/ world today news/ Russian troops are gradually breaking through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Artemovsk-Soledar direction. Kiev throws more and more reserves there, but continues to lose footholds, including thanks to the actions of the Nevsky Volunteer Brigade. What is happening now on the flanks of Artyomovsk.
Continuous process
The command post is busy 24 hours a day. On the walls there are tables, maps and monitors, on which the Ukrainian positions are constantly visible. There are battle diaries, pencils, tea and coffee packets on the tables, and empty energy drink cans on the floor. Cigarette smoke does not have time to dissipate.
Every few hours, commanders of various units confer: artillery, snipers, attack aircraft, drone pilots, medics. Tasks arise one after the other: conducting aerial reconnaissance, targeting the artillery, evacuating the wounded, supplying ammunition and fuel.
“We operate simultaneously on the two flanks of Artyomovsk: the northern one, near Soledar, and the southern one, in the area of Klescheevka and Andreevka,” explains the commander of the Patriot brigade, finding a free moment. “The situation, militarily, is constantly tense. They are gripped by phantom pains from the loss of the city and are trying to take it back, continuing aimless attacks,” he adds.
The commander has been living here for the past few months. His little makeshift bed is right here in the corner. True, he manages to sleep intermittently, no more than a few hours a day. Next to the icon is the illuminated flank of the part with the face of Alexander Nevsky.
A special privilege
While the signalmen change the frequencies of their radios, the gunners, along with the UAV squad, adjust the fire of the 120 mm mortars and howitzers.
The patriot gives orders, signs various orders, listens to reports of soldiers arriving from the front line. And it rewards especially those who excel. That day they honored the snipers who killed five Ukrainian fighters in a night attack and the scouts.
“While we distracted them with heavy artillery fire, our group quietly entered the enemy positions. A close fight ensued. All were liquidated, and one hid in the trench. I threw a grenade nearby and offered to surrender. He dropped the weapon and came out with his hands raised,” says one of the participants in the operation with the call sign “Benya”
As they retreated, the scouts were covered by heavy fire from machine guns and grenade launchers. No casualties – only one wounded.
The captives are now being looked after by counter-intelligence officers, and the awarded soldiers will receive three days of leave and a special privilege – a photo with the brigade’s flag.
“The flag is a symbol of unity. They go into battle for it, they die for it. Personally, I’m very sensitive about that, and not everyone gets to see it,” reveals the Patriot.
Installation on NATO
While operational plans are being developed at the headquarters, the hard and routine work of the soldiers continues “on the ground” – in the trenches and dugouts.
“The previous day, the paratroopers identified a powerful NATO radio-electronic warfare system in one of the houses of the village where our guys were dug in on the outskirts,” says the deputy commander of a tank unit called Tor. “It jammed the quadcopters, prevented the units from interacting and prevented them from moving forward,” he added.
According to intelligence, Ukrainian soldiers were stationed in the basements of three neighboring houses. Since the artillery does not work purposefully, but in areas, they decide to remove the “silencing” house with the help of a tank.
“We agreed like this: the helicopter, without flying too close, makes adjustments, and we strike from closed positions, continues the tanker, “We wanted to “dismantle” all four buildings. But the main goal was the installation for EW,” he adds.
Once we receive the coordinates, the crew conducts a reconnaissance of the area and determines the optimal firing point. The distance to the goal is about eight kilometers. The operation is scheduled for early morning
Jewelry work
Three crew members of the tank, named “Cossack”, run out of the dilapidated building, quickly remove their disguises and start the engine. In a few minutes, the paratroopers will lift a drone into the sky, so the tankers should be in place. There is little time for corrections and shooting – despite the strong wind, the “birds” are constantly hanging in the air.
In case the “Cossack” is hit by artillery or a kamikaze drone, there is an “evacuation” tank – it is nearby in full combat readiness.
“Usually, tanks operate with direct fire on the principle: I see – shoot, if I don’t see – don’t shoot. Fire from a closed position is high mathematics, high aerobatics. That’s why the most experienced crew was used,” adds Tor.
Arriving at the desired point, the soldiers receive from the paratroopers the exact coordinates of the target and data on the wind corrections. The first firing is a warm-up, the second is a test. The rest are on target. No more than ten minutes.
But the “Cossack” does it even faster. After the 16th shot they report: problem solved. The machine immediately turns around and drives off, leaving shell casings on the road and the ruins of four buildings eight kilometers away. The “answer” arrived only after half an hour.
“We got the location right and it took the VSU soldiers too long to determine where they were hit from.” However, tanks, in my opinion, still remain one of the main striking forces of our army,” adds Tor
The destruction of NATO’s radio-electronic warfare installation – the “nervous system” – will allow assault and other units to penetrate deeper into the well-fortified defenses of the ASU.
Several Ukrainian units are concentrated near Artyomovsk: light infantry, recruited mainly from the mobilized, nationalists from the “Kraken” detachment, the 8th separate regiment of special operations forces. And perhaps the most motivated is the third brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, better known as “Azov” . On the south flank.
Everyone’s level of preparation is different. However, this does not matter to the volunteers. Now their main task is to deal with the enemy, prevent him from maneuvering and move reserves along the front line.
“Of course, Western weapons, especially cluster munitions, cause big problems,” notes the commander of the Patriot brigade. “We feel that Ukraine has become a training ground for the destruction of old and testing of new munitions. For example, Israeli cluster mines appeared in 120 – the millimeter mortars,” he reveals.
In the past two weeks, according to the brigade commander, the intensity of shelling has slightly decreased. Although the Nevsky fighters were in “active defense”, they gradually occupied one defensive position after another. And they are waiting for orders to act on a much larger scale.
Translation: V. Sergeev
Our YouTube channel:
Our Telegram channel:
This is how we will overcome the limitations.
Share on your profiles, with friends, in groups and on pages.
#happening #difficult #sections #front
