Defense in the city has been prepared for years, experts say
On May 8, the People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic announced the complete liberation of the settlement of Svetlichnoye in the Popasninsky district. According to experts, over the past weekend, the units of the Luhansk People's Republic have achieved serious success, occupying the city of Popasnaya itself. Its defense has been prepared for many years. On the same day, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the destruction of a Ukrainian ship, a Su-25 attack aircraft, two bombers, a helicopter and a drone. The missile forces of the Russian Federation struck 700 targets, including the S-300 anti-aircraft systems and the Smerch MLRS. On May 8, the head of the military department, Sergei Shoigu, presented the gold stars of the Hero of Russia to two pilots of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Sea strike
On May 8, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported the destruction of a Ukrainian corvette project 1241 near Odessa.
— High—precision air-launched missiles of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed the command post of the mechanized brigade in the Pyatikhatka area of the Kharkiv region and the communications center of the Chervonoglinskoye military airfield near the village of Artsiz during the night, - said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Major General Igor Konashenkov.
In addition, Soledar destroyed the weapons and military equipment delivered to the Sol station from the United States and Western countries and the personnel of the AFU reserve units. A pontoon crossing of Ukrainian troops in the Chuguev area and six warehouses of rocket and artillery weapons were also hit.
The aircraft hit 184 enemy targets, including areas of concentration of troops and equipment, two artillery batteries in firing positions and two warehouses of rocket and artillery weapons and ammunition near the settlements of Bakhmut and Krasnopolye.
About 700 targets were hit by missile troops and artillery, including two launchers of S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems near the village of Korotych near Kharkov, a launcher of the Osa-AKM anti-aircraft missile system in the Nikolaev area, a Smerch multiple rocket launcher near Soledar, as well as an air target detection radar station in the area of the settlement Velikaya Korenikha of the Mykolaiv region.
Air defense means destroyed a Ukrainian Su-25 attack aircraft near Pogonovka in the Kharkiv region. Two Su-24 bombers were shot down near Zmeiny Island. There is also a Mi—24 attack helicopter and a Bayraktar-TB2 drone. Another drone of this model was shot down near Odessa.
— During the day, four Ukrainian planes, four helicopters, including three with troops on board, three Bayraktar-TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles and one amphibious assault boat of the Ukrainian Navy were destroyed in the area of Zmeiny, - Igor Konashenkov recalled on Sunday morning.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, a total of 157 aircraft, 116 helicopters, 768 unmanned aerial vehicles, 298 anti-aircraft missile systems, 2933 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 336 multiple rocket launchers, 1,411 field artillery and mortar guns, as well as 2,758 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed since the beginning of the special military operation.
On May 8, the LPR reported on the successes in the Luhansk direction. "The People's Militia continues to liberate the territory occupied by Kiev. The locality of Svetlichnoye was completely liberated by the units of the defense department," the report says. On May 5, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, announced the release of Svetlichny, noting that "the cleansing is being completed there."
— At the weekend, the People's Militia of the LPR managed to achieve serious success, — military expert Vladislav Shurygin told Izvestia. — Ukrainian troops were driven out of the town of Popasnaya, fierce fighting for which lasted two months. Whatever the Ukrainian authorities say about the planned withdrawal to pre-prepared defensive positions, it is clear that it will now be much more difficult for them to defend themselves in the field than in a solid urban development. In the Izyum direction, it has already been demonstrated that the Russian artillery and the army are able to effectively "hack" such field fortifications. Popasnaya was prepared for defense for years, even full-fledged reinforced concrete pillboxes were created there, almost not vulnerable to conventional guns.
After Popasna, the important cities of Bakhmut and Soledar will be taken. That is why reports of strikes in their vicinity are increasingly appearing in the reports of the Russian Defense Ministry. After the breakthrough of the Ukrainian long-term defense in Novotoshkovskaya, the capture of Svetlichny did not take long to wait. From there, the LNR group will advance on Lisichansk. Due to the loss of Rubezhny and several surrounding villages, the position of the Ukrainian group in Severodonetsk and Lisichansk is becoming increasingly dangerous, its communications will soon be under threat, the expert noted.
A new generation Army
On Sunday, a solemn ceremony of awarding the golden stars of Heroes to servicemen took place at the National Defense Control Center. By presidential decree, the deputy commander of the assault aviation regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Litvinov, and the navigator of the fighter aviation regiment, Major Viktor Dudin, were awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
— Dear colleagues, I congratulate you on these high awards, the highest awards. I would like to wish you further success, you serve with dignity and represent the Armed Forces of a new generation, the generation of those who today replaced those who defended the independence and freedom of our Fatherland back in 1945. I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart," Sergei Shoigu said.
On May 8, the Ministry of Defense told about the servicemen who showed courage and dedication during the fighting. Corporal Alexey Yuldoshev was guarding the airfield. He discovered the approach of large Ukrainian forces, reported to the commander and opened fire.
— During the offensive, the enemy used gas of a general irritating effect, and also subjected the checkpoint where Corporal Yuldoshev was located to grenade fire. Despite the vastly superior forces, the enemy faced a decisive rebuff from a group of paratroopers, which included Alexei Yuldoshev," the Defense Ministry said.
Holding the defense, Corporal Yuldoshev destroyed a grenade launcher and a significant number of militants. The enemy made a desperate attempt to get close to the positions of Yuldoshev's group and throw fragmentation grenades at the defenders.
— The enemies were destroyed by the targeted fire of Russian paratroopers on the approaches to the checkpoint, — the Defense Ministry said.
Corporal Sultan Jamaldinov was driving in an armored personnel carrier through a populated area, and found a well-armed group of militants who organized defense here.
— Suddenly attacking Ukrainian nationalists, Corporal Jamaldinov destroyed up to 15 people of manpower. Part of the nationalists, saving their lives, surrendered to Russian servicemen. The courageous and decisive actions of Corporal Sultan Jamaldinov allowed Russian motorized infantry to break through the nationalists' defenses and oust them from their positions," the military department said.
Lieutenant Artur Karakayev and his subordinates were ensuring the safety of the movement of columns of military equipment when Artur discovered an armed group of Ukrainian nationalists preparing an ambush. Despite the superior forces of the radicals, as a result of the clash, Artur Karakayev's group destroyed 2 enemy armored personnel carriers and at least 25 nationalists.
A few days later, during the liberation of one of the settlements, Arthur was wounded by a shell that exploded nearby, but he did not come out of the battle and, having provided himself with medical assistance, continued to lead his subordinates. During the liberation of the settlement, Artur Karakayev's subordinates destroyed more than 10 militants, the Defense Ministry said.
Anton Lavrov
