Russian troops advance with heavy equipment: Ukraine reports escalation in Kurakhove sector

He shared the information on Espreso TV.

"The 79th Separate Air Assault Brigade is carrying out tasks in the Novopavlivka sector, particularly near the settlements of Ulakly and Kostiantynopil. Our main task is to prevent the Russians from breaking through to the main logistical artery, the Kurakhove-Zaporizhzhia road. The situation is quite tense, and the Russian army conducts assault operations against Tavria paratroopers every day. While in recent weeks we dealt with small infantry group assaults, the invaders have now deployed equipment, using 10 units of armored vehicles, but they encountered strong resistance," commented the representative from the communication department of the 79th Separate Air Assault Brigade.

According to him, as a result of the attack, 7 units of Russian equipment were destroyed, and three retreated from the battlefield. Sixteen Russian soldiers were killed, and 9 were wounded.

"Usually, Russian mechanized attacks are supported by several tanks, with 7-8 armored vehicles attempting to bring the invaders as close as possible to the frontline. However, thanks to the effective work of our aerial reconnaissance, these attacks are detected in time, and immediate fire damage is inflicted. Strike drones, FPV drones, as well as Stuhna operators, Javelins, artillery, and mortars are used against Russian equipment. In other words, the Russian army faces strong resistance. The result is clear – in just one battle, 7 Russian armored vehicles were destroyed, which is a significant and difficult task," emphasized Orest Drymalovskyi.

• On January 17, the OSINT information project DeepState reported that Russian forces managed to occupy three settlements in Donetsk region: Pishchane, Slovyansk, and Yasenove.
• The Airborne Assault Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces also reported that servicemen with Ukraine’s 79th Separate Air Assault Brigade conducted a successful operation in the Kurakhove direction, capturing seven Russian soldiers.