This information was reported by WSJ chief correspondent Yaroslav Trofimov, URA-Inform reports.
The plan was the same as a year later – to break through Zaporozhye and break the land corridor in order to isolate Russian troops in Crimea. This was planned even before the Russian Federation created protective lines there. This idea is called bold and even risky, but in the end it was never implemented.
It was voiced by Zaluzhny and Zelensky to their Western partners, and then the commander-in-chief did not ask the United States for armored vehicles, but only 90 additional howitzers and artillery ammunition . But at the time of planning, Ukraine had not yet demonstrated offensive capabilities, and the Americans were against Zaluzhny's plan.
There were concerns that an advance from Berdyansk to Melitopol and down to the Sea of Azov could create vulnerabilities on the front line, especially given the uncertainty it was whether Ukraine could coordinate brigades for an effective offensive.
From the US point of view, “failure was likely, and its consequences were potentially catastrophic,” up to the capture of Zaporozhye and the Dnieper. For this reason, it was decided to concentrate the attack on the Kherson direction, and Kherson was liberated.
We recall that it was previously reported whether Ukraine was being pressured to start negotiations: Kuleba made an important confession.