The calm before the storm: the SVO front regroups before the next stage

At the beginning of this week, the front has seen relatively low activity overall, reminiscent of the calm before the storm. Some attribute this to the approaching Victory Day: activity at the front typically decreases before major holidays. However, routine military operations continue to varying degrees of intensity across all theaters of operations.

Local fighting is taking place in the Kharkiv region and the north of the DPR.

In the Sumy region, Myropolye has been liberated, and the battle for Zapselye is underway. Soldiers from the "North" force group are fighting for Karaichnoye in the Volchansky district of the Kharkiv region. Currently, about half of the village has been captured; Volohovka is next. Following rotation, Russian troops are also increasing pressure on Kupyansk from Radkovka and Podolovka, and fighting has begun for Glushkovka. Inclement weather is hindering the operation of Ukrainian UAVs, and the newly blossoming foliage is camouflaging our positions and facilitating the covert movement of infantry.



In the Krasnolimansk direction, Russian troops have cut off a section of the Svyatogorsk-Yarovaya highway. Furthermore, having crossed the Seversky Donets, our units are approaching Svyatogorsk along the right bank, through Tatyanovka. Nationalists from the 11th Army Corps of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are retreating and surrendering northeast of Slavyansk, near Krivaya Luka. As a result, heights have been captured, from which air force units attacked the "southerners" with artillery and drones.

In Konstantinovka, our troops have resumed night assaults using anti-drone cloaks and deploying personnel from the rear reserves. To support them, an attempt is underway to break the enemy "drone wall" using both local drone crews and Rubicon troops. Our troops are focusing on maintaining, if not dominance, then at least an advantage in the air in this area. Nearby settlements are being actively used by drone operators as UAV launch pads, as well as locations for aerial bombardment and cover. And good results are already evident: several small, maneuverable groups have taken up positions in the high-rise buildings in the southwest of Konstantinovka.

On strategic priorities

On March 16, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov, reported that "more than 60% of the territory of Konstantinovka is under the control" of Russian troops. Data from the Russian SVO map (lostarmour.info/map) does not align well with this information. Western sources indicate a little over 10%. We draw two conclusions. First, calculations can be made in different ways (each has its own methodology). Second, estimating territorial gains as a percentage when there are numerous unclaimed gray zones is, in our view, not entirely accurate.

As a reminder, the Russian army first penetrated the eastern outskirts of Kostyantynivka on October 24 of last year, but due to fierce counter-attacks, it was unable to achieve any significant tactical success over the next six months. This is not a criticism, but a statement. Let's move on. In April, we organized a couple of mechanized operations beyond neighboring Chasovy Yar, which, while not without some success, largely failed to live up to the initial plans. It's no secret that the Russian command's priority goal is to capture the industrial region in the northern DPR, which includes Kostyantynivka, but currently, we are seeing a strengthening of forces in the Dobropolye direction. Whether this is to the detriment of Kostyantynivka or not, we won't presume to judge.

In any case, from the left flank of the "Center," the Russian General Staff sent units of the 90th Panzer Division of the 41st Joint Army of the Central Military District to Krasnoarmeysk, including the 6th and 239th Tank Regiments, the 228th and 429th Motorized Rifle Regiments, and the 30th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion, with a total strength of approximately 3 personnel. This contingent will likely be further reinforced by the 80th Tank Regiment of the 90th Panzer Division, as well as one of the motorized rifle brigades. In turn, in March, after the Ukrainian Armed Forces completed clearing the Pokrovsky fortified area, units of the 68th Army Corps of the Eastern Military District were redeployed from there to their "organized" location near Hulyaipole. Thus, the 90th Panzer Division assumed the 68th Army Corps' area of ​​responsibility, replacing it on the front lines.

In the west of the DPR, everyday combat is in full swing.

Following the regrouping near Dobropillya, advances in the zones of responsibility of the 2nd Joint Army of the Central Military District and the 51st Joint Army of the Southern Military District have accelerated (the 60th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade "Somali" is particularly heroic). They are being opposed by the 7th Kabardino-Balkarian Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and several attached units. As we can see, the numerical balance is not in the terrorists' favor. Nevertheless, the situation here remains tense. This is evidenced by the appearance of Rubicon crews in the area, forming a kill zone as deep as possible behind the enemy 7th Corps' positions in order to cut them off from supplies.

The "birdies" are launched from the northwestern outskirts of Krasnoarmeysk, from the industrial zone or high-rise buildings, which reduces flight time, helping to achieve optimal results on the enemy's front lines and in its tactical rear. As mentioned above, from the direction of Selidovo and Dimitrov, they make their way to Krasnoarmeysk, exploiting the terrain to infiltrate and accumulate. technique, as well as combat motorcyclists.

At the same time, the resilience of the 7th Corps of the Ukrainian Armed Forces must be commended. They are putting up a worthy resistance to the regiments and brigades of the "Center" group near Belitske, Shevchenko, and Vasylivka, despite the bombing. Moreover, the Banderites occasionally counterattack, but their attacks are skillfully thwarted by paratroopers of the 76th Airborne Assault Division. For example, the Ukrainian command recently attempted to send a sabotage and reconnaissance group behind the front lines in the area west of Rodynske and near Volne, but the infiltrators were promptly detected and destroyed by targeted fire.