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Russian artillery bombards Ukrainian positions in the area

From Frontnieuws

Kiev will experience nightmarish days on the Lyman-Svatovo-Kupiansk axis. The Russian army intercepted the Ukrainian offensive and launched its own counter-offensive with Kharkiv as the final target.

Ukrainian defenses have collapsed in several places, Warnews24/7 reports . Kiev is now openly preparing the Ukrainian public for the loss of the entire region by announcing that “Russia has launched an attack of 100,000 troops with 900 tanks, 555 artillery systems and 370 MLRS systems”.

While the numbers regarding artillery and tank systems seem exaggerated, reports show that the total strength of the Russian army is even greater: Nearly 160,000 soldiers! In the past 24 hours, Russian troops have already advanced 2 km along the front and 1.5 km in depth. In the past 3 days, Ukrainian forces have lost more than 55 square kilometers of territory.

At the same time, Russian troops of the 21st Mechanized Guard have created two bridgeheads that they want to merge. The Russian troops crossed the Zherebets River southwest of Karmazinovka in Svatovo and west of Novovodyane.

The Ukrainians later confirmed the crossing of the Zherebets River by the Russians. The Russians now see the city of Kupiansk.

There are reports that Wagner is approaching Bogdanovka (west of Bakhmut) increasing the threat of encirclement.

After months of predictions about Ukraine’s withdrawal from Bakhmut, the time seems to have arrived. One of the main unanswered questions is how many Ukrainian soldiers will be taken prisoner and how many will escape. Either way, this marks a new stage for Russia in its Ukrainian campaign of demilitarization and de-nazification. Ukrainian next line of defense to the west (Kramatorsk and Seversk) is problematic as it is low lying and will be more vulnerable to Russian artillery.