Clément Molin Profile picture
May 12, 2024 21 tweets 8 min read Read on X
#Kharkiv : a new front opened by Russia 🇷🇺

The Northern Corps created a few days ago with +/- a 50k army has launched attacks aiming to take Voltchansk and Lyptsi.

Lets look together videos, maps, claims and hypothesis on this new Russian offensive.

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First, where is this front located ?

Kharkiv is the seconth city of Ukraine, located ~35km from Russia. The frontline lies around the Siversky Donets river. This area was liberated by Ukraine on september 2022. Image
On this map by @Pouletvolant3 we can see that Russia has taken some villages in the grey zone. These may have been abandoned by Ukrainian territorial defense forces. Image
The first videos reaching us are somewhat reminiscent of the first months of the war of movement in 2022, but in a more cautious way. The infantry advances largely on foot, sometimes supported by BMPs which are targeted by Ukrainian suicide drones.
Thus, we have already some Russian losses on both sides of the border with Ukraine. Interestingly, it seems Ukrainian armed forces retreated from the border towns to prepared position a few kilometers away. Image
On the following videos, you will see Russian BMP's and infantry being targeted by drones. On the second one, there is a Ukrainian trench network abandonned by Ukraine.

Based on information shared by @Deepstate_UA and @UAControlMap, we can assure the following billages are under Russian controll : Strilecha, Krasne, Pyl'na, Morokhovets' and Oliinykove.

Borysivka is probably under Russian controll, no information. Image
It seems Russian forces are now attacking Hlyboke and Luk'yantsi where Ukrainian forces may have retreated.
42nd mecanized brigade is defending this direction, main Ukrainian defensive line is located east and west of Lyptsi. Image
On the Volchansk direction, the Russian army penetrated from several directions into the forest towards the small city.
The villages of Ohirtseve and Hatyshche are under their control, that of Pletenivka probably also. Image
Interesting to observe how the Russian infantry marches without being disturbed by Ukrainian artillery and drones.

For the moment, the Russian advance which began 3 days ago is not a breakthrough. Maximum penetration is 5km.
Why ?

The border between Ukraine and Russia is very long. They could've attacked on Chostka, Sumy or Okhtyrka direction but they choose Kharkiv.

3 main ideas : putting pressure on the city, extending the front, threatening Kupiansk. Image
Hypothesis 1 :

False attack north of Kharkiv, real attack betwee, Kupiansk and Tchouhouiv : enlarge the front and take kupiansk from the north, then secure all Siverski Donets banks. Image
Hypothesis 2 :

Secure ~10km buffer zone and dig positions : then wait to keep Ukrainian units busy here. Putting Kharkiv back under GRAD fire.

This is what we have for now. Image
Hypothesis 3 : do both

Secure northern Kharkiv oblast to force Ukrainian forces to deploy brigades there : threatening Kharkiv, Chuhuiv and Kupiansk. Image
What i think ?

There is one main defensive line for Ukraine. With a 50k force, Russia can't take Kharkiv, however, they will divert Ukrainian forces from Donetsk oblast and will be bombing Kharkiv. Image
So Kharkiv offensive is a double trap :

If Ukraine divert too much forces from Donbass, Russian summer offensive will breakthrough.

If Ukraine does not defend Kharkiv direction, Russian army will advance and capture large portion of terrain, even threatening Kupiansk.
So now, i will follow daily the situation on my account and on @atummundi's one (think tank account you should follow)

The situation is bad for Ukraine they will need more troops to defend this new front. Image
Finally, as always do not believe all these maps on Twitter : that's only speculation and false information.

There are some reliable mappers doing incredible work: for example, no one, even deepstate said they entered Vovtchansk.

18/18 Image
And of course i can add this firm image : a lot of Russian bombing. 3 Bridges on Siversky Donets river destroyed including the big one in Stary Saltiv.


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Confirmation of Russian presence in Hatyshche north of Vovtchansk.


Well now they may have entered the city according to Ukrainian officials.

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More from @clement_molin

Apr 8
L'opération israélo-américaine en Iran est-elle un échec ?

❌Le régime n'a pas été renversé
❌Le détroit d'Ormuz a été fermé
❌Les programmes balistiques et nucléaires n'ont pas été détruits
✅L'Iran a été affaiblie
✅Le volet militaire s'est plutôt bien déroulé

🧵THREAD🧵⬇️ Image
🔸L'objectif américain : le flou

L'objectif initial, martelé à de nombreuses reprises par Trump était de renverser le régime en détruisant les gardiens de la révolution et les moyens répressifs pour permettre une prise de pouvoir par la population.

Deux objectifs secondaires suivaient, celui de détruire le programme nucléaire et le programme balistique de l'Iran.

Pourtant, après le début de la guerre, le flou entretenu par un président américain utilisant ses propres déclarations pour parier de l'argent sur les marchés est resté total. L'objectif de rouvrir le détroit d'Ormuz ne figurait pas parmi les objectifs initiaux, et pourtant, c'était celui dominant dès la 2ème semaine des opérations.Image
🔸La stratégie iranienne :

L'Iran, qui s'y préparait depuis des décennies était très bien préparée (qui l'eut cru !). Frapper Israël n'avait pas d'intérêt, défendre l'espace aérien était impossible.

L'Iran a plutôt fait tout pour répandre la guerre le plus possible, en touchant avant tout les moyens de production économique (pétrole, gaz, tourisme, espaces aériens, industries) du Golfe (dont le détroit d'Ormuz) et les bases américaines.

Beaucoup annonçaient la mort de l'axe de résistance, bien que durement frappé, celui-ci est toujours là : les milices chiites d'Irak ont été très actives contre les bases américaines dans le pays, le Hezbollah a rejoins la guerre contre Israël et les Houthis du Yémen ont suffisamment menacés d'entrer en guerre, de fermer le détroit de Bab el Mandeb et de frapper les ports saoudiens occidentaux pour empêcher les Etats du Golfe d'entrer dans la guerre contre l'Iran.

En parallèle, l'Iran a bien camouflé ses lanceurs de missiles et de drones, permettant un lancement régulier (100 drones et 50 missiles par jours). L'enjeu est désormais de déterrer les milliers de lanceurs coincés dans les bases souterraines pour remplacer ceux perdus en surface.Image
Read 11 tweets
Apr 8
Overnight, Ukraine 🇺🇦 conducted yet another long range strike targeting russian 🇷🇺 assets in southern occupied Ukraine (total = + 400 strikes now !)

For you, I gathered here 20 different databases to better understand the russian invasion of Ukraine :

🧵THREAD🧵1/24 ⬇️Image
🔸Weekly russian progression since october 2023

Based on @Pouletvolant3 weekly updates, I gathered all those since Russia took the initiative, per week.

You can see two years and half of russian offensive in Ukraine, with a recent decrease. Image
🔸Monthly russian progression since october 2023

Based on @Pouletvolant3 monthly updates, I gathered all those since Russia took the initiative, per month.

You can see a traditionnal decrease in winter, with this one more important than usual. Image
Read 24 tweets
Apr 6
For the first time, in march 2026, Ukraine 🇺🇦 launched more long range drones into russian 🇷🇺 territory than Russia launched drones into Ukraine

Last night, Ukraine launched at least 283 drones south, mainly targeting the Novorossiisk port and hit a frigate.

🧵THREAD🧵1/20 ⬇️ Image
After Primorsk and Ust-Luga oil terminals in Leningrad and Karelia oblast have been hit 5 days in a row last week, Ukraine attacked the Novorossiisk oil terminal.

A picture widely shared last night showed the port ablase, with intense anti-air activity. Image
For months and even years, Ukraine's indigenous long range drone and missile program has been improving.

Ukraine first launched 1 000 drones into Russia is august 2024, 3 000 in July 2025 and 7 000 in march 2026 ! Image
Read 20 tweets
Apr 4
100 km of kill zone, let's dive inside one of Ukraine's 🇺🇦 best defensive line

The Verkhnya Tersa line -with only 18 crossing over 100km- is one of the strongest and best prepared fortified line in Ukraine. Here is a detailed analysis :

🧵THREAD🧵1/18⬇️ Image
First "New Donbas Line" style prepared in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk region, this line is covered north of Novomykolaivka by 3 other lines, while only one before Novomykolaivka.

South of it, this line is the first defensive line, only protected by older line and barbed wire.Image
Here is a video from few months ago of the central part of this line, the one protecting Novomykolaivka.

This area of around 25 km is the most ready on the 100 km of that particular line. North of Novomykolaivka, barbed wire has not been installed, the frontline is too far.
Read 18 tweets
Apr 3
Il n'y a jamais eu autant de guerres 🪖 dans le monde qu'en 2026, avec 5 grands pôles conflictuels

En tout, plus de 50 Etats sont confrontés à la guerre, la plupart en Afrique et au Moyen-Orient. De nombreux conflits sont oubliés.

🧵THREAD🧵1/12 ⬇️Image
La plus grande guerre en cours est la guerre en Ukraine, en cours depuis 2014 avec une accélération en 2022.

Elle englobe aussi les frontières avec la Russie-Biélorussie et les territoires occupés par la Russie. En tout, plus de 600 000 hommes sont de chaque cpoté sur le front. Image
Un deuxième pôle conflictuel, plus traditionnel est présent au Moyen-Orient. La guerre en cours a précipité 9 Etats supplémentaires vers la guerre.

Les principaux conflits en dehors de la guerre avec l'Iran ont lieu en Palestine, au Liban, au Yémen, en Syrie et en Irak. Image
Read 13 tweets
Apr 2
The Third Gulf War 🇮🇱🇺🇸/🇮🇷 started 1 month ago

In total, the US and Israel launched more than 26 000 munitions, while Iran retaliated with 1 725 missiles and 4 445 drones.

Here is everything you need to know about the situation in the Middle East :

🧵THREAD🧵1/20 ⬇️Image
Image
Image
Image
I continued to map US and Israeli strikes against Iran.

In total, more than 26 000 munitions have been used as per official records, mainly hitting western and southern Iran, as well as the main cities. Image
Strikes against Iranian leadership :

The IRCG leadership has been hitten the most, while the political figures remained less exposed. Most Iranians linked to the high security and intelligence leadership are now dead. Image
Read 20 tweets

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