Ukraine: what are the particularities of the battle of Kiev?

Gauthier Delomez 8:42 a.m., March 2, 2022, modified at 9:13 a.m., March 2, 2022

The Ukrainian army in defiance of the Russian forces.

Russia has begun its seventh day of military invasion of Ukraine, and is attacking strategic cities such as Kiev, Kharkiv and Kherson.

On Europe 1, General Christophe Gomart explains that the battle in the capital of the country could resemble that of Mosul, in Iraq, which pitted the Iraqis against the jihadists.

"The real danger for Ukrainian cities is massive destruction of the Grozny type (in Chechnya, editor's note) or what we saw in Mosul," said the general at the microphone of Sonia Mabrouk on Wednesday in

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>> Find the interview every morning at 8:13 a.m. on Europe 1 as well as in replay and podcast here

Why locals struggle to defend themselves in Kyiv

During the battle of Mosul, "the Iraqi attackers against the jihadists of the Islamic State took more than eight months to overcome the resistance. It is a fight building by building", explains General Christophe Gomart on Europe 1. Who completes: "With a city like Kiev, which has large tree-lined avenues, it is more difficult for the inhabitants to defend themselves. And it is easier for the attackers because there are shooting angles, long vision."

Fewer resources on the Ukrainian side

However, there are also "blind spots" for the armored vehicles besieging the city of Kiev.

An asset according to the general: "This allows the inhabitants to be able to resist, to be able to throw Molotov cocktails at these armored vehicles."

But the resistance will be difficult for the Ukrainians, notes the general.

"They don't have many weapons. The Ukrainian army is weak, their combat planes have all been destroyed. Ukrainian soldiers are only 40,000 against a much larger mass of fighters," he said. , adding that Russian soldiers may have low morale.