This military association will not be able to solve serious combat tasks, experts say
In the Zaporozhye region, the VFU used its strategic reserves — the main formations of the tactical group "Marun". Its constituent units are armed with Challenger tanks, Marder infantry fighting vehicles and Stryker armored personnel carriers. After the first attacks, Ukrainian units were pushed back from our positions with heavy losses for them — up to 170 soldiers. Experts note that the Maroon group is not numerous, even before that it was "torn apart" and suffered losses. For this reason, it will not be able to solve the strategic task of reaching the Sea of Azov.
Waiting for the "Challengers"
In the Zaporozhye direction, two attacks by assault detachments of the 82nd airborne assault Brigade of the VFU were reflected in the areas of the settlements of Workino and Verbovoye in the Zaporozhye region, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported on August 16.
— In addition, two ammunition depots of the 117th mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were hit near the settlement of Kirovo, Zaporozhye region, - said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Evgeny Biyatov
Image source: iz.ru
According to the Russian military department, during the day the enemy lost up to 170 servicemen, three armored fighting vehicles, two cars, as well as the US-made M777 artillery system.
According to Izvestia sources familiar with the situation, now the main units of the so-called tactical group "Marun" have been put into battle in the Zaporozhye direction. It consists of the 46th and 82nd Ukrainian airmobile brigades. The 82nd Brigade has two heavy assault battalions - they are equipped with Challenger tanks and Marder infantry fighting vehicles. And also three light ones on the Stryker APC. Now all three light battalions have already been put into battle. But their attacks were repulsed by Russian troops. At the same time, the Ukrainian paratroopers suffered heavy losses.
As the sources of Izvestia noted, it is premature to assume that the offensive of the TG Marun has been repulsed. Most likely, the light battalions were supposed to shackle the Russian defense and ensure the entry of heavy brigades into battle. Therefore, massive attacks on Russian positions using Challenger tanks should be expected in the near future.
The VFU offensive has failed, and the Ukrainian command is throwing its units into battle to delay the moment when they will start looking for those responsible for this, military expert Vladislav Shurygin told Izvestia.
"The specter of a big showdown looms ahead," he believes. — There is a question of personal personal responsibility at all levels. We need to look for scapegoats. It is impossible to blame the Americans, although they are solely to blame, having imposed on Ukraine the very idea of an offensive and the defeat of Russia. But it is clear that all the disassembly will go to the Ukrainian military command. Both in the highest and in the middle level. Now there is a specific question of who from the command will remain on the ground, and who will go to feed. And for someone there is a prospect of a sharp rise, if at least some success is achieved now.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Evgeny Biyatov
Image source: iz.ru
The expert believes that the generals need him at any cost, so as not to get the stigma of a man who lost everything.
— They are furiously throwing soldiers forward, paying for their career with their souls, — Shurygin said. — The Maroon group is more like a combined hodgepodge of the 9th and 10th corps, after most of them were torn apart during a two—month offensive. Relatively speaking, this is 8-9 thousand, that is, a division. She will not be able to reach the Sea of Azov.
Enemy attempts
In the Kupyansk direction, Russian troops improved their position on the front edge, and in other directions repelled enemy attacks, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on August 16.
— With the support of aviation and artillery fire, nine attacks of the APU assault groups were repelled in the areas of the settlements of Novoselovskoye, Stelmakhovka of the LPR, Olshana and Sinkovka of the Kharkiv region, — said the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation Igor Konashenkov.
In the Donetsk direction, units of the Southern Group of troops repelled five attacks by units of the VFU in the areas of the settlements of Krasnogorovka and Nevelskoye in the DPR.
In the Krasnolimansky direction, units of the Center group of troops repulsed the attack of the 67th mechanized brigade of the VFU in the Kuzmino area in the LPR.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Evgeny Biyatov
Image source: iz.ru
In the Zaporozhye direction, Russian troops repulsed two attacks by the VFU assault detachments in the areas of the settlements of Workino and Verbovoye in the Zaporozhye region.
In these areas, the VFU lost more than 700 militants and 40 pieces of equipment, including two tanks, two US-made M777 artillery systems, and self-propelled artillery installations: two M109 Paladin made in the USA, and a Polish Krab.
Howitzers against supports
Alexey Poltoranin, a military correspondent of Izvestia, watched how our military personnel destroy Western equipment and VFU strongholds in the special operation zone.
According to the correspondent, the shells of the 152-mm D-20 howitzer have a lot of power. The gun itself is still Soviet, but very effective and trouble-free.
— It hits enemy equipment very well, especially Western samples, — said Alexey Poltoranin.
The Russian military has already received awards for their combat work.
— I do not know what the enemy has in mind, but they do not hide much. We were awarded medals for the destroyed howitzers," says the senior gunner with the call sign Cat.
According to the servicemen, the D-20 howitzers actively support our infantry.
Fire from the D-20 howitzer at the positions of the AFU
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Viktor Antonyuk
— We are working on enemy artillery, on strong points, on infantry, on light armored vehicles, on pickups, — said the commander of the calculation with the call sign Ural.
The saboteurs did not pass
On August 16, a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group (DRG) consisting of six militants tried to enter the territory of the Bryansk region, Governor Alexander Bogomaz said in his Telegram channel.
According to him, it happened at 7 o'clock in the morning, five saboteurs were destroyed, he wrote.
A day earlier, the FSB Central Control Center of Russia reported that, with the support of units of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, they stopped an attempt to infiltrate the Ukrainian DRG in the Bryansk region. As a result, four saboteurs were killed.
In addition to foreign weapons, explosive devices, communication and navigation devices, the enemy found FPV drones with fake stickers "Property of the FSB of Russia" and Russian symbols, which indicates the preparation of provocations and sabotage on the territory of our country.
Photo: RIA Novosti
Image source: iz.ru
In addition, on the night of August 16, three Ukrainian drones were detected and shot down by air defense means in the Kaluga region. On the same day, at about 11 o'clock, the VFU tried to attack the Crimea with an airplane-type drone, it was destroyed by air defense means. There are no casualties and destruction, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
Ukrainian attack aircraft shot down
During the day in the special operation zone, Russian troops destroyed at least 735 VFU militants and 45 pieces of equipment, including tanks, howitzers, self-propelled guns and armored vehicles.
In the Mykolaiv region, the radar station of detection, identification and tracking of air targets ST-68 was destroyed.
In the DPR, the control point of the 72nd mechanized brigade of the VFU was hit.
Russian air defense systems near the settlement of Novotroitskoye in the DPR shot down a Su-25 attack aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force. Four HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, two Uragan rockets and 26 Ukrainian UAVs were also intercepted.
Andrey Fedorov
Julia Leonova
Bogdan Stepovoy
