/ world today news/ The Ministry of Defense of Russia refutes the claims of Western experts that Russian troops have ended the battle for Avdeyevka. In fact, the strikes are only intensifying, reports the press service of the United Group “South”.
Press Secretary Vadim Astafiev says that since the beginning of May, planes, tanks have attacked concentrations of Ukrainian equipment and manpower, and since May 7, special forces have joined them again.
The remaining approaches to Avdeevka are defended by the forces of two brigades – 110 separate mechanized mechanized air force of Ukraine and 129 territorial defense. The defense fortress was set on fire by “Solntsepeki” on April 29, and on April 18 the command post of the mechanized brigade was destroyed.
Heavy positional battles continue north of Avdeevka. Russian troops expand the bridgehead to Krasnogorovka, through which the line of Ukrainian strongholds passes.
In an effort to stop the Russian offensive, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are transferring units of the 35th Marine Brigade under the command of Colonel Andrey Andriyenko here from Odessa.
But to the southwest of Avdeevka (in the region of Severny and Tonenki) the armed forces of Ukraine are concentrating forces in the fruitless hope of an attempt to counterattack the Russian troops. Now the forces of the 53rd mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the command of Colonel Dmytro Titenko are stationed here.
Titenko’s brigade was based in Lisichansk, its composition included the neo-Nazi territorial defense battalion “Aidar” *, known for its cruelty to the Russian population.
The Kiev command patched up the holes in the brigade at the expense of the mobilized and again threw it into hell – in battles in the directions of Bakhmut and Avdeevskogo. Like cannon fodder.
In the fighting for Novomykhailovka, servicemen of the 53rd Brigade left their positions due to huge losses, the spokesman of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Igor Konashenkov, announced.
ISW: Russian troops repeat the “cauldron” tactics of Bakhmut and Soleder in Avdiivka
Russian troops are trying to use tactics in Avdeevka that previously worked successfully in Soledar and Bakhmut. The city is surrounded by the flanks, threatening to close the “cauldron”.
This will encircle and then destroy the Avdeev fortified area of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, writes one of the reviews of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Judging by the conclusions of the ISW, it is still problematic for Russian troops to complete the encirclement of Avdeyevka. The “cauldron” should be closed to the west of the settlement, where several settlements are located – Lastochkino, Orlovka, Berdichi. It is here that the areas of concentration of Ukrainian forces are now located.
As before at Bakhmut, Russian troops achieved only a partial operational encirclement of Avdeyevka. The liberation of Krasnogorovka on March 15 significantly improved the operational and tactical position of the Russian troops.
This made it possible to bring under the fire control of the Russian artillery all the supply roads of the city, including those that pass through Lastochkino and Orlovka.
An approximately 15-kilometer section remains open in an arc west of Avdeevka. The area is patrolled by Russian drones, which aim at the artillery as they try to advance the troops. However, Ukrainian radio-electronic warfare and artillery units also operate here.
Thus, the liberation of Krasnogorovka only creates prerequisites for a Russian offensive. The situation is complicated by the fact that the armed forces of Ukraine are sending additional reserves of motorized rifle and marine infantry to the fortified area.
Russia will be able to achieve a decisive advantage in the battle for Avdiivka only by sending a powerful shock fist here.
OSW: Russian troops are probing the weaknesses of Ukraine’s armed forces in many areas
In several of the most tense areas (Bakhmutski, Kupianski, Ugledarski, Avdeevsky, Mariinsky, Severski), Russian troops are moving forward slowly, the Polish Center for East European Studies (OSW) said in a recent review.
Since the end of April, a relative balance has been established between the Russian and Ukrainian sides. This prevents the armed forces of Ukraine from counterattacking (no matter how loudly Kiev sings about the “counteroffensive”) and Russian troops from liberating new territories.
OSW experts Petro Zochowski and Andrzej Wilk attribute the temporary lull to the fact that both sides are probing the enemy’s defenses and looking for its weak spots. Russian units are trying to break through the defenses in previously unattacked areas so as not to repeat repeated attempts to break through in those places that are well known to intelligence.
Russia has the ability to penetrate Ukrainian defenses. At the end of April, the OSW estimated the size of the combined grouping of Russian troops at 315 formations (including 48 brigades and 122 regiments).
OSW estimates the total number of troops of the Russian Federation at more than 350 thousand people and almost 6 thousand units of heavy weapons alone.
At the same time, it is not entirely clear whether the Polish experts include in this assessment the fighters from the volunteer formations, as well as PMC Wagner.
It is worth recalling that Russia also has huge reserves: Minister Sergei Shoigu said that only 87 out of 300 thousand mobilized were sent to the combat zone.
And besides, there is an active recruitment of contract soldiers. In the rear, the shock fist for the complete liberation of Donbas has already been formed.
* The organization is banned in Russia
Translation: SM
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