Don's Weekly, 28 October 2024: Part 2

by Donald Hill

(…continued from Part 1)

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Kharkiv

Ukraine still occupies the woods west of Zhuravlyovka and one kilometer inside Russia. The Russians are bombarding the woods with artillery, thermobaric rounds, rockets and airstrikes.

One battalion of the 3rd Assault Brigade stopped another Russian assault.

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Western Luhansk

In the north of this sector, Ukraine’s counterattacks could not stand up to Russia’s assaults. ‘Despite’ losing a lot of equipment, Russia now has a two kilometer corridor to the Oskil river. 14 km to the north, the Russians destroyed a pontoon bridge. Here is a video of an airstrike on Zelenyi Hai.

Although a battalion of the 3rd Brigade liberated half of Nevske there was a partial collapse of the front - first to the south of Nevske, and then to the north.

Russia was able to raise a flag in the village of Novosadove, halfway in between Nevske and Terny.

An airstrike on Terny.

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Bakhmut

No territory in Chasiv Yar changed hands the last week - which in turn means that Russia still has three bridgeheads over the Canal.

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Toretsk

Ukraine reclaimed a city block in central Toretsk, and then recovered lots of ground in the south. Precisely like in Bakhmut of the last year (and like Hezbollah is doing in lots of places around southern Lebanon), the ZSU is planting explosives in buildings and detonating these when the Russians enter. The Ukrainians also continued with their drone attacks on infantry and self propelled artillery.

The 28th Brigade has been repelling Russians north of Toretsk for a long time and one of the foreign volunteers in the brigade says he feels a bit sorry for the Russians. They do the basics and a lot of the little things right. Here is a video showing them fighting from their defensive positions. Notice the quality of their trenches and how much overhead protection they have. The last week, the CO of the 28th Brigade was promoted to Chief of Staff of the Unmanned Systems Command.

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Pokrovsk

The 15th Kara Dag Brigade continued to take a toll on the Russians. However, it could not continue defending the place when its supply links were almost cut off by the Russians flanking the town from the south and reaching Vyshneve. Some of brigade was cut off and had to be evacuated under fire. Not everyone was able to escape and some were taken prisoner.

The 210th Battalion holding Hirnyk had a good relationship with the 59th Brigade when it was attached to it. When the 59th was replaced by the 110th Brigade the communication and support with the new brigade failed, making it difficult for the battalion to hold Hirnyk, which is now controlled by Russia.

A video of street fighting in Novohrodivka. Also in the Novohrodivka area, a single soldier from the 425th Battalion stops a Russian assault group (mind: the video is not showing what happened after, which might be important considering the appearance of another, unknown soldier, in the right upper corner…)

We’ve seen this before: If you cannot fire on approaching Russians, then a cellar with an opening is not a bunker, it’s a tomb. A Russian walks up unchallenged to a tomb at a mine north of Novohrodivka and tosses in an explosive where Ukrainians were reportedly hiding. See the section on Trench Design to get an idea of what an explosion does inside an enclosed position.

Four Ukrainian soldiers taken prisoner were killed by Russia.

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Uspenivka

Bombardments and heavy attacks allowed Russia to advance up to five kilometers in some locations. This sector is unstable and Russian advances in one location makes it easier for them to advance in another area.

The 46th Brigade defending Kurakhove destroyed two of the 11 vehicles Russia used in an assault. The low number of destroyed vehicles is an indicator of a lack of ammo. In the fields in front of the town Russia fired numerous thermobaric rockets.

Rocket and UMPK bomb attacks on Bohoiavlenka allowed Russia to advance to the outskirts of the village and then into the village itself.

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Zaporizhzhia

In eastern Zaporizhzhia in the last two weeks Russia has been able to advance 4 kilometers. Is ‘not much’, no doubt, but it’s making things for the Russians in the Kurakhove area much easier.

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Crimea

A Russian radar near Olenivka was damaged by a drone.

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Black Sea

A Ukrainian surface craft with an air defense missile is pursued by a Russian helicopter.

Reportedly, the Russians lost a Ka-29 attack helicopter and its crew this week.

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(…to be continued…)