07 Oct: Brutal Defeat! Ukrainian Forces Decapitate Russian Strike Force! - Reporting from Ukraine

Today there are a lot of updates from the Bakhmut direction.

Here, in a daring push, Russian forces launched the canal-crossing operation to establish a critical bridgehead, threatening to penetrate the southern flank of Chasiv Yar. But in an unexpected turn, Ukrainian forces located the commander of the strike detachment, and successfully targeted him and his unit, crippling the Russian operation, and setting the stage for a decisive counterattack.

Previously, Russian assaults in a residential area of Chasiv Yar failed to make significant gains. In response, Russian forces shifted their focus to the less elevated, more open southern flank of the city. Their objective was to cross the canal to the south by using the forests for cover and establishing positions to take the town of Stupochky. Securing Stupochky would allow the Russians to expand their bridgehead and gather a larger assault force to attack Chasiv Yar from the south, bypassing costly frontal assaults across the canal directly in front of the town.

This approach was chosen because the highway from Bakhmut to Ivanivske, and then the road to the canal through open fields, allow Russian mechanized assault platoons to move quickly, reducing the risk of being targeted by FPV drones. Additionally, Bakhmut and its surrounding areas, including Ivanivske, are protected by a vast network of Russian electronic warfare systems, offering a relatively safer route for the assault.

Since the highway from Bakhmut to Ivanivske is short and the paved roads allow Russian armored vehicles to move quickly, they were able to deploy their assault units to Ivanivske in intermittent bursts within minutes, avoiding drone strikes. Upon arrival, Russian stormtroopers dismounted and dispersed, using Ivanivske's urban environment for cover. They then moved into the forests just south of the town, where they regrouped. Once gathered in the forests, the Russians decided to cross the canal via a ground crossing, as the two nearby bridges had been destroyed in fighting over a year ago.

With the entire area covered in forests, Russian forces crossed the canal undetected at night, establishing positions on the Ukrainian side. The dense forest cover made it difficult for the Ukrainians to spot the advancing Russians, who effectively concealed themselves. Shortly after, the Russians released footage showing their stormtroopers raising battle flags to mark their presence at the Stupochky bridgehead. The original, uncensored footage of this operation can be found on our Telegram channel through the link in the description.

After realizing that the Russians started to push toward Stupochky, the Ukrainians swiftly organized a counterattack. First of all, since the Russian forces had crossed the canal at night to enter the forests on the other side, the Ukrainians established total control over this section of the canal using FPV drones and ground forces. With all Russian troops positioned in the forests, this move undemined the connection to the Russian assault detachment near Stupochky, severing their supply lines for food and ammunition.

Secondly, by holding their positions on the opposite side of the canal, the Ukrainians were able to steadily build up their forces. While the Russians concentrated on advancing across the canal, the Ukrainians patiently assembled a decisive strike force. This allowed them to launch a counterattack from the south, cutting off the Russian retreat route through the canal’s underground crossing. As a result, the Ukrainian forces effectively destroyed the Russian detachment and reclaimed the bridgehead.

During the operation, the commander of the Russian assault unit was reportedly killed, severely disrupting the organization and command of the Russian forces, effectively decapitating the assault itself. Aware of Russian plans, the Ukrainian command reinforced their positions on their side of the canal, using the forest cover to their advantage. They fortified the area to ensure that any future Russian assaults would be very costly.

To further prevent any future Russian assaults, the Ukrainian Air Force deployed JDAM-guided bombs to strike a Russian ammunition depot in Bakhmut, putting additional pressure on Russian logistics. These strikes are expected to cause immediate short-term ammunition shortages for Russian forces, which may take several days or even a week to replenish...