Thread by @NLwartracker

🧵 on 🇺🇦 offensive actions on #Snihurivka in the #Mikolaev region.First an introduction to the strategic importance of this town.
1. Located on the bend of the river #Inhulets.
2. 2 bridges
3. Railway hub #Kherson - #Zaporizhzhia - #Mykolayiv regions.

#OSINT #SlavaUkraïni

🇷🇺 forces occupied #Snuhurivka after heavy shelling on 19-3-2022.
Directly they started building heavy defensive lines N & W of town . 🇺🇦 forces held the surrounding towns to the North & West. Defensive works consisted mainly of trenches and dug in armour positions.

According to local sources early morning of the 3th of juli 🇺🇦 forces started to move from W, N & NW toward #Blahodatne.🇺🇦 forces been prepping the BF by targetting defenses around this town from the 1st of juli forcing 🇷🇺 to fall back to defenses @ #Novopetrivka & #Lyubine

After liberating #Blahodatne 🇺🇦 forces started to shift their focus toward #Snihurivka. Shelling started early 3th of juli on 🇷🇺 positions W/N/NW of town. FIRMS data indicates heavy shelling on 5 position to the W/N destroying multiple vehicles and bunkers.

West positions 1 & 2 the most forward positions between #Novopetrivka and #Snihurivka where 2nd line was hidden behind a natural barrier in the landscape. Where hit by 🇺🇦 shelling resulting in the destruction of at least one vehicle and multiple def. positions (#Sentinel images)

Simultaniously position 3 NW was hit these defense concentrated around road T1508 from #Shyroke toward #Snihurivka. Unclear is how much damage was done here, only scorged areas can be seen on sat. imagery. This might also be due to 🇷🇺 artillery firing back at 🇺🇦 forces.

Position 4 is located north of town just above the river bend and railway line.During midday the 3th of juli 🇺🇦 Artillery fire started concentrating on these positions. destroying multiple vehicles, trenches & warehouses.

Position 5 was located NE of town. Both position 4 & 5 were supposedly put there to defend any attack on the bridge just located to the south of these positions. #FIRMS data & #SENTINEL imagery seems to indicate shelling did significant damage to these defensive positions.

After this heavy shelling by mainly the 🇺🇦 14th mech. Brigade (FIRMS data from 1-5 th of juli shows how this) a significant push against #Snihurivka was to be expected. how ever the push never came. I now believe this was part of a larger plan.

The plan was to diminish 🇷🇺 offensive/defensive capabillity in this area, disrupt supply routes to & from #Snihurivka & mislead 🇷🇺 forces that this was the main target. Misinformation about a push/liberation were going around on soc. media for days, even i reported on it.

In my opinion 🇺🇦 used this rouse to pin 🇷🇺 at the rear of #Snihurivka as a reserve force, while 🇺🇦 14 mech. Brigade moved south toward #Shmidhove to connect up with 28th Mech. and prepare the grounds for the #Kherson offensive.

@DefMon3 @SCondista @WarMonitor3 @ukraine_map