Ukraine War, 27 July 2023: Robotyne & Staromaiorske

Hello everybody!

This one is not only going to be ‘quick & dirty’, but almost literally ‘written on the run’…. and focusing on just two points.

1.) As far as is known by now, what's left of the ‘Russian garrison’ of Staromaiorske (south of Velyka Novoselivka, in south-western Donetsk) has capitulated yesterday evening.

That is: some survivors tried to run away, but many of them run into their own minefields; others melted away, and those that were still around have had enough and gave up.

Ukrainian naval infantry is mopping up the area between that place and Urozhaine.

2.) East/south-east of Robotyne, the ZSU continued pushing through in southern direction and widened its penetration by clearing additional Russian positions on the eastern flank of the same.

So, if you hear somebody talking about Novoprokopivka…. let me express it this way: it does look like I’m going to need a new map of this area.

Today, another ‘major success’ was reported from this area, but more about this when the time comes.

With this, the ZSU is actually through the Russian 2nd Line of Defence in this area (which is precisely why it attacked so stubbornly in the Robotyne area: this is the place where there are ‘just a few kilometres’ between the Russian ‘1st Line’ and ‘2nd Line’: elsewhere, they are much more distant from each other).

Generally, it seems the Russians are starting to feel the effects of all the massive losses their troops have taken the last 1,5 months, of Ukrainian strikes on their headquarters, storage depots, and bridges in the rear. There are ever more reports about Russian commanders ‘stuffing the frontline full’ of troops (say: 100 per 100 metres of the frontline), like if this could stop Ukrainians. Actually, it’s just making the Russians perfect targets for all sorts of Ukrainian arms. There are also ever more reports about shortages of ammunition and supplies.

Of course, Pudding’s PRBS-industrialists are claiming ‘assaults by 100 tanks’ and ‘50 destroyed’ and ‘massive Ukrainian losses’. However, the only evidence for these are ever additional videos from early June: in some cases, it turns out back then they’ve recorded the same attack on the same M2/M3 Bradley with 7-8 different cameras. So, every week, they release another take of the very same scene…

Actually, the VSRF is meanwhile short on reserve units and on the best way of losing control of this battle.