27 Jul: Russian Positions Reduced to Ashes by Forest Fires. Ukrainians Exploit the Chance! - Reporting from Ukraine

Today, there are a lot of developments in the Serebryansky forest area.

Here, Ukrainians expertly set the stage for future counteroffensive operations, endangering the entire Russian salient toward the river.

North of the forest, Russians have tried for over a year now to eliminate the Ukrainian bridgehead east of the Zherebets River, to cross it and take control of Lyman, consolidating their gains in the process. Ukrainian defenses here have held firm, for a large part, due to constant Ukrainian operations in the forest, undercutting Russian logistics and any attempt at a westward assault. Ukrainian brigades active in the forest have indeed demonstrated this, releasing many videos of them dismantling Russian mechanized assaults with a mix of drones and artillery fire. As you may remember, Russian units in the area were suffering from an extremely high casualty rate, allowing Ukrainians to counterattack and regain many lost positions.

The frontline in the forest, on the other hand, is inherently static due to the high density of trees and trench fortifications covering the entire area. However, recent successful Ukrainian counterattacks have shown that Ukrainians can advance in the forest under the right circumstances and with specialized assault brigades. Russian military analysts noted that this opens up the possibility for Ukrainians to launch a localized counteroffensive in the forest to attack the Russian Dibrova-Kuzmyne-Kreminna line of settlements. If such a Ukrainian assault proves to be successful, instead of just harassing the Russian salient, Ukrainians would be able to cut it off completely, undoing over a year of Russian offensive efforts.

To achieve such an ambitious goal, Ukrainians have to create ideal circumstances and take the most advantageous tactical and strategic positions. To get to that point, Ukrainians must first eliminate the threat of Russian attacks to focus all their preparations and resources on offensive actions. Ukrainians continue to reinforce the forest area with manpower and strengthen their positions against Russian artillery and assaults.

Ukrainian and International brigades active in the forest continue to engage in small-scale skirmishes with Russian units and positions. These brigades shared a multitude of footage showing them repulsing Russian attacks and harassing Russian positions with small arms fire, machine guns, and rocket-propelled grenades. Ukrainians were even able to advance a tank up to Russian trench fortifications, destroying them with the continuous, direct fire of high explosive grenades.

The Ukrainian 63rd mechanized brigade shared footage of them firing at Russian positions in and around the forest with conventional, cluster, and rocket artillery, as well as showcasing the extensive use of drone-dropped grenades. Ukrainians targeted Russian drone capabilities, tracking and destroying a Russian reconnaissance drone team behind Kreminna. The original uncensored footage of all Ukrainian operations can be found on our Telegram channel through the link in the description.

The 12th special purpose assault brigade was most prominent in the forest operations. They shared geolocated footage of them placing mines on Russian roads, thereby destroying a tank and an infantry fighting vehicle on their way to assault Ukrainian positions. The 12th brigade’s drone operators also state they hold Russian logistic routes in the forest under complete drone control. They state that they circumvent Russian electronic warfare systems in the fortifications themselves by going around and striking Russian supply lines from behind, starving them of reinforcements.

It's important to note that due to the previous large forest fires, which raged predominantly on the Russian side of the forest, many wooden fortifications, ammunition, and equipment burned down. While the fires simultaneously made it impossible to advance without serious risk, Russians were hit hard by these. This caused Russian units operating in the forest to already be short on material and in desperate need to repair their positions. A shortage and damage that was only worsened by Ukrainian strikes.

With Ukrainian artillery, drones, and skirmishes disrupting Russian recovery and fighting potential in the forest, logistical strikes undermining Russian reinforcements routes, and finally, Russian drone reconnaissance...