29 Oct: Pressure Mounts. Russians Try to Outflank Key Stronghold - Reporting from Ukraine

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

Here, after capturing Vuhledar, Russian forces are ramping up a decisive push around Novoukrainka, aiming to outmaneuver Ukrainian defenses before the autumn rains create a muddy deadlock. With mounting pressure on the villages of Shakhtarske and Bohoyavlenka to the west and east, the situation on the ground is shifting rapidly as Russian troops inch closer to their goals.

If we look at the topographic map, we can see that Novoukrainka is located on the same hill ridge as Vuhledar. Ukrainians have established significant defensive positions there so any Russian attempt to storm the village directly would lead to significant losses with little chance of securing even incremental gains. With Russians racing against time to make more progress before the upcoming rain season turns the fields into mud, they opted for a different strategy: flanking Novoukrainka by advancing westward and eastward towards Shakhtarske and Bohoyavlenka. Both villages are situated in the lowlands. In Shakhtarske, Russian troops will be advancing on level ground, while in Bohoyavlenka, they’ll be approaching from higher ground, enabling them to secure elevated fire control over the area, potentially simplifying their assault.

In Shakhtarske, Russian forces launched multiple waves of attacks from Zolota Nyva, varying in size and intensity. Geolocated combat footage from the first wave shows a large contingent of mechanized vehicles advancing rapidly along the main road into the village, utilizing nearby tree lines and smoke screens for cover against Ukrainian artillery and drone fire. The Russians aimed to reach the village outskirts quickly, leveraging the short, paved route to establish a foothold before Ukrainian forces could mount an effective response. However, Ukrainian troops detected the assault early and were able to counter the advance. Despite the heavy Russian deployment, which included dozens of armored vehicles, Ukrainian defenders managed to repel the attack, reportedly destroying around 20 pieces of Russian equipment, as confirmed in published footage. This early detection and swift response proved crucial in halting the initial Russian push toward Shakhtarske.

Learning from the initial probing attacks which fell short due to heavy losses and insufficient surviving forces to reach their objectives—Russian forces next deployed an even larger contingent to ensure enough units would make it to the outskirts of Shakhtarske. This wave included several “turtle” tanks alongside dozens of standard tanks and armored personnel carriers. In one video, a turtle tank is shown leading a column, equipped with anti-mine trawls and electronic warfare systems. Despite in that case this vehicle being struck by an FPV drone shortly after and catching fire, but due to the sheer number of troops the Russians managed to push forward and secure a foothold at the village outskirts. The full uncensored footage of this battle can be found on our Telegram channel through the link in the description.

At the same time, Russian forces launched an assault from a nearby coal mine toward Bohoyavlenka, aiming to intensify pressure on Ukrainian defenders in Novoukrainka if successful. Leveraging their advantageous position on higher ground, the Russians initially advanced around Bohoyavlenka, establishing fire control from the surrounding hills. This tactic enabled them to push gradually into the southern and western outskirts, sparking heavy clashes. Under constant surveillance and artillery fire, the Ukrainian forces found holding their positions increasingly costly, prompting a fighting withdrawal to the northern part of the village. Soon after, geolocated footage emerged showing Russian soldiers raising their flags over a local kindergarten in the center, signaling that most of Bohoyavlenka had likely fallen under their control.

Overall, the Russians successfully capitalized on their momentum following the capture of Vuhledar, pushing their assaults forward while Ukrainian forces struggled to reorganize their defensive lines in time to counter the renewed offensive. Although the next Ukrainian stronghold, Novoukrainka, sits on elevated ground, Russian forces are gradually outflanking it by advancing into the lowlands and establishing footholds in the nearby villages of Shakhtarske and Bohoyavlenka. This maneuver, despite...