Illustrative Image: Ukrainian vehicles destroyed near Bakhmut
On May 14, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) launched several major attacks in the Bakhmut region. Inspired by their recent advances in the area, Ukrainian forces attempted to develop their success and break through Russian defences in the area of the water reservoir south of Berkhovka and cut the road to the city of Bakhmut. Another direction of the Ukrainian offensive was the area of the village of Ivanovskoe (Krasnoe), where the Ukrainian military is securing its control of the road to Konstantinovka.
However today, all Ukrainian attack were repelled by Russian servicemen and the AFU suffered heavy losses.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that at least six attacks of the AFU were repelled east of Bogdanovka in the area of the Berkovsky reservoir. The attacking forces involved assault groups of more than 100 Ukrainian servicemen, armed with seven tanks, 14 infantry fighting vehicles, as well as other military and special equipment.
Russian motorized infantry of the 3rd battalion of the 200th Motorized Rifle Brigade repelled all six attacks in the area. According to the Russian military, seven tanks, 11 infantry fighting vehicles and more than 50 Ukrainian servicemen were destroyed.
Moreover, in the area of responsibility of the Russian 6th Division, another Ukrainian attack by Ukrainian assault groups with three tanks and four infantry fighting vehicles was repelled. Ukrainian losses amounted to over 30 servicemen, two tanks and three infantry fighting vehicles.
Ukrainian tank, which took part in the recent offensive on the position of the 9th Motorized Infantry Regiment of the Armed Forces near Bakhmut destroyed by Wagner forces:
Another direction of Ukrainian attacks on the military positions of the units of the Russian Defence Ministry is to the south of the village of Krasnoe. The Ukrainian military is storming Russian strongholds, trying to reach the north-western outskirts of Kleshchevka, where a high ground is located.
The Russian Ministry of Defence reported that at least three Ukrainian attacks were repelled near Krasnoe, which is under the control of the AFU. The battalion tactical group of the AFU launched offensive operations south of the settlement.
As a result of the fighting, the nationalists lost about 200 soldiers killed and wounded. Russian servicemen destroyed three tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles and two armored vehicles of the AFU.
The commander of the 4th Motorized Rifle Brigade, Colonel Vyacheslav Makarov, personally led the battle on the front line. During the third Ukrainian attack, the brigade commander was seriously wounded and died during the evacuation from the battlefield.
The deputy commander of the army corps for military and political work, Colonel Yevgeny Brovko, led the actions of the personnel, being in another area of repelling enemy attacks. During the battle in another area, Russian Colonel Yevgeny Brovko also heroically died of multiple shrapnel wounds.
On the evening of May 14, local military reporters claimed that after heavy battles south of Krasnoe in recent days, Ukrainian forces managed to advance several kilometers. Units of the 72nd separate motorized brigade of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation lost their positions to the southwest of Ivanovo. However, they inflicted heavy losses to the advancing Ukrainian units.
‘Death road’ to Bakhmut:
In total, in the Soledar-Bakhmut region, the total losses of the AFU during that day amounted to more than 400 Ukrainian servicemen killed and wounded, 12 tanks, 18 infantry fighting vehicles, two armored combat vehicles, as well as a D-20 howitzer, according to the Russian Ministry of Defence.
The ongoing Ukrainian offensive marked a new stage of the battle for Bakhmut. After the military positions on the flanks of the Wagner PMC which is advancing on the streets of Bakhmut were taken under the control of the Russian Ministry of Defence, the AFU found the soft spots in Russian defences and is now storming Russian positions with large forces. After they recently retreated from the first line of defence south of Berkhovky reservoir, Russian units took up positions on the second line of defence and stopped Ukrainian advance, inflicting heavy losses to the AFU. South of Krasnoe, the Ukrainian military likely continued its advance despite the heavy losses it suffered from Russian forces which are still in control of the commanding height in the area.
