Thread by @clement_molin

The fall of Kherson, the first and biggest ukrainian 🇺🇦defeat of the war.

After seeing northern direction yesterday, lets see how 58th 🇷🇺 and 49th 🇷🇺 CAA took Kherson and Melitopol in two days. Here is an understanding of ukrainian crushing defeat in the south.

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The Russian grouping "Z" in Crimea was composed of around 50 000 men from 2 armies, 49th and 58th CAA, without fortgeting 22nd army corp.

At least they engaged more than 20 Battle Tactical Groups (BTGs), around 20 to 25 000 men. They had also ~12 landing ships.

The Ukrainian grouping was composed of only 1 500 men.
175 were part of 137th separate Marine Bataillon from 36th Marine Brigade. They were tasked at 3 points, Chonhar, Chaplinka and Kalanchak border crossing.

There was also part of the incomplete 59th Motorized Brigade with around 1 300 men. It was based in Radensk near the Olechky sands.

On february 23rd, the commander of Kherson grouping deployed this unit to their frontline positions.

However, they didn't had the time to do so. The commander (probably based in Kakhovka) decided to take the tank bataillon from the 59th to defend Melitopol direction which had nothing.

He said he needed 4 brigades to hold the frontline, he had barely one
pravda.com.ua/articles/2023/…

Was the terrain mined ?

No, for a few reasons, around 2018, they demined everything, including the bridges to avoid people from being hurt. The minefield in the area where know by everybody.
They tried to destroy bridges, only one was destroyed, near Henichesk.

Now, how the attack happened ?

Thread n°1 : first part

Thread n°2 : second part

Thread n°3 : third part

https://x.com/clement_molin/status/1737855782178410681

https://x.com/clement_molin/status/1738189944873472285

https://x.com/clement_molin/status/1738505645609922635

First, Russian planes and warships fired missiles at every objects of the Kherson region.
Air defense positions where destroyed In Kherson, Nova Kakhovka and Melitopol. 59th motorized brigade base was targeted, as well as Chornobaivka airport in Kherson.

In the morning, ukrainian forces began their retreat from all the military positions, with around 25 russian soldiers for 1 ukrainian.

At this moment, the 59th brigade headed toward the border. It standed its ground against Russian tanks near Brilivka.

On the other side, the 59th brigade tank bataillon and 137th retreated directly to Melitopol while a huge Russian forces took controll of Henichesk nearly whithout fightings. The retreat plan for 137th was already prepared for months.

At 11 a.m. 59th Motorized Brigade was still retreating while defending the road. Part of the russia grouping turned left to encircle Oleshky.

Russian paratroopers and BTG also entered Kakhovka while last ukrainian troops are retreating on the bridge.

During the afternoon, russian forces began crossing Kakhovka dam after its helicopeters secured it.

In Kherson, the situation is quite interesting (i will zoom in just after). Russian took the bridge at 12 a.m. and lost it at 15 p.m.

At 11 a.m. russian reconnaissance take the bridge and destroy ukrainian BRDM 2 reconnaissance. However, most of 59th brigade is still trapped in Oleshky.

Both ukrainian and russian planes are active, striking each others columns.

A russian soldier who fled to France said "I think the ukrainian were fucked up because we were stupidly advancing in columns, it would have been easy to destroy us".

It was the case in fact, i counted 5 ukrainian and 4 russian destroyed, by airstrikes.

At 3p.m. ukrainian 59th motorized brigade counterattack before the next Russian columns arrived at Oleshky.
Helped by 80th air-assault bataillon coming from Mykolaiv, it took back the bridge and retreated to the right bank overnight. (video)

https://x.com/clement_molin/status/1738189975408050459

The next day in the morning, ukrainian forces are controlling the antonovski bridge in Kherson. There is even a CNN journalist there !

but in the afternoon, 59th and 80th brigade are forced to retreat after the threat of encirclement.

https://x.com/clement_molin/status/1738505681945162198

Then, they all retreated to Mykolaiv, while russian BTGs were already running in their back in Kherson and Mykolaiv oblast.

The situation in Melitopol was even worse, 59th Motorized Brigade tank bataillon defended Melitopol, then Tokmak before establishing a new line with other units around Orikhiv, Hulialpole and Kamianske.

What saved ukrainien here is the fast reaction of 35th Marine Brigade, 28th mecanized brigade and 80th air assault which came to defend Mykolaiv, avoiding a direct attack on Odesa.
17th tabk defended Krivi Rih direction before ukrainian reinforcments arrived.

This defeat is the most important because in 2 days, they lost all Kherson and part of Zaporijia oblast.

They failed to destroy Dnipro bridges. If they did so, there would have never been a Kherson and Mykolaiv battle, thus liberating many brigades...

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