I want to bring up an issue that will be increasingly important in the future: new Ukrainian trenches and fortifications. Over the past few months more and more rumours, news, photos, videos, etc. have been coming out about the fact that Ukraine is starting to build fortifications both in the area of the state border with Russia (Chernihiv, Sumy and Kharkiv Oblasts) and in the rear of the current front line in the rest of the country (as well in the border with Belarus). Anecdotally, I have read from Ukrainians that numerous trucks are seen over the country carrying logs and prefabricated concrete structures. The Russians have reported (so let’s take that with a grain of salt, but it could be true) that concrete batching plants near the front line have been very active lately. Also, Russian sources report of continued Ukrainian activities in fortifications construction for instance in the Selydove area, located 30 kms west of Avdiivka and about 25 kms from the front line in Pervomaiske. I consider these efforts to be very smart - to avoid potential problems in the future, imho, a set of fortifications should be built at a distance of 15 to 30 kms from the current front line, making the best use of the topography of the area and eventual natural barriers. In the event of significant Russian advances in a sector, this will make it possible to avoid much more serious problems, and above all, which is even more useful in the current framework, it will allow positions to be defended with the least possible loss of life of Ukrainian soldiers and could also decrease, in certain contexts, the use of artillery fire necessary to defend a position, making the most of the terrain. At the same time, anti-drone protections must be added to the trenches, their living comfort must be increased - this will allow to improve the perception people have about trench warfare.

I recommend reading this entire thread, where lots of photos as well as sources on fortification work are posted, as well as reading the Kyiv Independent’s article linked there. I also point out that Metinvest seems to have increased production of these capsules, which will have the role of housing soldiers in the trenches, both for sleeping and for shelter during shelling.

DeepState explored this topic on several occasions during January. (Translation with DeepL)

An update on construction.

🚩 The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to build up fortifications on the northern border

❗️ This was stated by Serhiy Nayev, Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is noted that in recent months, fortification equipment has been increased by 63% in the Northern Operational Zone.

👥 “The defence forces are proactive. We are increasing the number and effectiveness of mobile air defence firing groups, and counter-sabotage work is underway. But the main thing is that we are building defensive lines and creating a powerful system of engineering barriers,” said Serhii Naiev.

🔍 The commander also said that, if necessary, combat brigades would be ready to arrive at the border to repel an attack. The new fortifications are capable of holding back the attack of at least a battalion, and the entire defensive strip can provide defence against much larger forces.

Here it is written about important government allocations for new fortifications.

🚩 The Cabinet of Ministers has allocated additional funding of UAH 2.5 billion for the construction of engineering and fortification structures

👥 This was announced by the Prime Minister of Ukraine at a government meeting:

“The key task for us this year is to strengthen our defence capabilities. In this context, we have two important decisions today. We are allocating an additional almost UAH 2.5 billion from the reserve fund for the construction of engineering and fortification structures. From the allocated funds: 1.4 billion UAH - for fortification equipment of defence borders; 1.1 billion UAH - for the arrangement of non-explosive barriers; from the reserve fund - UAH 120 million for the State Border Guard Service.

👥 An important initiative from the government to build the IFS [engineering and fortification structures]. We hope that similar funding will be provided in the future, and we also hope that these funds will actually be used to build defence and fortification structures both along the border and in the war zone. There was also a good practice of recruiting people to build defensive structures from the Frankivsk Military Civil Administration, which we would like to see in other communities.

Here it’s written that there is still a lot of progress to be made, because the construction of fortifications is ostracized as it is seen as an admission of having lost the initiative. As for the frontline trenches, well, it’s indeed difficult to improve them right now for obvious reasons. Today even working at night is hard because of drones with thermal cameras.

[…]

🗂 Analytical note. In November, we wrote that we had noticed improvements in the preparation of engineering fortifications, but unfortunately, the action was a one-off. The negligent attitude to the IFS continues. Even in the most threatening areas, where the enemy has a chance to enter the operational space, the defence system leaves much to be desired. The IFS is the life of our fighters, so if these words provoke inspections and bring to justice those who were supposed to provide defence and did not, it will be a big step forward.

🚩 Going back to the experience of the First World War, we encounter a similar problem in the British army: the British didn’t dig trenches, they had to attack, and the top leadership considered trench warfare to be a temporary state. They could not admit that the war had reached a stalemate, so the Entente trenches were made in a hurry. Creating a system of trenches would be an admission of defeat…

Russian trenches are praised here. If there is one thing Ukrainians have no problem recognizing, it’s the Russians' ability to dig trenches. Both in quantity and quality.

🚩 Commander of the 3rd Brigade Engineer Battalion shared footage of Katsaps demonstrating their defensive fortifications

📹The video shows the following elements of the IFS:

• an extensive trench system, hundreds of metres long, up to 2 metres deep and up to 1.5 metres wide, which allows free movement and easy passage of two soldiers in equipment;
• completely blocked passageways, which allows to move covertly, including from thermal imaging devices (which means protection against discharges and FPV), as well as to maintain a stable air temperature and its own microclimate;
• a drainage system that prevents water flooding and the formation of impassable swamps during the rainy season;
• prepared for firing and camouflaged positions for shooters;
• electrified covered dugouts equipped for personnel accommodation;
• individual foxhole shelters along the entire length of the trench connections, which allows soldiers to hide if they are caught in the middle of a shelling attack;
• wooden structures of high quality.

“We need to pay great attention to the IFS and move towards surpassing the enemy, because defence is an important part of our Defence Forces today. If the person who is supposed to control this area at the positions is not held accountable, we will continue to discuss the defence of various settlements, adding the label “fortress” to their names until they are completely destroyed.

👤 The fighters themselves share their observations about the enemy:

“When the Muscovites occupy any positions, they immediately start digging, chopping, working with saws and construction equipment. They pay a lot of attention to building defensive fortifications and devote a lot of resources to it. Moreover, they have people who are engaged solely in digging trenches, equipping them, etc., and not like our soldiers, who storm and build and take care of all other issues.

➡Similar fortifications have been in place since the ATO in Donbas and in the northern part of the country during the full-scale war.

It must be said, however, that the Russians over the last year used civilian contract personnel, including from Central Asia, to help with the works of the Surovikin Line. Ukrainian soldiers complain that they have no available personnel to dig in the rear, understandably. In other historical times civilians (or POWs) would have been rounded up and forced to dig, but today the world (at least Ukraine) is less harsh and the first local governments are beginning to fund and organize the voluntary recruitment of civilian workers to build fortifications. Great idea and I hope more will follow.

🚩 Cis-Carpathians [residents of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast] are called to help with the construction of fortifications in Donetsk region

🔥 A very good initiative from the Frankivsk Military-Civilian Administration. It would be great if other communities joined this initiative

🧱 In Prykarpattia, they are looking for people to help with the construction of fortifications in the Donetsk region. A total of 300 people are needed. The salary will be 20 thousand hryvnias. In addition, people will be provided with accommodation and meals. Those who agree to help with the construction of defence structures will receive a deferral from conscription for the period of construction.

Medvedev in early December stated that 452k people had signed contracts in the first 11 months of the year; in early January he declared that “over half a million” had done so during 2023. That included 420k “contract soldiers” and more than 80k “volunteers” (so the total number should be 500k and a few thousands more). I don’t know the distinction between the two categories, perhaps volunteers are those who join, for example, units of the Cossack Volunteer Assault Corps? In any case, surely the numbers of contract soldiers has been high during 2023, considering since the last winter it seems that the only ones who are getting mobilized are retired officers.

The number of half a million seems very high though and probably inflated somehow - even though, in theory, contracts are automatically renewed under the legal provisions of the “partial mobilization” law of September 2022, Shoigu had talked about people who signed “two or even three times” to renew their contracts, I suspect these could be counted. And theoretically even the convicts sign contracts, it’s likely that they are also in the tally. Although the number of convicts enlisting seems to be shrinking considerably in the recent months, for obvious reasons, despite the flow still being there.