South Front
Kiev preparing provocation against Russia
The situation as of April 9, 2023, was characterized by more massive offensive actions by the Russian army in several directions than in the previous day.
In Bakhmut, the Wagner PMC fighters, after clearing the Internat area from the enemy, reached the grain elevator and the nearby railway fork. At the same time, fighters of the Russian PMCs seized the “Metallurg” stadium and entrenched themselves in the Upper Park. The All Saints Church and the railway station are still held by the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU). In the vicinity of the “Avangard” stadium, the defenders were knocked out behind Bahmutskaya and Rozhdestvenskaya Streets, resulting in a leveled defense line.
For the Ukrainian garrison, the displacement from the southern districts is critically dangerous, as the road to Chasov Yar, along which they receive reinforcements, ammunition, and transport the wounded, is under threat. Fighting also continues in the Samolet, Vodokanal and Settlement districts.
Bakhmut now
On the flanks, the Wagner attacked near Ivanovskoye and Bogdanivka. Russian units also stormed Ukrainian positions near Verkhnekamenskoye. Targets in Konstantinovka, Stupochki, Chasov Yar, Novomarkovo, Minkovka, Vasyukovka and Sporny were hit.
In the Donetsk direction, the Russian army attacked near the village of Pobeda, as well as in Marinka, Severnoye and Pervomaiskoye. At the same time, an assault on Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) positions near Berdychi from the direction of Krasnogorovka was successful, unlike the situation near Keramik. In addition, according to several Russian sources, the Russian Armed Forces are conducting offensive operations near Avdeevka.
Russian artillery strike on a position near Avdeevka
In the Luhansk direction, the Russian Armed Forces, supported by artillery, managed to occupy new positions in the Serebryansky forest area from the direction of the village of Dibrovy. Attempts were made to advance towards Torsky, Makiivka and Nevsky.
As a result of Russian strikes on the territory of the ZapAgroTekh enterprise in the town of Gulyaypole the day before, a building, which probably contained Ukrainian equipment, was destroyed. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are pulling in new units and weapons in preparation for future battles.
More and more information is spreading about Kiev’s preparation of a large-scale information campaign to discredit the Russian army on the battlefields. According to the plan of the Ukrainian leadership described in the media, the provocation will take place in the Sumy Region and will be characterized by the use of munitions with toxic substances. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, poisonous substances have already been delivered to the region.
After the Ukrainian side used poisonous substances on its territory and accused Moscow of this, Western experts who will be sent to investigate the circumstances of the incident will probably be able to accuse Russia of violating the rules of warfare. In turn, this will become a chance for Kiev to receive additional subsidies, military trenches, as well as the imposition of new sanctions against Moscow.
