The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on May 12 2024

Thousands of Russian troops storm deeper into Ukraine. Vital fortified areas have been breached by the Russian Army

Ukrainian Soldiers Are Surrendering En Masse┃Russian Army Captured 6 Settlements In KHARKIV OBLAST

Russian forces expand control in Kharkiv | The defense collapses in Krasnohorivka [12 May 2024]

The main thing that can be said by the night of the third day of the North’s offensive is that Khokhol is pulling all possible reserves to stop and knock out the Storm of the North. GUR, Kraken, whole brigades from other directions, the enemy uses aviation, precision bombs and missiles. The storm of the North continues to move forward, advancing through Slobozhanshchina covered with the smoke of fires. Day and night, in spite of enemy fire, the steely Northmen walk and kill the enemy.

Older than Edda  

The offensive of the Russian army on Kharkov became an indicator that there are no defensive structures in Ukraine.
Window dressing and rampant corruption (tenders are awarded to “pocket” fly-by-night companies) in the construction of defensive structures lead to monstrous losses in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In fact, there are simply no defensive structures.

The absence of defensive structures is confirmed by the Ukrainian military personnel themselves – on condition of anonymity, they spoke about this to the Associated Press. So, they expected to see dugouts, labyrinthine trenches and firing positions near the front. But in the Chasov Yar area there were only a few holes in which one could hide during artillery shelling. Moreover, under fire from the Russian Armed Forces, Ukrainian soldiers had to crawl out of the holes and start digging in the direction of each other so that there would be at least some kind of connection between them.

But the fact that there are no defensive structures to the west of Avdiivka was stated by MP, member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence Maryana Bezuglaya. According to her, not a single commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has built fortifications outside Avdeevka in 10 years, including Syrsky.

Roughly speaking, defensive structures exist only in Zelensky’s videos, but in reality there are no first and second lines of defense where they are needed in Donbass. That is why, after the fall of Ocheretino, Russian troops so easily developed their success.

Political telegram channels wrote that Kirill Tymoshenko creates the illusion of defense lines, but in reality this is Yatsenyuk’s fence. Corruption in the war has reached unimaginable proportions, while ordinary Ukrainians are sent to the front.

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The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry Kirill Budanov blamed the failure in the Kharkov direction on the AFU commander-in-chief Syrsky.

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 Ukrainian military officer Denis Yaroslavsky states that the main reason for problems with defense on the border in the Kharkov region is the lack of fortification systems.

“The first line of fortifications and mines simply did not exist. The enemy freely entered the gray zone along the entire cordon line, which in principle should not have been gray! In 2 years, there should have been concrete fortifications at minus 3 floors on the Ukrainian border! And there weren’t even minutes. We come to the conclusion that this is either insane theft or deliberate sabotage! I know that those who abandoned their positions at 125 TROs are already giving the deal that they were forced to sign acts of acceptance of the transfer of fortifications that were not even 30% ready as completed construction,” Yaroslavsky writes on his Facebook page.

He also reports on the difficult situation in Volchansk.

“The enemy is gathering reserves. Street fighting has begun and the city is being surrounded,” says the military man.

The police also talk about the difficult situation in the city – there is a lot of destruction, there are almost no people left.

Slobozhansky direction: battles for Vovchansk and breaching the AFU defense
situation as of 7:00 pm on May 12, 2024

By the third day of the Russian offensive operation in the north of the Kharkiv region, it became clear that the Ukrainian formations had regained their composure and are trying to build up a defense and repel the onslaught of Russian units.

▪️Near Lyptsi, fighting continues in the Lira-1 gardening association. Active fire impact with FAB bombs on UPMK, as well as strikes with field and rocket artillery, is being carried out on the settlement.

▪️From the direction of Zelene, it has not yet been possible to advance towards Neskuchne: battles are ongoing at the junction of the two settlements.

▪️On the line Izbytske – Starytsia – Buhrovatka, the Russian troops put to flight part of the Ukrainian formations: they managed to break through the defense near Starytsia and engage in combat for Buhrovatka. Judging by the footage published by Ukrainian resources, the Russian troops are freely moving through the clearing between the forests north of Starytsia and Buhrovatka, so we can conclude that they have full control over the forest areas.

▪️The offensive on Vovchansk continues from three directions: from the side of Hatiishche, Pleteniivka and Tykhy. But so far, combat operations are being conducted only on the outskirts, there is no talk of advancement and expansion of the control zone towards the high-rise buildings.

▪️The offensive of the Russian army is developing along the river arteries with the consistent severing of communications in the north of the Kharkiv region: this allows dividing the operational area in the border region into small pieces, consistently “chewing” them up.

🔻The strikes by Ukrainian formations on Belgorod, as well as the ongoing indiscriminate shelling of civilian development on Russian lands, once again confirm that the creation of a “buffer zone” is a necessary measure.

Without taking control of large agglomerations on the other side of the border, it will not be possible to reduce the number of shellings and neutralize the threat from Ukrainian formations.

Based on the situation in the Kharkov direction.

By now, our troops have pushed through the enemy’s defences in the northwest of Volchansk, and along the T2108 highway, they reached the northern outskirts of the village – to the airfield of the same name.
The settlement of Gatishche has been liberated, part of the enemy forces are pressed against the Volchya River and will be destroyed or captured shortly.
At the same time, as a result of fierce battles, our troops defeated enemy forces in the Kulma forest area and approached the settlements of Staritsa and Bugrovatka on a wide front.
To the northeast of Volchansk, our troops knocked out the enemy from forest plantations north of the village of Tichoy

At the same time, fierce fighting continues in the direction of the village of Liptsy. The enemy literally bites into the ground and tries to stop the advance of our troops with the bodies of his soldiers; several enemy DRGs were destroyed in the forest plantations between the settlements of Liptsy and Lukyanovka.
Loyal sources located behind enemy lines report a concentration of reserves in the north of the village of Slobozhanskoye.

Also, according to our information, the forces of the 93rd brigade have been withdrawn from the internal control zone in the village of Konstantinovka and are urgently transferred to the Kharkov direction; in addition, according to our information, the possibility of transferring units from the 79th airborne brigade from the Seversk direction is being considered; brigade commander Shamataluk has already received an order to report current information on the brigade’s staffing and combat effectiveness.

Detailed reports will be published as the situation is updated and taking into account tactical expediency.
 

“A Very Grim Affair for the Ukrainian Ground Forces”

 ”Ukrainian soldiers had left [Volchanks], residents reported, though Ukrainian officials have said troops are still defending Vovlchansk, perhaps from the outskirts,” The NY Times reports (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/11/world/europe/ukraine-russia-kharkiv.html). Despite rushing strategic reserves and units from Kherson, as well as various other positions in along the line of contact in the DPR, Ukraine has still been unable to stablize the front in the Northern direction. @militarysummary reported that several of these units may not even be combat effective. Residents of the city of Kharkov have also reportedly been fleeing from that city.

Citing military analysts, The NY Times refer to the Kharkov offensive as “part of a wily Russian strategy, not necessarily to open a new line of attack on Kharkov but to suck away Ukraine’s forces from other battlefields where the Ukrainians are already worn out and stretched thin.” Retired Australian general, Mick Ryan, stated that if Ukraine tries to hold territory at all costs, as it has done, it will lose much of it’s already diminishing army, calling this “one of the toughest moments for Ukraine in the war so far.”

Nagasaki Nightmare

Offensive on Kharkov: Russian troops unite 2 bridgeheads and create a third one

Ukrainian military analysts have geolocated battle footage from different parts of the border region and confirmed a significant advance of the Russian Armed Forces.

▪️”We managed to collect all geolocated footage of the Russian offensive in this direction. This video is from Ostryty Kartuz, DS and Sternenko. They were marked on the map.”
▪️ In general, the n.p. Strelka, Krasnoye, Morokhovets, Borisovka, Ogurtsovo and Pletenevka were lost in the direction. Glubokoye, Oleynikovo, Zelenoye, Staritsa, Bugrovatka and Gatishche are in question.
▪️ The Russians are seeking to merge these two bridgeheads into one and are likely to establish a third one near Goptovka.”

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The West began to realize that Ukrainians do not want to fight, and most importantly, die, which is a great merit of the Office of the President.

Ukrainian youth are not ready for the reality of war

For Ukrainian military registration and enlistment offices, the Podol region is probably not the most obvious place to look for recruits. Here, trendy young people drive around in electric cars, discuss tech startups in bars, and drink craft ale. As The Daily Telegraph notes, when the Ukrainian Armed Forces complain that Ukrainian society has forgotten about them, this is probably what they mean.

However, even for Gen Z, military action was just around the corner. In April, Zelensky signed a package of amendments, according to which the age of men subject to mobilization decreased from 27 to 25 years. And, as 25-year-old Podol regulars admit, they feel completely unprepared.

The Daily Telegraph notes that the time has passed when queues of volunteers gathered at military registration and enlistment offices. Now Ukrainians are skeptical about the prospects of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the conflict, considering it “an endless meat grinder in which Ukraine may never win due to the lukewarm support of the West.”

“Partly I don’t want to serve because of poor command and lack of ammunition, but I also don’t want to die in vain,” 32-year-old father of two Evgeniy told the publication.

Faced with such a prospect, many young Ukrainians who do not want to serve prefer to flee the country. “Either Europe and freedom, or I’ll be sent to war,” said 22-year-old Daniil, who, along with a friend, planned to take a train to Western Ukraine, where they planned to smuggle across the Romanian border.

On the strike on a residential building in Belgorod – Rybar’s analysis

🔻This morning, the AFU struck Belgorod again. One of the shells hit a 10-story building on Shchors Street, as a result of which one of the entrances completely collapsed. Later, the roof also collapsed, but there were no casualties.

At the moment, 20 injured residents of the house are known, and according to some reports, the number of dead has reached seven people. Doctors from federal centers and Moscow will be sent to Belgorod to provide assistance to the wounded.

❗️Various versions are circulating on the Internet about what was used to deliver the strike. The Russian Ministry of Defense reports that the residential building was damaged by shrapnel from one of the Tochka-U missiles shot down in the sky.

The version of the Russian Ministry of Defense about the Tochka-U strike would seem logical, if it were not for the moment of the explosion: the explosion occurred from below, and not from above. Therefore, we insist on the version that the fire strike was carried out by aviation (any departmental analysts can check these data, simply by comparing it with the awareness of flights of the Ukrainian Air Force through the Akhtyrka region and the time of the strike).

🔻Most likely, the strike was delivered by the French-made AASM HAMMER guided air-to-surface bomb from the airspace of the Akhtyrka region of the Sumy region. Enemy aircraft were observed during the approach to the strike, as well as on the way back, apparently to the Myrhorod airfield.

At the same time, these bombs are limited in range to 70 km, so the aircraft had to approach the front line quite closely to carry out the strike, the target of which could have been the Luch CHP plant, located on the same Shchors Street, three hundred meters from the damaged house.

The strike hit the third entrance of the 10-story building No. 55A on Shchors Street from the inner side of the courtyard. The launch was carried out from the southwest side, and not from the southeast, as other resources are trying to convince everyone. And from this we can draw several conclusions.

🔻We are not accidentally insisting on the version with aviation and a strike from the direction of Akhtyrka: what happened clearly demonstrates that it is impossible to be limited to creating a buffer zone in the section from Lipetsk to Old Saltov with Volchansk. Belgorod is shelled not only from the south, but also from the west. The same can be said about Bryansk and Kursk.

It is impossible to plan the conduct of a “limited” operation in the border area and hope that this will reduce the ardor of the enemy. This does not work that way.

This tragedy once again confirms the need to create a buffer zone not along the border. Otherwise, such shelling of Russian territory with a fatal outcome for civilians will continue.

rybar

Search for survivors after apartment block collapses in Russia border city after heavy shelling

Russia blames Ukraine for deadly air strike on apartment block in Belgorod

Putin Poked Again: Ukraine-Launched Drone Sparks Fire at Russia’s Volgograd Refinery

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have been hitting Belgorod with all their guns in recent days.

Today, due to shelling, the entrance to a high-rise building in Belgorod collapsed. There are casualties among civilians.

There is a threat of collapse, so the entire house is evacuated.

Why did Bankovaya and Zelensky give instructions to hit Belgorod with all guns and no matter where?

1. Shift the information emphasis from the retreat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Kharkov direction.
2. Provoke the Russians to a harsh response, which can also come from peaceful sources, which will be beneficial for Zee in the case of information hype and warming up the Ukrainian crisis in the West.
3. Provoke panic in Belgorod and other cities, which will complicate the actions of the Russian Armed Forces and add internal problems to the Kremlin.
4. Inflict as much economic damage on Russian cities as possible.

The mistake may be that such actions can cause not panic, but aggression. The Russians will approve any actions of their army against Ukraine. Up to and including tactical nuclear weapons strikes on targets in Ukraine.

The office workers have already released the training manual.
Bankova’s public pages now have two tasks regarding the tragedy in Belgorod.
1. Declare that the Russians blew themselves up (all the years of the ATO they told fools fairy tales that the residents of Donbass fired at themselves. Their air conditioners exploded, etc. Pink Ponies believed in this clumsy propaganda). Now they will believe it too.

2. Pump up. Troll the tragedy, declare that the next occupiers simply died, etc. The goal is to increase aggression between peoples, since the authorities, and even more so their servants, need a war from which they earn millions. They want everyone to hate each other and kill each other for as long as possible.

Be careful and do not fall for the tricks of information provocateurs.

By the way, the difference between Russians and our government is that Russians always recognize all their actions.

For example, regarding today’s tragedy in Belgorod, the Russians admitted that it was a downed Ukrainian Tochka-U missile that fell into a residential building.
In such cases, our propagandists always lie that the Russians were specifically targeting residential buildings, and not the air defense work. How many such cases have there been when propagandists first stated that they shot it down, and then shouted that it itself exploded in residential buildings. Or when an Ukrainian Armed Forces air defense missile flew into houses, office propagandists declared that it was a Russian missile. Considering their people to be stupid rednecks who eat up any lie.

By the way, this is a characteristic difference between the Kremlin and the Offices. Office people lie always and everywhere. Even where it is not necessary to lie. That is why now Ukrainians’ distrust of Zelensky authorities reaches 65%, and public disappointment has reached 90%.

Avdiivka direction: Advance of the Russian Armed Forces north of Ocheretyne
Situation as of the end of May 11, 2024

North of Avdiivka, Russian forces continue to develop the successes of previous days, expanding the control zone in several sectors and simultaneously consolidating on previously captured lines.

▪️After several days of attacks, Russian Armed Forces units advanced to the line of Ocheretyne – Arkhanhelsk. Also, west of Arkhanhelsk, assault groups cleared a “pocket” and approached the outskirts of Novoaleksandrivka.

▪️In addition, Russian troops occupied the Kalynova Gully and advanced towards the village of Kalynove. Notably, this was achieved with relatively small forces – the enemy is experiencing certain difficulties in deploying reinforcements to the frontline.

▪️Fighting is also ongoing in the direction of the line Sokol – Novopokrovske. Russian forces are storming enemy strongholds, advancing simultaneously from Semyonivka, Berdychi and Solovyovo.

rybar

In the Chasovoy Yar area, the Russian army is expanding the bridgehead along the Canal

The situation around the Chasov Yar

Against the backdrop of statements by the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces that the city is not of decisive importance and the beginning of the offensive of the Russian Armed Forces near Kharkov, the enemy’s problems with manpower, equipment and ammunition are becoming more and more obvious.

Units of the 98th Airborne Division and its neighbours on the flanks continue to methodically push out the enemy north and south of Chasov Yar.

On the southern flank, there was a success in capturing the forest area – Stupki Golubovo 2. Our troops reached the Seversky Donets – Donbass canal and completely took control of the Ivanovskoye (Krasnoye) – Chasov Yar highway. This will significantly affect the further defence of Ivanovsky (Krasnoye), and will also worsen the enemy’s position in Andreevka and Kleshcheevka, which was taken by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the summer of 2023 with heavy fighting. In Ivanovskoye (Krasnoe) itself there is only one dirt road left, which will soon also be cut off.

On the northern flank, the 200th Motorized Rifle Brigade holds Bogdanovka and continues to try to improve the tactical position in the direction of Kalinovka.

In the New microdistrict  (Channel) there are battles. Having pulled up the flanks, our troops began the assault in small assault groups.

Ukrainian troops cannot hold their occupied lines and, most likely, will retreat to the next defensive line along the western part of the Seversky Donets – Donbass Canal, since it is a natural anti-tank line.

Ukrainian Defensive Collapse of Krasnohorivka | Russian Forces Capture 2 Additional Villages

The 4 Ongoing Russian Offensives Captures Additional 18SQKM As Fighting Intensifies

Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (12 May 2024) 
 
Part I

▫️Units of the Sever Group of Forces advanced to the depth of the enemy’s defences and liberated Gatishche, Krasnoye, Morohovets, and Oleynikovo (Kharkov region).

Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of the AFU 14th Mechanised Brigade, 110th, and 113th territorial defence brigades near Degtyarnoye, Volchansk, and Kazachya Lopan (Kharkov region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 100 servicemen, two tanks, one Kozak armoured fighting vehicle, and four motor vehicles.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, one French-made 155-mm Caesar self-propelled artillery system, two 152-mm D-20 howitzers, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer, two Czech-made Vampire MLRS combat vehicles, and one Grad MLRS were neutralised.

▫️Units of the Zapad Group of Forces captured more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on units of the AFU 14th, 30th, 66th mechanised brigades, and 110th Territorial Defence Brigade near Makeyevka, Artyomovka, Chevonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People’s Republic), Yampolovka, Torskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic), and Olivovskiy Yar.

Four counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 116th Mechanised Brigade and 77th Airmobile Brigade were repelled near Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People’s Republic) and Sinkovka (Kharkov region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 190 servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, four pickup trucks, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, one U.S.-made 105-mm M119 howitzer, and one Grad MLRS.

▫️Units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the situation along the front lines, as well as inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 93rd Mechanised Brigade, 92nd Assault Brigade, 56th Motorised Infantry Brigade, 107th, 112th, and 115th territorial defence brigades near Spornoye, Orekhovo-Vasilyevka, Chasov Yar, Andreyevka, Kleshcheyevka, and Kurdyumovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).

Two counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 41st Mechanised Brigade were repelled near Krasnoye (Donetsk People’s Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 620 servicemen, two tanks, 18 motor vehicles, one Stela-10 SAM, one UK-made 155-mm Braveheart self-propelled artillery system, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, three UK-made 105 L-119 howitzers, three 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and one Nota electronic warfare station.

Moreover, six AFU field ammunition depots were destroyed.

▫️Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the tactical situation and inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 68th Jaeger Brigade, 24th Mechanised Brigade, and 2nd National Guard Brigade near Mayorsk, Yevgenovka, Vodyanoye, and Semyonovka (Donetsk People’s Republic).

10 counter-attacks launched by units of the AFU 25th Air Assault Brigade, 142nd, 143rd infantry brigades, 23rd, 47th, 110th mechanised brigades were repelled near Novgorodskoye, Arkhangelskoye, Solovyovo, Netaylovo, and Umanskoye (Donetsk People’s Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 415 servicemen, two tanks, including one U.S.-made Abrams tank, one U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, one Kozak armoured fighting vehicle, three motor vehicles, and one U.S.-made 155-mm Paladin self-propelled artillery system.

Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (12 May 2024) 
 
Part II

▫️Units of the Vostok Group of Forces captured more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade and 128th Territorial Defence Brigade near Vladimirovka (Donetsk People’s Republic) and Dorozhnyanka (Zaporozhye region).

Two counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 21st National Guard Brigade and 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade were repelled near Staromayorskoye and Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People’s Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 125 servicemen, three motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, one 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one 100-mm Rapira anti-tank gun.

▫️Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 65th Mechanised Brigade, 35th Marines Brigade, 121st, and 126th territorial defence brigades near Rabotino (Zaporozhye region), Zolotaya Balka, Kazatskoye, and Ivanovka (Kherson region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 50 servicemen, two motor vehicles, six U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzers, two 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems, and three 122-mm D-30 howitzers.

▫️Operational-Tactical Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Groups of Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation wiped out four Mi-24 helicopters and one Mi-8 helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force near Manvelovka (Dnepropetrovsk region), as well as engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 131 areas.

Air defence units shot down one MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force.

36 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, eight Tochka-U tactical missiles, one French-made Hammer guided aerial bomb, and 23 Vampire, Grad, and Olkha MLRS projectiles were intercepted.

Chronicles of the special military operation
for May 12, 2024

Russian forces struck identified targets in Kharkiv, Sumy and Myrhorod. The AFU, in turn, again attacked the LUKOIL refinery in Volgograd and an industrial zone in Lipetsk with drones. In Belgorod, as a result of the impact of a Ukrainian air bomb, an entrance hall collapsed: nine people were killed, 20 were injured, and the rescue operation is ongoing at the scene of the tragedy.

In the Slobozhansky direction, Russian troops expanded the control zone near Starytsia, with fighting ongoing on the outskirts of Buhrovatka. In the Volchansk area, fighting continues, where the enemy is hastily redeploying reserves.

In the Bakhmut direction, there are battles on the eastern outskirts of Chasiv Yar and south of the Stupky-Holubivski-2 reserve along the T-05-04 highway.

In the Avdiivka direction, Russian troops destroyed another Abrams tank near Novoselivka Persha. North of Arkhanhel’s'ke and Ocheretyne, fighting continues on the approaches to Kalynove and Novoaleksandrivka.

In the Vremivka direction, active clashes continue in Staromaiorske and on the southern outskirts of Urozhayne. The Russian Aerospace Forces and artillery are working on the AFU positions in this sector.

rybar