RUSSIAN ARMY PUSHES DONBASS FRONT TO THE WEST

Amid the ongoing offensive on the Donbass frontlines, the Russian military continues precision strikes, destroying Ukrainian military and infrastructure facilities in the eastern and southern Ukrainian regions. The last night was not an exception. On February 13, Kiev proudly declared that the almighty Ukrainian air defense forces intercepted 16 out of 23 Russian kamikaze UAVs. The effective operation of Ukrainian air defense systems and mobile fire groups allegedly prevented any damage from the Russian strikes. However, Kiev’s claims were immediately refuted by reports from the city of Dnipro. Immediately after the Russian strikes, water and power supplies were cut off in the city. The local residents confirmed a series of loud explosions at the local TPP. The station provided electricity to numerous local industrial facilities used by the Ukrainian military. More Russian strikes were reported in the Ukrainian border town of Volchansk in the Kharkiv region, which is targeted by Russian drones and missiles on a regular basis. The Ukrainian military accumulated some reserves there in order to secure the border and launch sabotage attacks on Russian territory. On the morning of February 13, there was a massive Russian attack on the Ukrainian military training ground in Selidovo in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The strike reportedly hit the ranks of Ukrainian infantry, which came there for training and combat coordination before being sent to Avdiivka. According to preliminary reports, about 1,500 servicemen and various military warehouses came under attack. Heavy losses were inevitable, but the Ukrainian side is yet to officially declare the number of victims. The ongoing Russian strikes on Ukrainian strategic reserves allow the Russian troops to maintain the military initiative along the Donbass frontlines. While the assault groups are surrounding the Ukrainian grouping in Avdiivka, Russian forces are also improving their positions on the outskirts of the city and in the settlements nearby. As a result of several successful assaults, Russian forces are coming closer to surrounding the Ukrainian Zenith stronghold on the southern outskirts of Avdiivka. Russian forces advanced from both the west and north of the area but the Ukrainian command does not withdraw forces from the cauldron. In the Bakhmut region, Russian forces continue assaults towards Chasov Yar. They recently took control of the forest area north-west of Ivanovskoe. As a result of Russian successes, the village was encircled from the north. The Russian military also gained new victories in the south Donetsk direction. As a result of the recent attacks, Russian troops broke through Ukrainian defenses north and east of the village of Pobeda and gained a foothold on the outskirts. At the same time, Ukrainian forces lost control of a large part of Novomikhailovka. Despite the changes in the country’s military leadership, Ukrainian forces cannot stop the Russian offensive on all frontlines.