Don's Weekly, 29 July 2024: Part 2

by Donald Hill

(…continued from Part 1…)

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Northern Kharkiv

Russia still controls the center of Hlyboke and is even trying to attack out of it. Its reinforcements and supplies follow the treelines that are attacked by Ukrainian drones and shells. Despite the combat, the front lines remained static.

Russia attacked in the center and east of Vovchansk but Ukraine pushed them out of any gains they made. In the west, Russian bombardment suggests that Ukraine is pushing out of the southern part of the ‘citadel’ and may have narrowed the ‘corridor’ from the south, as well. This area often changes hands so time will tell if Ukraine’s control is temporary or something more enduring. Not shown on the map was a Russian effort to cross the small river and attack the industrial park. Most of the Russian force was engaged north of the river and an MT-LB that was transporting troops was destroyed, but a small number of Russians made it across before they were destroyed.

Russian soldiers using anti-tank mines as satchel charges in Vovchansk. They are now using longer fuses, allowing the user to escape the blast zone. There are neighborhoods in the city that are very similar to open fields because the buildings have been leveled. This video of previous ATM satchel charges used in various sectors show how they level buildings.

Ukraine sent a ground drone with 200 kg of explosives to detonate against the side of one of the buildings in the aggregate plant. The drone made it into the east side of the compound when it blew up. It wasn’t directly adjacent to a building so it was similar to a near miss from an aerial bomb.

Soldier of the 82nd Brigade discuss their experiences at Vovchansk.

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Western Luhansk

The battle lines remained where they were, for the most part, and Russia widened their control over Pishchane. They planted a flag at the edge of their control in Pishchane and then ran for cover. What’s interesting about the second video in the same post is that it took place 17 km to the south on a piece of terrain that was over a kilometer from the front…and in a section of the front line that hasn't moved for months.

The bridge across the Oskil river at Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi was knocked out a while ago so the Ukrainians built a pontoon bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike.

The 63rd Brigade sends a ground drone to attack a Russian trench. They don’t have to be kamikaze drones, they can drop off the payload and detonate it remotely.

Ukraine recovered a Russian T-80 that had been long abandoned 3 km east of Yampolivka.

(…to be continued…)