JRL NEWSWATCH: “U.S. war-gamed with Ukraine ahead of counteroffensive and encouraged more limited mission” – CNN
“… [T]he U.S. [reportedly] urged [Ukraine] to keep [its counteroffensive] limited … [regarding] objectives and … geography to avoid getting overextended and bogged down on multiple fronts …. [D]iscussions [reportedly] involved … ‘war-gaming’ … to help … Ukrainian forces understand … force levels … need[ed] … to be successful in different scenarios. The Ukrainians … initially consider[ed] a broader counteroffensive, but narrowed their mission to the south … the Kherson region …. [A] Pentagon spokesperson … [said] ‘the United States has routine military-to-military dialogue at multiple levels with Ukraine. …. [W]e provide the Ukrainians with information to … better understand the threats they face and defend their country against Russian aggression. … [T]he Ukrainians … mak[e] the final decisions ….’ … Officials say … Ukraine … appears more evenly matched with Russian forces … because of … advanced western weaponry … us[ed] effectively … [and] Ukrainian[] … advantage[s] [regarding] morale, unit cohesion, tactical acumen, … a superior ability to improvise on the fly. … [and] a population … appalled by the Russian occupation, … willing to [undertake] partisan attacks to expel them — such as assassinations and sabotage …. [According to] [a] Ukrainian presidential adviser … the [Ukrainian] offensive will be a ‘slow operation to grind the enemy.’ …”