23 Jul: Vuhledar Stands: Russians Desperately Try to Cut Crucial Road! - Reporting from Ukraine

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

Here, Russian forces regrouped following the lack of success with their intensified attacks against Kostiantynivka and launched a renewed offensive, shifting their focus to a different direction in the region to disrupt Ukrainian logistics and finally achieve a significant breakthrough. Aware of the tactical objectives the Russians aimed to accomplish, the Ukrainians methodically countered their campaigns at each stage of the plan.

The main Russian objective in this area is to reach the local road T-05-24 to disrupt Ukrainian logistics between Kostiantynivka and Vuhledar. Even though there is another supply route to Vuhledar, T-05-24 was the preferred road that the Ukrainian forces used up to this point to deliver munitions, medicine, food and rotate troops to the defenders of this stronghold that has already withstood many mechanized Russian attacks and cost them heavy losses. This is why breaking the supply route to Vuhledar can be the decisive step for the Russians to finally capture this Ukrainian fortress or at least isolate it and force the defenders to leave it.

Ukrainians used the short tactical pause on this part of the frontline to further sustain their local air superiority by continuing to hunt Russian air defense assets within the effective range of their available weapon systems. Geolocated footage published by Ukrainian military bloggers shows how a Russian S-300V air defense system is engaged by a Ukrainian HIMARS launching rockets with cluster munition. In one of the most detailed videos of such strikes until this moment we can see how various elements of the system are targeted separately but repeatedly by these highly effective Western munitions. Consequently, the images show how the rocket launchers, radar, and command center are all destroyed. The original uncensored footage of this operation can be found on our Telegram channel through the link in the description.

Simultaneously both sides launched ground attacks against each other again around Kostiantynivka. Ukrainian drone operators from the 79th Air Assault Brigade published several geolocated videos showing how they target enemy tanks, armored personnel carriers, and infantry with FPV drones and grenades dropped by drones. They tried to further weaken deliveries for Russians on the frontline by also conducting strikes in the rear against Ural supply trucks as seen in this video. One of the most interesting clips is courtesy of the Ukrainian special forces battalion OPFOR which released how they are conducting an operation to clear a tree line just south of the village. Shortly after the first shot is fired, a Ukrainian tank is struck by a Russian kamikaze drone and set ablaze. In a remarkable display of composure, a Ukrainian tank crewman jumps onto the burning vehicle and begins extinguishing the fire. Moments later, the tank is seen retreating to safety, thanks to the soldier's brave and decisive actions, which not only saved the crew's lives but also preserved valuable equipment.

The intense conditions created by the Ukrainians around Kostiantynivka forced the Russians to attempt another surprise maneuver further south near the village of Vodyane. Various military analysts from both sides were alarmed by the significant advances made by Russian forces toward the crucial T-05-24 ground line of communication. Geolocated footage published in the last few days shows a Russian armored vehicle rapidly advancing along a tree line up to a point near the road, several kilometers from the previously assessed frontline. The rate and ease of advance of the vehicle suggest that Russian forces likely held additional positions in field areas east of Vuhledar and were able to provide cover for the vehicle as it advanced. Satellite imagery shows additional destroyed Russian vehicles along the same tree line, further confirming that Russian forces have advanced in this area. Russian military bloggers have long emphasized that the foremost tactical objective in the Vuhledar area is for their forces to interdict this road and disrupt Ukrainian supplies to Vuhledar. One of them claimed that he is expecting to see intensified offensive efforts from Russian forces in the coming days in order to support this tactical objective. This claim was partially confirmed by an official statement from the Ukrainian...