by Simplicus at Simplicus the Thinker
One of the biggest recent battlefield developments is just how quickly some of Ukraine’s largest urban strongholds are falling after being surrounded and cut off by Russian forces.
At one point long ago, every little settlement was won by bitter pitched fighting, advancing one house at a time—places like Rubezhnoe, Popasna, Soledar, Bakhmut, etc. But now, nearly half of the major strongholds are falling virtually without a fight. There are some exceptions: Toretsk and Chasov Yar for instance were slowly contested, though in their case it had more to do with geographic features and terrain not favorable for encirclement, which forced Russian troops to assault them head on.
When Selidove/Selidovo fell in October, it surprised many by how quickly it was abandoned. Kurakhove itself was mythologized by the AFU to be a critical, expansive battle that should have taken many months to conclude. And it did take long to slowly flank it—but the actual progression through the city itself, once it had begun, was relatively fast.
The same went for Ugledar: it took many months to slowly flank it on the sides, but then the fabled stronghold itself fell in literally four or five days in early October. Now the triumph has been repeated in an even greater stronghold, Velyka Novosilka. After spending weeks carefully enveloping it, Russian soldiers left the city relatively untouched as Ukrainian units simply fled without much of a fight.
Here the Russian 40th Marines and 5th Brigade plant their flags in the north of the town:
The Russian army defeated the Ukrainian Armed Forces and took the enemy’s fortress city – Velikaya Novosyolka
▪️Fighters from the 40th Marines, 5th and 37th brigades, with the support of special forces, artillery and aviation of the “East” group of forces, liberated the regional center of Velyka Novosilka – the largest defense and logistics hub of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the South Donetsk direction.
▪️Our units completed the liberation of Velikaya Novoselka, defeating 110th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
▪️Now the entire agglomeration of the Vremevsky salient has been liberated – Velyka Novosyolka, Vremyevka, Neskuchnoye – the largest defense and logistics hub of the Ukrainian Armed Forces at the junction of Zaporozhye and the DPR.
▪️The area was prepared and equipped with fortifications, well protected by three natural water barriers and surrounding buildings, after long and stubborn battles it came under the control of the “East” group , becoming an important step in the liberation of the southeast.
RVvoenkor
On top of which, Toretsk was effectively fully seized today as well:…
Continue Reading