UKRAINIAN DEFENSE IN THE NORTHERN DONETSK PEOPLES REPUBLIC IS BULGING AT THE SEAMS

After a tactical pause, Russiad-led forces continued their advance in the north of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The offensive is carried out by the joint forces of the Russian Federation and Peope’s Militias of the Republics. After the Severodonetsk-Lisichansk region was secured, the territory of the entire Luhansk People’s Republic came out the Kiev’s control. Today, forces of the LPR are fighting in the neighboring Donetsk Republic. LPR military officials declared their goal to push Ukrainian units away from the frontiers of the republic in order to put an end to the constant shelling of civilians by Ukrainian Nazis. On July 13th, Russian-led forces entered the cities of Soledar and Seversk in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Fighting on the cities’ outskirts were announced by the DPR and LPR officials and confirmed by military reporters in the area. The military declared that the city of Seversk came under operational control of joint forces. Fighting broke out on the outskirts after the assault groups entered the city from the eastern direction. The village of Verkhnekamenskoye came under DPR control. On the same day, assistant to the Interior Minister of the LPR declared that the Russian Army had entered the outskirts of Soledar. According to the official, LPR artillery units managed to take control of a Ukrainian ammunition depot when entering the city. The fighting reached the outskirts of Soledar after Russian-led forces repelled the AFU units from their positions in Vladimirovka and Novaya Kamenka. Meanwhile, Russian troops came close to Bakhmut (also known as Artemovsk). Fighting broke out in the village of Veselaya Dolyna located on the south-eastern outskirts of the city. The Ukrainian military positions in Bakhmut are constantly shelled by Russian artillery and missiles. About five foreign M-777 howitzers along with an ammunition depot were destroyed at night in the Bakhmut region. The major battle for Slavyansk is approaching. Breaking through Ukrainian defenses to the east, Russian forces are approaching the city from the northern direction. Russian units are already deployed in 7 kilometers from the town and the last obstacle for their advance is the forest area where prolonged battles continue. Russian troops have advanced along the Barvenkovo-Slavyansk highway, and clashes have almost reached the city’s outskirts. In Slavyansk, the Zeus Ceramics plan, where the Armed Forces of Ukraine established their military positions was shelled. The Ukrainian military in the city of Kramatorsk, which is still relatively far from the front lines, are also constantly pounded by Russian artillery and warplanes. The Ukrainian military positions in local machine-building plant and the industrial area of the city were recently hit by Russian forces. Russian-led forces are yet to destroy the Ukrainian defenses along the Bakhmut-Soledar-Seversk front lines. Ukrainian forces are still holding their positions in various villages in the region, preventing Russian units from attacking the strongholds in the cities from several directions. However, the recent Russian advances testify that Ukrainian defense in the northern Donetsk People’s Republic is already bulging at the seams.