"They're preparing a big cauldron." What's Happening on the Front Line, by Andrey Kots for RIANOVOSTI. 03.03.2023.
The parties to the conflict did not dare to launch a major winter offensive. The contact line is stable. However, there are big changes in some areas. Which ones - in the material RIA Novosti.
To cut in half
Parts of the Western and Central military districts continue to methodically push through the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the Kremennaya-Svatovo line. The Russian army has chosen the tactics of active defense. Troops dig in, fortify, mask positions and wait for an attack. Having beaten it off, they counterattack - they occupy forest plantations, heights, strong points. The progress is slow but steady.
For Russia, this frontier is a springboard for the return of the territories of the Kharkov region, lost in the fall. For Ukraine, it is the starting point for an attack on the LPR from the northwest.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine want to capture Svatovo, a major transport hub, and disrupt the supply of the Russian group. Then the road to Severodonetsk, Lisichansk, Rubezhnoye and Starobelsk will open.
“We are watching the concentration of their forces on the other side of the front line,” says an officer of the 2nd Army Corps with the call sign Lyuty. “They are actively transferring equipment at night, both to our direction and to the south, near Artemovsk. We don't expect any decisive action at the moment. The initiative is completely on our side. The VE troops have much less artillery here. It is clear that they are saving ammunition. Soon they will fall into the boiler."
The LPR has a powerful defense in depth, which has been hastily created since October-November. It will definitely not work to break through it with a swoop, even with the help of Western heavy armored vehicles.
In addition, the fighters of the Western Military District and the Central Military District, fighting in this direction, have mastered the reconnaissance and strike circuit: artillery hits targets almost immediately after being detected.
Fragile Supply
Significant progress and to the south. The situation of the Ukrainian garrison in Artemovsk, numbering up to 50 thousand bayonets, is close to critical. To the north of the city, Russian units occupied Berkhovka and Yagodnoye, physically cutting the road to Slavyansk. The road to Chasov Yar, the only one connecting the besieged group with the rear, is a little more than a kilometer away.
When they cut it too, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will have only two options: capitulate or go for a breakthrough. They are trying to supply the garrison on primers. However, they will soon become impassable due to the spring thaw.
Assault units entrenched themselves within the city, in the east and north. In particular, they liberated the Stupka area and went to Ilyinovka.
In the south of Artemovsk, they occupied strongholds in the Budenovka area. They come to the AZOM plant.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine are betting on the defense of the western districts of the city, the main forces are concentrated there. The most serious positions are near the village of Khromovo.
In addition, according to intelligence reports, a significant amount of rocket artillery was transferred to Chasov Yar recently. It is possible that with the task of covering the withdrawal from Artemovsk.
Artillery terror
On the Donetsk direction without any changes. Heavy fighting continues in Marinka. The line of contact runs along Druzhby Avenue, which divides the settlement in half. AFU occupy part of the central regions and western.
It is very difficult to move forward here - it is, in fact, an impregnable fortress. Scouts, snipers and grenade launchers who have settled on the upper floors of high-rise buildings create big problems for assault groups.
Russian units, with the support of aviation and artillery, are advancing on Pervomaiskoye from Peski and Vodyany. From Experienced they went to the southern outskirts of Avdiivka, but the Avdiivka fortified area itself has not yet been attacked.
A little to the north, there is movement to Kamenka in order to cut the H-20 highway, along which a significant part of the Ukrainian group is supplied. Artillery hits positions in Krasnogorovka, Netaylovo, Orlovka and Vesele.
In Ugledar - positional battles on the outskirts. Marines from the 40th and 155th brigades of the Pacific Fleet are fixed in the area of suburban dachas. DPR intelligence notes that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are actively deploying reinforcements here. Perhaps they will decide to attack Volnovakha in order to cut off Donetsk from Mariupol.
In January, the southern, Zaporizhia direction became more active. Fighting - almost along the entire line of contact. The main sections are near the cities of Orekhov and Gulyaipole. Taking these settlements under control will significantly shift the front line to the north. The Zaporozhye region is predominantly flat - the loss of even one city will make a big gap in the defense line of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Kiev regime chose the tactics of artillery terror in this direction.
"The intensity of the shelling has increased," notes Vladimir Rogov, a member of the main council of the regional administration.
Rogov stressed that Kyiv wants to cut the land corridor to the Crimea and the Kherson region. Probably, Tokmak will take the first blow. Then - an attack on Melitopol and Berdyansk. The Russian military is aware of these plans - several lines of echeloned defense have been erected in the region.
https://ria.ru/20230303/obstanovka-1855409786.html