Clouds of black smoke rise near Ocheretyne, Russia’s latest conquest since taking the strategically important town of Avdiivka, in eastern Ukraine, in February.
Since the fall of Avdiivka, more and better equipped Russian forces have steadily moved west.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense states that in the course of one day, May 5, they registered a total of 125 Russian attacks along the 700 kilometer long front line. That’s a sharp increase from March, when Ukraine reported 53 attacks in one day.
More than half of these attacks took place in the area around Ocheretyne and the Ukrainian-controlled city of Chasiv Yar, which has been under heavy attack for a long time.
A breakdown
Although the numerous attacks have not led to a new breakthrough for the Russian forces, the Russian offensive has triggered sharp criticism in Ukraine.
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– We are seeing a collapse of the defence, among other criticisms expressed on Telegram.
The brigade deployed in Otsjeretyne responds on Facebook that they have not escaped, but explains that they have been exposed to daily shelling from Russian positions that is 10 to 15 times more powerful than their own capacity.
Missing ammo
Ukraine has been warning for several months that they lack ammunition. They have pointed out that supplies from the West have been delayed and also accuse Western countries of indecisiveness when it comes to new deliveries of ammunition.
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The United States last month approved a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine, but experts say it will take time for this aid to materialize on the battlefield.
– The enemy understands that we will get new supplies of ammunition … in two months, says Jurij Fedorenko, commander of the Achilles drone battalion of the 92nd brigade operating on the Eastern Front.
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– These two months of war will be very, very, very intense. The enemy will try to take as much as possible in this time, says Fedorenko.
Strategic road threatened
With today’s advance, the Russian forces may soon threaten the strategically important T0504 road.
Ukrainian workers are now digging trenches and armored trenches by the road to prevent the advance of tanks.
– The work started two weeks ago, says a resident of the nearby village of Novoolenivka.
The T0504 road runs from Pokrovsk in the west to the Ukrainian strategically important Kostjantynivka and then runs north of Chasiv Yar towards the Russian-controlled town of Bakhmut.
Ukrainian defense chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has previously said that Russia has aimed to capture Chasiv Yar ahead of May 9, which is the anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.
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Still very excited
Although this goal now does not seem to be successful for the Russians, the situation around Chasiv Yar is still very tense. The area around the city has been under constant shelling for a long time.
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If Russian forces manage to capture the city, which is 12 kilometers from the center of the destroyed city of Bakhmut, which Russia captured last May after months of bloody fighting, they will be able to launch direct offensives against the Ukrainian strongholds of Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka and Kostjantynivka.
Kramatorsk is a strategically very important city for Ukraine, partly because of its important railway connection.
Off-road motorcycles
A brigade commander stated earlier this month that Russian forces used unusual tactics to advance, they used, among other things, all-terrain motorcycles.
– These vehicles helped the Russian forces break our positions during the advance due to the motorcycles’ speed and ability to maneuver quickly, the brigade commander told the AFP news agency.
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Ukraine has so far managed to resist Russian attacks east and north of Chasiv Yar, but Russian forces have been pushing from the south in recent days.
To take the city, however, they must manage to cross a dried-up channel that is six meters deep and 30 meters wide.
The brigade commander says that the Russian tactics are constantly air bombardment followed by attacks with armored vehicles and infantry, despite the fact that the tactics inflict heavy losses on the Russian forces.
