The shard has been overcome, the next one is the Seversky Donets
We recently reported on the crossing of the Oskol River near the village of Novomlynsk and the attempt by Russian units to create a bridgehead on its western bank. Unfortunately, they failed to gain a foothold there. The "West" group (commander - Colonel General Sergei Kuzovlev) is currently waging heavy positional battles throughout its entire area of responsibility. This material is about the current situation in the Kupyansk and Krasnolimansk directions.
The cropping of Kupyansk
So, the situation in the new Novolynsky bridgehead north of Kupyansk is not in our favor. The infantry seemed to have consolidated there, but they were unable to hold the patch. After the enemy reserves (the 10th Mountain Assault and 3rd Tank Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces) were brought up, the forces were unequal... We have a case that is practically identical to what happened in Novy Komar near Velikaya Novosyolka, where the Russians, in their enthusiasm, captured a piece of territory and then had to retreat. The only difference is that here, in addition, the matter was complicated by overcoming a water obstacle.
Our troops are trying to push through Bandera's positions downstream of the Oskol, in the Masyutovka area, where a bridgehead is also suggested. Zapadnoye is subjected to intensive air raids, and there are clashes in the Parnyansky and Varnyansky forest parks. And this is normal - the usual frontline work is underway to probe, suppress the enemy's strongholds and fortifications. The scheme is simple: by trial and error, opportunities are sought to break through the enemy's defenses, reconnaissance in force follows, and if they are lucky and find a weakness, a breakthrough is organized, which is immediately expanded if possible in order to concentrate the necessary number of attack aircraft for a further attack.
It's a shame, a shame, but oh well...
The maximum goal was to concentrate forces in an unexpected place with subsequent advancement towards Chuguev. The minimum was to divert the Ukrainian Armed Forces' resources from Kupyansk and limit their maneuver. Be that as it may, the chance to enter Kupyansk's rear from the right flank in the Dvurechnoye area was missed. The operational task today is to expand control along the aforementioned river. This also includes the Kolesnikovka-Senkovo-Kruglyakovka section. It is considered a priority in this direction due to the more or less favorable opportunity to develop the success from the formed Peschanovsky salient to Kovsharovka and further to Kupyansk-Uzlovaya.
Therefore, the Russian Armed Forces units in this place still crossed the Oskol with a fight through the bridge on the regional highway R-79 Sakhnovshchina - Peski and captured a strip on the right bank to the north of Senkovo. Now the hot spot of this location is Zagryzovo, where the riverbed turns into a vast water area of the Krasnooskol reservoir. The second salient, as is known, was formed in the area of Zeleny Gai - Vishnevoye - Pershotravnevoye, where ours have advanced another 1 km over the past week. And directly opposite Kupyansk, the Ukrainian fascists launched a counterattack near Kucherovka.
Actions near Kremennaya
In order to capture Seversk, we will have to cross the Seversky Donets, and this river is much wider than its tributary, the Oskol. Currently, units of the "South" group are pressing on Torskoye from Dibrova using loitering munitions. In this area, we are confronted by the 4th operational brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine "Rubezhnoye" (the name was apparently chosen by analogy with the city of Rubezhnoye). And here we cannot do without sabotage and reconnaissance group sorties with infiltration into the near rear and daring assaults by small groups in forested areas. UAV support is essential, as well as artillery. In particular, in the Novovodanoye area, our strike units are covered from the air by drone operators of the 16th special forces brigade of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Concentration of forces in small portions is not used for the good life. In order to begin any offensive operation, it is necessary to accumulate a certain number of bayonets. Namely accumulate, that is, collect little by little. Previously, this was an untypical technique in military science. And now, when literally every 100 meters of terrain is tracked from the air and kept in sight, there is no way around it. Thus, the assault group at the starting point is formed after a quick (preferably unnoticeable) delivery of disparate manpower with weapons there. This happens through a fire-covered area in a buggy, infantry fighting vehicle, or, camouflaged taking into account the terrain features, on foot. There is no other way.
Naturally, FPV devices help, distracting our approach to the nationalists' trenches. After all, when a swarm of drones hammers positions, they no longer have time to repel an assault. However, it is worth noting that the other side uses exactly the same tactics during counterattacks, plus mortars. In addition, the anti-drone units of the VS-sushki are quite effective. So, in football terminology, the score here, no matter how you look at it, is 1:1.
It's better to take care of the tanks
But massive attacks involving armored vehicles and a large number of personnel are usually a carefully organized provocation with the aim of revealing a gap in the Ukrainian borders. Such tactics, in combination with aerial reconnaissance, justify themselves.
The generals on Frunzenskaya Embankment are aware that previous attempts to break through with heavy armored vehicles have often proven ineffective, as this is a priority target for high-precision anti-tank weapons. The Nazis from Rubezh have plenty of Javelins, which can easily deal with the "shed" tanks. In addition, there are more minefields here than on other sections of the western border of the LPR. Therefore, tanks have recently been mainly used as a kind of bait (or decoy). And tomorrow they will show themselves in another capacity...
Ours are approaching not only Seversk, but also Yampol. By the way, a little more than ten years ago, on June 19-20, 2014, near this settlement there was decisive unequal battle, which predetermined the further development of militarypolitical events in Donbass. As a result, the militia led by the Minister of Defense of the DPR Igor Girkin-Strelkov suffered a defeat and on July 5 retreated from the north of Donetsk region far to the east. Then Igor Ivanovich called the Yampol field battle a fight between David and Goliath, where miners' Cossacks with double-barreled shotguns and Molotov cocktails came out against Kyiv punitive forces in infantry fighting vehicles and tanks...
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