Don's Weekly, 12 November 2024: Part 2
by Donald Hill
(….continued from Part 1…)
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Kharkiv
West of Zhuravlyovka a single Russian was captured on a video while holding the Russian flag at the Russian-Ukrainian border. After so many heavy Russian bombardments of the woods in previous weeks, there were none this week, so Ukraine might well have withdrawn.
West of Hlyboke, the 13th Brigade, ZSU, advanced 500 meters along the reservoir.
In Vovchansk, the Russians advanced 400 meters taking over much of the ruins of the high rise buildings called the ‘Citadel’, seen here. There aren’t very many people manning those positions because of the lack of cover, so that kind of an advance isn’t surprising. A Ukrainian counterattack regained a lot of it back and captured a few Russians.
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Western Luhansk
Two battalions of the 3rd Assault Brigade are now defending in the Pishchane area. Russia was still able to solidify their hold on Kruhliakivka and move into Kolisnykivka.
Russia is in the northern half of Terny but the battle lines didn’t move this week. An M113 evacuates four wounded soldiers from the 63rd brigade south of Terny.
Two Russians try to enter Terny from the east and are engaged within 40 meters of Ukrainian position and a grenade is accurately thrown from off screen. The video isn’t particularly graphic but both soldiers are killed by small arms fire and drone bombs.
In a Russian assault on Terny a vehicle is destroyed by an ATGM, infantry are bombed by drones and vehicles were finished off by drones. Five vehicles were destroyed and 56 infantry were killed and wounded.
Russia bombs southern Terny on more than one day.
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On 2 November, the Russians committed elements of four battalions. They suffered heavy losses and five days later their wounded were still not recovered. In a subsequent attack, the Russians lost 15 of 22 vehicles and over 100 killed.
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Bakhmut
A look at the streets of Chasiv Yar and the living quarters of the soldiers of Ukraine’s 18th brigade.
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Toretsk
Two weeks ago the 12th NG Azov brigade and the 4th Guards Battalion of the 101st Guards Brigade cleared out the Russian forces that had just advanced south of Toretsk. This week they attacked Druzhba heavily supported by drones. The 4th Guards Battalion focused on the center of the town and cleared out the Russians and destroyed part of a building the Russians were in.
Further south, the Russians attacked out of Niu York but the Khyzhak Police Brigade and elements of the Azov Brigade destroyed at least seven vehicles and hunted infantry.
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Pokrovsk
Russia continued to advance west of Selydove and took Novooleksiivka.
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Kurakhove
At the eastern side of the Kurakhove cauldron, the 79th keeps destroying Russian vehicles that are sent at them but: this brigade is in the process of being outflanked from the north and the south. Therefore, both the 79th, and the nearby 33rd, are gradually withdrawing towards the west. The 33rd is still destroying vehicles and equipment as it withdraws, as seen here and here. As the 79th Brigade withdraws to the west, the Russians advance into eastern Antonivka.
To the north, the 46th Brigade is beating back all the frontal attacks on Kurakhove and holding open the northern end of the cauldron. Russian forces still managed to reach the outskirts of Kurakhove and the fight for the town is underway.
To the south, the Russians took Maksymivka but they weren't able to advance out of the town. The Russians did take Trudove, though, which threatened to cut off the path of retreat from the cauldron.
With the Russian pressure on the cauldron and Ukrainian withdrawals from the same, events are moving quickly. By the time you see this map, it might be outdated by 3-5 days.
Splitting battalions from their brigades tends to ruin the unit cohesion, which is a combat multiplier. Over 40% of the formations in this sector are independent or detached battalions. Even when they are temporarily attached to an adjacent brigade, unit cohesion takes time to form. With other words: this practice is a contributing factor to unstable defensive lines.
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Zaporizhzhia
The 128th Brigade clears trenches and takes two prisoners.
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Kherson
3 km from the destroyed Nova Kakhovka dam, a Russian drone observes Ukrainians returning home and then calls in artillery on their houses.
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Unknown Location
The Russians lost another Ka-52 helicopter according to a Russian blogger. The location and circumstances were not reported. The same source suggests that a Russian Su-34 was lost with its crew.
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(….to be continued…)
Thanks