All Alarms Go Off! Critical Ukrainian Defenses Breached! - RFU News

[TexasTowelie]

Today, there are a lot of important updates from the Pokrovsk direction.

Here, between Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka, Russian forces have punched through a vulnerable section of the front, threatening two of Ukraine’s most strategic cities in Donbas. As the breakthrough deepens, both sides are now rushing to tip the balance before the summer offensive reaches full scale.

Recently, Russian forces made relatively rapid gains in a breakthrough between Pokrovsk and Kostyantinivka. This breakthrough places key Ukrainian positions in Donbas at risk, including the logistics behind Kostyantynivka and the Myrnograd-Pokrovsk agglomeration, which would open up an axis of advance for the Russians on both Kostyantynivka and Pokrovsk. This vector of advance is the best chance of frontline progress for the Russians, which is why they are throwing the most forces for attacks here.

This creates a potential vulnerability for the Ukrainians in the defense of both Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka. Ukrainians understand that this Russian breakthrough will play a pivotal role in the upcoming Russian summer offensive in their effort to take both cities.

The Russian offensive effort on the other frontlines surrounding Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka is relatively slow, characterized by brutal and grinding battles that lead to meager territorial gains. Meanwhile, in the area of the breakthrough, the Russians managed to advance over 10 kilometers from their initial positions at Vozdvizhenka in less than 2 months of fighting, placing them just 12 kilometers away from Kostyantinivka. Such a continued rate of advance could allow the Russian forces to reach the city during the summer, unless the Ukrainians successfully contain them and stabilize the situation.

Russians achieved these territorial gains through multi-phase assault tactics designed to systematically locate, bombard, and overrun Ukrainian positions. Russians start by probing Ukrainian defenses with small reconnaissance units made up of expendable “suicide squads”, hoping to reveal Ukrainian firing positions. After several squads have been sent forward, the Russians are then able to accurately identify Ukrainian positions, before hitting them with intense artillery and glide bomb strikes. Following the bombardment, additional Russian infantry squads are sent forward to assess the damage and engage in close-quarters combat if any Ukrainian defenders remain. Meanwhile, Russian drones work to isolate the Ukrainians by monitoring and cutting off potential Ukrainian retreat or reinforcement routes, limiting their tactical flexibility. This leaves Ukrainian defenders with a difficult choice: either remain in position and risk being overrun after bombardment, or attempt a retreat under the threat of Russian drones. Regardless of the loss of positions, this Russian tactic usually results in a casualty ratio of at least three to one in favor of the Ukrainians.

Ukrainians counter this Russian tactic by taking out the initial Russian suicide squads with mines, drone-dropped grenades, and kamikaze strikes. This ensures the Ukrainian defenders do not have to reveal their position by firing on the Russian assault groups. The implementation of these drone interceptions has reportedly increased the casualty ratio in some areas to as high as seven to one, with a number of cases going even higher. As a result, these Russian tactics typically succeed only when Ukrainian forces lack sufficient drone support to detect and eliminate the Russian recon squads before they reach the Ukrainian positions, and can commence their bombing strikes.

This is why, in response to the Russian breakthrough, Ukrainians redeployed elite drone brigades to stabilize the front. The units deployed include the Phoenix drone regiment, whose elite drone operators have already started to successfully counter and destroy Russian heavy equipment and infantry on the move. They are further complemented by ground components of the Anne of Kiev Brigade, assigned to reinforce and defend key ground positions from the Russian onslaught while the drone units relieve the pressure. Their experience with past successful counterattacks on the western flank of Pokrovsk will enable them to conduct an active defense, and possibly even push the Russians back around their recent breakthrough.

Overall, the Russians managed to exploit a critical breakthrough along the Pokrovsk-Kostyantynivka highway, where the Ukrainians responded promptly to counter the threat. By redeploying elite drone units, such as the Phoenix Regiment, to counter Russian assaults, as well as the Anne of Kiev assault brigade, Ukrainians are effectively closing a weakness in their defensive lines. If the newly redeployed units succeed in their respective missions, they will prevent Russians from consolidating their positions and halt...

[Karadeniz]

1. Very sad news.....

[Deuxcents]

2. It pains me as the democracies sit back and watch 3+ years of Russian waging death and destruction

On a sovereign country that did not provoke this aggression except that they exist. 🇺🇦

[niyad]

3. Slava Ukraini. Thank you for the update.