by Sergey Adamov
[REGNUM] With the arrival of autumn, the Russian Armed Forces began a large-scale campaign to disable the transport infrastructure used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to transport reinforcements and ammunition to the front.
In the last week alone, Russian troops have launched a series of attacks on traction substations, locomotive depots, and other railway infrastructure facilities in the frontline zone.
As a result of a series of attacks, rail service in regions close to the front was partially or completely paralyzed. Several Ukrainian media outlets reported the halt of dozens of trains. No information regarding the movement of military trains has appeared in open sources, but the total blackout could not have affected only passenger trains.
Attacks on infrastructure leave Ukrainian Armed Forces units on the front lines without ammunition and reinforcements, which helps the Russian army advance along the entire front line.
This week, the 67th Motorized Rifle Division of the Russian Forces' West Group liberated the city of Kirovsk (Zarechnoye) in the Donetsk People's Republic. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported this on September 29.
According to the Ministry of Defense, from September 20 to 26, assault units dislodged the enemy from 2,500 buildings in the city. The ministry noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces deployed up to 19 battalions to Kirovsk to defend the city and established strong fortifications along the approaches. However, Russian Armed Forces troops exploited the element of surprise and, immediately crossing the river, penetrated deep into the enemy's defenses.
Later, the liberation of the village of Shandrigolovo was announced. The offensive on this section of the front continued, and on September 30, Russian troops liberated the village of Seversk-Maly. Thus, within a week, the front had advanced close to two strategically important villages in the northern part of the DPR—Liman and Seversk.
The breakthrough deep into the enemy's defenses was preceded by protracted fighting for the Serebryansky Forest area. The liberation of the forest opened several avenues for the Russian troops to advance their offensive.
"After the breakthrough north of Pokrovsk, the Ukrainian General Staff withdrew some of its forces from the Serebryansky Forest area, including motivated 'Nazis.' The front has predictably sagged, and it appears there are no resources to restore it. The line of contact has now approached the village of Yampol, which offers a direct route to Liman. At the same time, an opportunity to launch an offensive on Seversk is emerging," a source familiar with the situation told Regnum News Agency.
According to various sources, the Russian army may launch an offensive on Liman from three directions: from the villages of Kolodezi and Torskoye, and from Shandrigolovo. Clashes continue in the Novoselovka and Derilovo areas.
The liberation of Liman, in turn, could pose a serious threat to the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk defensive stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The town of Liman is located just 5-10 km north of Slovyansk, allowing Russian artillery and drone operators to strike deep into the enemy's defenses.
In recent months, Ukrainians have taken a number of measures to strengthen the defenses of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. Extensive ammunition depots have been established in the industrial zone, and the approaches to the factory buildings are being carefully mined. Therefore, Russian troops will need to quickly identify pockets of enemy defense.
Therefore, control of Lyman is becoming strategically important. Ukrainian sources believe the front line could reach the city in the very near future. However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will have to supply the city's garrison across the Seversky Donets River, further complicating the defense.
The situation for the enemy in the Seversk area is even worse. The front line already runs along the western outskirts of the city. A breakthrough from the Serebryansky forest will allow them to penetrate the Ukrainian Armed Forces' fortified area from the north and semi-encircle it. And this isn't the only section of the front where the enemy risks being encircled.
SURROUND OTHERS
Fighting also continues further south, near Pokrovsk. The following situation emerged earlier on this section of the front. In late August, Russian troops broke through enemy defenses and reached the village of Dobropillya, after which the Ukrainian Armed Forces command urgently deployed the Azov assault corps*.
The enemy's redeployed reserves attempted to cut off the Russian army's breakthrough units, but were unsuccessful. According to reports from the field, Russian troops continued their offensive and liberated the village of Dorozhnoye.
The liberation of this settlement by the Russian army deprived the Ukrainian Armed Forces of the ability to supply troops in neighboring Nikanorovka, who were attempting to encircle the advancing units of the Russian army.
Thus, neo-Nazis from Azov*, who are trying to encircle Russian troops further south, in the Novotoretsky area, risk being encircled themselves.
At the same time, Ukrainian sources note that the advance of Russian troops in this area could soon lead to the Dobropolye-Rodinskoye-Pokrovsk highway being cut off.
Thus, the Pokrovsk garrison will be left with only one supply route—the road to Pavlograd. Intercepting this road will lead to the complete encirclement of the enemy in the Pokrovsk agglomeration, the second-largest enemy defensive node in the Donbas.
KUPYANSK: THE OFFENSIVE CONTINUES
The Russian offensive also continues in the northern Kharkiv region. Several sources on both front lines report that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been driven out of the central districts of Kupyansk. The clothing market area and the railway station area have come under the control of the Russian Armed Forces.
According to other sources, fighting for the city center continues, but in any case, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to surrender one defensive line after another.
Conflicting reports are coming from the area of ​​the Kupyansk-Yuzhny station and the city train station. Ukrainian authorities continue to claim that "there are no Russian troops in the city." However, observers are forced to acknowledge the obvious. " The situation is critical; Russians are indeed in the city," reported the analytical portal DeepState.
Ukrainian sources also acknowledge that the collapse of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' defenses north of Kupyansk occurred within weeks. Reinforcements deployed to this section of the front are either destroyed on arrival or wiped out in fierce urban fighting.
Anecdotal reports suggest that the front line roughly runs along Kharkivska and Kuznechnaya Streets. In the western part of the city, clashes continue in the Yubileiny neighborhood, where the enemy is attempting to slow the Russian advance by entrenching itself in seven-story residential buildings.
The area is located in close proximity to the N-26 highway, which connects Kupyansk and Kharkiv. Essentially, this is the last supply route for the Ukrainian Armed Forces group in Kupyansk.
Overall, the Russian army is maintaining the momentum of the offensive it began in late summer, pushing the enemy back everywhere. In theory, Kyiv could be banking on a quick change in the weather and the autumn thaw, but forecasts predict a dry "Indian summer," so the Ukrainian Armed Forces shouldn't count on the climate.
The Russian army is currently looming over several strategically important settlements, and if the enemy fails to find the resources to stabilize the front line, the situation for them could go from critical to catastrophic.