Thursday, 28 Nov 2024

‘Troops have disappeared’ Russia let ball drop as Ukraine secure advantage in the south

Ukraine: Russia has ‘thinned out forces’ says Michael Clarke

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Defence and security analyst Michael Clarke said on Sky News that Russian forces have been focusing on Severodonetsk to the detriment of holdings elsewhere in Ukraine. He said that “Russia may have thinned out their forces” while they continue to relentlessly attack the city of Severodonetsk towards the north of the Luhansk region, affording Ukraine a window of opportunity to reclaim land in the south. 

Mr Clarke said: “The reports over the weekend are that around Davydid Brid, [Ukrainian forces] had crossed the river Inhulets. 

“This is a small, winding river. It goes all the way up through the area, right up through these towns. 

“And in crossing the river, the Ukrainians have given themselves a very good chance of making progress in an offensive to cut around behind the Russians and put some pressure on the forces in Kherson. 

“The reason why they think they might be able to do this, it seems, is that the Russians may have thinned out their forces in Kherson and further east. 

“There are reports that a lot of Russian troops seem to have disappeared from the roadblocks and checkpoints in Melitopol. 

“So those fronts are developing mainly because of what is happening in Severodonetsk.” 

It is believed Russian troops may be withdrawing from Melitopol in the south as part of a rotation, a Ukrainian official said today. 

Head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration (Oblast State Administration) Oleksandr Starukh made the comments as it appeared Russian forces had disappeared from checkpoints unexplainably. 

Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops battled Russians street-to-street in the ruins of Severodonetsk on Tuesday, trying to hold onto gains from a surprise counter-offensive that had reversed the momentum in one of the bloodiest land battles of the war.

The fight for the small industrial city has emerged as a pivotal battle in eastern Ukraine, with Russia focusing its offensive might there in the hope of achieving one of its stated war aims – to fully capture the surrounding Luhansk province on behalf of separatist proxies.

After withdrawing from nearly all the city in the face of the Russian advance, Ukrainian forces staged a surprise counter-attack last week, driving the Russians from parts of the city centre. 

Since then, the two armies have faced off across boulevards, both claiming to have inflicted huge casualties.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an overnight video address last night: “Our heroes are not giving up positions in Severodonetsk,” Earlier, he told reporters at a briefing the Ukrainians were outnumbered but still had “every chance” of fighting back.

The city’s mayor, Oleksandr Stryuk, told Ukrainian television on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces were doing all they could to hold their ground: “Our armed forces have strengthened their positions and are holding the line.”

Following the counter-offensive, Zelensky made a surprise visit to Lysychansk on Sunday, personally demonstrating that Kyiv still had an open route to its troops’ redoubt.

But Luhansk Governor Serhiy Gaidai said on Monday the situation had worsened in Severodonetsk since the Ukrainian defenders had pushed back the Russians over the weekend.

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