The Russian Igor Girkin provides an update to the frontline situation in Ukraine, focusing on Donetsk and Kherson directions. He believes that the Russian forces achieved certain successes but unable to capitalise on those due to a lack of available infantry:
Regarding the situation at the frontline.
At the moment the two “hottest spots” are: Donetsk frontline, and the central part of the Kherson frontline (along the Ingulets river).
At the Donetsk frontline our [Russian] forces in two days of the offensive operations achieved tactical successes (the most significant were on the day before yesterday, on the first day of the offensive). They managed to advance in two places. North of Maryinka, the Ukrainian Armed Forces ran away from the mine ventilation shaft and our forces took this defensive position. They also managed to capture a number of field strongpoints between Krasnogorovka and Peski. A slight advance took place last night near Avdeevka.
However, the UAF frontline is not broken through anywhere, wedges into the enemy’s defence are rather shallow (for now, at least). UAF are taking significant losses from mass artillery fire. Our casualties (as I’m being told) are significantly less, and this is good.
Last night and this morning the enemy carried out more missiles strikes at ammo caches. Facilities near and inside Ilovaysk were hit and are detonating.
In general, like I said earlier, I’m not expecting serious successes in this direction, the enemy is defending at deep layered long-term positions, while our infantry is rather in-numerous to be carrying out deep penetrations after initial successes. They will continue slowly “gnawing” in until they reach continuous buildup, which will be followed by street fights, bloody for both sides. Then – facing another line of defence.
At Kherson frontline – I have not received confirmations that our forces have fully captured Avdeevka and pushed out the UAF over the Ingluets river. In this area, fierce fights continue. The enemy is carrying out artillery and missiles strikes at Chkalovo village (deep in our defence, Berislav direction), which is likely the nearest operational objective of the UAF’s offensive. Our artillery and aviation, in turn, are “ironing” the front and rear enemy facilities.
Two days ago, yesterday and today, sporadic shelling of the Russian territory by the enemy artillery continued. Border military units and settlements in the Kursk and Bryansk regions were subjected to shelling.
No information from other areas.
P.S. To the questions of – why am I not commenting on the liberation of Novoluhanske, I say it is a secondary direction, the enemy abandoned the village after leaving the Uhlegorks TPP without stubborn resistance, clearing the resulting tactical “bag”. Much more important are fights at Bakhmut direction, but in the best case scenario soon the battles will occur at the outskirts of the city, which were turned into the main defensive line by the enemy.
