Text from the dzen.ru page of Russian military correspondent Aleksandr Kots
1. Of course, nothing is over yet, the attacks from the APU will continue. But the first blow, which was supposed to overturn our battle formations and break through the defenses, was repulsed. The progress of the enemy is minimal and clearly does not correspond to the losses incurred. Even the promoted Western technology did not help. On the side of Russia is time, which Ukraine does not have. Western patrons are pushing Kyiv forward and Zelensky is forced to hurry. A fussing opponent is the easiest to catch on a mistake.
2. In recent days, the approaches of the Ministry of Defense to covering the situation at the fronts have noticeably changed. Almost for the first time, the numbers of the defending units and the names of especially distinguished heroes were promptly named. For once, we have pushed the enemy back on his favorite battlefield - the information one.
The Ukrainian media is frankly "floating", trying to prove to its audience that there is no offensive, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine are still on the defensive. It is becoming increasingly difficult to do this - there is a lot of evidence in social networks that the first strikes of the counteroffensive ended, if not in defeat, then in extremely serious losses for Ukraine. Both human and material.
3. Russian aviation, which has been playing on the sidelines since the beginning of the NMD, has finally turned to its full extent. The night offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stalled in the minefields, was immediately covered with bombs and rockets. Bombers and helicopters frolicked almost with impunity - the range of the Ukrainian air defense systems, pulled up to the front, was not enough to cover the entire offensive zone with a radar field.
This is exactly what an armed conflict looks like between an army with aviation and an army without aviation and air defense. The United States has shown this picture repeatedly in recent decades.
4. Western media cover the latest events contrary to the official picture from Kyiv. Leading American and European publications claim that the offensive has begun. And they publish information that is unpleasant for the Ukrainian authorities. CNN reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine suffered heavy losses in people and equipment.
Such a mismatch between the Ukrainian and Western agendas may indicate that Washington and Brussels are not very happy with the success of their Eastern European vassal. If Ukraine continues to senselessly lose expensive overseas equipment, it may well shut off the supply chain. I wonder when the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Kuleba will declare CNN "the mouthpiece of the Kremlin propaganda"?
5. Recently, a grouping of Russian troops operating in the southern direction received a new batch of T-90M "Proryv" tanks. These vehicles, capable of challenging the best Western tanks, were rarely seen in the NVO zone. However, in recent months there have been more and more of them. This suggests that the Russian defense industry is gradually gaining momentum and reaching the required pace of production. Still, "Armata" wait, and you can go to Kyiv. )
More from the V Kontakte page of Russian military correspondent Aleksandr Sladkov
What did this day bring us?
Let me summarize today. These are my thoughts, my reasoning, my data. There was no holiday at the Armed Forces of Ukraine today. This is not a red day in the calendar for Ukraine, they have big losses. They were quite active in several directions. In combat terms, they are actively behaving, but in informational terms, they are not.
Well, it means they are being cautious, saying that nothing like this is happening, and the footage with their beaten equipment and footage of their unsuccessful actions taken from UAVs are scattered all over the world. They say no, no, nothing like that is happening!
In fact, they pressed on the Zaporozhye direction towards Melitopol, and ours successfully fought back there. The attack was in the Pologov area, in the Orekhov area. Only one formation of the Southern Military District, its fighters burned three tanks there, disabled one, BMPs destroyed one Hummer and 40 people destroyed the enemy.
More they did not go, despite many messages. Kamenka and Lobkovoe. There were three attacks, our guys - tankers, infantry and special forces - set fire to the enemy's equipment - drones acted well, repulsed three attacks. It seems that the enemy was hooked on the initial data on the edge of the Lobkove, but they squeezed them out of there, and they did the right thing, because there was a danger - if the enemy forces had stayed there for the night, they would probably have tried to pull up help under cover of darkness.
But they pushed them out. - if the enemy forces had stayed there for the night, they would probably have tried to bring help under the cover of darkness. But they pushed them out. - if the enemy forces had stayed there for the night, they would probably have tried to bring help under the cover of darkness. But they pushed them out.
And under Ugledar OBTF "Cascade", these are fighters tested by big battles, subordinates of Alexei Diky. They are just like 28 Panfilov’s men, they stood up there and did not let them capture the settlement, that is, in fact theythey stopped one of the big breakthroughs and threw back the enemy, stuffing a huge amount of equipment there. Globally they did a great job there.
Two notes: Alexei Diky was a Soviet actor and director. 28 Panfilov's Men was a false story of Soviet bravery during the Battle for Moscow. Great and inspiring story, but ultimately it was false.
And as Alexander Sergeevich Khodakovsky noted, not being able to harness the tanks, the enemies began to throw their soldiers to the settlements, unload the infantry, then return, take a new landing, jump again, that is, saturate the settlement with infantry that was of interest to them in terms of combat. But they were beaten, they ran. But these armored vehicles were picked up, the retreating ones were taken back to the settlements, where they were beaten again. They retreated again. In general, squeezed them out of there.
Kremennaya today did not rumble in terms of information, but I'm sure that the guys there are quietly biting off enemy territory.
As for Bakhmut, the situation is difficult, ours are fighting there. Landing - 31 brigades, 106 divisions are not allowed to enter the heights, they are defending them near Kleshcheevka. Why do Ukrainians need these heights in order to control the entire Bakhmut in a fire format. Well, ours are holding.
As for the Belgorod region. I don’t know why the Ukrainians extended the front and transferred their forces there from the South Donetsk direction - I don’t understand what the intention is. Well, they made noise, they rebuffed them there, they retreated now, some sabotage groups are trying to enter them, there are already border guards and infantry and special forces already in a single whole, merged into one force and fight back.
As for Marinka. Well, I don’t know, they already say that they took the settlement. I've heard such conversations for a long time, for more than a year. And there you first need to go around to the left and right in order to take Marinka into the ring. And this is difficult to do, everyone had the opportunity to prove themselves in the field, storm the Ukrainian defensive midfielders, and strengthen themselves in them. Well, it doesn't work.
Honestly, I must admit, while the battles are going on inside the village, but it is necessary to surround it. Further, the road goes to the coverage from the South side of Avdievka, which is wonderful. If we take it and move on. Avdievka is just being surrounded, such are the cases.