Ukraine War, 6 August 2023: Robotyne

Hello everybody!

Just a very short one, mostly about latest developments in southern Zaporizhzhya and south-western Donetsk.

Staromaiorske-Staromlynivka…...the concentration of naval infantry brigades of the ZSU in the Staromaiorske-Staromlynivka area is doing exactly what the Russians in this part of Ukraine are concerned the most: attacking in southern direction.

Initial reports are indicating the usual, slow, methodic grinding through the Russian minefields west of Staromaiorske, in direction of Zavitne Bazhannya, south of Staromaiorske, and into southern Urozhaine. The Russians are defending this area with what was left of the 60th MRB and 71st MRR, the fresh 394th MRR, 37th MRB (Urozhayne), and 5th TR (Kermenchik-Novodonetske). Remnants of the 247th VDV Regiment are still reorganising in the Zavitne area. Their artillery support is provided by the 305th Artillery Brigade: a very interesting formation including a regiment each of 2S4 Tulypans, 2S5 Hyacinth-S’, 2S7 Pions, and one with 9K57 Uragan (220mm MRLS). This has suffered heavy losses to the ZSU artillery while deploying in the Staromaiorske area, but is still active.

Robotyne…over the last week, the command of the 58th CAA was patching up the frontline with whatever was left of its forces and reserves. Between others, has stuffed the remnants of the 1430th MRR into Robotyne to bolster the remnants of the 291st MRR, and then bolstered that with a battalion of the 810th Naval Infantry Brigade. Essentially: exactly the same the VSRF tried to do south of Bakhmut, the last month…

West of Robotyne, the Russians created a task force centred on the 100th Reconnaissance Brigade (the majority of which is defending Verbove), and including remnants of the BARS-14 and the 70th MRR, reinforced by the 249th (Very, Very) Special Purpose Battalion Akhmat-Yug of the Rosgvardia. With other words: they are ‘corseting’ their battered units with what’s left of reserves of the 58th and the 5th CAA.

‘Nevertheless’, and as indicated on the attached map, the ZSU continued its slow, methodical grinding into and, meanwhile, through the Russian 2nd Defence Line in this area. Ukrainians are meanwhile inside northern Robotyne, and pressing the Russian garrison from north, east and south-east.

East of the village, they advanced into the 2nd Line of Defence ('Surovikin Line') roughly halfway between Robotyne and Verbove. That is: have entered the main trench and cleared about 400 metres of it. From there, they're advancing down the trench-line in south-western and up in north-eastern direction.

Of particular interest is that Ukrainians have captured ‘1,5’ lines of Russian trenches WEST of Robotyne. That is: between that village and Kopani. From there, they are trying to advance in southern direction, in between the two villages, so to encricle Robotyne.