According to experts, the APU is running out of strength to hold strategically important points
By May 14, Russian troops in the Donbass had achieved serious successes near Avdiivka. This settlement near Donetsk has been one of the key hubs for Ukrainian troops for the past eight years, from where they regularly shelled the city. According to experts, now the AFU no longer has enough forces to hold an important area. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, on Saturday, high-precision air-launched missiles hit control points, ammunition depots, strong points and areas of concentration of troops.
High-precision strikes
The armed forces of the Russian Federation on Saturday, May 14, continued a special military operation in Ukraine and strikes on military facilities.
The press service of the People's Militia of the DPR reported that the combined forces of the republic and the Russian Federation are moving closer to Avdiivka. The LNR announced the cleaning of the vicinity of the village of Novobakhmutovka.
— High-precision air-launched missiles of the Russian Aerospace Forces at night hit five control points and two ammunition depots in the areas of the settlements of Disputable and Berestovoye of the Donetsk People's Republic. In the afternoon, 28 company strongholds of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and two more ammunition depots near the villages of Petrovskoye and Zhovtnevoye were hit. Up to 100 nationalists were destroyed, 23 units of military equipment were put out of action, — said the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Major General Igor Konashenkov.
Planes and helicopters of tactical and army aviation attacked 76 areas of concentration of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As a result, up to 90 enemy soldiers were destroyed, 18 units of military equipment were disabled, the Russian defense Ministry reported.
— The successes of our troops near Avdiivka were forced to admit through their teeth even in the summary of the Ukrainian General Staff, — military expert Vladislav Shurygin noted in an interview with Izvestia. — This city was turned into a solid fortified area, which remained impregnable for eight years. This is the main point where the artillery is located, which is shelling Donetsk itself and its surroundings. She uses the building to hide from the return fire. But now the APU no longer has enough strength to maintain defense in all directions of strikes, and weaknesses arise in it. That is why it was possible to wedge into it under Novobakhmutovka and Kamenka.
It is necessary to move slowly and consistently because of many obstacles. After the reconnaissance detects enemy fortifications and clusters, they are processed by the rocket and barrel artillery of the allied forces, after which infantry units move forward, suppress pockets of resistance and occupy vacated positions, the expert said.
Rocket troops and artillery hit about 800 military targets during the day, including 51 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in firing positions, three fortified bunkers and a launcher of the Smerch multiple launch rocket system near the village of Berezovka.
Air defense means shot down 19 Ukrainian drones during the day, including the Bayraktar TB2 strike over the settlement of Mankovka, Kharkiv region. One of the drones was hit over the Snake Island in the Black Sea. Six Smerch MLRS rockets and one Tochka-U ballistic missile were intercepted.
— Since the beginning of the special military operation, 165 aircraft, 125 helicopters, 864 unmanned aerial vehicles, 304 anti—aircraft missile systems, 3067 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 372 multiple rocket launchers, 1514 field artillery and mortars, as well as 2913 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed, - said the general -Major Igor Konashenkov.
On May 14, the head of the National Defense Control Center of Russia, Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, said that 19,378 people, including 2,297 children, were evacuated from dangerous areas of Ukraine and the People's Republics of Donbass during the day. In total, since the beginning of the military operation, almost 1.3 million people have been evacuated, among them more than 220 thousand children.
Mikhail Mizintsev spoke about the use of peaceful infrastructure for military purposes.
— In Nikolaev, in buildings and on the adjacent territory of schools No. 7, No. 15, No. 35 and in Kramatorsk of the Donetsk People's Republic, in schools No. 5, No. 6 and No. 9, militants of Ukrainian armed formations equipped firing positions, placed armored vehicles, artillery and MLRS, and forcibly hold residents of nearby houses in basements; in In New York (Novgorodskoye) of the Donetsk People's Republic, on the territory of the Petrovskaya Gora residential area and school No. 16, the AFU units equipped a strong point, placed heavy weapons and an ammunition depot," the major General said. — At the same time, the evacuation of civilians was not carried out. In Severodonetsk of the Luhansk People's Republic, artillery and MLRS units are located on the territory of a plant of chemical non-standardized equipment in close proximity to densely populated residential quarters.
Remove from under fire
On Saturday, May 14, the Russian Defense Ministry told about the soldiers and officers who showed courage and dedication during the fighting.
A motorized rifle regiment under the command of Colonel Yaroslav Gladkikh discovered large forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in one of the settlements during reconnaissance and offensive operations to open the enemy's grouping. Having evaluated them, Yaroslav Gladkikh decided to immediately wedge himself into their battle formations. During the battle, the officer received a burn on his hands and was wounded by a shrapnel in the head, but despite this, he continued to command. As a result, Yaroslav Gladkikh's regiment was able to destroy two tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, three calculations of anti-tank guided missiles. Thanks to the decisive actions of the Russian motorized infantry, it was possible to liberate the settlement, the Ministry of Defense reported.
Corporal Azamat Sarbasov carried out the task of covering a reconnaissance group that was engaged in fierce battles near one of the settlements. He found a large Ukrainian formation armed with grenade launchers and small arms. Despite the numerical superiority of the militants, our servicemen decided to engage them in battle. Azamat Sarbasov, having taken a favorable firing position, destroyed a grenade launcher and 15 militants with targeted fire, took out two wounded comrades from under enemy fire, providing them with first aid in a safe place. Thanks to the dedication and heroism of the corporal, the enemy was forced to capitulate, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
During one of the fierce battles, a paramedic, junior sergeant Alexey Savenko carried seven seriously wounded Russian servicemen from the battlefield to a safe place. After giving them first aid, he proceeded to evacuate them to the hospital. While driving along the road, the ambulance was subjected to targeted mortar fire. When one of the shells exploded next to the car, the junior sergeant received multiple wounds with damage to internal organs. Despite the injuries, Alexey Savenko promptly delivered the wounded to the hospital, where qualified medical care was provided to everyone.
An artillery division under the command of Guard Major Denis Kamaletdinov during the liberation of one of the settlements destroyed two enemy tanks, two batteries, four strongpoints, twelve roadblocks and three positions of spotters. During the battle, Denis Kamaletdinov was seriously wounded, but despite this, he continued to command the division. Thanks to his courageous actions, the militants fled, throwing their weapons on the battlefield.
Anton Lavrov
Ksenia Fedoseeva
Roman Kretsul