Russia Sends Elite Troops to Stop Ukrainian Counteroffensive

A Russian howitzer fires at Ukrainian positions at an unknown location. Photo: Press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense

Russia sent elite paratroopers to the territory The Zaporozhye front line is clearly trying to prevent a breakthrough, as the Ukrainian counteroffensive is gaining momentum.

Units of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division, sometimes called the best combat unit of Russia were seen near the village of Robotine. earlier this week.

The Washington-based think tank Institute for the Study of War, which monitored the battlefield, reported: “Lateral redeployment of units of the 7th Guards Mountain Division from the Kherson region to the front line in the Zaporozhye region, as well as units of the 76th Airborne Division from the Kremennaya area to the Robotin area , suggest that Russian troops can use relatively elite units to reinforce critical sectors of the front.”

This came after the Ukrainian military said they were advancing to the southwest and southeast of Robotine, which may indicate attempts to further deepen and widen the salient after a week of steady gains.

He added: “ And now [we] are moving in the direction of Novoprokopovka in the area of ​​Robotina and in the direction of Malaya Tokmachka — in the direction of Ocheratoty.”

Mr. Shtupin also said that Russian troops in the area had suffered significant losses and were moving reinforcements elsewhere.

This happened after images were circulated on Ukrainian social networks showing two patches of Russian units for the 234th and 104th Guards Air Assault Regiments. , which were allegedly captured as trophies by Ukrainian special forces fighting on the Southern Front.

Ukraine – Robotyne

Both regiments are part of the 76th GAAD and have taken part in several key battles since the beginning of the war. The 234th Regiment is suspected of involvement in the massacre of civilians in the city of Bucha in March 2022.

Fighters of the 76th Regiment were previously seen in the battles near Kremmina in the Luhansk region, which suggests that Russia has overdrawn resources from other sections of the line in response to the offensive.

It is not clear how much of the division was transferred to this area. The formation does not fight as a unit, and it is unlikely that the presence of one or more of its regiments indicates the deployment of the entire division.

Important success, but slow progress

Ukraine captured Robotine last Tuesday in one of the first significant gains since the start of the counter-offensive in the south two months ago.

This village is important because it puts Ukrainian forces within striking distance of Russia's «Surovikin Line» the main chain of fortifications protecting the Russian land. bridge to Crimea.

Ukrainian generals want to break this line and reach Melitopol, about 46 miles southwest of Robotin, to cut the land bridge.

While Ukrainian soldiers have hailed the fall of Robotin as a sign that they are gaining momentum, progress remains slow. Its fall represents an advance of only six miles since June.

Ukrainian soldiers enter the fighting village of Robotine. Photo: & #39;ROCK' OF THE ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE/Reuters

The advance was slow, partly due to difficult terrain.

The Zaporozhye region is mostly open steppe divided into heavily mined fields more than half a mile wide.

only cover is provided by the narrow strips of trees between the fields. As a result, the forest strips are heavily fortified on both sides and are regularly subjected to artillery and air strikes, but are insufficient to cover large groupings of troops.

It is almost impossible for either side to move personnel without being detected long before they will reach the line of contact.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday it had used airstrikes and artillery to repel five Ukrainian attacks on the Zaporozhye Front in the previous 24 hours.

> Previously, Ukrainian soldiers pose with the flag of their country in Harvest month Photo: 35th SEPARATE Marine Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces/Reuters

A representative of the Eastern Group of Forces of Ukraine said that Russia had concentrated about 110,000 people near the front line in the Kupyansk region and Lyman. Russia has been conducting offensive operations in these areas for several weeks now.

At least two civilians were killed in Russian shelling on Sunday.

One woman was killed and a man seriously wounded by Russians Shelling in the center of Kherson on Sunday afternoon, the city authorities reported.

The administration of the Kharkiv region reported that a woman died as a result of a shell hit in the border village of Odnorobovka.