Russia has had nearly six months to prepare the ground for Ukraine’s expected counteroffensive this spring by strengthening defenses in occupied territory near the front line, reports CNN. However, video materials published on social networks seem to indicate that Ukrainians can pass through the “dragon’s teeth”.

The Russian-built defenses will therefore pose a huge challenge for troops in Kyiv, as obstacles stretch for hundreds of kilometers on the winding southern front, where Ukrainian forces are expected to focus their attacks in the coming weeks.

Satellite images analyzed by CNN and other news organizations show the extent of Russia’s defenses: anti-tank ditches, obstacles, minefields and trenches.

Anti-tank ditches near the city of Pology, occupied in the south-east of Ukraine, stretched for 30 km. Behind – rows of concrete barricades of the “dragon’s teeth” type. Further behind are defensive trenches where Russian troops will be stationed, Reuters reported this week.

The defenses, seen in satellite images taken by Capella Space, are part of a vast network of Russian fortifications stretching from western Russia through eastern Ukraine to Crimea, built for a major Ukrainian offensive.

Thousands of Ukrainian troops are training in the West in the combined use of various military assets on the battlefield ahead of a counteroffensive that Ukrainian officials say will take place when its forces are ready.

Reuters analyzed satellite images of thousands of defensive positions both inside Russia and along the Ukrainian front line, which show it to be the most heavily defended in the Zaporizhia region and the gateway to the Crimean peninsula.

The task of the Ukrainian troops will be to quickly bypass or overcome such obstacles, so that the Russian troops quickly lose control over the territories.

Ground defenses began to appear after Russian troops retreated from part of the Kherson region in November and established, in fact, a new line of defense covering mostly rural areas of southern Ukraine.

Dragon’s Teeth, Second World War Tactics

The defensive lines, including concrete obstacles called “dragon’s teeth”, are good, but only as good as the Russian forces assigned to each sector. By themselves, they are a limited obstacle.

Dragon’s Teeth are small reinforced concrete fortifications first built during World War II to counter tanks and mechanized infantry. Their purpose was to slow down combat vehicles and “bring” them to specially prepared areas where they could be easily attacked by anti-tank weapons.

The video shows that the “dragon’s teeth” cannot withstand

As a matter of fact, on the video materials circulating in social networks, it is already visible how Ukrainian troops during training without problems pass the “dragon’s teeth” with the help of the Marder technique.

Moscow has moved more units into southern Ukraine in recent weeks, but it remains to be seen how many Russian troops — and of what quality — are assigned to each section of such a long line.

Ukrainian officials admitted that this counteroffensive lacked an element of suddenness.

Ukraine has the advantage of choosing where and when to go, with what concentration of forces. Once an assault begins, other factors may come into play, from weather to Russia’s ability and willingness to counterattack, as well as air combat.

Zelensky says that the Russians have prepared for defense, it will be difficult, but the Ukrainians will take the initiative

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said in an interview with northern journalists that the Russians are moving to a defensive position, and the second part of the war has begun, in which Ukraine is taking the initiative, Ukrainian Pravda reports.

“I think day by day they are [rușii – n.red.] they will become weaker, and we will have more and more opportunities. They have already changed their tactics, they are already thinking about the defense of the occupied territories. This is another wave of this war, it is a difficult wave for us as well. We see that their tenacity on the field of battle, which was there at first, has been broken by our forces; now dig in, create defensive lines. It will be difficult for us, it will be very difficult, but now this is the second part, where we will take the initiative in this war.”

Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on Friday that Ukraine is finalizing preparations for a long-awaited counteroffensive against Russian forces and is mostly ready for it.

“As soon as there is the will of God, the weather and the command’s decision, we will do it,” Reznikov said at an online briefing.

Kyiv hopes that the planned counteroffensive will change the dynamics of the war that has raged since Russia invaded Ukraine 14 months ago.

Russia holds Ukrainian territories in the east, south and southeast. The Ukrainian military said in its latest daily report on the war that the small town in the east of the country, Bakhmut, remains at the center of hostilities.