South Front
Strikes by the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine
After the intensification of hostilities in Ukraine and Russia’s border regions almost a week ago, the overall situation remains unchanged.
Russian forces once again carried out a massive strike against infrastructure and weapons depots in Ukraine. In the south, cruise missiles struck Ukrainian locations in the Odessa and Belgorod-Dnistrovsk districts. In Kiev, Russian Geran-2 UAVs raided military and infrastructure facilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The kamikaze drones struck targets in Svyatoshynskyi and Solomenskyi districts of the capital. In the Sumy Region, Ukrainian air defenses were also powerless against Russian munitions. Near the village of Znob-Novhorodske, a precise hit hit hit a location of AFU units.
Unsuccessful work of the Ukrainian air defense system in Kiev:
Once again, Ukrainian formations shelled the border areas of the Belgorod region. Residential buildings in Shebekino, Krasnoye, Spodaryushino and Leonovka were hit by the Ukrainian military: at least five people were injured. AFU assault groups made yet another attempt to attack Russian positions on the outskirts of the village of Olshana. Ukrainian units were dispersed by pre-emptive artillery fire.
In the LPR, during the day, Ukrainian units’ positions in the areas of Novoselovskoye, Stelmakhovka and Chervona Dibrova were hit.
Destruction of Ukrainian guns on the territory bordering the LPR:
A difficult situation is developing in the Bakhmut direction. The head of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, reported that on the sothern flank the Russian brigade in its entirety abandoned its positions and fled from the front. Established PMCs in almost full strength refused to proceed to the front. In order to contain the Ukrainian offensive, the Wagner PMC took control of the northern flank and lost about 500 personnel. In the western districts of Bakhmut, Russian forces are engaged in fierce fighting for the Olympic Reserve School. The Wagner PMCs continue their offensive on the AFU positions. There are reports of attacks by Russian units in the direction of Ivanovskoye and Chasov Yar. The Ukrainian armed forces’ positions in the areas of Vasyukovka, Orekhovo-Vasilevka, Novomarkovo, Stupochek, Predtechino, Aleksandro-Shultino and Dyleyevka came under fire. To the south, the Vagner PMC assault units advanced along Tolbukhin and Levchenko streets, pushing Ukrainian soldiers out of the city meter by meter.
Destruction of Ukrainian positions near Bakhmut:
View from positions occupied by Ukrainians in Bakhmut
During the day, the AFU positions in the districts of Terniv, Torske, Serebryanka, Ugledar, Shevchenko and Vremevka were hit. Three enemy ammunition depots were hit in the districts of Vodyane, Verkhnekamensk and Kramatorsk. Ukrainian formations continue to strike civilian infrastructure in Donetsk with NATO artillery. As a result of the shelling of the Kyiv district, private houses, cars and gas pipelines were damaged.
The Russian Armed Forces carried out strikes on AFU units in the areas of Malinovka, Marfopol, Bilohirya and Novodanilovka during the day. An ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army was destroyed in Kirovo.
In the Kherson direction during the day more than 50 AFU soldiers, 7 vehicles and the Msta-B howitzer were destroyed. Ukrainian troops on Monday shelled populated areas of the Kherson region. In Tavriisk, a shell hit a 9-storey apartment building and caught fire. The head of Novaya Kakhovka Volodymyr Leontiev reported that there were casualties as a result of the attack by the AFU on the territory of the region.
On the eve of the Ukrainian counterattack, which practically the whole world is expecting, analyzing all available sources we can say that at the moment it is rather doomed to failure. The Russian army’s defensive redoubts are already providing sufficient protection for the positions Russia has taken. However, at the same time, it is also impossible to claim that the Russian Armed Forces will go on the attack after the defensive successes, because despite the numerical superiority, the Ukrainian fortifications are too strong and deep. Their storming requires a large amount of time and manpower.
