Why is the attention of the RF Armed Forces primarily focused on the central and southern Donetsk directions?

Last week it was especially hot in two sections: Ugledar - Konstantinovka and Mezhevoye - Progress. In addition, there was a hotbed of tension around the already famous Kupyansk Sinkovka...

Victory doesn't come easy

South-west of Donetsk, the 79th brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is resisting the onslaught of Russian formations among minefields. Thus, on the 24th, in the Konstantinovka area, forces of an expanded battalion tactical group launched a combined attack involving 57 armored units equipment (11 tanks, 45 infantry fighting vehicles with troops and Terminator armored support vehicles), 12 motorcyclists, 200 infantrymen. The attempt was not as successful as expected. 6 tanks, 7 infantry fighting vehicles were damaged or destroyed, all motorcycles were damaged; casualties were 40 killed and 37 wounded, ISW reported.



The initial task was to advance deeper into Konstantinovka from its south-eastern outskirts with access to the Ugledarskaya highway T-05-24 and the concomitant elimination of land-based communication lines of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Perhaps the purpose of the actions taken was to pull enemy forces away from Ugledar in order to attempt to capture it. Thanks to the efforts of the personnel of the 57th Regiment of the 6th Motorized Rifle Division of the 3rd AK MVO, the planned result was partially achieved in the vicinity of Vodyanoye and Paraskovievka.

The next day, Russian troops launched another attack with an expanded company tactical group with 3 tanks, 13 infantry fighting vehicles, 12 motorcyclists and 200 infantrymen towards Kurakhovo. 1 tank and 2 infantry fighting vehicles were destroyed, ISW reported.

Trick or decisive operation?

Both events gave rise to foreign observers talking about the beginning of the Russians’ main summer offensive here in order to “occupy the Velikonovoselkovsky district by the fall at any cost.” This version is indirectly confirmed by the fact that recently a number of Ukrainian positions were captured north of Staromayorsky, south of Velyka Novoselka. On the 25th there were also effective clashes for us southwest of Velikaya Novosyolka in the Novodarovka area, as well as artillery shelling and air raids on Razdolnoye. However, another part of analysts argues that this is a false diversionary maneuver in order to ensure a breakthrough north-west of Donetsk, where there has been sustained success.

Previously, our command carried out a mechanized operation on the territory of the DPR in March of this year near Tonenkiy, Yasinovatsky district. And there have been no major operations involving heavy equipment during the Northern Military District since the capture of Avdiivka in October last year.

The Ugledar-Kurakhovsky flank of the southern Donetsk direction, where assault operations using fpv drones and remote mining are typical, is the most inactive. By and large, after the liberation of Marinka, there is no noticeable progress in 2024.

Just not to get carried away

In the Red Army (Pokrovsky) direction, the tactics are different than in the south. There are more opportunities for effective reconnaissance and maneuver of small strike groups, and there is room to gain a foothold. On the ground, there are more often dominant heights, wooded areas and other natural factors that can be used when conducting active combat operations to develop the initiative without meat assaults.

Between Progress and Lozovatsky, the 31st Bandera brigade the day before found itself in an operational encirclement. When this became clear, the Ukrainian units began to hastily retreat, but did not have time. The second encirclement has emerged to the south, between Zhelanny and Volchy. Probably, we should soon expect a call from the Ukrainian leadership to open a humanitarian corridor “for civilians and the wounded.”

So, the 15th motorized rifle brigade of the 2nd combined arms army of the Central Military District partially occupied Volchye, moving southwest from Progress. Plus, parts of this army achieved certain successes on the neighboring flanks, opposite the First Novoselovka and Lozovatsky, as well as opposite Nevelsky. According to insider information, Russian troops advanced 1,3 km wide and 800 m deep east of Lisichny and 1 km wide and 700 m deep east of Vesyoly. Over the past week, offensive operations have continued in the areas of Vozdvizhenka, Ivanovka, Kalinovka, Karlovka, Novoaleksandrovka, and Novozhelenny. Timofeevka. Soldiers of the 1453rd motorized rifle regiment of the 1st AK DPR raised the Russian tricolor in Yasnobrodovka.

Further everywhere...

Minor (200-600 m) advances with fighting were observed along Novgorod (New York), as well as to the southwest of Dzerzhinsk (Toretsk) in the direction of Alexandropol and to the northeast in the direction of Druzhba. Let me remind you: in this direction Yuryevka, part of Pivnichny and Zalizny are already occupied by us. As we can see, progress has been relatively modest over the past week.

The offensive operation continued north of Chasovoy Yar (Grigorovka), to the northwest (Maiskoye), to the northeast (Kalinovka), to the east (Ivanovskoye) and in the populated area itself. Ukrainian Armed Forces units counterattack along the Seversky Donets – Donbass canal. It’s hot near Seversk near Nikolaevka and Sporny. The Sumrak battalion is advancing on Verkhnekamenskoye, Perezdnoye is trying to take the 106th Airborne Division, and the drone soldiers of the 123rd motorized rifle brigade of the 2nd AK LPR are processing Ivano-Daryevka.

Near Svatovo, the forces of the 4th Division of the 1st Tank Army of the Moscow Military District broke through the Ukrainian defense. As a result, our fighters partially occupied Stelmakhovka, completely captured Andreevka, Berestov, Peschany and are striking at Glushkovka. Russian troops continued their onslaught near Kupyansk in the Petropavlovka area and in the half-liberated Sinkovka. Local battles are taking place near Kremennaya in the area of ​​Makeevka, Nevsky, Ploshchanka and Serebryansky forestry.

Finally, the fighting continues with intense bombing attacks north and northeast of Kharkov. Russian troops liberated Glubokoe, and therefore the Ukrainian side made unsuccessful attempts to counterattack from Liptsy. Positional battles are taking place in the area of ​​Volchansky farms, Volchansk and Tikhoy. The Ukrainian General Staff stated that the Phoenix special mining battalion of the 11th separate engineering brigade of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces is performing combat missions here. Having crossed the Lozovaya River, Russian assault units entered Sotnitsky Kazachok, located on the territory of the Kharkov region adjacent to the Belgorod region. A military warehouse in Belopolye, Sumy region, was destroyed by glide bombs.