Saturday morning, the news from the front is… about what it was yesterday. At Bakhmut, Russia launched a series of new attacks from the south, all of which were apparently repelled. Like always. In Lyman, reports indicate that Russian forces have withdrawn and Ukraine is preparing a final push into the town. Like almost every day this week.
Just pulling up Lyman’s map from yesterday for reference, Russian sources report that they managed to secure air support to slow Ukrainian troops moving towards Ridkodub. So while there are other reports suggesting that Ukraine controls both Ridkodub and Nove (mostly in the form of reports that Russia has shelled those locations), I’m not updating at this time . There are also reports that Ukrainian forces have entered Novoselivka and control about half of this place. Novoselivka is pretty much cut off from the rest of the area by lakes to the east and a steep valley/canyon to the north, so holding that position doesn’t really seem to offer a good chance of maneuvering anywhere else. Russia claimed that it provided additional forces to Drobysheve and helped break up those two mercenary units that had been surrounded in the town. In an incident reported to have taken place north of Lozove, Ukrainian forces shot down not one, but of them Su-25 jets – possibly the same planes that provided ground support at Ridkodub. [Correction: On closer inspection, the plane flying away appears to be a shiny new SU-30SM multirole fighter]
The second SU-25 is able to fly out of the picture with an engine that is burning out. I can’t tell from the plans available if it also crashes or goes away. Either way, he won’t be coming back anytime soon.
There appears to be ongoing fighting in Derylove, Drobysheve, Novoselivka, Lyman, Serednie, Shandryholove and north of Lozove. And that is exactly what is being reported. This is probably the reason why the number of Russian soldiers listed as killed every day exceeds 400.
That’s a lot of fighting. Why the Ukrainian forces are not able to destroy this area as they did in Balakliya and Izyum, I don’t know. I don’t have a good idea of how many soldiers are fighting here on each side, and some of the people who are usually good at showing unit deployment seem equally perplexed. Both sides report that the other is receiving reinforcements. Russian sources seem confident that Ukraine is putting “full reserves” (spoiler alert: they are not) for a big push at Lyman in the next 48 hours.
If I learn anything more, I will pass it on.
Multiple sources show that new recruits to the Russian army can expect some nice new gear.
And first class transportation.
To their choice of five-star accommodation.
Either way, you can bet Ukraine is shaking now.
For companies that didn’t leave Russia when it was clearly the right thing to do, there is now an added reward in the form of helping send their employees to die in an illegal war.
Everyone knows not to mess with the Ents. Ents are tough.