Originally Posted by
Shchors
To delve into Ukraine's current leitmotiv, "the Russians have not invaded yet." Moreover, the Ukrainian army is in the midst of their most ambitious, desperate and risky operation yet in this war. Sloppy and at times uncoordinated, yes! But complex and epic in the face of fierce resistance; one of the most striking military events in the entire history of Ukraine. As of this afternoon Moscow time (15:00) elements of the Ukrainian army have attacked from the northwest and seized western and northeastern neighborhoods of the town of Krasnyi Luch, the last crossroads connecting Donetsk to supply lines leading to the Russian border. The situation reports by the separatist commander, Strelkov, have increasingly become laconic; two hours ago he was blaming the Russian Don Cossacks for running from the field of battle, followed by disparaging stereotypes going back to the Napoleonic wars, to the effect that "when there is serious fighting to be done, the cossacks are never to be found." Things are much more complicated than that, as Russian reinforcements are coming up from the south and the Ukrainians are in for a serious fight if they are to retain control of their new found gains. By having their troops along the border break out from encirclement two days ago, the Ukes have exposed their southern flank to direct reinforcement from Russia. Of note is the performance of a battalion combat group of the 24th "Yavoriwska" mechanized brigade (stationed near my late father's ancestral home in Mostyska), which was surrounded near the Russian border for the last month, where it endured intense rocket and arty fire and lack of food and drinking water. During the successful breakout of the Ukrainian forces from encirclement near the border, instead of destroying its heavy vehicles, like some of the other encircled units, the 24th retreated in full battle order with all operable tanks and armored vehicles in tow and instead of heading west toward safety, actually attacked to the northwest. Two days ago they were the first to break into the town of Miusynsk, just south of the previously mentioned strategic crossroads at Krasnyi Luch. The troopers of the 24th have been locked in heavy street fighting for the last two days and will have contributed immeasurably to the success of the Ukrainian units attacking Krasnyi Luch from the opposite direction. If facts are true, this was quite an impressive performance by a unit that had been shelled from across the Russian border for close to a month and then still had enough combat power to attack in the opposite direction to contribute to an operational success. In fact, the breakout of the Ukrainian "southern group" on 8/7 involved an attacking force heading east towards the encircled forces, who themselves attacked west and met at the town of Dmitrivka along the River Mius (scene of heavy WWII fighting). There, Ukrainian combat engineers bridged the Mius while under fire, enabling much of the encircled force to break out. The Russian separatists resisted fiercely. Photographs on the internet show them next to one of the captured bridges with up to ten destroyed tanks and armored vehicles in the vicinity. If the Ukrainians can consolidate at Krasnyi Luch and be ready to defend against attacks from the south, the separatists in Donetsk and Horlivka will be fully surrounded and cut off from supplies. Absent an invasion by Russian forces, Strelkov's forces in Donetsk are doomed. A climactic moment is near. Either Ukrainian victory or Russian invasion, wherein the war enters a new phase. Thanks for your patience!
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