Forbes: The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine expects Russia's offensive in the Kharkiv region
MOSCOW, Feb 6 — RIA Novosti, Andrey Kotz. The AFU complains about the shortage of artillery ammunition. This is partially compensated by the massive use of drones. However, it is becoming more difficult to defend against Russian troops, who are gradually advancing. About the situation on the fronts of the SVO — in the material of RIA Novosti.
Away from Belgorod
According to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, in January, the Armed Forces carried out 127 strikes with precision weapons on Ukrainian defense enterprises, arsenals, military airfields and fuel bases. They hit the AFU facilities in the Kharkiv region especially intensively — in response to the shelling of Belgorod. Vladimir Putin spoke about the need to create a cordon sanitaire here to prevent such attacks.
Servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces load the 152 mm 2S5 Hyacinth-S self-propelled cannon for combat work on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Image source: © RIA Novosti / Evgeny Biyatov
Some Western media believe that this is where the Russian army will soon launch a major offensive. The American edition of Forbes, citing sources in Kiev, claims that Moscow has transferred 40,000 soldiers, 500 tanks and hundreds of howitzers to Kupyansk. According to the publication's estimates, they are opposed by ten brigades with a total number of 20 thousand people. The group is commanded personally by the commander—in-chief of the Land Forces of Ukraine, General Alexander Syrsky, the author of the offensive in the Kharkiv region in the autumn of 2022.
New fortified areas are being built in Sumy and Kharkiv regions. The Russian army continues to move forward slowly. In January, they occupied Starch and Tabaevka on the important highway N-26, connecting Kupyansk with Svatovo and Kremennaya. Success is developed in the direction of Sandy and Birch Bark. After them, there are no more settlements to the Oskol River that Ukrainians could hold on to.
A serviceman of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is firing at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the AGS in the area of its
Image source: © RIA Novosti / Evgeny Biyatov
The situation is also difficult for the AFU in the area of Kupyansk itself — Russian troops are trying to cover it from the north. Fierce fighting broke out in the area of Sinkovka. If the weseushniki move away from the eastern districts of the city, across the river, they will lose a major railway hub. And this is an important logistics hub for them.
To the south, on the Torsky salient, the Russian army made a dash towards the Zherebets River and is fighting heavy battles near the settlements of Terny and Yampolovka. Successful actions here will allow you to reach the Red Estuary from the northeast. And this is one of the possible bridgeheads for the offensive on Slavyansk.
West of Donetsk
Fighting continues for the heights south of Artemovsk. To the west, Russian units are moving towards Chasov Yar. In this small town and its surroundings, there are Ukrainian guns firing at Russian-controlled settlements. However, it is located on a hill, which makes it difficult to maneuver.
In the Donetsk direction, after the liberation of Maryinka in December, the fighting gradually shifted to the west, towards Kurakhov. Construction equipment was recently noticed there. Apparently, they are digging trenches.
There are successes near Novomikhailovka in the area of the settlement of Pobeda. The main part of the combat work here is now performed by artillery and drones.
In recent days, new positions have been taken at the Ugledarsky site north of Priyutnoye, having won back more than a kilometer. In general, the front is static here, since the open area, the lack of greenery in the forest belts and a large number of drones on both sides practically exclude the surprise factor.
Media foothold
In the Zaporozhye area, there are all the same positional battles at Verbovoi and Rabotin, as well as under Pyatikhatki, near the Kakhovsky reservoir. The APU is no longer trying to advance towards Tokmak, the defensive "Surovikin line" has remained impregnable.
Now the Ukrainians are on the defensive. They are fighting mainly with FPV drones, which are used in conjunction with UAV repeaters, which seriously increases their range.
Ukrainian servicemen carry a stretcher with a wounded man in the Donetsk region
Image source: © AP Photo / Efrem Lukatsky
The situation is similar in the Kherson direction, although Kiev had high hopes for this section of the front after the failed counteroffensive in the Zaporozhye region. Now, another topic is being promoted in the media field.
Thus, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine predicts the "complete exhaustion" of Russia's capabilities by spring. And after that, there will allegedly be a second "counteroffensive". However, a year ago, the same generals promised to "enter the Crimea in the autumn." The result is known.
