War in Ukraine - Advance from the tube - Russians succeed in surprise attack
For months, Ukraine has been losing ground continuously in the east – the entire front is sliding, but only imperceptibly. Two pillars of the front are being fiercely defended: The Ukrainian forces continue to hold the fortress of Tschassiw Jar. However, the Russian forces have managed to improve their positions at the city's flanks in prolonged battles. They have taken control of most of the district located to the east of the Siverskyj-Donets Canal. However, they have not been able to penetrate the city to the west of the canal. The Ukrainians have been holding off the Russians in the settlement of Krasnogorowka for months.
Tunnels and Pipes Traverse the Donbass
In the area between the Russian-held cities of Bachmut and Horliwka and the Ukrainian-held Dserschynsk, there was an unexpected Russian advance. There, they used a trick that decided the Battle of Awdijiwka. They used a pipe to make an unnoticed advance.
The entire resource-rich Donbass region has been covered with heavy industry since the 1930s. Today, the massive industrial installations, some of which have their own bunker systems, are hotspots of fighting. But the numerous canals, waterways, and reservoirs also shape the landscape and the battles. Part of this industry are also these tunnels and pipes.
"A large Ukrainian army fortification on the outskirts of the settlement Kirov was taken by assault units from the Russian Kampfgruppe Zentrum, who used an underground tunnel. The soldiers of the unit cleared and used the over three-kilometer-long tunnel along the Siverskyj-Donets Canal and reached the rear of the well-fortified fortification, which is equipped with firing positions and underground shelters. The tunnel was used to supply the assault units with ammunition, weapons, and provisions," according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
A precise location was not given. The advance occurred presumably between the western outskirts of Horliwka in the direction of the settlement of Druzhba. The Russians have advanced several kilometers in this tunnel unnoticed. In this war, that is a huge distance. The pipes run along the Siverskyj-Donets Canal, which partly runs open and partly as a tunnel. There, the Russians have appeared in the rear of a Ukrainian stronghold – a large, solitary industrial building at the end of the open canal – on satellite images, the pipes are also clearly visible.
Strike against the Airport
The capture of the fortified position leads to the fact that the Ukrainian forces are abandoning or have already abandoned their fortifications in the adjacent open terrain. The Russians have also worked their way into the settlement conglomerate around Dserschynsk at other places.
At the entire eastern front, Ukrainian forces managed to achieve success only in the Kreminna forest. There, the 12th Special Brigade was able to penetrate Russian positions. In order to do this, Kiev had to take another heavy blow. In the last few weeks, Ukraine has regularly used cruise missiles in the Charkiw area. With this, they were able to provide air support for their ground troops in the northern part of Voltschansk in the Citadel – the high-rise district. However, Russian reconnaissance drones discovered Su-27 jets on the ground. Probably while they were preparing for a new mission at the Myrhorod airfield in Poltawa, they were surprised by an Iskander missile. The Russians speak of five destroyed machines, Kiev of two damaged.
Somehow, this operation is a warning sign. With Iskander missiles, the Russians can attack any airfield in Ukraine, the warhead with cluster munition makes the weapon very dangerous for jets on the ground. But what is most alarming is that Russian reconnaissance drones are operating so deep in the hinterland.
- The unexpected Russian advance in the Donbass region between Horliwka and Dserschynsk led to a significant gain, as they utilized a tunnel along the Siverskyj-Donets Canal to bypass Ukrainian defenses and reach a key stronghold.
- In the 1930s, the Donbass region was extensively developed with heavy industry, including numerous canals and industrial facilities like Krasnogorovka, which has become a battleground in the ongoing conflict between Ukrainian and Russian forces.
- Despite being under constant pressure, the Ukrainian forces have been successfully defending the settlement of Krasnogorowka, preventing Russian forces from advancing further west in the Donets Basin.
- In response to Russian aggression, Ukraine has conducted several airstrikes in the Charkiw area, targeting military installations and providing air support for its troops in the Kreminna forest, where they made significant gains against Russian forces.
