In the Kharkiv area, Russia appears to be preparing for an offensive. Russia performed reconnaissance around several unnamed towns, probably Prudyanka, Dementiivka, Pyomnyk, Boschchova, Petrivka, Husarivka, Zalyman, and Chepil.
Ukraine is constructing minefields around Zalyman and Chepil (yellow = minefield).
In the Izyum/Slovyansk area Russian forces performed reconnaissance around Mazanivka (1). Other than this I found no news.
The Siversk area similarly had little news beyond the regular shelling.
In the Bakhmut area, Russia tried to perform reconnaissance around Yakovlivka (2), but the group was located and destroyed. Around Soledar, a Russian offensive into the town was repelled (3).
Russian forces claim to be moving north along the outskirts of Soledar without really being able to enter it. They are painting this as some sort of way of surrounding the town and attacking Bakhmut from the flank, but if you look at the map that makes no sense whatsoever.
Russian forces were also bragging today that they managed to shoot a football field sized warehouse with artillery after having repeatedly missing for days. A+ Gunnery. They say their newfound success comes from having spotters closer to the building.
Russians are trying to move towards Bakhmut (4), whether they are claiming the vector is towards Vesela Dolyna or Bakhmut itself is largely irrelevant. They are making little progress. It is possible they completely control Pokrovske, but I have not seen confirmation.
A Russian assault on Vershyna failed today (5), and I have subtracted some of the ground I had prematurely given them.
There is ongoing fighting around Semyhirya, even though neither side made note of any particular assaults today.
In the Donetsk area: Russian forces are trying to assault Avdiivka and they made little to no progress (6). Similarly, their assault on Pisky (7) has had little progress, and there are rumors that the tiny amount of territory they gained over the weekend has already been lost.
Overnight, a Russian recon squad was identified and repelled in Marinka (8), and during the day a Russian attack in Marinka was also repelled (9).
(I decided to make Russian recon orange to differentiate it from assaults)
In Zaporizhzhia, Russian forces tried to drive Ukrainian forces away from Nesterianka (10) and Konovalova (11), but both attacks were repelled.
Russia is moving forces from Vasylivka to Polohy to reinforce the village (12). Ukrainian forces are getting dangerously close to Polohy, and Russian forces have been unable to stop their advance.
In the Kherson area, I did not find any news, but the pattern of artillery fire is interesting. It seems to imply that Ukraine may be contesting if not controlling Novopetrivka (A), Vysokopillya (B), and Novoznesenske (C ). It is possible that even Myroliubivka (D) is contested.
Also, there just seems to be a lot going on around the Inhulets River.
Russia continues to shell the entire Kharkiv area, including the city itself. Russians in Kozacha Lopan are forcibly deporting Ukrainian citizens to Russia using the excuse of possible future Ukrainian attacks. Today Russia launched a failed assault into Dementiivka (1).
Russia has suffered absolutely huge losses attacking Dementiivka over the past few weeks, including losing large numbers of special forces from just about every branch of their armed forces, including brigade deputy commanders and chiefs of staff from the Spetsnaz.
Ukraine needs hundreds of howitzers. 600, 700, 1000. Russia is firing a many thousands of rounds per day into each settlement in the Avdiivka area. Pisky, Avdiivka, Marinka. We’re talking 20,000 shells per day. Concentrated firepower. Ukraine needs counter battery fire asap
US, NATO needs to be sending this. It doesn’t need to be cutting edge guns. It doesn’t need to be m777 or caesars or himars. They just need guns. They can be old guns.
The m198 would be fine. The United states has hundreds that they don't even use anymore. Just send them. I don’t understand why this stuff isn’t in Ukraine already.
In the Kharkiv area there was a standard exchange of artillery fire, particularly around Sosnivka and Kozacha Lopan. Russia attempted to attack Dementiivka (1) and Bairak (2) but both attacks were repelled.
The Izyum area is getting increasingly confusing as there is little news but hints of changing control over various areas. It is possible that Ukraine has captured both Sulyhivka and Dovhenke. For now I have kept Sulyhivka as a gray area and Dovhenke as under Russian control.
The Kharkiv area is more or less status quo. There is fighting along the line and artillery fire both inside the city and around pretty much every settlement along the line.
South east of Kharkiv, closer to Izyum, Russia performed recon overnight and into the morning near Husarivka (1) and then during the day they attacked the town (2). The attack was repelled.