FRONT BRACED FOR FINAL ASSAULT OF UKRAINIAN COUNTEROFFENSIVE

The Ukrainian offensive on various fronts has entered the stage of another lull. In the coming days, Kiev is expected to make a final breakthrough attempt in order to achieve any results of its summer campaign. The main direction of the strike should be the front south of Orekhov. To date, the fronts on the Zaporozhye region remain unchanged. To the south of Orekhov, Ukrainian forces continue attempts to expand the control zone near Verbovoye and west of Rabotino. So far, all their attacks have been repelled. In the area of Velikaya Novoselka, the Ukrainian military curtailed attempts to break through the Russian defense, limiting itself to small assaults for purely tactical purposes. Artillery duels continue along the frontlines. Ukrainian artillery has a clear advantage in the speed of target detection and the opening of accurate fire. While Russian gunners balance them with a large number of artillery systems and shelling with heavier munitions. Both sides, taking advantage of the lull, are rotating battered units. Several Ukrainian brigades have been withdrawn to the rear for replenishment. Ukrainian Marine brigades from the Zaporozhye direction have been reportedly transferred to the Kherson region for replenishment, where they can take part in assault across the Dnieper in a few weeks. In the area of Artemovsk, Ukrainian forces continue attacks along the Kleshcheyevka—Andreevka—Kurdyumovka line, in an attempt to cross the railway and gain a foothold in the villages. In their turn, Russian forces are entrenching in the Orekhovo-Vasilyevka area to the northwest of Artemovsk. The intensification of fighting in this direction is also expected. The Ukrainian command is forced to transfer reinforcements to the area in order to counterattack in the north and gain a foothold in the south. On the other hand, fighters of the Redoute PMC and the Volunteer Corps arrived to reinforce the Russian grouping and launch counterattacks on previously lost positions. These units include former fighters of the Wagner PMCs, who came under the control of the Ministry of Defense after the Prigozhin mutiny on June 24. Meanwhile, on the northern fronts, Russian forces continue their tactical advance west of Svatovo, taking control of about a couple of strongholds per day. In the Kupyansk area, they still put pressure on the Ukrainian defense in the area of Sinkovka, Petropavlovsk and Kislovka. With precise air strikes, Russian aircraft destroyed another crossing over the Oskol River, complicating the military supplies of the Ukrainian units. To allow Ukrainian soldiers to save their lives and surrender, the Russian military launched a special radio channel “Volga”. According to reports from the front, over the past month, almost 11 thousand servicemen of the Ukrainian army contacted the Russians through this channel and surrendered.