Media: Decisive Battle Of Reserves Begins Near Tokmak

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are driving a wedge between the Russian garrisons in Novoprokopivka and Verbove.

Extremely bloody battles are taking place in Bakhmut and on the southern front, the results of which could affect the entire Ukrainian counteroffensive, espreso.tv reports.

Fighting in Luhansk region, the attack on Kupyansk

Despite the relative calm in the Luhansk region and the reduction of offensive pressure from the Russian troops, the invaders began to hit bridges on the Oskil River with guided aerial bombs (KABs). Their goal is to complicate the logistics of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which are defending the border of the Luhansk and Kharkiv regions. Recently, they have destroyed 4 bridges, including two in Kupyansk itself and two more to the south, near Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi and Senkove. Earlier, the bridges leading to Borova and Dvorichna were destroyed.

As a result, the Ukrainian Armed Forces had to set up pontoon crossings, which are also under enemy fire. It would be logical to assume that the invaders are planning a new offensive, but the Russian forces have now exhausted their resources to resume the offensive in many parts of the frontline in order to break through and reach the Oskil River.

Moreover, the reserves in the form of the 25th Army, which had recently been deployed to the front, had to be dispersed between Luhansk and southern Ukraine. In addition, the Russian Armed Forces were in such a hurry that they failed to mobilize the required 45,000-50,000 soldiers and sent a thin division of 15,000-17,000 Russians to Ukraine instead of an “army”.

Southern front

The seriousness of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in breaking through the front in the Novoprokopivka area is evidenced by the fact that 9 brigades are currently operating there, including 3 artillery brigades, 2 airborne brigades, as well as mechanized and infantry brigades. The situation in all three directions from Robotyne is quite dynamic, because the invading Russian forces understand the price of defeat in this battle and have also sent all available reserves here. Since the losses of the Russians are quite large, they are constantly looking for new resources in other parts of the front.

To the south of Robotyne, the Defense Forces are already fighting for the central part of Novoprokopivka, but there is no evidence that they have managed to gain a foothold there. The battle for the main 166-meter-high peak in the area is also ongoing — the Ukrainian heroes have less than 100 meters to go to throw the enemy off the dominant height.

On the right flank, near the village of Kopani, Russian paratroopers resumed counterattacks and forced the Ukrainian troops to retreat. Instead, on the left flank, the Ukrainian Armed Forces advanced along the H-08 road towards Novofedorivka, north of Verbove, thus trying to drive a wedge between the garrisons in Novoprokopivka and Verbove.

Another part of our troops continues to fight their way on the western outskirts of Verbove, while another is fighting to bypass the village from the south.

Meanwhile, the Russians are taking steps to ensure that in the event of a cutoff in supplies through the Crimean bridge, they can supply garrisons in Mariupol, Berdyansk, and Melitopol. In particular, they have begun construction of a road and railroad from Donetsk to Mariupol, bypassing Volnovakha, which is being shelled by the Ukrainian army. In addition, they are building similar logistics arteries from Taganrog through Mariupol and Berdyansk, up to Melitopol.

Counteroffensive near Bakhmut

The Ukrainian Armed Forces continued their offensive south of Bakhmut this week. The most bloody fighting is taking place near Andriivka, where the Ukrainian troops are trying to hold the retaken frontline on the eastern side of the railway embankment, and in some places are trying to build on their success in the direction of Odradivka.

At the same time, the Defense Forces continue to destroy the Russian troops in Kurdyumivka. The local garrison is already heavily bleeding, so if reinforcements do not arrive in the coming days, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be able to finally de-occupy this strategically important village.

However, the Russians brought the Wagner fighters back to Bakhmut and resumed their counterattack on Klishchiivka. So far, in vain. As a result, Lieutenant General Sychev, who was in charge of this section of the front, was replaced. He was picked up by men in black uniforms and taken away in an unknown direction.

On October 1, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked the Smolensk Aircraft Plant, which produced Kh-59 missiles. It is known for certain that three of the four drones hit the target, and the production process was disrupted.

On the same day, other Ukrainian drones hit an airfield in Sochi where helicopters were parked. Another strike was launched by the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Dzhankoy. Air raid sirens were sounding in Moscow, Belgorod and Bryansk, and the Russians claimed that their air defense was shooting drones down.

The Ukrainian drone strikes show our allies that the Ukrainian Armed Forces can destroy targets far behind the Russian lines without Western missiles. This may speed up the delivery of ATACMS and Taurus missiles to Ukraine.