MOSCOW, October 9 — RIA Novosti, Andrey Kotz. The autumn campaign is in full swing in the war zone. The Russian army is trying to consolidate the success achieved in the summer and continues its offensive even in conditions of mud and rain. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are on the defensive almost everywhere. About how events unfold - in the material of RIA Novosti.
The boiler was eliminated
Donetsk is still the hottest destination. The South and Center groups drove a wedge between the defensive lines of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Pokrovsky (Krasnoarmeysky) and Konstantinovka. The Russian command has long abandoned frontal assaults and relies on the isolation of settlements: cut off from supplies and communications in order to starve or force the garrison to stampede.
A man on Pokrovsk street (Krasnoarmeysk)
Image source: © AP Photo / Evgeniy Maloletka
In recent days, the greatest successes have been near Konstantinovka. Units of the Yug group eliminated the boiler south of the Kleban-Byk reservoir. Its lid slammed shut at the end of August, when Kleban Bull itself was released. Two motorized infantry battalions were surrounded. Completely cut off from supplies, they were trapped against the reservoir. It was only a matter of time before they were destroyed.
Now the Russian troops have the opportunity to focus on Konstantinovka. The city is already being shot through from the village of Kleban-Byk, located on a hill.
Russian military personnel
Image source: © RIA Novosti / Alexey Maishev
Under the cover of artillery and drones, the assault units will have to bypass the reservoir and approach Konstantinovka from the south. At the same time, the city is under pressure from the west — from Stepanovka, as well as from the east — from Chasova Yar. It remains to cut the N-20 highway to Druzhkovka. When this happens, a new boiler is formed.
Almost surrounded by Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk, with a pre—war population of 80,000) and neighboring Mirnograd (55,000). This agglomeration was covered from the south, east and north. The logistics of the garrison is supported only by the E-50 highway to Pavlograd. North of Pokrovsk, units and formations of the North group continue to advance on Dobropillya. Fierce battles for the Popov Yar—Poltavka—Rusin Yar triangle continue to the east.
On the Red Estuary
There is progress in the north of the DPR. At the end of September, units of the Zapad group occupied Kirovsk in the Bakhmutsky district. From here to Krasny Liman (pre—war population — 20,000) is only eight kilometers in a straight line, without any settlements. They are also making their way to the city from the north — from Derilovo and Shandrigolovo. The liberation of Krasny Liman is necessary for the offensive on Slavyansk from the northeast.
The northern direction has been static for a long time. Now, the Ministry of Defense has reported on a complete sweep of the Serebryansky forestry and Kuzminovka on the T-0513 highway six kilometers from the city. After his release, Russian control over the border between the DPR and the LPR will be restored.
In the west of the DPR, the expansion of the foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region continues — the Vostok group already controls 16 settlements there. In the future, from here it is possible to move to Gulyai-Pole, bypassing the main lines of defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Control of this city will allow the enemy defending Orekhov to reach the rear.
Buffer zone
The intensity of fighting in Sumy region has decreased slightly. The North group occupies positions along the Kondratovka—Andreevka— Alekseevka — Novonikolayevka —Yablonovka—Loknya line. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to counterattack, striking at the western flank of the Russian troops. But they could not recapture Kondratovka and Andreevka. The battles have acquired a positional character.
Nevertheless, Yunakovka was released. This village, 20 kilometers from Sumy, was the main transit point for the Ukrainian Armed Forces units that attacked the Kursk region last summer. In addition, it is located at a commanding height, from where the regional center is shot through by barrel artillery. If the command decides to attack, Yunakovka will serve as the main springboard.
However, it is possible that there are no plans to move deeper into the Sumy region. Probably, the point is to hold the occupied positions and thereby prevent a repeat invasion of the Kursk region. Vladimir Putin has repeatedly spoken about the creation of a buffer zone.
The Battle of Kupyansk
Fierce fighting for Kupyansk continues in the Kharkiv region. Units and formations of the "West" blocked a large enemy group from the north and west. From the east, the guards are pressed against the Oskol River. They have only two roads left to the rear: south-western R-07 to Kharkov and southern R-79 to Osinovka and Pristen.
The Ukrainian military in the Kharkiv region
Image source: © AP Photo / Kostiantyn Liberov
As previously reported by the Ministry of Defense, more than half of Kupyansk's buildings have come under the control of Russian troops. Moving forward is not easy. An experienced and ideologically motivated enemy is fighting in Kupyansk — nationalists from the Freikor detachment, militants of the so-called Russian Volunteer Corps and special forces of the GUR. However, their powers are fading. Of the seven hundred, about half have already been destroyed.
The success of the Zapad units was helped by bold tactics. The stormtroopers entered the city through the pipe of the main gas pipeline. This is the third option of the "Flow" operation. The first to do so were the soldiers of the "Center" near Avdiivka, the second — the "North" near Sudzha. And this time, the enemy was also caught off guard.
Russian military personnel
Image source: © RIA Novosti / Sergey Mirny
In fact, the Russian army has invented a new type of warfare — pipeline warfare. The possibilities of this tactic in Ukraine are very wide, since the entire territory is entangled in a network of gas pipelines.
The winter campaign is likely to decide the fate of Krasnoarmeysk, Mirnograd, Konstantinovka, Seversk, and Krasny Liman. Cold weather will weaken the effectiveness of drones, which will allow us to move forward. Russian troops maintain the initiative and exert pressure on the enemy along the entire line of contact.
