Or they are talking about Melitopol to fix the Russian troops there and will prepare to attack everywhere (like they pretty much always have) and will reinforce success. SSDD. It might work, but Ukraine is I think fast converging on the mirror image of Russia's original problem. Ukraine, like Russia, does not have enough troops to effectively garrison the whole country. Taking back a lot of territory that is not a strategic necessity for Russia thins the Ukrainians out while it concentrates the Russians. The Ukraine has to keep troops in the newly liberated land and try to help it recover. They get diluted that way.

FWIW that has been what saved Russia time and again in the past. Both Napoleon and Hitler took land they didn't need but had to defend. They didn't have the resources to do that. Ukraine has to avoid that mistake. Somewhere along the line Ukraine is going to have to make a strategic plan to damage the Russian military in a way that will force them to quit the war. Cutting the land bridge and threatening Crimea could do that. I can't think of anything else that would unless they can find some "lost" nuclear weapons someplace :-).

[Goose]

Or, Ukrainian sources are talking a lot about Melitopol to get the Russians to commit lots of resources to prepare for an attack, while Ukrainians actually prepare to attack elsewhere.

BC

Or they are talking about Melitopol to fix the Russian troops there and will prepare to attack everywhere (like they pretty much always have) and will reinforce success. SSDD. It might work, but Ukraine is I think fast converging on the mirror image of Russia's original problem. Ukraine, like Russia, does not have enough troops to effectively garrison the whole country. Taking back a lot of territory that is not a strategic necessity for Russia thins the Ukrainians out while it concentrates the Russians. The Ukraine has to keep troops in the newly liberated land and try to help it recover. They get diluted that way.

FWIW that has been what saved Russia time and again in the past. Both Napoleon and Hitler took land they didn't need but had to defend. They didn't have the resources to do that. Ukraine has to avoid that mistake. Somewhere along the line Ukraine is going to have to make a strategic plan to damage the Russian military in a way that will force them to quit the war. Cutting the land bridge and threatening Crimea could do that. I can't think of anything else that would unless they can find some "lost" nuclear weapons someplace :-).