File image.
On December 26, the Russian military extended its control over most of the center and northern part of Huliaipole in Zaporozhye, and advanced in its eastern part, reducing the area under Ukrainian control to less than 10 percent of the city.
Videos posted online confirmed that Russian troops from the Vostok [East] Group of Forces have reached the Nestor Makhno statues at the heart of Huliaipole – also known as Gulyaypole -, as well as the “I Love Huliaipole” sign in the northern part of the city.
Just a day earlier, the troops broke through Ukrainian defenses in Sobornaya Street in the city center and captured the headquarters of Ukraine’s 102nd Territorial Defense Brigade. Kiev forces withdrew in a rush leaving behind everything, including their communication equipment, which explains their later collapse in the nearby areas.
Intense air and artillery strikes facilitated the recent successes of the Vostok Group of Forces in the center and northern part of Huliaipole.
The drone units of the group have also strangled Kiev forces inside the city and its surroundings by targeting any movement.
The latest gains put the Vostok Group of Forces solidly in control of over 90 percent of Huliaipole. There are already preliminary reports of the entire city being captured. However, this is yet to be confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
It’s worth noting here that the ministry usually announces the capture of key cities like Huliaipole only after they are fully secured, which typically takes a few days.
The Ukrainian collapse within Huliaipole came way faster than expected. It was widely believed that the battle in the city could take several months.
Kiev forces deployed large reinforcements, including multiple assault formations, in the city and to the north of it along the Haichur River in recent days. The deployment clearly had no impact on the situation, and on top of that, Ukrainian media reported serious decline in the morale of troops fighting in this direction.
In addition to Huliaipole, Kiev forces appear to be about to lose their last positions along the Haichur. The advance of the Vostok Group of Forces on the left bank of the river is gaining momentum.
The Russian MoD confirmed the capture of Kosovtsevo by the 37th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade of the Vostok Group of Forces’ 36th Combined Arms Army, and said in a statement that a total of 23 square kilometers of territory had been secured.
“Taking control of Kosovtsevo made it possible to create a bridgehead for further offensive actions by units of the Vostok Group of Forces in the direction of Ternovatoye,” the ministry added.
The battle in Kosovtsevo shed light on the losses Kiev forces had been taking in Zaporozhye. A platoon of troops from the 110th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade and the 33rd Mechanized Brigade was neutralized there, along with two armored personnel carriers, and five “Baba Yaga” armed drones.
All in all, the fate of Huliaipole will likely be sealed within a few days, if not hours. Ukraine appears to be on its way towards a defeat there. The collapse of the last Ukrainian positions along the left bank of the Haichur will likely follow. The end of the battle in this direction will mark the beginning of advance towards the key city of Orikhiv.
After suffering heavy human and material losses during the battle in Huliaipole, Kiev forces could collapse even faster around Orikhiv.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
you tube: radio tapok 776 live
plenty of slum landlord rentals there course they call them modern living.