According to the latest report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian military officials have said that the Russian command ordered troops to conduct “ill-conceived and unsupported” counterattacks on the southern flank of Bakhmut to regain lost territory.
In a recent report, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) refers to a video in which Russian soldiers explain that they left behind their military equipment in the Klishchiyivka area, seven kilometers southwest of Bakhmut, as the German news website n-tv.de reported. These soldiers stated that they had received orders from the Russian military command to form an assault group and advance toward Bakhmut. They also reported that various personnel resources are now being sent toward the front, including soldiers currently resting in the rear. However, they have not been given access to adequate artillery ammunition. These soldiers also reported that their shells do not explode when fired, likely due to quality deficiencies as Russia’s military-industrial base attempts to manufacture shells quickly without observing adequate quality control measures. In addition, the soldiers pointed out that they rely on small arms, while the Ukrainians have artillery.
Recapture without preparation
According to a Russian military blogger, soldiers reportedly received orders to retake Andriivka (10 kilometers southwest of Bakhmut) and the surrounding area, but failed to create the proper conditions for such counterattacks. The blogger noted that the Russian military command allegedly prepared “weak” counterattacks but failed to provide accurate information to the Russian assault forces. He also pointed out that these “hysterical” counterattacks were depleting Russian resources and supplies. The Russian military command’s efforts to recapture lost territory are likely delaying the establishment of new defensive positions on Bakhmut’s southern flank by Russian forces. The blogger also suggested that Russian fortifications on nearby heights in the Andriivka area may have failed.
Image: Mvs.gov.ua, Ukrainian soldiers attack a Russian tank in Mariupol (1), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, (no changes made)
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