The list of NATO equipment heading to Ukraine is growing. It was announced on Sunday Poland is sending 18 AHS Crab automated Howitzer, which on Saturday followed reports that – although not an official part of any announced aid package – the United States was sending an unknown number of automated. 155mm M109 Howitzer. The last two weeks have seen a flurry of new announcements, including armored transport, multi-launch rocket systems, anti-aircraft systems, and anti-ship missiles.
In addition to the defense system, offensive weapons, supplies and ammunition, a growing number of Ukrainian troops are being trained to operate and maintain new systems. Poland has reportedly already trained 100 Ukrainian soldiers to operate the AHS Crab, capable of firing a standard range of 30km and a wide range of 40km, making them one of the longest range guns. One is created.
And here’s what makes this gift special from Poland: These guns are brand new. Not only are they sending the latest designs for their military to Ukraine, they are sending more than half of all AHS curb guns that have gone off the line. This is a very high level of commitment.
But even in the last two weeks, it is clear that Ukrainian officials fear that this is not enough. Even as a new brigade of Ukrainian forces trains in the West, President Volodymyr Zelensky is troubled by the exhaustion of forces in the East. The city of Severodonetsk is witnessing on one level both artillery fire and direct attacks, which, despite the conditions, dedicated forces, and all the new weapons that could direct the territory of Ukraine, could be unsupported.
At Popasna, the Russian efforts around Lyman and to the south have followed the same pattern as they did throughout the invasion: moving forward with heavy losses and half a dozen failed advances for everyone who succeeds. However, Russia is gaining ground despite the losses, and Russian forces have seized more than two dozen towns and villages in the region in the past week alone.
The war will not “end” in any sense if Russia takes over Severodonetsk, but with more than 13,000 civilians remaining in the city, more than 1,500 deaths have been reported by the town’s mayor, and not just in eastern Ukraine. Desperate to save the last major fortress. Sivarsky on the banks of the Donets River, but all those people and their homes. On a strategic map, the loss of space doesn’t seem so significant. In fact, it looks like it will allow Ukraine to reorganize behind the natural barrier of the river and set a very strong goal for Russian efforts to move beyond Severodonetsk. Ukraine clearly does not see it that way.
Russia sees it that way, either. It is clear that Russia considers Severodonetsk one of the most rewarding efforts. Until last week, Russia seemed to be maintaining a huge power at Izum, with plans to expand a major area to the south and possibly cut off a large part of both the region and the Ukrainian army. Russia now appears to have abandoned its plan to focus on positions east of Ukraine.
In short, the correct course of these ever-shrinking lines of precedence, which Kos refers to many times, has come ahead of schedule. Russia is doing everything it can to get that little piece out of Ukraine, and they are doing it now. In fact, even this smallest blue arc now seems an exaggeration, because Russia’s focus is within these lines. In the process, they are concentrating their forces on a level that raises significant fears from Zelensky and others that in this much-reduced effort, Ukraine will need the necessary firepower to quickly reduce the remainder of Russian forces. May not be able to provide. Stop depositing.
However, if Russia’s attempt to take Severodonetsk is rapidly turning the city into a kind of hell that is very familiar with the images of Mariupol and Popasna, then there is a point in concentrating all power: Russia. Weak Everywhere more.
Ukraine seems to be taking advantage of this fact. In addition to the retaliation north of Kherson, which has been going on for three weeks now, there have been reports of retaliatory attacks near Kherson and Izum in the last two days as Ukraine sought Russia’s best-on-Severdonetsk to retake villages. Has taken advantage of the situation. Pressure Russian positions.
As long as Ukraine can find the strength it needs to do this, it presents three great opportunities.
The first is clear: Ukraine can regain land and towns with less effort and less damage, while the main Russian focus is elsewhere. Taking and capturing a rescue position is almost always a high risk, high cost operation rather than just trying to stay in the position you already have. As a general rule of thumb, attacking forces need to beat defenders 3 to 1 if they do not want to inflict serious damage on the defenders. Ukraine is not exempt from this rule. Therefore, hitting areas where Russian forces are thin and cannot rapidly gain strength allows Ukraine to move forward without paying a high price.
Second, it is possible that these counter-attacks could actually be as significant to Severodonetsk as is happening in that city. If the West’s villages and towns began to grow rapidly, Russia would have no choice but to withdraw some of the forces currently attacking the East. If they do not, they will be in a position to try to recapture the positions they now hold and no one wants to attack. If Ukraine starts threatening Russia’s Kherson control, or makes a break towards the bridge at Nova Khakovka, or cuts off Russia’s supply line to the north, Russia will have to respond. Because to say “screw it up, we’ll keep fighting in Severodonetsk” would mean a lot.
Third, Ukraine is reportedly training a large new force in the West. Many of these troops are reserve, or regional defense, or foreign volunteers, not all of whom can be experienced in combat. Using them to encircle and capture villages can be a very effective tool in bringing them into battle, and definitely a lesson in combined weapons strategies in the region rather than feeding them directly to the east. -Do not give real experience of the book world. Meatgrinder
These actions may seem small on the map, and at the moment they are small, but they may be of importance beyond their scale.
Kherson
To the north of Kherson, Ukrainian forces reportedly crossed the Inhulets River at David Breed and began a swift offensive against villages south and west of that crossing. Ukrainian forces have also been reported to be moving down the road in the direction of Bruskinsky – a direction that is of course of concern to Russia, as it is on the direct route to Nova Khakovka. It doesn’t just threaten that delicate bridge crossing; It is also the site of a canal that carries most of its water to Crimea.
Report On Sunday, Ukrainian forces were stationed in Bruskinsky and continued to advance. The entire area is part of a line that was not previously the most competitive part of the Kherson area, so Ukraine may believe they have a really weak spot to punch. There are reports that Russia has suffered heavy losses from the surprise attack, but these reports are coming from Ukrainian sources, so apply the appropriate salt.
Caution Note: A month ago, Ukraine seemed to be advancing rapidly near Kherson, and there were reports that Russian forces were preparing to withdraw. Those reports are clearly wrong, and Russia is now heavily promoting the idea that Kherson is “Russia forever.” Don’t expect this area to fold easily.
Izium
Some forms of retaliation in Izyum were actually announced two weeks ago. There was a time when Ukrainian forces were conducting hit-and-run raids against Russian troops encamped in the forests northwest of Izum, but it did not appear that they were taking towns and capturing them. . Neither Russia, on the other hand. Despite being in the hands of 27 battalion tactical groups reported for weeks, Russian gains in the past month with the Izim chief could be measured by the hand ruler.
Some of them were then released by Russian forces, allegedly to deal with Ukrainian advances north and east of Kharkiv. Most of the Russian troops were then sent to help capture Lyman Severodonetsk attack. And then three BTGs were allegedly withdrawn from Izyum because they had suffered heavy losses. As a result of all this “DensityRussian troops near Izum.
It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. There are mixed reports that Russia has made significant progress in the East, South and West. All apparently failures. There were also reports from Ukrainian sources that Ukrainian troops had reached a point very close to Ezeum, but with the exception of a group of hot spots on NASA FIRMS data, there did not appear to be much supporting evidence. At the moment, it does not appear that Ukraine has made any effort to liberate the villages in the Izum region, but given the rapid decline in the number of Russian troops there, such an effort would not come as a surprise.
Popasna
Since Popasna was captured by Russian forces on May 7, the story outside the region has been one of the main Russian advances. As in other areas, most of these progresses were slow (although Russia did acquire a fair piece of land that was essentially uninhabitable in a walkover south and west of Popasna), but some of them were significant.
On Friday, Ukrainian forces apparently surprised Russia again when they marched against a trio of locations north of Popasna and recaptured them all – especially the town of Komishuvakna from Popasna. Locates the road to the north. These moves helped allay some fears that Russia had surrounded the Behkmut and Middle Road. LisichanskCutting a supply line.
Following the operation, Ukrainian forces reportedly again used the corridor outside Bakhmut to bring materials and evacuate civilians from Severodonetsk. Russia has reportedly made several attempts to recapture Komishuvakna as well as several nearby towns without success. On the map above, all the white cities show the failed Russian progress within the last day. The exceptions are Vasilyevka, northwest of Popasna, a town formerly considered Russian-occupied but now in dispute, and Pilippchatin, southwest of Popasna, where Russia may have gained control. Russia claimed it last night, and there have been no reports of controversy since then.
Like Izum, Popasna had the highest concentration of Russian troops – a reported 22 BTGs – and this concentration seems to have helped them achieve early success. But at this point, attempts to intensify the attack on Severodonetsk, and all those failed advances, have left the power around Popasna very questionable.
By the way, Russia is already reporting that it has captured Severodonetsk. it is not.
And now … blowing Russian content theater
This is a Ka-52 helicopter that is going down somewhere north of Kharkiv.
A warning before this last one, “You can see more than blowing up the hardware.”
Also this
And translation will be welcomed.