Don's Weekly, 14 October 2024: Part 2

by Donald HIll

(…continued from Part 1…)

***

Western Luhansk

The Russians pushed through the woods west of Synkivka and briefly entered Petropavlivka. A Ukrainian counterattack in form of a pincer removed them. Just east of Petropavlivka, Russian attack with cluster munitions. Inside the village, they target a Ukrainian drone team with UMPKs.

In the Pishchane sector, Russia is only two kilometers from the Oskil river but there was very little movement there last week.

***

Siversk

The only progress Russia made in this sector was a one kilometer advance north of Verkhnokamianske. It cost them five armored vehicles for a minimal gain.

Russian commanders will sometimes send a couple men to infiltrate the loosely guarded terrain, raise a flag at a location and then immediately retreat. This happened a few times in the Siversk sector and is a way for the commanders to claim a victory that did not happen. The commanders will then attack the position with infantry and tanks in order to actually control the area, but since the area is supposedly under their control, they do not receive air and heavy artillery support. This makes it harder to take the position and more Russians lose their lives. They’ve done that in this sector three times that I know of.

Four Russians occupy a bunker. The first two drones sent by the 4th Brigade (“Rubizh”) hit the opening of the bunker. The third drone flew into the partially obstructed opening and the walls that had been protecting the Russians now magnified the blast.

***

Bakhmut

There were videos that showed dozens of Russian reconnaissance drones being intercepted by Ukrainian drones, but here are two videos of Ukrainian reconnaissance drones being intercepted by Russian drones.

Ukrainian soldiers at Bakhmut and Vuhledar say that Russian forces used to report incomplete or wrong information, and their leaders have trouble controlling their movement and artillery fire. Now, with the aid of Starlink terminals gained through third parties, Russian control of their forces has improved.

***

Toretsk

This video shows fighting in northern Toretsk. A Ukrainian counterattack hit the Russians in central Toretsk, but Russia still controls it. Drone footage of fighting in southern Toretsk by the 101st Brigade, where the Russians advanced by about 700 meters. Russia also advanced into Zabalka and its status is uncertain. Russia also advanced towards the west of Niu York.

An oil depot in occupied Rovenky was hit, reportedly by Storm Shadow or SCALP-EG missiles, 110 km behind the front line.

***

Pokrovsk

The 425th Assault Battalion counter-attacked Russian positions near Lysivka. Krasnyi Yar fell, and Russia advanced about 500 meters south of Selydove.

A Ukrainian tank fires north into Tsukuryne.

The Russians attacked with 30 vehicles towards Ostrivske and lost 5 of them.

The coke factory at Avdiivka was gutted by the Russians.

***

(…to be continued…)