RU POV: Russian and Ukrainian advances from Day 1317 to 1320 of the War - Suriyakmaps

We’ll start on the Oskil River front, where heavy clashes are taking place in and around Novoselivka. Russian troops crossed the Nitrius river next to Shandryholove and are working on clearing out the farm warehouses now, whilst Ukrainian forces in Novoselivka counterattacked and managed to drive Russia back to the northeastern edge of the settlement. He situation is still tense and could swing either way in the coming days/weeks.

Over on the Pokrovske front, after their capture of Verbove Russian infantry expanded their control over the adjacent treelines and have been probing towards Vyshneve along the main road. Whilst no assault has taken place (yet) the Russians are already shelling and bombing Ukrainian positions in Vyshneve in preparation for an eventual attack.

Swinging up to Vovchansk, Russian assault groups have continued making slow progress on the west side of the town, gradually trying to work their way south amidst Ukrainian bombardment. The overall activity level is quite low and the risk of Vovchansk falling anytime soon is minimal, but Ukraine will eventually need to address these sporadic groups.

Moving over to Kupyansk, the situation in the town is still a confusing mess, but more reports are starting to be released that paint a bleak picture for Ukraine. To start with, Russia has reportedly managed to advance deeper towards the centre of the west side of the town, clearing out a number of apartment buildings over the past week.

Of greater concern for Ukraine are the reports that Russian assault and DRG groups have been slipping right into the very centre of Kupyansk and all over the southern side of the town, flanking the Ukrainians. The main issue seems to be that Ukraine has no solid frontline in the town due to a lack of troops, so they are unable to man each building or street, allowing the Russians to sneak past them and penetrate further into the settlement. Whilst not providing specific information, even Ukrainian sources have been sounding the alarm about the deteriorating situation for them and the need for an immediate response, as the redeployment of other units such as part of the 3rd Assault Brigade (Azov) has failed to alleviate the problem (attacks and counterattacks have so far all failed).

Heading on down to the Siversk front, Russia has continued slowly working on the fortifications south of the town, clearing out some of the treelines and working on capturing Vyimka. I’ll talk about that village and Fedorivka (the southwest box) a little further down the post.

Onto the city of Pokrovsk, like with Kupyansk, the situation is a confusing mess. In the western suburbs, clashes are reportedly taking place over different streets and treelines as the Russians try to reach the railway and the Ukrainians try to restore their line along the T-0406 road. I have little else to say about this area due to a lack of information, so can’t comment on the advances shown here.

However, on the south side of Pokrovsk, we are getting more confirmation and reports of Russian progress from both Russian and Ukrainian sources. Over the past few weeks Russia has worked its way deeper into the Shakhtarskyi district, taking over a number of large apartment buildings, as well as securing the remainder of the Zelenivka and Lazurnyi districts. What this means is that the Russians are gaining a larger and larger foothold in the city, from which they can station their assault groups, set up forward bases, and push deeper into Pokrovsk. The Shakhtarskyi district, which the Russians have taken a large chunk of, is excellent for this purpose as the large, concrete apartment buildings are still mostly intact and will provide resilient cover the Russians can use.

Over on the Novopavlivka front, the Russians have made a little more progress in Ivanivka, expanding their foothold on the east side of the town and captured a few more streets of houses. They have also taken the majority of the remaining fields south of the Vovcha River and have also crossed into one of the small forest areas next to Ivanivka.

Moving back to the Pokrovske front, over the past week Ukraine launched a series of counterattacks across the north and western side of this front, aiming to drive the Russians back before they could dig into their newly captured territory. Going anticlockwise, on the north side, Ukraine crossed over the Vovcha River from Velykomykhaivka and managed to push back into Novoselivka, where fighting is ongoing.

Southwest of that, a different set of Ukrainian assault groups pushed back through the fields and treelines, managing to enter Sosnivka and drive the Russians out from most of the village. Despite some premature claims the Ukrainians have not secured the village yet, with fighting also ongoing.

A little to the south, Russia has been working on expanding their control around Sosnivka, managing to clear out an area of fields and treelines.

Over to the southwest, Ukraine launched a series of counterattacks towards Verbove from Vyshneve, claiming to have retaken the village (specifically the 110th Mechanised Brigade). However other Ukrainian sources are not so optimistic and have criticised the claims, whilst the Russians have released footage of them striking the same Ukrainians groups that were attacking towards Verbove (video 1, video 2). So it’s rather messy in that area right now and neither side has a firm grip over the village, with all sorts of wild claims being released and arguing over who is lying.

Following on from picture 1, whilst clashes are ongoing on the northeastern side of Novoselivka, some Russian troops have pushed south from Derylove and entered the forest area that connects to Drobysheve. This could be a precursor to the assault on Drobysheve, but may also be the Russians trying to isolate Novoselivka from Lyman by circumventing the town from the south.

Following on from picture 5, Russians forces cleared out the last dugouts and trenches in and around Vyimka, simply blowing up any positions the few Ukrainians in the area might be holding (video 1, video 2). Vyimka village had been abandoned before the war had begun (only a few houses), but in the course of the fighting what remained had been levelled pretty quickly, so only the dugouts and trenches are actually holdable. The Russians will be looking to push west or northwest from this area to pressure Zvanivka, in conjunction with the Russians units operating around Pereizne.

Speaking of, to the southwest, after a week of attacks and clearing operations the Russians captured the village of Fedorivka, along with some of the adjacent fortifications. There was a half hearted Ukrainian attempt to keep the battle going a little longer, but they do not seem to have the forces available and so ceded the settlement. From here this unit will be looking to expand their control of the surrounding fields and possibly try push for the trench network on the hill to the north, but the lack of cover in this area will make any advance difficult.

Over on the Kostyantynivka front, Russia and Ukraine have been fighting over the dugouts along the railway south of Oleksandro-Shultyne, with Ukraine managing to move back into some of them.

Back over to Pokrovsk, with Ukraine gradually losing its positions in the south of the city it has become harder for them to supply and reinforce the outer villages, allowing Russia to take control of Chunyshyne. Naturally they be looking to move onto Novopavlivka (next one north), although whether Russia can take it will entirely depend on whether adjacent units within Pokrovsk can secure the Shaktarskyi district and cut off supplies to the village.

Onto the Hulyaipole front, heavy clashes have been ongoing for several days east of the Yanchur River, with Russian forces managing to advance forward east of Novovasylivske and east of Okhotnyche. Ukraine is being forced back behind the river as the Russians move forward, so the key to future developments on this front will be whether Ukraine can hold the line here or if the Russians can find somewhere to cross.

Back to the Pokrovsk front, this time around the salient on the northeast side. To the north, Russia forces are reportedly continuing assault operations east and northeast of Sofiivka, trying to reach and cut off the village to isolate the Ukrainian salient. There are all kinds of claims about this area from Russian and Ukrainian sources, from Russia already being in Sofiivka to them being driven back to the reservoir, but all lack evidence or proof so I cannot really comment on these developments. I will simply repeat what I said a few weeks back in that it is a race between Russia and Ukraine to cut each other’s salient off.

Out west, despite the supply situation and Russian forces supposedly being cut off, they have continued to make occasional assaults and counterattacks on the west side of the salient, pushing back into the area around Vilne (but failing to recapture the village).

To the south, Ukraine has continued attacking towards and into Dorozhnje, now bringing in tanks on top of the IFVs previously seen. Repeating this once again, but I disagree with Suriyak here and believe Dorozhnje and Nykanorivka should be marked greyzone as neither are properly held by either side.

Moving east, after Ukraine’s attacks into Novotoretske stalled out, Russian forces have counterattacked and managed to retake the northern side of the village, as well as some of the surrounding fields. There are also claims they have pushed back into Volodymyrivka to the north (under the r), although that is unconfirmed at this time.

Following on from picture 10, the Russians also managed to cross the Bakhmutovka river and enter Kuzmynivka, clearing out most of the few houses in the tiny village. However, Russia cannot be said to have secured the settlement until they capture the large trench network right next to it (west).