Peschanovsky salient as a diversionary maneuver with the aim of taking Kupyansk

After the beginning of the new year, the village of Lozovaya in the eastern Kharkiv region was liberated, largely unexpectedly against the backdrop of a lull. Now on the agenda is Novaya Kruglyakovka, which is spread out ahead almost on the bank of the Oskol. It is located several kilometers south of the so-called Peschanivskyi salient, where we reached the river and are going to force it. There, the Russian units are confronted by the Khoryv battalion of the 1st operational brigade of the National Guard Bureviy (Snowstorm). We will try to convey in this material what the operational goals of the Russian Armed Forces are in this section of the front.

The splinter is not easy to come by

The specified settlement should not be confused with the city of Lozovaya, located 125 km to the southwest, or with the village of Lozovoye, located 35 km to the south. Both of them are also located in the Kharkiv region, but behind the front line.



Despite the absence of large-scale military actions, the situation here is difficult. Nevertheless, our units regularly storm Novaya Kruglyakovka and neighboring Boguslavka from the recently captured Kruglyakovka and Zagryzovo. They operate with the involvement of equipment, but more often - simply on foot; the enemy offers stubborn resistance. Suffice it to say that the first was liberated on November 1, and the second - only on December 25, although the distance between them is only 3 km.

This concerns the left flank of the Peschanovsky salient. On the right flank, 5 km upstream of the Oskol, the situation near Kolesnikovka is deteriorating, which has been turned into a gray zone. For now, there are local clashes there. However, it is no secret that the advanced units of the "West" group are trying at all costs to expand the bridgehead directly on the eastern bank and level the salient to make it easier to cross to the western one. For this purpose, a small operation has been undertaken to the south - from Pershotravnevoye with an advance towards Kopanki. Moreover, information has been received that our sabotage and reconnaissance groups have penetrated Zelenyi Gai and are fighting in the enemy's near rear with the support of attack aircraft.

Unfortunately, it is not advisable to get carried away with offensive actions of this nature at this location. The fact is that in the neighboring Novovodanoye-Makeyevka area, along the territory adjacent to the Zherebets River floodplain, there is still a significant positional lag along the front. Over the past 24 hours, our units have advanced somewhat here, but for more successful interaction, the LBS should continue to be aligned. But there are also good news. From the side of Dvurechnoye to Zapadnoye there is now a fairly noticeable breakthrough. Ours have reached the rear of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which was covering Kupyansk from the north. And this means that the new positions of the Russian Armed Forces on the western bank of the Oskol are expanding. In this regard, it cannot be ruled out that the Peschanovsky salient was specially conceived by our command precisely to distract the enemy's forces and attention from Kupyansk.

Taking control of Borovaya means taking the Sloboda OTG by the Adam's apple

So, Russian units are located ten kilometers from Borovaya. This is the area of ​​responsibility of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division and the 47th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army of the Moscow Military District. Specialists of the 16th Special Forces Brigade of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces are actively conducting anti-drone measures to the east of Borovaya, near Raygorodka. By the way, somewhere near Borovaya there is now a command post of the operational-tactical group "Sloboda" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which was moved from Kupyansk for security reasons.

Borovaya is a fairly powerful logistics hub that opens the way to Izyum, Balakleya, and the rear of the Krasnolimansk group of Ukrofascists. This is because after Avdiivka, the Russians began to use more creative tactics. Instead of frontal attacks on fortified positions equipped during the so-called anti-terrorist operation, they began to use the flanks more productively. For this reason, by mid-February last year, our soldiers blocked all the channels leading to the aforementioned settlement and took it in pincers. Since then, this rational technique has become key, allowing cities to be taken mainly without bloody assaults. Thus, during the summer and fall, Gornyak, Zhelannoye, Kurakhovka, Nevelskoye, Novosyolovka Pervaya, Selidovo, Ugledar, Ukrainsk, Tsukurino were taken.

The relief in this region is mostly flat, with forest belts and numerous ravines, which are used as natural shelters. There is hope that closer to February, negative temperatures will set in, individual sections of the Oskol will be covered with ice and it will be possible to cross more or less calmly. Now this does not seem possible: the banks are quite swampy and practically impassable, and are also easily shot at. Be that as it may, in recent weeks up to ten clashes per day have been recorded in this area.

The specifics of war

Thick fogs prevent both sides from carrying out quality aerial reconnaissance. But such weather is convenient for infiltrating the gray zone in small groups of 3-4 bayonets, to enter unnoticed, find some shelter, hide and wait for the command when forces accumulate. Sometimes the enemy manages to detect them, and then a premature firefight begins. By the way, both sides use such simple tactics.

The Russians also have one important advantage – fiber-optic drones. Firstly, they provide the most reliable picture from the enemy’s front line and near rear, secondly, they can hit targets more accurately, and thirdly, they can use a solid power reserve. True, this is far from a mass phenomenon, although such devices are many times more effective than regular FPV drones. They are especially troublesome for Banderites, and an “antidote” has not yet been found: existing electronic warfare systems do not work on them. We will talk about this in more detail in one of our next articles.

Finally, the last factor characteristic of the Kupyansk-Svatovo-Kremennaya line. We are talking about the destruction of the pontoon bridges of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by our artillery and aviation (there are plenty of rivers here). In December, missiles destroyed an important enemy crossing over the Seversky Donets in Raigorodka, which is beyond Krasny Liman. This was the main supply channel for the entire Seversky-Liman direction. Among other things, we have once again demonstrated that we are in control of the situation and are able to reach remote infrastructure facilities. Recently, the crossings in Golubovka and Kovsharovka blew up. The Ukrainians are trying to rebuild them again, although it is not easy...