UKRAINIAN COUNTEROFFENSIVE TURNED INTO RUSSIAN COUNTERATTACKS

Kiev is still assuring the Ukrainian population and Western taxpayers that its counteroffensive is going according to plan and the Ukrainian army will continue attacks despite the approaching rains. However, bad weather, which will undoubtedly complicate any military operations, is not the only problem of the Ukrainian military. Huge losses, the lack of victories on the battlefield despite the deployment of strategic reserves and expensive Western heavy equipment, the low morale of mobilized Ukrainian soldiers, who have no necessary experience and training, have already put Kiev’s plans at risk. As a result, Kiev’s counteroffensive turned into bloody positional battles. Ukrainian frontlines are inflamed by fighting with the initiative passing from one side to the other. As a result, losses in manpower and equipment are growing on both sides without any significant results. In the south, Ukrainian units continue attempts to gain a foothold on the outskirts of Novomayorskoe and Novodonetskoe. In their turn, Russian forces counterattacked and recently regained control of some positions. Russian stormtroopers also counterattacked on the western flank near the village of Priyutnoye. They reportedly pushed Ukrainian units out from the Grushevaya beam. Fighting continues a few kilometers north of the village, which complicates the Ukrainian offensive in the region of Velikaya Novoselka. The Ukrainian advance has also stalled south of Orekhov. As a result of another counterattack, Russian units regained control of some positions near Verbove. Meanwhile, the village of Rabotino remains partially in the gray zone. Ukrainian units are trying to gain a foothold on the southern outskirts under heavy fire from Russian artillery and aircraft. In their turn, Ukrainian sources claim heavy losses on the Russian side in the area. In an attempt to break through the Russian defense, Ukrainian forces are bypassing the village from the east, but without any results so far. On the morning of September 11, 3 American Bradleys were defeated in the area. Another attack ended with wounded Ukrainian men left to die on the battlefield. Some were more lucky as several Ukrainian soldiers were reportedly taken as prisoners. In the second main direction of Kiev’s counteroffensive, the Ukrainian military has managed to slightly advance in recent days. To the south of Bakhmut, heavy fighting for every house continues on the streets of Kleshcheevka. Amid heavy losses in the army, the Ukrainian command threw police officers into the bloody battles there. More and more officially published obituaries confirm heavy losses in this untrained police brigade. Ukrainian forces have also resumed active offensive operations near Andreevka. Russian troops were recently forced to leave some of their positions near the railway but they still continue their counterattacks. The Armed Forces of Ukraine launched their offensive in the Bakhmut region four months ago but they are yet to achieve any strategically important victories.