- A mistake by Ukrainian troops appears to have allowed Russian forces to advance and capture large parts of a village.
- The incident occurred during a rotation between the Ukrainian 47th and 115th Mechanized Brigades.
- This is the second time that a Ukrainian unit has failed on the Eastern Front in recent weeks.
A mistake by Ukrainian troops appears to have allowed Russian forces to advance and capture large parts of a village unopposed.
Russian troops managed to take most of Ocheretyne, northwest of Avdiivka, eastern Ukraine, after an apparent rotation error involving Ukraine’s elite 47th Mechanized Brigade and its 115th Brigade mechanized.
The 47th Mechanized Brigade was to be relieved by the 115th along the front line just east of Ocheretyne.
But as the 47th withdrew, the Russian 30th Motor Rifle Brigade attacked, taking advantage of the space left by the imminent arrival of the 115th.
The commander of the 47th, Mykola Melnyk, famous for losing a leg during the summer offensive, wrote on Facebook: “The drastic Russian advance became possible because some units simply struggled.
“I hope they will be reconverted into assault troops,” he added.
Vadym Chornyy, a spokesperson for the 115th brigade, told the Financial Times that the allegations were “not true”.
“The unit has not abandoned its position,” he said.
Melnyk said the only reason Russia was unable to continue its advance was because the 47th Brigade had joined the fight.
“The holes were plugged by those who were planning to take a break,” he explained. “The 47th brigade has resumed its activities. Another month and it will be a year without rotation.”
An update on the Ukrainian deep state website, which tracks changes on the battlefield, showed that Russian forces had captured a large part of the village.
The images shared on Telegram also purported to show a Russian flag flying above a building in the war-torn village.
Ukrainian police walk past destroyed buildings and debris during the evacuation of local residents from the village of Ocheretyne, April 15, 2024. AFP/Getty Images
Earlier this week, the Institute for the Study of War think tank said Russian forces appeared “aimed at widely penetrating Ukrainian lines northwest of Avdiivka,” but added that its efforts would likely be hampered by upcoming munitions deliveries. American and Western aid.
The ISW said the Ocheretyne attack was part of Russia’s “operational objective of reaching the administrative border of Donetsk Oblast via Pokrovsk.”
This comes after part of Ukraine’s 67th Mechanized Brigade was disbanded by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry while defending Chasiv Yar, a town north of Avdiivka and close to Bakhmut.
David Ax, a military correspondent and blogger, wrote in an article for Forbes that the 67th was disbanded due to conflicts among its commanders, many of whom he said were members of far-right political groups.
Chasiv Yar is a crucial town in the battle for Ukraine’s Donetsk region, and its capture would put Russian forces within striking distance of Ukrainian operational and supply centers in the region.
The commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces said earlier this month that Russian troops had been tasked with capturing Chasiv Yar by May 9.
businessinsider
