"Ukrainian attack in Kharkiv Oblast" Topic

Ukrainian forces conducted a counterattack in Kharkiv Oblast near Balakliya that likely drove Russian forces back to the left bank (north side) of the Severskyi Donets and Serednya Balakliika rivers on September 6. Ukrainian forces likely captured Verbivka (less than 3 km northwest of Balakliya) on September 6.[7] Geolocated footage posted on September 6 shows Ukrainian infantry in eastern Verbivka (less than 3 km from Balakliya).[8] Multiple Russian sources acknowledged Ukrainian gains in Verbivka and reported that Russian forces demolished unspecified bridges in Balakliya‘s eastern environs to prevent further Ukrainian advances.[9] Images posted on September 6 also show a destroyed Russian bridge over the Serednya Balakliika River—a geographic feature behind which the Russian front line in this sector likely lies.[10] Social media users reported that Russian forces withdrew from checkpoints six kilometers west of Balaklia on September 6.[11]

Russian forces likely no longer maintain their previous positions in Bairak and Nova Husarivka (just south of Balakliya on the right bank of the Seversky Donets River). Russian forces likely abandoned Bayrak and Nova Husarivka in late August. Images posted on August 30 show that Russian forces blew the bridge over the Seversky Donetsk River near Bayrak on an unspecified date.[12] Bridge demolition activity indicates a planned Russian withdrawal. Ukraine's General Staff reported on September 6 that Russian forces conducted air strikes against Bayrak, indicating that Ukrainian forces may have advanced in the area.[13]

ISW, 6 Sept 2022.

Bridge demolitions should be planned, but Tom Cooper thinks the LNR troops retreated and blew the bridge leaving the Russian troops on the wrong side.

Bridge near Balakliya on the Seversky Donetsk River
Geolocated by Neonhandrail

Bridge on the Balakliika River
Geolocated by Rollo

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

larger image

"Some well informed Telegram channels report that Volokhiv Yar, N of Balakiia has been liberated, this a very important x-road for roads toward Izium. Also this seals the cul-du-sac of Balakiia, some 100's of 🇷🇺 troops there inc. SOBR elite units."
NLwartracker, Sep 7, 2022.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Go Get 'Em, Boys!

TVAG

…Unconfirmed reports said the attack triggered a collapse of the Russian front, which was weakened last month to redeploy forces to the south.

The offensive appears to have resulted in a bloodbath for the Russian military.

Ukraine reported 460 enemy fatalities, an extraordinary toll for one day…

Aljazeera: link

Volokhiv Yar capture geoconfirmed.

"The soldiers of the "Wild Field" battalion removed the red banner of the Russian paratroopers over the village. Nova Husarovka near Balakleya."

Video, SputnikATONews, Sep 8, 2022.

…

Video of captured Russian lieutenant colonel. Kharkiv region.
Shtirlitz53, Sep 7, 2022.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

"Ukrainian forces enter Yakovenkove"
Video, C4H10FO2P, Sep 7, 2022.

GeoConfirmed, Sep 8, 2022.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Lots of videos of Russian POWs (including a lieutenant-colonel) and abandoned Russian positions coming from the Balakliya-Izyum front as Russian military bloggers and analysts remain in doomsday mode. The speed of the Ukrainian advance seems to have stunned everyone.

Wall Street Journal correspondent on Twitter: link

There does not seem to be any evidence that the Ukrainians are in Borodoyars'ke. A mention of Borodoyars'ke by TuiteroMartin does not appear in the translation of their source.

The situation may have been more like:

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

They've apparently penetrated the first line of defense, manned by poorly equipped Donbas soldiers, and then penetrated the second line of defense of demoralized Russian soldiers.

Video of 🇺🇦 forces in liberated Bairak some km south of Balakliya, eastern Kharkiv Oblast.
C4H10FO2P, Sep 7, 2022

GeoLocated by @zcjbrooker
GeoConfirmed, Sep 7, 2022.

The Ukrainians seem to be deliberately allowing geolocation for this attack, in contrast to the request for silence about the Kherson Oblast attacks.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Posted by Zach Edmondson on Facebook
Izyum-Kharkiv Front
-- Around 48 hours ago, a large Ukrainian force spearheaded by the 25th Airborne Brigade, 80th Air Assault Brigade, and the 92nd Mechanized Brigade began a multi-pronged assault across the Kharkiv/Izyum front.
-- A major breakthrough occurred north of Izyum (And a bit further north then yesterdays advances) Russian forces were overrun, included many documented POWs (Including senior officers) captured equipment, and so on. It appears that the goal is to reach Kupyansk, be it by the ground or close enough for Artillery to hit the city, at which point the entire Izyum front for Russia falls apart.
-- Ukraine appears to be carrying out "Island hopping" style attacks, surrounded and encircling strong, immobile Russian groups and carrying forward the attack.
-- Russian forces (Sans equipment) allowed to leave Balaklya to capture the city without fighting.
-- Ukraine also captured the Balaklya arsenal, which is a massive depot of military hardware lost early in the invasion.
-- Known towns that have be recaptured by Ukraine that have been verified by video geoloation include Bayrak, Nova Husarivka, Yakovenkove, and Vokokhiv Yar
-- Russian sources indicate that Ukraine troops have at least reached, if not encircled and bypassed Shevchenkove. (Note, no video geolocations at this time)
-- Two things to note is that this sort of rapid advance must not allowed to overextend itself, and this is a rapidly moving front. There are other reports that are at this time cannot be verified.
-- This is a advance of around 35 km in 24 hours.
-- There is other attacks ongoing closer to Izyum, and long range artillery is striking Russian forces in Izyum.
-- Russia lost at least one Su-25 (recorded on film), most likely by a Manpad.
Kherson Front
-- heavy fighting continues, some of the most stark combat footage from Russian sources has been posted (Cannot post here due to the no body/gore rule)
-- Russian sources claim that that Ukraine captured Bruskynske, which if Ukraine can hold would make the Russian forces at Davydiv Bird (A major Russian stronghold) nonviable.
-- Ukraine is maintaining rather strict Operational Security in this sector.

Captured tank on Twitter: link

Make that Zach Edwardson.

-- heavy fighting continues, some of the most stark combat footage from Russian sources has been posted (Cannot post here due to the no body/gore rule)

There's a grim video from a Russian soldier's phone (now in Ukrainian hands) that shows the owner's unit being wiped in front of him and his own final moments.

larger image

• yesterday Ukrainian troops liberated Balakliia (Blue 1)
• during the night Ukrainian troops moved to Volokhiv Yar (Blue 2)
• currently Ukrainian troops are advancing to Shevchenkove (Blue 3)

From Thomas C. Theiner's thread on the situation.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Talley Ho!

"Hold the reins loose!"

TVAG

"Ukrainian Army (KRAKEN) liberated Balakliya"Video, GeoConfirmed, Sep 9, 2022.

A yellow-blue flag has already been installed in Balaklia, truexanewsua, Sep 8, 2022.

Video. Balakliya has been liberated. Illia Ponomarenko, Sep 9, 2022.

======

The Ukrainian Army has reached the edge of Shevchenkove.
Visegrád 24, Sep 9, 2022.

video. Enemy knocked out of Shevchenkove, Kharkiv region [unconfirmed]
truexanewsua, Sep 9, 2022.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Assault by humvee: link (Twitter)

The Ukrainians are off their rocker. They're just… launching attacks everywhere… They find locations and ing strike…

Last night they destroyed a base… the one where we store petrol… there was so much equipment there! I'm not sure how many people, they're not telling us anything as usual, but probably sh*tloads. A lot of people lived there – there were different units… we're ed… they've destroyed everything…

Izium is on fire, everything around me is on fire. I have no idea where we are going at this point…

Ukrainian Pravda: link

Humvee assault in Mykolaiv Oblast was already posted by emckinney.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

The Ukrainians have taken Ivanivka, NW of Volokhiv Yar. (See shaded area of map above.)
GeoConfirmed, Sep 9, 2022.

I wonder if they came from Volokhiv Yar or from the other direction.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Ukrainian flag getting raised on a radio tower near Yasynuvate (Ясинувате), Kharkiv Oblast.
GeoConfirmed, Sep 9, 2022.

liveuamap [had] removed the 'Russian control shading' from this area, but, this may have been done by local patriots.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

"Ukrainian troops being welcomed by the local population in Borivske, Kharkiv Oblast" [Under '4' in map above].
GeoConfirmed, Sep 9, 2022.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Looks like the Ukrainian army is on the outskirts of Kupiansk. If the Russians lose Kupiansk that would be a major defeat and make sustaining forces west of the Oskil River a challenge.

Wall Street Journal (paywall):

link

Guardian live feed (no paywall) – photo of Ukrainian soldiers standing by a sign that reads Kupiansk.

link

FYI – time will tell the nature of things but, in case people are still confused by what's a feint and not a feint, the Russian offensive towards Kyiv = not a feint and the Ukrainian Kherson offensive = a feint (or it least it appears that this is a possibility). I do think the Kherson operation looks like a supporting offensive to pin and draw Russian forces away from the main effort.

As some Russian milbloggers have said, their command was outsmarted.

And…just to remind us all of the fog of war and the need to see how things turn out before declaring things like "this is attrition war aka WWI". After all the Normandy breakout (Op Cobra) was nearly 2 months after the D-Day invasions.

Video "The P07 bridge in Kupyansk appears to have been destroyed.
I am unsure if the Russians destroyed it to prevent further Ukrainian advances, or the Ukrainians did it to hinder Russian reinforcements making it into Kupyansk."
OSINTtechnical, Sep 10, 2022.

====

Telegraphing a Kherson offensive did have the desired result of having the Russians move forces there, away from other areas. After it started more Russian reserves were moved there. It is a long way around to Kharkhiv on exterior lines, avoiding HIMARS, to send the reserves from Kherson.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Video of Russian tank with infantry on top fleeing towards Izium in Balakliia.
Arvelleg, Sep 10, 2022.

The infantry fall off (shot?) as the tank passes Ukrainian forces.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Video of UAF passing destroyed Russian column in Kharkiv Oblast on road from Korobochkino to Shevchenkovo.
auditor_ya, Sep 9, 2022

map
The UAF are heading ESE so this may indicate an axis of advance as shown by DefMon3:

The blue pin is the location of the video.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Ukrainian armoured units apparently crossing the bridge on the way to Lyman
link

Same video as Sieverodonetsk before tactical withdraw of Ukrainian defenders, TpyxaNews, Jun 26, 2022

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Video of Ukrainian forces in the city of Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast.

OSINTtechnical, Sept 10, 2022.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

This is going to become contagious, and a full-blown route will probably occur.

Animated map of Ukrainian offensive
link

Video Ukrainian troops inspect a captured Russian base after a GMLRS strike. map – Vehicle inspection station just off the road SE of Balakliya toward Borodoyars'ke.
GeoConfirmed, Sep 10, 2022.

===

Video, Barracuda, Sep 10, 2022.
Ukrainian army at the North side entry of Izyum, Geoconfirmed

map

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Russian military are tossing out statements saying this is a planned 3-day withdrawal. Nice that they planned to leave behind ammunition dumps and heavy equipment. Just 12 hours before they were showing footage of helicopter re-supply runs for defenders that must not have been told the plan.

Must be "Phase 2"..?

link

The channel for 60th Separate Motorized Rifle Battalion claimed they were still in Izium this morning, later today they stated the decision was made to retreat from Izium.

DefMon3, Sep 11, 2022.

Ізюм also translates as raisins.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

I like the difference in reactions to each post.

This is what gets left behind during a planned withdrawal.
link
Looks like the best part of a BTG.

Lots of prayers.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

I loved the Hummvee Ride of Death.

Video of probable Russian 3rd Corps troops. One scene has been geolocated to Kupiansk from a time before the bridge was destroyed.
JK2022Z, Sep 11, 2022.

…

Captured Russian BTR-80 and BMP-2 of the 🇷🇺 3rd Army Corps, which has been preparing for so long in Mulino, Nizhny Novgorod region.
Paul Jawin, Sep 10, 2022.

The BMP has been identified in the video above.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Video. Shtirlitz53, Sep 11, 2022.

"Ukrainian infantry (with an astounding number of anti-tank weapons) crossing what I believe is the Oskil river."
Thomas C. Theiner

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Shoigu better not be near any open windows for a while. Probably should get his driver to take the car up and down the street before getting in.

As much AT as you can carry! Useful for something! Then lose it! lol.

Video of Russian MoD statement (with sub-titles):
"In order to achieve the stated goals of the special military operation to liberate Donbass, a decision was made to regroup the Russian troops stationed in the Balakleya and Izyum regions to build up efforts in the Donetsk direction.

To this end, within three days, an operation was carried out to curtail and organize the transfer of the Izyum-Balakley group of troops to the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic.

During this operation, a number of distraction and demonstration activities were carried out with the designation of the real actions of the troops.

In order to prevent damage to Russian troops, a powerful fire defeat was inflicted on the enemy using aviation, missile troops and artillery.

Over three days, more than two thousand Ukrainian and foreign fighters were destroyed, as well as over a hundred units of armored vehicles and artillery."

Your daily dose of copium. Official Russian POV on what happened in Kharkiv region.
Special Kherson Cat, Sep 11, 2022.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

I think Russia will win! When the last Russian is pushen out of Ukraine the General Staff will pronoune the Special Military Operation finish and that it was a great success…

Russia will never learn that if you always lie you can never improve as you have always "succeeded "…

Russian MOD have also updated their logo.

Whoops! A 'Strategic Withdrawal, (ENFORCED!).

The members of the 113th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade liberated Vasylenkove [SSE of Pechenihy] and Artemivka [NE of Pechenihy] localities of Kharkiv region.
map
"Step by step, our fighters are de-occupying Ukrainian land. Soldiers of the 113th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade have liberated Vasylenkove and Artemivka in Kharkiv region," President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on Telegram late in the evening of September 10.

ukrinform

These are on the northern shoulder of the bulge.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

For some reason this scene from "A Bridge too Far" comes to mind:

YouTube link