Today we return to the format “briefly, from different directions.”
1. Sumy Direction (Northern Slobozhanshchyna)
Several assault groups from the forward units of the 1443rd Motorized Rifle Regiment and the 83rd Separate Air Assault Brigade of the enemy (tactical group (TG) “Kursk”, military group (MG) “North”) continued their attempts to break through the line Pysarivka — Maryine, operating in the following tactical directions Andriivka — Pysarivka, Varachine — Korchakivka, and Yunakivka — Khrapivshchyna. However, they did not achieve significant tactical success.
Similar attempts by the enemy to occupy the northeastern part of the forested area near the hamlet Sadky, made in the directions Oleshnia — Sadky and Hui’yevo — Sadky, were also unsuccessful.
2. Vovchansk Direction (Southern Slobozhanshchyna or Kharkiv)
Intense battles continue on the southern outskirts of the city of Vovchansk and in the area of Synelnykove — Tsehelne — Vilcha — Lyman, where the enemy (probably units of its 128th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 44th Army Corps, reinforced with separate units and parts of the 6th Combined Arms Army and the 11th Army Corps from TG “Belgorod – Kharkiv”) are trying to break through to the south along the eastern bank of the Siversky Donets River in the directions Synelnykove – Hraf’ske and Lyman – Syminivka. However, for 3 weeks already, they have been unsuccessful. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, apparently holding positions in the area of Lyman and Vilcha, are quite effectively preventing further advancement of the enemy’s assault groups in this direction.
Enemy advancement along the Vovchansk — Bilyi Kolodiaz road as part of the continuation of the Russian offensive on Velykyi Burluk has also not been recorded. It is evident that the forward units of this Russian TG are currently bogged down in battles on the southern outskirts of the city near Panina and Stanychna streets and therefore are not yet ready to execute a tactical breakthrough in this direction.
3. Velykoburluk Direction
Russian forces (units and formations of the 6th Combined Arms Army) attempted to expand their incursion into Ukrainian territory in the area of the village Milove, capturing the neighboring village Chuhunivka, advancing with their small infantry groups in the directions Vyrigovka — Chuhunivka and Butyrky — Chuhunivka. After the Ukrainian forward units defending in this direction detected the movement of enemy assault groups in the village of Chuhunivka, they were either partially destroyed or partially pushed back to their initial positions.
Attempts by the enemy (6th Combined Arms Army) to advance in the directions Milove — Ambarne, Krasne Pershe — Novovasylivka, and Dvorichna — Riddkodub aiming to flank the “knot” of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s defenses in the area of Kolodiazne were also unsuccessful.
4. Kupiansk Direction
Attempts by the Russian military command of OTG “Zapad” to “restore the position” in the area of the city of Kupiansk continue. To this end, they have concentrated the main forces of the 47th Tank Division (TD) of the 1st Tank Army (TA) in this direction—namely, the 245th and 272nd Motorized Rifle Regiments (MRR), the 26th and 153rd Tank Regiments (TR), as well as part of the forces of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division (MRD) of the 6th CAA (from OTG “Sever”)—the 121st and 122nd MRR, and also the 27th Motorized Rifle Brigade from the 1st TA.
The enemy regularly attempts to break through to the remnants of their assault groups encircled in the central part of the city along both banks of the Oskil River (both from the bridgehead on the western bank in the direction of Zapadne-Holubivka and along the eastern bank towards Lyman Pershyi-“Zaoskillia,” the eastern part of Kupiansk). Units from the 68th MRD and the 27th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the enemy are active here.
Occasional assault groups of Russian forces still manage to penetrate the eastern part of Kupiansk (fighting occurs in the area of Lyceum No.7, the Milk Canning Plant, and north of the “Ambare” wholesale store), but do not “stay for long.” The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) steadfastly hold the city blocks adjacent north to the main Dzerzhinsky Street in the eastern part of the city, as well as the villages of Kucheriivka and Petropavlivka, thus confidently destroying or pushing them back northwards.
In turn, attempts by the Russian 68th MRD to unblock the remnants of their assault groups from the north from their bridgehead on the Oskil north of the city through Holubivka have also been unsuccessful so far. The AFU firmly control the road that runs along the Oskil through Holubivka from north to south, i.e., into the city, as well as blocks in the northern part of the city in the area of Michurin Street and Kupiansk’s “Extreme” park.
However, as I predicted earlier, it was evident that over time the Russian command, in order to “restore the position” in the Kupiansk area, along with obvious attempts to break through to the encircled by the shortest route, would begin active measures on other sections of the Ukrainian bridgehead located east of the city.
Indeed, this happened. The Russian 47th TD, after a brief regrouping of several forces and assets, significantly increased the activity of its forward units across a range of sectors and directions along the entire perimeter of the Ukrainian bridgehead. In particular, the enemy attempted to attack in the directions of Vilshana-Petropavlivka, Krulyakivka-Kolesnykivka, etc.
However, Russian forces began to act most resolutely in the direction of Pishchane-Kurylivka and Pishchane-Kivsharivka, where assault groups of the 153rd Tank Regiment of the 47th TD and possibly one of the motorized rifle regiments of this division (245th or 272nd MRR) began actively “seeping through,” attempting to break through to Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi from the east.
Despite active resistance from the AFU’s forward units, some small infantry groups of the enemy (usually 2-3 soldiers) managed to “secure” several individual buildings in Kurylivka (near the local pond/artificial lake on the Lozovatka River) and reaching the northeastern outskirts of Kivsharivka. However, the enemy could not advance further. They have not been able to “secure” in Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi or Kivsharivka, let alone conduct any “sweeps,” according to General Gerasimov.
Currently, it is evident that the enemy command is trying to move a sufficient number of assault infantry through Stepova Novoselivka to the Pishchane area and east of Kurylivka to accumulate forces there and then continue the offensive on Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi from the east, attempting to split the entire Ukrainian bridgehead east of Kupyansk.
Since the onset of active offensive actions by the enemy on the Ukrainian bridgehead (approximately a month ago), they have managed to advance only in one direction: Stepova Novoselivka — Pishchane — Kurylivka, and that by a distance of up to 4.5 km.
5. In conclusion, a few words about the direction towards Borova
In the past few weeks, the enemy has carried out a series of quite intensive attacks in the directions of Kruhliaivka — Zahryzove, Borivska Andriivka — Borova, and Borivska Andriivka — Novoplatonivka by individual units of the 2nd Motor Rifle Division and the 4th Tank Division (1st TA).
Apparently, the goal of these actions is not only the desire to block the connection (in terms of ground communication) with the “node” of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s defense in the Zahryzove area as “tightly” as possible (along the R-79 road Izyum – Kupyansk), but also the attempt to break through to the northern and northeastern outskirts of Borova itself.
In this sense, some small infantry groups of the enemy have evidently already reached the R-79 road between Novoplatonivka and Bohuslavka and made minor tactical gains in the Zahryzove area, advancing 1 km south along the Oskil and railway that runs between the village and the river. However, they have evidently not yet managed to break directly into Borova itself.
In this regard, it is worth noting that the local Russian command has a fairly clear tactical plan to push the defending Ukrainian units on the eastern bank of Oskil in the areas of Zahryzove, Bohuslavka, and Nova Kruhliaivka across the river, by cutting off any link between this “node” of defense and the Borova area and simultaneously exerting pressure from the north and south.
In this context, it seems they managed to deploy into the plantings between Novoplatonivka and Bohuslavka, which stretch along the “railway” and the adjacent R-79 road, only a few small infantry groups. However, I personally have no doubt that in the near future they will try to increase their presence there. Only then will the classic “squeezing” from the flanks begin.
This option currently looks more likely than a full-scale but immediate “breakthrough into Borova” and its subsequent assault (since it evidently does not require a sharp and significant reinforcement of TG 1st TA operating in this area, unlike the latter).
Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
