The #Russian Ministry of Defense’s September 11 briefing map confirmed that Russian forces are withdrawing from settlements around Kharkiv City, from northern Kharkiv Oblast, and settlements on the western bank of the #Oskil River. /1 iswresearch.org
Geolocated and social media footage confirmed that #Ukrainian forces have entered #Vovchansk and Velykyi Burluk, severing #Russian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) along the T2104 highway and reaching the international border. /2 iswresearch.org
#Russian troops likely withdrew from the area in great haste, and social media posts show abandoned tanks and other heavy military equipment near #Izyum, which indicates that Russian troops failed to organize a coherent retreat. /4 iswresearch.org
#Russian forces are failing to reinforce the new frontline following Ukrainian gains in eastern #Kharkiv Oblast and are actively fleeing the area or redeploying to other axes. /1 isw.pub/RusCampaignSep…
Social media footage shows lines of cars stretching for kilometers near Schastia and Stanysia Luhanska, which are both along the border of long-held LNR territory and close to the #Russian border. /2 isw.pub/RusCampaignSep…
Certain proxy forces are also reportedly already redeploying from #Kharkiv Oblast to southwestern Donetsk Oblast, indicating that the Russian command is not prioritizing reinforcing vulnerable positions east of the Oskil River. /3 isw.pub/RusCampaignSep…
#Ukraine has liberated over 60,000 square km of territory since the Russians began retreating from around Kyiv in early April. Quick🧵below.
Ukrainian forces have liberated about 9,000 square km across all of #Ukraine since August 29.
However, the Ukrainian counter-offensive in #Kharkiv is not an anomaly but part of the long drive of the Ukrainian people to free their country from #Russian occupation. 2/
The Russian flight from #Kharkiv differs from their flight from #Kyiv for a few reasons:
#Putin chose to withdraw from Kyiv when he realized he could not take it.
In #Kharkiv Oblast, #Ukraine forced Russian troops to flee from attacks the Russians could not stop. 3/
The success of recent #Ukrainian counteroffensives likely contributed to the Russian announcement that annexation referenda will be indefinitely postponed. /1 iswresearch.org
#Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) Head Denis Pushilin and #DNR Mayor of #Mariupol Konstantin Ivashchenko reportedly did not attend a military parade in Mariupol on September 11 and their current whereabouts are unknown. /3 iswresearch.org
#Ukrainian troops are likely to continue counter-offensive operations in #Kherson Oblast based on the limited reporting that is available. /1 iswresearch.org
Southern Axis Update:
Footage taken by residents of #Kherson Oblast on September 10 and 11 corroborates statements made by #Ukrainian officials regarding the continued Ukrainian interdiction campaign along the Southern Axis. /2 iswresearch.org
Southern Axis Update:
Social media users reported explosions near Kakhovka and Nova Kakhovka which substantiates statements made by #Ukrainian military officials that Ukrainian troops hit an ammunition depot and ferry crossing in this area. /3 iswresearch.org
NEW: #Ukraine has inflicted a major operational defeat on #Russia, recapturing almost all of #Kharkiv Oblast in a rapid counter-offensive. Ukraine has turned the tide in its favor, but the current counter-offensive will not end the war. /1
The #Ukrainian recapture of #Izyum ended the prospect that #Russia could accomplish its stated objectives in #Donetsk Oblast. /2
After retreating from #Kyiv in early April, the stated #Russian objectives had been to seize the complete territory of #Luhansk and #Donetsk Oblasts via an attack along an arc from #Izyum through #Severodonetsk to the area near #Donetsk City. /3
NEW: #Ukraine has decisively won the Battle of #Kharkiv Oblast, @TheStudyofWar can assess, recovering its territory northwest, north, and northeast of the city and ending the Russian ground & artillery threat to Ukraine’s second-largest city. Update 🧵
#Izyum is back under Ukrainian control. Its operational significance has long pinned significant Ukrainian forces to the defense of #Slovyansk to its south. Izyum's liberation allows those defenders to join the counteroffensive, reinforcing it and allowing it to keep going. 2/
The Ukrainian breakthrough and exploitation operations north of #Izyum have completely unhinged the Russian defenses throughout northeastern #Ukraine. The Russians are scrambling to find a new defensive line far to the east and have given up on #Kharkiv. 3/