UKRAINIAN DESPERATE STRUGGLE LEADS TO MISERABLE GAINS

Kiev’s counteroffensive turned into positional battles on all frontlines. In the Kupyansk region, the Russian military is pushing Ukrainian forces out from their positions. The battles have already reached the north-eastern outskirts of the village of Sinkovka. At the same time, clashes continue near Petropavlovka located nearby, threatening Kupyansk with a partial encirclement. The advancing Russian units are already only 7 kilometers from the city. On August 10, military facilities and the Kupyansk City Administration building, occupied by the Ukrainian military, were destroyed by Russian heavy aerial bombs. In their turn, the Ukrainian military has launched the evacuation of civilians from 37 settlements in the area and are reportedly partially retreating to the western bank of the Oskol river to strengthen new defenses there. However, a Russian assault on Kupyansk is unlikely to take place in the near future. The main goal of the Russian offensive operation is likely to distract Ukrainian forces from their counteroffensive on the Zaporozhie and Bakhmut frontlines. Advancing slowly but steadily, the Russian military destroys more Ukrainian reserves sent to the northern front. Meanwhile, in the Bakhmut region, heavy battles for the village of Klescheevka and the dominant heights nearby are ongoing. Russian forces have recently counterattacked on the eastern outskirts of the village, having repelled Ukrainian forces from their positions. Despite the huge losses and prolonged battles on the southern flank, Ukrainian forces are also storming Andreevka, but the Russians are holding their positions. The resistance of the Russian military prevents the Ukrainian army from gaining a foothold in the area and threaten the southern outskirts of Artyomovsk. To the south, heavy battles are ongoing in the areas of Avdeevka and Mariinka, where the Russians maintain the military initiative but have so far achieved only some tactical victories. On the southern frontlines, inflamed by the Ukrainian counteroffensive, the constant attacks on Russian positions continue. The Ukrainian military has recently achieved its greatest victory in this month of bloody battles. According to the reports from the front, they finally entered the northern outskirts of the village of Urozhainoe. After prolonged battles, they were repelled from the settlement several times but finally managed to gain a foothold in the outskirts of the town. They are yet to develop their success, while Russian artillery is likely to prevent them from taking control of the village, like it is in the case of Staromayorkoe which is still in the gray zone. In the area of Orekhov, the Ukrainian military changed the direction of attacks from Rabotino to Verbovoe. However, this brought no results. All the attacks were repelled. Ukrainian forces are changing the directions of their attacks to force the Russian units move their reserves along the line of defense.