On the #Pokrovsk front, #Russia 🇷🇺 can't keep up the pressure anymore and was forced to downscale its offensive efforts.
#Ukraine 🇺🇦 is exploiting this by counter-attacking in many places along this sector, while fortifications are being strongly reinforced with a novelty: the great use of barbed wire.
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Dachne - Andriivka
This is the most difficult part of the whole Pokrovsk front for the Ukrainians.
Russian forces pressure Kostyantynopil constantly, but are always repelled. Without changes.
Zelenivka, south of Ulakly, reportedly changed hands twice today. In the morning, the Russians captured the village, but a Ukrainian counterattack was able to clear part of the village in the afternoon. The destruction of 2 Russian tanks and 3 MTLBs is reported. Russian forces are also attacking east of Zelenivka on the opposite bank of the Sukhyi Yali river; extremely harsh fighting is still ongoing.
In Dachne, the Ukrainians still control the south-westernmost corner of the town. Nonetheless, the Russians started accumulating infantry in the center for further assaults on the remaining Ukrainian positions in the village and around it. Fighting continues.
The most difficult situation is Andriivka, which some sources give as practically captured. Here the Russians consolidated and secured last week's gains and continue wedging themselves in the town. At the moment, they're trying to fully secure positions on the western buildings of the town. The northern part is still controlled by Ukraine, but north of that, the Russians entered a trench system located on the dominant hill overlooking Andriivka itself, which endangers every Ukrainian position south of it.
The Ukrainians will have to retreat in the very near future from Dachne and nearby positions to Ulakly to avoid encirclement, as Kostyantynopil is already being attacked from both sides. After, the Ukrainians will fall back to the line Kostyantynopil - Rozlyv, before falling back again to the more solid Oleksiivka - Bahatyr - Komar line, where they're expected to hold out for some time.
Jan 26 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
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The #Russians continue attacking #Andriyivka and have successes on occasionally gaining a small foothold on the easternmost houses of the town. Fighting is going on for a vital chain of strongholds on a dominant.
The #Russians entered #Nadiyivka/#Nadezhdynka and the orchards and forests south of the settlement, likely with the aim of creating a pincer on #Sribne and #Zaporizhzhia.
Jan 18 • 13 tweets • 5 min read
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The #Russians break through near #Udachne and #Kotlyne at the railway and start fighting for the mines, but the #Ukrainians still have a strong line after. This thread will be on the still urgent and critical #Russian breakthrough in the area.
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Recently, the #Russians captured both of the treelines on the railway line's sides between #Udachne and #Kotlyne, crucial defense hubs, and are fighting for the key mines just behind the railway, which normally constitute formidable obstacles
Jan 13 • 23 tweets • 8 min read
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The #Russians are advancing, but the #Ukrainians have not been idle in the rear.
This thread will be a mix of analyses about what #Ukraine has dug this winter and about how this correlates with the current tactical-strategical situation at the front. Happy reading!
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This thread will be organized as follows:
we will move from the #Zaporhzhzhia front to the #Kurakhove one, then #Pokrovsk, #Toretsk and finally #ChasivYar. I will also say a few words about other less active fronts in terms of digging.
Dec 14, 2024 • 19 tweets • 9 min read
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Chasiv Yar, the legendary canal city.
Under attack for more than 8 months and still standing, this thread will explore its strengths and weaknesses, what makes up the city's defense, what the current situation is, and what will happen next and after the fall of the city.
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Chasiv Yar is a medium-sized town with ~12,000 pre-war population (about half of Selydove's). Where the city makes up, though, is in surface area: ~20.000 km² (double Selydove's). The city is also divided in 11 districts.
Nov 29, 2024 • 21 tweets • 7 min read
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Critical situation south of Pokrovs'k: Shevchenko under serious threat.
As the Russians continue exploiting the Zhovte gap in the Ukrainian lines, the vital town of Shevchenko and the Solonyi river seem increasingly in reach of the Russians. Let's analyze the situation.
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After Selydove's fall, the Russians have seemingly found a weak spot in the Ukrainian lines behind the city, advancing much more easily and consistently. After capturing Vyshneve, Petrivka and Hryhorivka, they're now fighting for Zhovte and are now at Shevchenko's doorstep.
Nov 26, 2024 • 12 tweets • 5 min read
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The Novomlyns'k crossing: threatening development or logistical nightmare?
With this thread I'm going to analyze the Russian bridgehead over the Oskil river created on November 24th and it's implications as time goes by from a territorial point of view. Happy reading!
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After daring breakthrough attempts in Kup'yans'k itself, on November 24th Russian forces attacked arguably the most stable direction of the front: the Dvorichna front. This front has not seen any contact line changes since mid-september 2022.
Nov 8, 2024 • 18 tweets • 6 min read
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#Kurakhove. What is happening right now?
With this thread, I'm aiming to analyze the current situation near and around this crucial city, with the added help of high-res satellite imagery (sept. 2) showing the many trench networks defending the town.
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Kurakhove is a medium-sized town (18,220 pre-war population) with an area 1.8x Selydove's and 6x Novohrodivka's. The heart of this city is undoubtedly its many industrial areas. Through the town passes the Pokrovs'k - Donets'k railway, while north is a very big reservoir.
Sep 28, 2024 • 14 tweets • 7 min read
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Pokrovs'k front: what have the Ukrainians dug and built this year?
In this thread I'll analyze in-depth all parts of a standard Ukrainian trench system in this direction, as well as the general defensive picture. Happy reading!
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Before starting, I'd like to remind you that these pictures were taken on July 12th, meaning that some of them were just finished, and the upgrading process just started. Some, though, are older. As such, please consider that now these trench systems are likely better.
Sep 27, 2024 • 14 tweets • 6 min read
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Pokrovsk front overview: 27/09
In this thread I will go over each part of the Pokrovs'k front, from Hirnyk to Hrodivka to Arkhanhel's'ke, analyzing the current situation at the contact line, as well as trying to predict both sides' strategies in the near future.
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Let's start easy with the Arkhanhel's'ke section, which has only seen a Russian attack in months now. The direction can as such be considered stable. The result of the attack in question is unknown, but we know that a Ukrainian PoW was captured.