Frontline report: Ukraine takes tactical heights in Rivnopil with minimal engagement

Day 488. Today, there's a lot of good news from the Zaporizhzhia Oblast. After the liberation of Novodanylivka and Makarivka by Ukrainians, the next logical step was to push the Russians out of Rivnopil. To expedite the development of events, Ukrainians initially focused on undermining Russian supply lines. Russian forces had already established a salient, so when Ukrainians began pushing from two sides, the situation for the Russians became critical.

In an attempt to buy more time to evacuate all the ammunition and equipment from this previously significant logistical forefront, the Russians tried to divert Ukrainian attention and resources away from Rivnopil by launching a series of powerful assaults in the direction of Makarivka. Unfortunately for the Russians, this came at a great cost as Ukrainians controlled the hills west of the settlement. Consequently, Ukrainians quickly regained the initiative and continued to undermine the Russian defense. By undermining the Russian defense in this particular area, Ukrainians could collapse the most tactically significant positions in this region with minimal direct engagements. If we look at the topographic map, we can see that Rivnopil is strategically located right in the center of an elevated platform.

And that's exactly what happened today. Today, the Ukrainian 31st Mechanized Brigade released a video confirming that they have established total control of Rivnopil. Russian sources reported that Russian forces retreated to more reliable positions as Rivnopil was at a huge risk of being encircled. Some Ukrainian fighters reported that not all Russians managed to retreat, primarily because they were killed by the heavy artillery fire that Ukrainians concentrated on the key Russian retreat routes. Ukrainians attempted to capitalize on the disarray associated with the retreat and push Russians even further. However, imperfect weather conditions and minefields complicated the advances. According to the latest updates, Russian forces assumed positions along the tree lines immediately south of Rivnopil. However, as they are cut off by the gully from the next elevated platform under Russian control, these Russian positions remain extremely vulnerable, and many analysts agree that Russians will likely retreat behind the gully. In the meantime, Ukrainians around Levadne have already begun undermining Russian defense here. Their main axis of attack is toward Pryiutne because if Ukrainians successfully push along this ridge, they will once again undercut this vast elevated platform and collapse the Russian defense without bumping into the most fortified part of the front line, where Russians have a tactical advantage.

Geolocated footage shows how Ukrainians are successfully chasing a small group of Russian troops from their positions just east of Levadne, which Ukrainians recently liberated. The Ukrainian 36th Marine Brigade posted a video showing how they are destroying Russian armored fighting vehicles near Pyiutne. The Ukrainian 501st Mechanized Brigade also showed how they hunted down Russian equipment near Pryiutne. Lastly, after joining their efforts, the aforementioned Brigades even destroyed a tank on the Russian defense line. Overall, Ukrainians have liberated more than 200 square kilometers south of Velyka Novosilka alone. The Ukrainian President recently visited the Zaporizhzhia front and met with the soldiers who were responsible for this massive progress. The President thanked everyone for their service and sacrifice and awarded all fighters who distinguished themselves during the liberation of Ukrainian land. In our daily frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what’s happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.