Another victory for Ukraine? Ukraine stopped Russia from crossing a key bridge in the country’s east with Russia suffering heavy equipment losses in a “highly risky” operation that shows the pressure its army is under, UK intelligence said.
The UK Ministry of Defence said on Friday that “Ukrainian forces successfully prevented an attempted Russian river crossing in the Donbas.
“Images indicate that during the crossing of the Siverskyi Donets river west of Severodonetsk, Russia lost significant armoured maneuver elements of at least one Battalion Tactical Group as well as the deployed pontoon bridging equipment.”
It said the losses were a sign of how Russia’s army is under pressure to show some progress in its invasion of Ukraine.
“Conducting river crossings in a contested environment is a highly risky manoeuvre and speaks to the pressure the Russian commanders are under to make progress in their operations in eastern Ukraine.”
Russia has focused its efforts on eastern Ukraine after its attempt to take over the whole country stalled in the face of heavy Ukrainian resistance.
Ukraine’s defense ministry released photos on Wednesday that it said showed Russian equipment destroyed at the Siverskyi Donets river by Ukrainian forces.
Insider has not independently verified the photos which purportedly show the aftermath of the failed assault in Ukraine, although social media is awash in imagery.
? A whole Russian batallion has been ‘destroyed’ in a failed river crossing mission.
Reports, albeit unverified, suggest the river, its banks and the surrounding forests are now the graveyard for up to 1,000 Russian troops.
Thread ⬇️https://t.co/aNKKZXEtzV pic.twitter.com/DYFFITNPlV
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) May 13, 2022
?️ Russian forces had succeeded in putting in place the pontoon and troops and vehicles had begun moving across it. At that point, said Maxim, “the combat started.”
Read the full article for more on Russias ‘catastrophic failure’ ⬇️https://t.co/aNKKZXEtzV
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) May 13, 2022
Ukrainian forces prevented attempted Russian river crossing in the Donbas, Britain says https://t.co/gluLRa0BG5 pic.twitter.com/9tiiUVbOSv
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 13, 2022
Sinéad Baker is a News Reporter based in Business Insider’s London bureau.
