"FROM THE ANALYST"

UKRAINE SPRINGS A TRAP

The Russians having failed in the north to shift the balance decided as expected, that they would attempt to break the nearly ten year old contact line in front of the industrial plant in the central southeastern area of the Avdivka front.
Pounding the industrial area with artillery had reduced it to rubble over the last ten years and even more so since the war began in 2022.
Ukraine took a long hard look at its defences - automated machine gun positions in heavy fortifications are in multiple areas of the surrounding hills, along with trench lines in the old vineyards.
The forest to the north is fully controlled by Ukraine and is an area the Russians have assiduously avoided - they know it would be disastrous trying to get the Ukrainian forces out if it in a frontal attack.
Having then decided on taking the industrial zone they began their assault.
Heavy artillery pounded it again, the Ukrainians were however already gone, realising it was pointless sitting there being shelled and that the area was covered on three sides by their own forces. The Russians moved in, only to find the rubble they created provided no cover at all and there was nowhere to hide.
Ukrainian drones had spent much of the previous day isolating Russian artillery, suicide drones and HIMARS made scrap of them, cutting the Russians off from heavy artillery support, which they rely on when using primarily infantry.
The resulting death toll in the fire zone sent Russian casualties over the 1,000 level yet again. Most of the bodies were simply left behind as they withdrew.
While the area is now in the grey zone, Ukrainian control over the surrounding area makes it difficult for Russia to exploit it.
Another tough but successful day for Ukraine!

Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦