Ukraine's army has increased pressure along Russia's defense line in south – military expert Zgurets

On August 5, the Verkhovna Rada approved Oleksii Reznikov's resignation as the Minister of Defense. The appointment of Rustem Umerov as the new head will be discussed in parliament today.

Frontline situation

Currently, our Defense Forces are actively engaged in combat operations on the frontlines. Notably, in the southern regions, we've expanded our pressure tactics on the enemy's defensive line. The offensive strategy we're employing in multiple areas can be summed up in three words: stretch, exhaust, and strike. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has reported that our Defense Forces are maintaining an offensive defense stance in the Bakhmut and Melitopol sectors of the front, and they've achieved successes in the Robotyne to Novoprokopivka direction.

Additionally, there are reports of increased combat activity in other regions, particularly along the Berdyansk axis, especially around Novodonetske and Novomayorske villages.

Furthermore, there's information that our Armed Forces are actively involved in combat operations in two more directions, specifically focusing on Kamyanske near Vasylivka.

Our forces are encircling the enemy near Vuhledar in Pavlivka, applying pressure from both the north and west. In several areas, the enemy is finding it increasingly challenging.

Simultaneously, the President of Ukraine conducted a visit and held discussions with our troops and brigade commanders operating in the Bakhmut sector. Meetings were held with military personnel and battalion commanders to address various issues, including the supply of artillery shells, air defense missile systems, transportation, and electronic warfare equipment. On August 4th, the President held a similar meeting with the commanders of nearly ten brigades operating within the Donetsk operational group, including three separate marine infantry brigades (the 36th, 37th, and 38th brigades). Discussions covered the assessment of the situation in the brigades' respective areas of responsibility, the execution of combat tasks, and the status of material and technical support.

The captain of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valeriy Prozapas, mentioned that the Supreme Commander was present in their brigade. This is a positive sign because when the president personally hears about the issues, it enables a quicker response. We won't delve into the specifics of these problems. In a conflict like this, facing such a formidable adversary, there can never be too many resources. We need an abundance of drones, shells, electronic warfare equipment, fuel, transportation, and well-trained personnel, and all of this requires adequate funding. Our goal is to use our national resources efficiently so that every hryvnia spent contributes to our victory. The cost of advancing and reclaiming our territories on the front lines is substantial, but it should be covered with financial resources rather than the blood of our soldiers.

Valeriy Prozapas also mentioned that pressure on enemy positions is not limited to the southern front; it extends across the entire front line. It's clear that the Russians still struggle to understand the strategy of the Armed Forces, which is an advantage for us. While this might lead to some speculation, we must not be swayed by Russian propaganda or lose hope, as they attempt to sow despair in our society. On the flip side, war involves deception, and we have several opportunities to strike effectively.

The officer is confident that these strategies have already been determined, and everyone will witness them unfold. Simultaneously, pressure continues along the entire front through combat operations, artillery fire, and infantry actions. All of this needs to be escalated, as there's still time before the arrival of autumn rains and winter cold. Over the next one and a half to two months, we anticipate significant progress in the Armed Forces' offensive.

Returning to the active combat zone, where our forces are pushing against the enemy's resistance, this area spans from Priyutne to Novodonetske. Ukrainian Armed Forces are currently advancing in the vicinity of Novodonetske and Novomayorske. The General Staff has been relatively reserved in discussing these developments, but our adversaries are surely feeling the pressure. Some collaborators' reports indicate that Ukrainian forces have conducted artillery strikes in this area over the past few days, successfully destroying enemy minefields. The enemy is struggling to restore these minefields as our artillery fire targets their sappers.

Our units then advanced using armored vehicles, approached the Russian lines, engaged the invaders, and withdrew, evading Russian artillery strikes. These recent events, described by pro-Russian collaborator Khodakivskyi, indicate ongoing active hostilities in this area. The "stretch, bite, beat" strategy is at play, with pressure exerted over a broader front, making it challenging for the enemy to determine the main direction of our attack. In the south alone, there are already five different directions of concern for our adversary.

Viktor Kevlyuk, a military expert from the Center for Defense Strategies and a retired colonel, pointed out that there are currently three areas on the front where the Tavria operational-strategic troop group has penetrated the enemy's defenses. In the Vasylivka direction, there's a stretch from Zherebianka to Nesteryanka, spanning about 30 kilometers in width and 3-5 kilometers in depth. In the Tokmak direction, which has seen the most success, lies the section between Novoprokopivka and Verbove, covering approximately 10 kilometers in width and up to 8 kilometers in depth. Meanwhile, in the Berdyansk direction, a broad area extends from Priyutne to Novodonetske, about 23 kilometers wide and 3 to 5 kilometers deep. According to the commander-in-chief of the Tavria troop group in the Tokmak direction, the enemy's primary defense line has been breached in its entirety. In other words, during the two-and-a-half months of the offensive operation, the Defense Forces have successfully overcome a highly complex system of obstacles and defensive structures, including the enemy's main defense line.

Colonel Kevlyuk pointed out that when we assess the pace of advancement, it may seem slow if we rely solely on textbook metrics and numbers. However, when we consider the practical aspects, such as preserving our experienced and trained soldiers, this pace is reasonable. It allows for future expansion of the offensive operations.

The military expert believes that the enemy is not deploying the last of its reserves to the Robotyne area. Nevertheless, the movement of Russian army airborne assault divisions from the Kherson and Lyman directions to the Tokmak direction reveals two significant aspects. First, the enemy appears to be lacking sufficient combat-ready infantry, forcing the airborne units to serve as infantry. Second, the need to transfer reserves between operational directions indicates a strategic miscalculation by the enemy's commanders and staff. This suggests that they misjudged the primary thrust of our troops, resulting in the need for a defensive operation. As a result, two Russian divisions were relocated from less critical areas. However, this move has led to a halt in the offensive in the Lyman direction, reduced combat intensity in the Bakhmut area, and forced the enemy to shift units from the newly formed 18th Combined Arms Army to bolster defensive positions in the Kherson direction.

Kevlyuk emphasized that the concept of time in war differs significantly from everyday situations. In war, two crucial factors come into play: the availability of resources to sustain the operation and the physical terrain. With two months of warm and rain-free autumn ahead, there is ample opportunity to conduct large-scale operations without becoming bogged down, as occurred last year in battles in the Donetsk direction. Therefore, the focus should not solely be on the two-month timeframe.