The Ukrainian military continues to make steady tactical gains in the south, edging closer to an operational breakthrough with each passing day.
However, there is heavy fighting, and the Russian military leadership is throwing everything it has in the sector.
Casualties for both sides are high.
Heavy Fighting in the south of Ukraine
The Ukrainian counteroffensive is advancing along several axes, but the most promising progress is taking place in the western part of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southern Ukraine.
After capturing Robotyne, the Ukrainian forces are trying to widen the front and are advancing in the direction of Verbove.
Although it might look like the Ukrainian forces have stuck after making some tactical advances, there is heavy fighting taking place in the sector. The Russian military is committing portions of its reserves to contain the Ukrainian gains, while the Ukrainian military is sending more troops into the sector in an attempt to turn tactical gains into an operational breakthrough.
If the Ukrainian forces manage to penetrate the second line of Russian defenses, it is likely that they will be able to advance at a much faster pace. The Russian forces, after all, have so many resources in terms of building fortifications and dedicating the troops to defend them effectively.
The heavy fighting in the sector is also reflected in the heavy casualties both sides are taking on the ground.
267,000 Dead or Wounded: Russian Casualties in Ukraine
Meanwhile, the Russian military and pro-Russian separatist forces continue to take serious casualties on the ground. On day 562 of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” in Ukraine, the Russian forces suffered almost 650 troop casualties as well as about 150 heavy weapon systems and vehicle losses.
For a fourth day in a row, the Russian forces lost more than 600 men killed, wounded, or captured in the fighting. The recent progress of the Ukrainian counteroffensive has forced the Russian military to commit part of its reserves in the western part of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Overall, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense claimed that as of Friday, Ukrainian forces have killed and wounded approximately 267,540 Russian troops, destroyed 322 fighter, attack, bomber, and transport jets, 316 attack and transport helicopters, 4,529 tanks, 5,753 artillery pieces, 8,726 armored personnel carriers, and infantry fighting vehicles, 754 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS), 18 boats and cutters, 8,264 vehicles, and fuel tanks, 507 anti-aircraft batteries, 4,570 tactical unmanned aerial systems, 860 special equipment platforms, such as bridging vehicles, and four mobile Iskander ballistic missile systems, and 1,455 cruise missiles shot down by the Ukrainian air defenses.
Over the last 24 hours, the Russian forces lost almost 50 main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and armored personnel carriers. These are some of the highest numbers since the Ukrainian counteroffensive began more than three months ago. These casualties suggest that the fighting is now more mobile than it was before and that the Ukrainian forces are well into the Russian defensive lines.
The Kremlin can sustain such a high level of losses for only so long before it breaks under the mounting pressure.
About the Author
A 19FortyFive Defense and National Security Columnist, Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University, an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and is pursuing a J.D. at Boston College Law School. His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
