The released grouping will be used in other directionsOn November 9, the Ministry of Defense announced a difficult decision to maneuver troops to the left bank of the Dnieper from Kherson and part of the Kherson region and take up defense along the river.
More than 115 thousand residents have already evacuated from the right bank. Experts told Izvestia about the possible reasons for this step. In a number of other areas, Russian troops resumed their offensive. In particular, street battles for the city of Artemovsk continue.
To the other shore
The decision to withdraw troops from the right bank of the Dnieper was announced during the report of the commander of the joint grouping of Russian troops, Army General Sergei Surovikin, to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Army General Sergei Shoigu. Surovikin spoke about the problems with the supply of troops beyond the Dnieper due to the constant shelling of bridges and crossings.
— We successfully repel these attacks. About 80-90% of missiles are shot down by Russian air defense systems. At the same time, up to 20% of them still achieve their goals. Engineering units of the group of troops restore the Dnieper crossings almost daily," Sergei Surovikin reported.
The enemy strikes indiscriminately at local self-government bodies, schools, hospitals, other socially significant objects, civilians who are evacuated to the other bank of the Dnieper, as well as at points of distribution of humanitarian aid. In such conditions, the city of Kherson and adjacent settlements cannot be fully supplied and function, the general stressed.
Evacuation of Kherson residents
Image Source: Photo: TASS/EPA/STR
Due to the shelling of the facilities of the Kakhovskaya HPP by the VFU and the increase in water discharge from Kiev-controlled hydroelectric power plants on the Dnieper, the threat of flooding of vast territories in the Kherson region with the prospect of death of the population has become a reality. Against the background of a real threat to the civilian population and the possibility of complete isolation of the Russian group of troops in Kherson, the military department decided to organize defense along the barrier line of the Dnieper River.
— For us, the life and health of Russian servicemen are always a priority. We must also take into account the threat to the civilian population. Make sure that everyone from among the civilian population was able to leave. Proceed with the withdrawal of troops and take all measures to ensure the safe transfer of personnel, weapons and equipment across the Dnieper River," Sergei Shoigu ordered.
General Surovikin replied that "the maneuver of the troops will be carried out in the near future. Formations and units will occupy engineering-prepared defensive lines and positions on the left bank of the Dnieper River."
— A bridgehead on the right bank, which we cannot support, is a huge risk, — military expert Vladislav Shurygin explained to Izvestia. — Ukraine, having accumulated reserves, could soon arrange a boiler and a slaughterhouse there. The high-precision systems that are at her disposal are already confidently covering both bridges and crossings leading to the right bank of the Kherson region. In this case, we cannot provide supplies and support without huge losses. Accordingly, the command sees no point in fighting for a bridgehead on the right bank.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky
Image source: iz.ru
If the enemy managed to break through at least one of the three main directions near Kherson and reach the crossings, this would lead to a huge tragedy for the group, military expert Dmitry Boltenkov believes.
— The grouping of troops showed examples of very persistent defense there, caused huge damage to the advancing enemy, — the specialist emphasized. — But in conditions of insufficient supply, their forces were gradually depleted. There was no solid front on the right bank, its length there is more than 150 km across the open steppe. With a lack of forces, even a small success of the VFU in one of the three main offensive areas could lead to a quick breakthrough to the Dnieper. And this would endanger the encirclement and defeat of our group behind him.
There were no prepared reserves necessary for carrying out active operations in the Mykolaiv-Krivoy Rog direction, which could be additionally transferred, at the disposal of the command. In any case, the preparation of units and units from the mobilized will take another 2-3 weeks, and this is with the most primitive approach, without combat coordination in the composition of units. If the abandonment of occupied territory is still inevitable, it is better to do it without first defeating your troops by the enemy. The troops will still be useful to us, the expert concluded.
Changing the balance
Sergey Surovikin gave data on the losses of Ukrainian formations near Kherson. According to him, during the repulse of Ukrainian attacks from August to October, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost more than 9.5 thousand soldiers killed and wounded, more than 200 tanks, 500 armored fighting vehicles, about 600 vehicles for various purposes and over 50 artillery pieces and mortars.
According to the general's report, in general, in October alone, the VFU lost over 12 thousand servicemen, 18 aircraft, 12 helicopters, more than 200 tanks, over 800 other combat vehicles, 21 multiple launch rocket vehicles, and about 250 mercenaries were destroyed. Despite the high losses of manpower and equipment, the enemy does not abandon attempts to attack, all his attacks are stopped in a timely manner.
The combat capabilities of the combined group of troops have increased due to the mobilized citizens and volunteers. With their help, we have increased the combat and numerical strength of military units operating in Ukraine.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Vitaly Nevar
Image source: iz.ru
The main task that will be assigned to the withdrawn group is the defense of the left bank, but if necessary, these units and subunits can be involved in other areas, military expert Alexey Leonkov told Izvestia.
— I am sure that all this time the lines of defense were being prepared on the left bank, — he explained. — Those units that defended the Kherson direction will most likely go to rest and manning. Because the guys there held the defense as long as they could, in conditions of difficult supply. As a result, the following decision was made: we rent the area, but we do not rent people. We really estimated how much we can hold the defense. If Kherson was located on two banks of the river, then something could be done. Do not forget about the Kakhovskaya HPP. Many factors, many disadvantages. And the command was not going to sacrifice people who could get into the operational environment. The units that held the defense there may be involved in other areas as well.
Liberation of Pavlovka
— In the Kupyansk, Krasnolimansk, South Donetsk directions, all offensive attempts were stopped and the opponents were pushed back to the starting lines, - said on Wednesday the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Major General Igor Konashenkov.
In a report to the Minister of Defense, Sergei Surovikin said that Russian troops had resumed offensive operations in certain areas. In the DPR, allied forces defeated the enemy on the right bank of the Bakhmutka River, Artemovsk is blocked from the south, street battles are taking place in it. The offensive to liberate Maryinka and Pervomaisky is successfully developing, the liberation of the settlement of Pavlovka is being completed in the south Donetsk direction. In the area of the Vremevsky salient, Russian units pushed back the enemy and occupied the dominant heights in the depth of its defense.
During the day, the operational-tactical and army aviation, missile troops and artillery of Russia hit two control points of the VFU and foreign mercenaries, an ammunition depot with rockets to the HIMARS, "Alder" multiple launch rocket systems, 59 artillery units in firing positions and 181 areas of concentration of troops, the Defense Ministry said.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Valentin Kapustin
Image source: iz.ru
Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down a Mi-8 helicopter of the Air Forces of Ukraine near the settlement of Zaselye in the Mykolaiv region. The air defense forces shot down five UAVs, 25 HIMARS MLRS rockets in the areas of the settlements of Zelenovka, Antonovka, Novokaira, Novaya Kakhovka, Kherson region, Krasnorechenskoye and Stakhanov in the LPR, two Alder rockets in the area of the settlement of Korsunka and three HARM anti-radar missiles in the area of the settlement of Novaya Kakhovka, Kherson region.
In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 332 aircraft, 172 helicopters, 2,470 unmanned aerial vehicles, 388 anti-aircraft missile systems, 6,482 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 885 multiple rocket launchers, 3,564 field artillery and mortar guns, as well as 7,152 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed, Igor Konashenkov listed.
Thwart provocations
The Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday told about the servicemen who showed courage and dedication during the fighting.
The jet division of the Guard of Major Andrey Vishnyakov supported the units defending the settlement. Ukrainian formations tried to counterattack. During the fighting, despite the retaliatory artillery and mortar attacks, Andrei Vishnyakov's division inflicted irreparable damage to the VFU units. This made it possible to stop them reaching the attack lines and deploying reserves and forced them to retreat to their original positions.
Junior Sergeant Vladimir Morozov, as part of the anti-tank division, performed special tasks to support motorized infantry in defense. The VFU tried to break through the positions of Russian troops with the support of artillery and mortars. Junior Sergeant Morozov ordered the crew of the ATGM to take a favorable firing position, after which he attacked the militants.
Photo: TASS/Stanislav Krasilnikov
Image source: iz.ru
— During the repulse of the attack of the sabotage and reconnaissance group, the crew under the command of Vladimir Morozov destroyed one tank and seven nationalists. The damage caused forced the enemy to retreat," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Junior Sergeant Khetag Shavlokhov was conducting reconnaissance of the brigade's route when he discovered a group of militants equipping firing positions. A battle ensued, the junior sergeant's subordinates destroyed two cars and caused significant damage to the VFU.
"Thanks to Shavlokhov's courage and competent actions, his department managed to disrupt the upcoming provocations of Ukrainian nationalists against Russian troops," the military department noted.
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