The Russian reconnaissance teams who infiltrated the Zabalka district of Toretsk were caught and destroyed by Ukrainian artillery that was precisely coordinated from terrikon observations posts. The failed advance prevented Russians securing an important secondary logistics route in Toretsk Donetsk Oblast.
There are many updates today from the Toretsk Oblast.
The Zabalka district, located in southern Toretsk, has a significant tactical value in the ongoing battle. This district contains a key route that extends towards the central high-rises held by Russia, which could be used as a secondary logistics route.
This route, if secured, would allow the Russians double their troop deployments in the central high-rises. This would enhance resupply capabilities and reinforce the Russians’ ability to continue operations to seize Toretsk. In addition, Russian control over Zabalka will help prevent Ukrainian counterattacks that would sever their forces in the center of the city, solidifying and bolstering their overall offensive.
Russian forces had earlier made minor gains in the northern portion of the Zabalka District, which motivated them to continue with their assaults. To speed up their advance, Russian command sent a sabotage group and reconnaissance team deeper into the Ukrainian-held area of Zabalka. The Russian fighters met with minimal resistance as Ukrainian forces were dispersed throughout the district. This allowed them to advance quickly behind the lines.
The Russian reconnaissance groups concluded the lack of substantial Ukrainian position in Zabalka would enable an effective Russian assault. Ukrainian forces, however, had positioned themselves in the terrikons to the west of the district as well as at the nearby coalmine complex.
These terrikons are strategic observation points that allow Ukrainian troops to monitor Russian movement and relay coordinates for artillery and drones. These elevated vantage points and fortified positions within the high-rise buildings of the coal mine allow the Ukrainians to effectively control Zabalka, without having to station ground troops directly in the district.
These reconnaissance units, which operated in small groups instead of as fully-equipped assault teams, were meant to infiltrate and create pressure points in order to distract Ukrainian forces. This would pave the way for the main Russian attack. The Russian units that were disrupted failed to create the conditions for a larger offensive and effectively trapped themselves in the area.
This allowed Ukrainian stormtroopers to advance, supported by M-1-13 armoured vehicles, into the gray zone occupied Russian reconnaissance units that were disorganized. The combination of fire support provided by the armored vehicles, and the effectiveness of Ukrainian assault teams, left the previously shelled Russian units with no opportunity to regroup.
As a result, the majority of Russian forces in Zabalka suffered a total defeat, which led them to abandon the operation and withdraw from that area.
Overall, the Russians attempted to advance in the southern part Toretsk. The reconnaissance units were slowed down and failed to provide any intelligence for the main assault, which led them to be destroyed by a powerful Ukrainian attack.
As the Ukrainian counterattack gained traction, the Russian Air Force received an order to bombard Ukrainian positions in the area, as shown in combat footage. This was done to disperse the Ukrainian advance and stop it, for fear that they would overtake the Russian forces in central part of the town, which is likely the next phase in the Ukrainian counterattack operation.
In our regular frontline reports, we team up with the military blog Reporting from Ukraine in order to keep you updated on what’s happening on the battlefield during the Russo Ukrainian war.
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