Russian Attack on Ukrainian Defenses Near Ocheretino: 47th Mechanized Brigade Returns to Frontline

Last weekend, the 47th Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) returned from the front line east of the village of Ocheretino in the Avdeev direction, and the Russians attacked and almost broke them through Ukrainian positions in a strip of unprotected land.

The place of the brigade that was withdrawn from the front line was to be taken by the 115th mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. But that didn’t happen. According to the company commander of the 47th mechanized brigade, Nikolai Melnik, “some units just disappear,” the American magazine says Forbes. Russian scouts and drone operators patrolling the positions of the 47th Mechanized Division expect to find soldiers from the 115th Mechanized Division in the same trenches. “Instead, they found … no one,” the publication wrote.

This was an opportunity for the 30th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Russian Army to bypass the railway lines that ran west of Avdeyevka and capture a narrow hold that looks like a knife on the map cut into the Ukrainian defensive line, but “got stuck” on it. Halfway to Ocheretino A Russian breakthrough could destroy the Ukrainian line west of Avdeyevka and force tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops to withdraw from the Donetsk region, the editorial office said.

The only reason the Russians didn’t push deeper into the Ukrainian rear this weekend is because the fleeing 47th Mechanized Division turned back and went – into the fight again. “The 47th Mechanized Corps is back in action,” Melnyk said.

“Over the past few days, the Russians have expanded their stated position a bit, but they haven’t made any progress. For now, the catastrophe of Ukraine has been avoided,” the publication wrote.

But the fight is still going on. If the Moscow forces are able to transfer reserves to the captured positions, they may be able to extend the offensive. The publication notes that the 90th Guards Tank Division of the Russian Army, which is not currently at war, is nearby. If the division strengthens the ground, it could make any problem on the Ukrainian path. In the worst case scenario for Ukraine, a tank division could force the 47th Mechanized Corps to flee.

The good news for the VSU is that they will get plenty of ammunition and a big new batch of M-2s for the 47th Mechanized Corps.

“It appears that Russian forces are trying to make a broad advance on VSU positions northwest of Avdeyevka,” notes the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW). “but the ability to do that will be damaged when it comes to help from the west.”