Ukrainian forces push Russian troops back to Zherebets River near Lyman
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Ukrainian units from the Third Army Corps have pushed much of Russia's 20th Combined Arms Army back to the Zherebets River after a nearly four-month offensive north of Slovyansk. The operation relieved pressure on the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration and encircled small pockets of Russian soldiers. The advance unfolded in an unusual information vacuum, with details emerging only in recent days.
Key Facts
- Ukrainian forces from the Third Army Corps began the offensive around late May, deploying about 50 kilometers north of Slovyansk.
- Russia's 20th Combined Arms Army had been advancing westward from a bridgehead on the west bank of the Zherebets River.
- The Ukrainian push advanced northward out of Lyman and south toward the villages of Ridkodub, Katerynivka, and Nove.
- Much of the Russian force has been pushed back to the Zherebets River, with small pockets of soldiers encircled.
- The operation took place in an unusual information vacuum, with almost no leaks on Telegram until recent days.
The Offensive
Sometime around late May, Ukrainian commanders quietly ordered battle-hardened units into positions about 50 kilometers north of Slovyansk. The units, mainly from Ukraine's Third Army Corps, confronted a bulge in the 1,100-kilometer front line where Russia's 20th Combined Arms Army had been grinding westward. Russia's goal was to cut off supply lines for Ukrainian forces in Slovyansk, one of two main Ukrainian-held cities in the Donetsk region. Over the summer, Ukrainian forces battled northward out of Lyman while also pushing south toward the villages of Ridkodub, Katerynivka, and Nove. That effort is nearing a remarkable success, with much of the Russian force pushed back to the Zherebets River and small pockets encircled.
Battlefield Impact
The success relieves pressure on Ukrainian defenses holding the line of cities, towns, and roads running north to south and encompassing Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. Konrad Muzyka, a Polish-based military expert, said the operation thwarted a big Russian plan to envelop the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration from the north and south. Dara Massicot of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said the northern attempt at envelopment appears blunted. Russian war channels on Telegram also pointed to significant Ukrainian gains, with one blogger calling it a rout on the Lyman front. Rybar, a Telegram blogger previously affiliated with the Russian Defense Ministry, described the situation at Lyman as alarming.
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