We continue with the format “briefly from different directions”.
1. Hulyaipole Direction
The forces of the left flank of the Russian troop grouping (TG) “Vostok”, specifically the 5th and 35th General Armies (GA) with their attached reinforcement means, continue to conduct offensive actions in the general direction of Hulyaipole — Orikhiv, attempting to reach the area of Omelnyk — Shyroke — Yehorivka — Chervona Krynytsia to the northeast of the Orikhiv defensive zone of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
Moreover, in their 5th GA sector, the enemy (Russian troops) is trying to advance north and northwest and thereby restore their positions along the Haichur River, at its junction with the 36th GA. To this end, the forward units of the Russian 5th GA, in cooperation with the forward units of the neighboring 36th GA, continue to conduct active offensive\assault operations in the directions of Rivnopillia — Dobropillia and Zelene — Dobropillia, attempting to reach the Terunuvate — Radisne — Nova Zaporizhzhia — Dobropillia area.
However, during the reporting period, the enemy was unable to achieve the above-mentioned goals.
The main forces of the forward parts and units of the Russian 5th and 35th GAs, which previously reached the lines of Pryluky – Solodke, as well as Zelene – Zaliznychne and Myrne – Luhivske, only managed the infiltration of their numerous small infantry (assault) groups along these directions, which, however, did not secure them stable control over all these areas. Specifically, they were recorded:
– in the area of Terunuvate – Nova Zaporizhzhia – Solodke – Dobropillia,
– in the directions of Pryluky – Vozdvyzhivka and Olenokostiantynivka – Vozdvyzhivka,
– in the area of Verkhnia Tersa – Tsvitkove – Zaliznychne – Hirke,
– as well as in the directions of Myrne — Novoselivka and Luhivske — Chervona Krynytsia.
In this sense, the Russian command continues its attempts to intensify efforts in these areas, trying thereby to disorganize the AFU’s defense system and achieve more significant (deeper) advancement of their forward units by gradually accumulating their assault infantry in the tactical depth of the battle orders of the AFU’s forward parts and units.
However, the pace of their advancement has remained minimal for quite some time. For over two months of stubborn and rather costly offensive battles for the Russian troops in the lanes of their 5th and 35th GAs (after they captured Hulyaipole), they managed to advance only 2.5-5.5 km in certain sections.
It was evident that this was not only due to the resilience of the defense of the corresponding Ukrainian Armed Forces group operating in this area but also because Ukrainian forces conducted tactically effective offensive actions in the zones of the Russian 36th and 29th Combined Arms Armies of the “Vostok” task force. This, in turn, forced the Russian command to deploy part of their own operational reserves of the “Vostok” task force precisely there, which were previously intended, apparently, for the further development of the offensive in the direction of Huliaipole — Orikhiv.
We might be talking about the 69th Separate Cover Brigade, several units of the 38th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade from the 35th Combined Arms Army, as well as parts and units of the 120th Naval Infantry Division. In turn, the strengthening of the troops (forces) of the 5th and 35th Combined Arms Armies, advancing on Orikhiv from the east, resulted only in the involvement of the 40th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade in battle in this direction.
Due to the activation of the 58th Combined Arms Army of the “Dnipro” task force in the Orikhiv direction, it is likely that the command of the “Vostok” task force will try in the near future to strengthen its efforts along the Huliaipole — Orikhiv road and to the south of it (from the Lugivske — Myrne line towards Novoselivka and Chervona Krynitsa), to ensure the right flank of the former and allow it to concentrate more of its forces and means precisely on the Orikhiv defense area of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
2. Orikhiv – Zaporizhzhia direction
As I anticipated earlier, the command of the Russian 58th Combined Arms Army practically moved to activation in the zone of its 42nd Motorized Rifle Division a few weeks ago, attempting to break through to the city of Orikhiv.
Initially, the Russian military command tried to break into the city from the flanks — operating from Nesterianka towards Novoandriivka (from the west and southwest), as well as from Novopokrovka through Mala Tokmachka (from the east and southeast). However, these attempts were not very successful and did not lead to further development.
Russian “infiltrators” advancing north of Nesterianka and east of Maly Shcherbaky were unable to reach the heights in the Novoandriivka area. Several small and “miniature” Russian infantry groups that did manage to cross the road between Maly Shcherbaky and Novoandriivka were timely detected by Ukrainian units and “cleansed”.
Currently, it seems their more “fortunate” colleagues still hold several forest plantations in the “gray zone” north of Nesterianka and southeast of Malye Shcherbaky. Moreover, it is likely that in the Malye Shcherbaky and Shcherbaky area, the Ukrainian Armed Forces counterattacked the enemy, managing to push their main positions south of them and significantly “thinned” the number of blocked small enemy groups in the direction of Maly Shcherbaky — Pavlivka, though a few are still recorded there.
On the opposite flank, in the Mala Tokmachka area, the attempts of the enemy, who acted from Novopokrovka, were also not particularly successful. They were effectively ousted from the ruins of Mala Tokmachka, and only a few “bodies” continued to hide in the basements of the abandoned local correctional colony near the railway station of the same name.
For several weeks, fierce battles have been ongoing in the Mala Tokmachka, Bilohir’ya, and Lugivske areas. At the moment, the enemy has only managed to bring back several of their “miniature” infantry groups to the very edge of the southeastern outskirts of Mala Tokmachka and do the same in Bilohir’ya. But they have not been able to advance further.
However, in this context, it is worth noting that to the northeast of this area, the enemy managed to “penetrate” with several of its assault groups into the tactical depth towards Charyvne, Novoselivka, and Chervona Krynytsia. As a result, some of its assault groups were able to “settle” in several plantations 2.5 km northeast of Mala Tokmachka.
Thus, the enemy’s flanking encirclement of the Orikhiv defense district of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, so to speak, “did not quite succeed” — they were unable to break into the city itself. I think this is why they decided to make a more “direct” attempt — to break through to Orikhiv “head-on” directly from the south through Novodanylivka. And suddenly this proved more successful than the flanking “encirclements and maneuvers” they had attempted earlier.
About a week ago, several Russian reconnaissance and sabotage groups (RSG) managed to advance along the Uspenivka beam to Novodanylivka and then reach the southeastern outskirts of Orikhiv and the northwestern outskirts of Mala Tokmachka. After this, it seems, small and “very small” enemy assault groups followed their tracks.
It cannot be said that currently there are “threateningly many” of them, but, obviously, a few groups of 2-3 personnel (possibly 4-5 “bodies” in some of them) managed to hold a number of buildings in both Novodanylivka and Orikhiv. Moreover, several have even managed to get into a small forest by the road and railway running from Mala Tokmachka to Orikhiv.
As of now, between the forward positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine south of Novodanylivka and Orikhiv, several points have been simultaneously recorded where these “infiltrators” are likely located behind Ukrainian units. The furthest north are on the southeastern outskirts of Orikhiv (between Pryvokzalna Street and Heroes of the ATO Street) at the northern outskirts of Novodanylivka, likely hiding a few Russian assault troops (to the east of Khrustal’kova Street), and at the southern entrance (right after the traffic interchange) they are also present in the area with hangars (garages, workshops, warehouses?). Some others have settled in a small forest between Orikhiv and Mala Tokmachka south of both roads. Also in the area of the Uspenivka beam itself, it seems, a small enemy infantry group holds a certain “transfer point” — a piece of territory for the intermediate accumulation of its assault troops and their further movement towards Novodanylivka and Orikhiv.
It is evident that the Armed Forces of Ukraine on this front simply do not have the proper forces and means for the quick and effective “clearing” of these “infiltrators”. Therefore, the enemy will likely try to increase its presence in the aforementioned area in the near future, taking advantage of this situation. They will achieve this effect by massively transferring their assault infantry in a sort of “rolling” manner from one “fixed” point to the next, and so forth. Essentially, this is the same as during the assaults on other more or less significant settlements by the Russians (Kupyansk, Pokrovske, Kostyantynivka, etc.).
As for the Zaporizhzhia direction itself, the situation there has also begun to gradually change, but not for the better for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The enemy (in the sector of the 19th MSD of the 58th CAA) has once again begun to counterattack, trying to resume the advance of its forward units and formations in the general direction of Komyshuvakha, attempting to reach the line of Malokaterynivka-Komishuvakha.
In particular, he managed to again “insert” several of his assault groups into the tactical rear of the forward units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (they have been noted to the east and northeast of Stepnohirsk, in the Pavlivka area, and in the area between Stepnohirsk and Stepove). Small Russian infantry groups have also been noted again in the southern part of Prymorskyi (north of Pokrovska Street).
Moreover, the enemy resumed active assault operations from the “Height” area in the southern part of Stepnohirsk, along Tavriyska and Agrarna Streets, towards the “Ring” interchange between Stepnohirsk and Prymorskyi (likely attempting to cut off Ukrainian infantry groups that broke through to Plavni and secured positions there).
Thus, it can be asserted that after quite successful active defense of the left flank of its 58th Combined Arms Army (Russian forces managed to hold the area north of Kamianske during counterattacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Prymorskyi and Stepnohirsk area), its command decided to resume active offensive actions, concentrating its main efforts specifically on the Orikhiv defense area of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Photo: 68th Separate Airborne Brigade named after Oleksa Dovbush of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces
