Tankesmia Institute for the study of war follows the war in Ukraine closely and comes with daily analyzes of the situation on the battlefield. They state that it was Ukrainian attacks that forced Russian forces to leave Slangeøya on Thursday.
Russia itself claimed that it was done to show goodwill and the desire to create a corridor to transport grain out of Ukraine by ship.
– But they did not acknowledge that it was a Ukrainian rocket and artillery offensive that actually led to the retreat, the think tank writes.
It is pointed out that the southern operations command of Ukraine’s defense on 21 June announced the offensive.
– The Russian defeat on Slangeøya will reduce some of the pressure on the Ukrainian coast by removing Russian air defense and naval target systems from the island. The retreat, however, will not end the naval blockade, the think tank writes, pointing out that Russia can still attack from Crimea and Kherson, as well as from ships in the Black Sea.
Vulnerable to Ukrainian attacks
The British Ministry of Defense writes in its daily update about the war that Ukraine has carried out targeted attacks on the island.
– The Ukrainian forces have attacked the Russian garrison with rockets and drone attacks. They have also used target missiles against Russian naval vessels that tried to provide supplies, the British write.
– Russia has probably withdrawn from Slangeøya due to the isolation of the garrison and the increasing vulnerability to Ukrainian attacks, rather than as a sign of goodwill, as they have claimed, it is said.
Slangeøya is a small but strategically important island in the Black Sea off Odesa. It became internationally known at the beginning of the war, when crews on a Russian warship asked Ukrainian forces on the island to surrender. The Ukrainians replied “Russian warship, go to hell”.
– Slangeøya is free. Slangeøya is a strategic point, and this significantly changes the situation in the Black Sea. This does not guarantee security yet, and it is not guaranteed that the enemy can not return, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj said on Thursday.
– But this already limits the actions of the occupiers significantly. Step by step, we will drive them away from our sea, our land and our air, Zelenskyj said in the speech according to CNN.
Move towards Lysytskansk
The British Ministry of Defense also writes that Russia has claimed that it has taken the village of Pryvillya, northwest of Lysychansk, where the battle for the Donbas is now concentrated.
ISW wrote on Thursday that Russian forces had crossed the river at Pryvillya. The Russians hope to attack Lysychansk from there and encircle the remaining Ukrainian forces in the city.
At the same time, there are fierce battles for control of the oil refinery in Lysychansk, the British write.
According to ISW, the Russians have now made limited progress in the battle for the oil refinery. Ukraine’s defense says the Russians have partial success in this battle.
Chechen forces
The Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov claims that Chechen forces are now on their way to Lysychansk from the northwest.
Lysychansk is the twin city of Sievjerodonetsk, located on the other side of the river Donets. There have been fierce fighting for almost two months in areas. After fierce fighting, the Ukrainians withdrew from Sevierodonetsk, something they are expected to do from Lysychansk before being completely surrounded.
Control of these cities could mark an important victory for Russia in the battle for the Donbas region.
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