Armed Forces of Ukraine have made great strides in the south: analysts have revealed the details
Date: 2023-08-17 Author: Кирило Загоруйко Categories: WAR
On August 16, Ukrainian troops continued counter-offensive operations in at least three sectors of the front and advanced in the western part of the Zaporozhye region and on the border of the Donetsk-Zaporozhye region, including the liberation of the village of Urozhainoye.
According to analysts at the American Institute for the Study of War, Ukrainian troops continued offensive operations in the Bakhmut, Berdyansk (border area of the Zaporozhye-Donetsk region) and Melitopol (western Zaporozhye region) directions.
"Ukrainian reports of the liberation of Urozhayne are consistent with previous statements by Ukrainian officials about the liberation of other settlements in the area and recent reports by Russian troops that Russian units in the area are withdrawing," the report says.
In addition, analysts note that Ukrainian forces were moving north-east of n. the village of Robotino (10 km south of Orekhov) in the western part of the Zaporozhye region and "probably achieved great success in the surrounding areas, given the continuous activity of Ukrainian forces in the forest areas northeast of the settlement."
According to ISW, this is also confirmed by Russian military correspondents, who claim that small groups of Ukrainian infantry, supported by armored vehicles, continued their offensive north and northeast of Robotino, as well as in the direction of Verbove. Russian military correspondents claimed that fighting was currently underway for the northern part of Robotino and that Ukrainian equipment could move more freely in the area due to the clearing of minefields by Ukrainian forces. Also, according to them, the recent successes of the Ukrainian side allow Ukrainian forces to put constant pressure on Russian forces in areas where there are no more mines.
Also, analysts refute reports from Russian sources that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have deployed their "main reserves" in the Zaporozhye region to conduct counter-offensive operations.
“Continued Russian claims of attacks by a small portion of Ukrainian infantry in the area are inconsistent with the intended deployment of major elements of Ukraine’s mechanized reserves. Russian sources appear to incorrectly portray Ukrainian reserves as one large unitary contingent that Ukraine will send into battle as a single unit, and prematurely claim that Ukraine has deployed all of its reserves based on anecdotal sightings of Ukrainian units equipped with Western weaponry," the report said.
