The VFU will attack for another one and a half to two weeks, and then they will be forced to go on the defensive, experts say
On June 26, the Russian armed forces continued to successfully repel the attacks of the VFU in the Donetsk, Krasnolimansky, Yuzhnodonetsky and Zaporozhye directions. The enemy lost at least 500 people and 36 pieces of military equipment in the zone of its own during the day, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. The Ukrainian forces will attack for another one and a half to two weeks, and then, in the absence of success, they will turn to defense in order to preserve an irreplaceable resource for them – the remaining military equipment, experts say. Also on this day, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected the forward control point of the Western Group of Troops in the zone of the SVO and assigned tasks to the servicemen.
VFU attacks continue
During the day, the armed formations of Ukraine were advancing on the Donetsk, Krasnolimansk and Yuzhnodonets directions, the Russian military department reported on June 26.
— In the Donetsk direction in the area of the Disputed DPR settlement, two enemy attacks were successfully repelled by competent and courageous actions of the defending units of the Southern Group of troops, — said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
In the Krasnolimansky direction, units of the Center group of troops, air strikes, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems defeated units of the 21st and 63rd mechanized brigades of the VFU in the areas of the settlements of Nevsky in the LPR, Terny and Torskoye in the DPR.
In the area of the Vremevsky ledge, artillery fire and heavy flamethrower systems of the Vostok group of troops repelled four enemy attacks in the area of Rovnopol.
An attack by units of the 47th mechanized Ukrainian brigade was repelled in the Zaporozhye direction near the settlement of Workino.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: iz.ru
During the day, the losses of the VFU in these areas amounted to over 400 servicemen and 27 units of military equipment.
In addition, the activities of the Ukrainian sabotage and intelligence group were suppressed.
Ukraine does not have the strength to attack powerfully in one direction, military expert Vladislav Shurygin told Izvestia.
— The situation after three weeks of the offensive of the VFU begins to move to a complex compote of scattered battles on different sections of the contact line, — he said. — They are trying to break through locally somewhere in order to somehow portray the result. In this case, we have enough forces to keep them in suspense, constantly stretch their reserves with our blows. And it turns out an active front, which we are now seeing.
According to Vladislav Shurygin, Ukraine will attack for another week and a half or two.
— At least until July 11, before the next meeting on Ukraine [at the NATO summit in Vilnius], they will definitely try to do this. Then they will start saving reserves, because they are no longer receiving equipment and weapons en masse — they were given everything they could. Accordingly, they will move to active defense," he believes.
Tasks for the Western Grouping
The head of the military department, Sergei Shoigu, inspected the forward control point of the Western Group of Troops in the zone of the SVO and assigned tasks to the servicemen, the Ministry of Defense reported on June 26.
The Minister heard a report by the commander of the group, Colonel-General Yevgeny Nikiforov, on the current situation and the performance of combat tasks by Russian troops in the main directions, as well as on the formation and ongoing combat coordination of the newly formed reserve regiments for the Western Grouping of troops.
Shoigu noted the high efficiency of detecting and defeating enemy military equipment and personnel in the group's area of responsibility.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: iz.ru
The Minister also set the task for the servicemen to continue active reconnaissance in order to reveal the enemy's plans in advance and prevent their implementation on the distant approaches to the line of contact.
The Minister paid special attention to the organization of comprehensive provision of troops involved in a special military operation and the creation of conditions for the safe deployment of personnel.
Storming of Maryinka
Now Akhmat fighters are liberating Maryinka from Ukrainian militants. The military correspondent of Izvestia, Alexander Safiulin, is following the course of the fighting.
According to the correspondent, the armed formations of Ukraine, which owned the entire settlement before the start of the SVO, now control no more than a third of its territory, but fierce battles are going on for every yard.
— The Akhmat special forces are storming the city, the path to its position begins in pitch darkness. First we go on a "loaf", then — on an armored personnel carrier, — the correspondent of "Izvestia" told.
On the way, mechanical drivers give each other signals by "blinking": they turn on one of the headlights for just a second, show their dimensions and step on the gas. The special forces start working early in the morning.
— UAV operators are the first to get down to business. Another "bird", which has two grenades on board, goes to the positions of the militants. While some are driving the drone to its destination, others are preparing kamikaze drones for takeoff. Attacks from the air do not stop. The UAV is leaving. Soon we are fixing a hit," Alexander Safiulin described the work of the special forces.
In this way, the fighters are trying to destroy the enemy's position. There's a grenade launcher sitting inside, which does not allow our stormtroopers to advance.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: iz.ru
— There are a lot of underground passages, different burrows, the enemy was equipped very seriously. It is necessary to pay tribute that he is fiercely resisting, — said the commander of the special forces "Akhmat" Apti Alaudinov.
Shells of different calibers and from both sides are flying in Maryinka. As soon as the artillery has worked out, automatic bursts are connected. The VFU is hitting the positions of "Akhmat", raising columns of black smoke. Ukrainian militants avoid close combat, try to keep their distance.
It's complicated by the fact that now everyone has FPV drones that transmit flight video to the operator and drop ammunition in real time.
— The enemy in our area is very serious, because these are Special Operations Forces units. We are recording American snipers, we have destroyed a couple. And there is also a foreign legion on our site," Apti Alaudinov explained.
Every day, special forces destroy the most trained and experienced fighters of the VFU, methodically knocking out enemy reserves with the support of the 150th Division and the 5th brigade of the DPR.
Infrastructure strikes
On the night of June 26, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a group strike with high-precision long-range sea-based weapons at artillery ammunition depots, including those delivered to Ukraine from Western countries, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
— The strike targets have been achieved. All designated facilities have been hit," Igor Konashenkov said.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: iz.ru
During the day, at least 500 people and 36 pieces of military equipment, including howitzers, self-propelled guns and armored vehicles, were lost in the special operation zone of the VFU, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported.
The activities of two Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups have been suppressed in the LPR.
In the Kherson region, the ammunition depot of the 126th Theroborona Brigade was destroyed.
The communications hub of the 25th Airborne Brigade of the VFU was destroyed in the DPR. In the Zaporozhye region, the point of repair and restoration of weapons of military and special equipment of the 128th mountain assault brigade of the VFU was hit.
Andrey Fedorov
Julia Leonova
Roman Kretsul
