The Russians began a new offensive to expand the "Flower of Popasna", now in the direction of Bakhmut. Russian artillery is already operating in precision strikes towards the city:
While in Svyatogorsk, what was said to be the AFU who detonated the bridge was actually shots from Krasponol by the Russians.
More equipment being shipped, suspected to be Kherson:
Considerations.
Bakhmut is very important, even with the Russians blocking the passage of supplies through the Bakhmut-Lysychansk link highway, largely because it is a major road junction, which will allow the Russians to carry out offensives in the rear of the AFU's southern defense lines. Operations should intensify in this region in the coming days.
The Russians' intention in blowing up the bridge, in my opinion, served to lock down AFU troops defending the city and retreating from other positions, such as Yarove and Pasika. Most likely the AFU troops must have swam away and abandoned the city's defense equipment in the region. The condition of another bridge is unknown, 4 km away, in the town of Bohorodynchne.
It appears that it has been confirmed that the shipment of the T-62M was indeed to Kherson and not to DPR. This means that the Russians sent T-80UD, T-72B and T-62M to the region. If the deployment of these MLRS is confirmed, it is clear here a concentration of troops for an offensive in Mykolaiv.
The T-62M, despite being a very old vehicle, has a relatively modern fire control system. The T-62 received modernization last year, in September 2021, to the "M" standard, which especially comprises a drastic change in the fire control system, receiving a second-generation thermal vision system, shooting computer and laser rangefinder. .
The use of these T-62s can be very similar to what the Russians did in Syria, where the T-62 basically operated as an MGS, firing at long range against medium and light vehicles, as well as infantry and defense infrastructure, while the tip The advance spear was made with "newer" tanks such as T-72 and T-90A, both Syrian and Russian.
Considering that the Russians sent T-80UDs and T-72Bs, most likely the T-62Ms will have exactly the same use as they were in Syria, operating in defense lines or as support for the second-line Motorized Infantry operating in the region, while T -80UD and T-72B perform the spearhead.
On the part of the AFU, I saw that they managed to put four T-84s to fight, apart from the donated T-64BV and T-72M/CZM, but they must have lost dozens of tanks. In one of the attacks, they recognized having lost 15 tanks in the VVS attack on Mykolaiv, in addition to 21 other armored vehicles. So, in addition to the slight superiority already existing at Kherson with Russian tanks, the superiority must increase to be enough to sustain a Russian offensive in the region, exploiting the losses and the failure of the AFU to have made its offensive in the region.
Severodonestsk:
What is known is that the Severodonetsk T.O, at first, was occupied by two reinforced regiments of Chechens and LPR, being received two Brigades from the Russians yesterday. Today, at dawn, the Russians started another offensive on the broad front, taking the fighting to the industrial zone, dislodging the AFU that occupied Vorozone and another adjacent city whose name I don't know.
In any case, the behavior of the Russians in Severodonetsk needs to be analyzed, as this is already the third time they have retreated and counterattacked the Ukrainians, pushing them back into the industrial zone. I think that maybe the Russians want the Ukrainians to continue accumulating troops in the region to decrease the Ukrainians' defensive capacity in the neighboring cities of Lysychansk. This is my guess, but the certainty is that the Russians will not attack Lysychansk through Severodonetsk, as it is too risky to cross the two remaining bridges or build there, it would be under direct fire threat.
The Russians have greatly intensified operations heading Northwest from Popasna, the thorn in the side is the 17th Armored Brigade occupying Zolote, while the Russians are strengthening operations around Zolote, trying to create a cauldron with the 17th's troops. . What I find unbelievable is how the AFU continues to send troops to Severodonetsk and has not read that the Russians may be wanting just that. They should start a counterattack in the Popasna region.
In the meantime, updates:
Here are some considerations:
The Russians have now expelled the entire AFU from the North bank of the Donets and it seems to me that it was a priority for the Russians to do this, as, shortly after this action, the Russians started two operations, one to extend operations in the Popasna region towards Bakhmut, Lysychansk and Zolote as well as expanded operations on the Izyum-Slovyansk highway. The most intense fighting should be in the Majaky regions and between Krasnopolye-Bogorodnichnoye, where there is a lot of forested region. Perhaps the Russians' idea might be to cross the river at Svyatohirsk and down to Sosnove, attacking those two cities from the rear, locking AFU troops in that region or forcing them to retreat to positions closer to Slovyansk. The rest is well explained within that post.
The last video is about an UR77, which has a similar role to the US Army's M1150, but used to destroy AFU positions inside buildings. I've never seen this concept before, usually this kind of equipment is used to clear a path through a minefield, interesting.
The Russians have greatly intensified the attacks in the regions of Kryvyv Rih, Mykolaiv and Odessa. These first two are largely due to the Ukrainian offensive, but the Russians are focusing on concentrating equipment, decision centers and logistical infrastructure. Perhaps it could indicate that the Ukrainians are trying to send equipment to recover the losses. There are sources - although difficult to certify reliability - that the Ukrainians would have lost about 300 vehicles, between MBTs, IFVs, APCs and civilian vehicles, which are being used a lot, as in the video in which a Russian troop ambushed another civilian vehicle being used by Ukrainian troops.
Zelensky published a video saying a few things, but one catches my attention:
"For us to go on the offensive—I expect that you know this very well—we would need no less than 10 times the [military] equipment, and no less than 10 times the people."
So why did this idiot approve of the offensives on Cobra Island, Kherson, Severodonetsk, Kharkiv, Izyum, Huliapole, and Avdiivka, with almost all of them failing catastrophically, except that of Kharkiv, which succeeded in regaining ground, though they took it in the loins when they arrived? in cities near the border, where the Russians decided to stop and counterattack?
By the way, I mentioned about the Soviet artillery doctrine and how much this is maintained in both countries - with the modernization of the concept by the Russians - I will put a study by the US Army on this concept of the USSR:
