HARD LESSONS LEARNED AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON BATTLEFIELDS OF UKRAINE

The conflict in Ukraine is gaining momentum. On the front lines in the Donbas region, the People’s Militias of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, with the support of the Russian Army, are achieving tactical successes, but face fierce resistance from the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Russian forces do not carry out any major assault operations in the area of the city of Kharkiv. Positional battles continue in the Zolochevskiy region, near Stary Saltov, as well as near the town of Chuguev. Fighting for control over the village of Russkaya Lozovaya is ongoing.

The AFU are attempting to counter-attack and repel Russian forces from the fortified areas in Tsirkuni and Cherkasski Tishki. The Ukrainian command is trying to gain a foothold in the area, but the AFU are suffering major losses.

According to unconfirmed reports, the Russian Armed Forces managed to recapture the villages of Turovo and Makarovo to the south of the town of Kozacha Lopan located near the Russian border.

So far, the situation in the Kharkiv region remains stable. The Russian grouping in the region is not aimed at taking control of the city of Kharkiv, but rather to distract Ukrainian forces away from the Izyum area, where the Russian offensive continues.

To the west of Izyum, there are battles for Bolshaya Kamyshevaha. To the south, fighting continues in Kurulka and Pashkovo. The village of Dovghenkoe reportedly came under Russian control.

One of the hotspots in the region is the Oskol reservoir, where about a thousand AFU soldiers fell into an operational encirclement and are deprived of supplies.

Having completed the mop up operations in Yampol, Russian and LPR troops have reached the outskirts of Liman from the southeast. Russian fire control over the Liman-Raygorodok road has been established.

Meanwhile, in the Severodonetsk-Lisichansk region, Russian and LPR troops continue their advance in the town of Rubizhne. After the residential areas were secured, the LPR People’s Militia recently took control of the industrial zone, where the fortified area was turned into the main stronghold of Ukrainian forces.

In the Donetsk People’s Republic, the front lines remain almost unchanged. Positional battles are taking place in Horlivka and in the area of Maryinka. The mop up operations of the LPR continues in the town of Popasna.

On the southern Vasilievka-Orekhov-Gulyaypole front lines, there are no particular changes. Fighting continues on the approaches to Gulyaypole and in the settlements to the east. The AFU are preparing for further Russian advance in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

In the city of Mariupol, evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal facilities continues. On April 30 and May 1, 80 civilians were able to leave the plant.

The tactics of the Russian Army and of the AFU have changed. The key difference between the last five weeks of the Russian military operation is the dramatically reduced losses of the Russian army, both in killed or injured and in prisoners of war. The reason is that the initial tactic of primarily rapid advance has been abandoned and replaced by a war of attrition and material which employs slower advances preceded by heavy artillery preparation and airstrikes. Before the assaults on each subsequent Ukrainian defensive line, the ground advance stops, and artillery and aviation take over the leading role. After the defending Ukrainian forces either retreat or surrender, the advance resumes. One should not expect quick spectacular breakthroughs, but a positive final result is more reliably achieved. The goal is on grinding down the AFU’s manpower.

The AFU, on the other hand, uses slightly different tactics. Large groups of less trained fighters are used as a cannon fodder. First, they are sent to the front line to provoke Russian fire and detect Russian positions. Then Ukrainian fighters open return fire.