16 Jun: Success! Ukrainians trap half a thousand Russian troops - Reporting from Ukraine

Day 844: Jun 16

Today, there are a lot of updates from the Kharkiv direction.

The most interesting news comes from the Vovchansk area. Despite being repulsed and pushed back, Russian forces have continued intense, casualty-heavy counterattacks in the northern part of Vovchansk. They made a narrow advance but overextended themselves, ultimately getting trapped by Ukrainian troops at the Vovchansk Aggregate Plant.

Over the past few days, Russian forces have been desperate to secure gains in Vovchansk to justify their Kharkiv offensive. They identified the local aggregate plant as vital for further operations. This plant is one of just two complexes of reinforced, fortified buildings in northern Vovchansk, located next to a high-rise citadel that provides excellent firing positions and concealment for soldiers.

The main reason the Russians chose to assault the aggregate plant is twofold. First, the plant is a fortified strongpoint that overlooks most of the town's residential houses, allowing Russian forces to assert fire control over surrounding Ukrainian positions and facilitate additional gains. Furthermore, controlling the aggregate plant would enable the Russians to cut off Ukrainian defenses in the citadel. They could isolate the citadel by establishing fire control over the residential houses east of the plant and occupying them, potentially forcing the Ukrainian defenders to withdraw.

If Russian troops succeed, they could assert control over the entire northern part of Vovchansk, including the town's highest and most fortified buildings. This would allow them to establish total fire control over the southern part of the town, which consists mainly of small residential houses. Consequently, Ukrainian forces might be forced to withdraw to positions outside the town.

While Ukrainian attacks have achieved meaningful gains with a three-to-one numerical superiority, the Russians maintain a significant five-to-one advantage in artillery, supplemented by glide bombs. The Russians are employing glide bombs and artillery to destroy large sections of the town, targeting Ukrainian firing positions and troop concentrations. This strategy aims to halt Ukrainian advances and set the stage for a Russian counterattack.

Additionally, recent footage shows that the Russian Air Force has struck the bridge near Stary Saltiv again, causing substantial damage and collapsing several spans. This attack aims to undermine Ukrainian defenses by reducing their reinforcements in the town, thereby lowering their numerical advantage and facilitating Russian assaults.

With Ukrainian positions softened by airstrikes and artillery shelling, the Russians targeted the Vovchansk aggregate plant. The destruction of many houses that could serve as firing positions for Ukrainian fighters allowed the Russians to advance and occupy the plant. However, the Russians overextended themselves, which allowed the Ukrainians to cut them off and trap them at the plant.

Initially, Russian stormtroopers approached and entered the aggregate plant from one street. However, Ukrainian forces launched a counterattack and successfully established several strongpoints. As a result, the Russians found themselves surrounded and cut off from supply routes at the aggregate plant.

To sustain the encircled forces, Russian drone operators maintained a crucial logistical connection by delivering ammunition, food, and water via drones. These drone-dropped supplies were essential for the survival of Russian fighters throughout the siege.

Nonetheless, being besieged at the aggregate plant for over six days inevitably means that Russian fighters face severe shortages of supplies and are on the brink of surrender unless they can break out. The situation is dire, exacerbated by the failure of the main Russian force in the northern part of the town to establish contact with the besieged troops at the plant. Ukrainian forces continue to subject the Russian troops in the plant to relentless fire, resulting in a significant number of casualties.

To inflict greater losses on the Russians, the Ukrainian Air Force utilized guided GBU-39 bombs to target Russian positions at the aggregate plant. Additionally, Ukrainian forces struck a nearby hospital building and conducted...