.svg){kind=small}
This report covers the latest important events along the entire front line. This time, we focus on developments in Kursk, Pokrovsk, and Velyka Novosilka.
Starting with Kursk, even though the winter weather in the region is not ideal for large offensive operations, after a short operational pause due to high losses, Russians have continued attempting to force a decisive breakthrough using armored vehicles.
On the western flank of the salient, the Russians once again started conducting mechanized assaults on the forests near Kruglenkoe, which were destroyed by precise Ukrainian artillery fire and subsequently stopped.
To the south, Russian forces also tried a mechanized assault along the Korenevo-Sudzha road, being forced to use this route because of the dragon teeth fortifications in the region, driving right into the kill zone of the Ukrainian artillery.
In summary, the deeper the Russians advanced, the stronger Ukrainian defenses became, ultimately leading to another disaster for the Russians. The strong Ukrainian defensive line in the western part of the salient, combined with deteriorating weather, resulted in the destruction of the renewed Russian attempts to break through Ukrainian lines that will likely force them to take another operational pause to figure out their next move.
Switching to Pokrovsk, Russian forces concentrate their efforts on the city's southwestern flank, aiming to bypass the main defensive line and disrupt key Ukrainian supply routes.
Russian assaults continue to be carried out mainly by smaller infantry groups with rare appearances of armored vehicles. Additionally, Ukrainians conducted a local counterattack near Kotlyne, successfully engaging and destroying the badly-in-shape Russian defenders with armored vehicles. This put Russian soldiers in the industrial zone to the north in an operational encirclement, as the active Ukrainian defense here continues to drain Russian resources, securing a key stronghold to hold the whole western flank of Pokrovsk.
Due to the lack of capable Russian reserves for their offensive, Ukrainians are able to locally challenge the initiative and are consciously utilizing active defense strategy, which complicates Russian advances, and allows Ukrainians to be ready to seize opportunities for counterattacks and to retake further key positions.
At the same time, Russian forces have intensified the bombardments of Pokrovsk itself, following their established practice of destroying a city before they try to enter it and engage in urban combat. Ukrainian soldiers on the ground have reported that more artillery and air strikes have been carried out in the last few days in comparison to previous weeks.
In summary, the situation in Pokrovsk was stabilized due to the successful counterattacks and the vigilant defense by the Ukrainians. Russian advances are slower than in previous weeks, costing them a lot of material and soldiers, which has prompted them to start a more vicious bombing campaign against the city.
Finally, in Velyka Novosilka, after capturing Vremivka, Russian soldiers were able to start assaulting the town from the northeast, east, and south, closing in on Ukrainian defenders from all sides.
With the first Russian groups starting close-range battles in the eastern part of the settlement and the situation going from bad to worse for the Ukrainians, their commanders decided to pull back the main Ukrainian contingent and leave a rearguard to cover the exit maneuver by holding off the enemy.
The Ukrainian plan is to evacuate the main force and their equipment back over the river, while this rearguard conducts a fighting withdrawal against the Russian advance. This has forced a slight change to the initial Russian plan to capture Velyka Novosilka without engaging in urban combat.
With Russians expected to intensify their direct attacks now, they will likely attempt to overwhelm the Ukrainian rearguard and disrupt the withdrawal, aiming not only to trap as many defenders and equipment as possible before they can withdraw from the encircled town.
Overall, harsh winter conditions continue to impact both sides. Ukrainian forces have successfully defended the Kursk salient and stabilized the situation in Pokrovsk, inflicting significant losses on Russian troops. Meanwhile, in Velyka Novosilka, intense close-quarters battles rage for every house, with Ukrainians conducting a fighting withdrawal to better positions.
.jpg)
Comments