This is part of a thread from the Combined Arms Center (they are basically the intellectuals of the army) — it is a fairly long thread about using deception in war. Kind of funny to me they quote Sun Tzu I think. There are many other sources for this kind of thinking.
We are at the point I think where you have to look beyond the small tactical battles — they are just part of an overall operation. Like seeing a tree and missing the forest. In the beginning of this war I could not believe they were releasing so much info that would normally be restricted. They did it for a reason. Now they sure have a reason not to. You can absolutely expect to see conflicting pieces of the thing — like small gives to RU to gain a larger victory in an overall operation.
I am just trying to tell you — most of what will happen now — can be purposely deceptive. And that is the right way to do a war. Like maybe — UKR will let RU get some tactical victory here or there because it is hiding a massive blow coming in another part of the operation. That is how war uses deception — to get an opponent to be in the wrong place. And I think UKR is getting really good at the use of deception.
BUT
We gotta do what has to be done — one way or another — to get the Black Sea open for grain shipments — which is really more strategic than operational at this point — for most of the world it is. They will starve if it is not done. That impact is much greater than just the war aim for Odessa in this war. There is not a lot of time to do this. Even if the war is hot — we still gotta get those grains out. One way or another.