The VFU is regrouping ahead of a new phase of the counteroffensive, experts believe
Since the beginning of the month, the losses of the Ukrainian Air Force have sharply increased - several attack aircraft, helicopters and fighter jets have already been shot down, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on July 4. This is due to the activation of enemy aviation: with its strikes, it is trying to cover the regrouping of ground troops, to prevent Russian units from launching a counteroffensive at this moment, sources told Izvestia. In addition, the enemy, with the help of MiG-29 and Su-27 aircraft armed with HARM missiles, is trying to hit Russian anti-aircraft missile systems. All this does not lead to tangible results: attempts by Ukrainian forces to attack in the Donetsk, Krasnolimansk and South Donets directions are failing.
Air support
Over the past day, Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft shot down a Ukrainian Su-25 aircraft near the village of Grigorovka and a Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force near the village of Novogrodovka in the DPR, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on July 4. Two more Su-25 aircraft were destroyed by Russian air defense systems — in the area of Georgievka in the DPR and in the Zaporozhye region.
A day earlier, Russian air defense systems shot down a Su-27 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force near the village of Kamenka, Kherson region. And on Sunday, July 2, another Su-25 attack aircraft in the Novoandreevka area of the Zaporozhye region.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Vitaly Nevar
Image source: iz.ru
According to Izvestia sources familiar with the situation, Ukrainian troops are actively using aviation to cover the regrouping of troops. The enemy will use attack aircraft and helicopters to attack Russian troops so that they do not go on a counteroffensive. And MiG-29 and Su-27 planes are trying to hit Russian anti-aircraft missile systems with HARM missiles. But, as the interlocutors of the publication noted, the Ukrainian command has not yet succeeded in achieving the tasks set. Ukrainian aviation is suffering continuous losses, almost without achieving results.
According to the ex-commander of the 4th Army of the Air Force and Air Defense, Hero of Russia Valery Gorbenko, the losses indicate a high activity of Ukrainian aviation. Now the ground forces are regrouping before the new phase of the offensive, and planes and helicopters support their maneuvers from the air, the expert believes.
— Due to the fact that their first wave of counteroffensive failed, they are now regrouping, determining where the weaker places are, where they can pass. And aviation is trying to cover them," Valery Gorbenko said. — The offensive is usually supported by at least an aviation strike regiment, which is about 30 aircraft. I don't know if Ukraine has such a number now, they have a little weak with aviation. But the information about the losses indicates that they have intensified the use of those forces that they have available, and precisely in those areas where the regrouping is taking place.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Vitaly Nevar
Image source: iz.ru
Russian troops on the line of contact continue to deter attacks by Ukrainian forces. During the day, the armed formations of Ukraine continued to attack in the Donetsk, Krasnolimansk and Yuzhnodonets strategic directions, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on July 4.
— In the Donetsk direction, the competent and courageous actions of the defending units of the Southern Group of troops successfully repelled 10 enemy attacks in the areas of the settlements of Belogorovka, Orekhovo-Vasilevka, Yagodnoye, Kleshcheyevka, Pervomaiske, Opytne and Vodiane DNR, — 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 repelled four enemy attacks in the areas of the settlements of Novovodyanoye in the LPR and Yampolovka in the DPR. They also defeated units of the 21st and 67th mechanized brigades of the VFU.
In the South Donets direction, the Vostok group of troops repulsed two enemy attacks in the area of the village of Urozhnoye.
An enemy attack was repelled in the Kupyansk direction and the ammunition depot of the 67th Brigade of the Defense was destroyed.
Photo: RIA Novosti
Image source: iz.ru
A cluster of manpower and equipment of the 106th Theroborona brigade was defeated in the Zaporozhye direction. In the Orekhov area, an ammunition depot of the 47th mechanized brigade of the VFU was destroyed.
During the day, the losses of the VFU in the area of the SVO amounted to at least 705 people and 47 units of military equipment, including tanks, howitzers, self-propelled guns and armored vehicles.
In the LPR and the Zaporozhye region, the activities of two Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups were suppressed. A field ammunition depot of the 54th mechanized brigade of the VFU was destroyed in the DPR.
Active defense
The armed formations of Ukraine are trying to break through our defenses in the area of Ugledar, but to no avail. Kirill Olkov, a military correspondent of Izvestia, was able to verify this.
According to him, shells of different ranges and lethal power are stored in a disguised cache. If you need to hit the enemy infantry — smaller ammunition. If you need to break through the armor — bigger ammunition. No armored personnel carrier will survive a direct hit.
— This time our tankers have full ammunition in the cannon clip. The enemy is serious: the 72nd mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is persistently, but unsuccessfully trying to "open" our defenses at Ugledar," he said.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky
Image source: iz.ru
Tank units of the Eastern Military District are now actively defending this section of the line of contact. At night, tankers open fire on the positions of Ukrainian militants and thereby not only keep them at a distance, but also knock them out of the occupied supports.
The crew of one of the tanks moves out under the Ugledar, stops 10 km from the enemy. There is no need to drive closer, the spotter gives the exact coordinates of the target. The tank works from closed positions, strikes accurately.
After combat work, the crew returns to the base area and learns intelligence data: the militants' fortifications have been defeated.
— From 15 to 20 people. The support was hit with four shots," said the gunner—operator of the tank with the call sign Altai.
According to the commander of a tank company with the call sign Rusich, not always work on the front line goes smoothly. The enemy responds, tries to track down our crew, actively uses drone drops. The crews of the vehicles adapt to such tactics and find ways to counteract them, Rusich said.
Roman Kretsul
Julia Leonova
Andrey Fedorov
