Ukrainian and Russian sources attribute Ukraine’s recent advances south of Bakhmut to superior Ukrainian combat coordination, more precise artillery fire, and stronger electronic warfare systems, ISW reported.
According to the US-based think tank, Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian personnel who participated in the liberation of Klishchiivka, Donetsk Oblast, on 18 September had high morale, sufficient training and resources, good coherence between units, and detailed reconnaissance enabled the Ukrainian advances.
Prominent Russian military bloggers acknowledged that Ukrainian artillery units near Bakhmut have become increasingly accurate, enabling them to shell advancing Russian forces safely. They also conceded Ukraine has aerial reconnaissance and electronic warfare advantages.
On 18 September, Ukrainian Ground Forces Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukraine completely destroyed parts of Russia’s 72nd Motorized Rifle Brigade, 31st Airborne Brigade and 83rd Airborne Brigade during operations to liberate Andriivka and Klishchiivka near Bakhmut. A Ukrainian commander stated that disjointed elements of various Russian units defending the area, including Airborne, Spetsnaz, and 3rd Army Corps troops, suffered from poor coordination.
ISW says Ukrainian advances in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast may correspond with the degradation of Russian forces defending that front sector. Meanwhile, recent Ukrainian advances south of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, may also correspond with a similar degradation of Russian troops.
Other key takeaways from the report:
- Russian losses have reportedly significantly increased in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast in recent days, and the Russian military likely struggles with a lack of available combat-effective units that the Russian command is willing to redeploy to this sector of the front laterally.
- The Russian government quickly signaled on 19 September that Russian peacekeeping forces would not intervene in Azerbaijan’s military operation into Nagorno-Karabakh, despite Russia’s previous security ties to Armenia.
- A Latvian company has reportedly been exporting chips and microcircuits to Russian defense industrial base (DIB) companies despite international sanctions designed to prevent Russia from importing such components.
Read also:
- ISW: Zaporizhzhia Oblast sees spike in Russia’s military losses amid Russian military redeployment issues
- British intel: Russia’s railway defense near Bakhmut continues to challenge further Ukrainian gains
- UK to send tens of thousands of artillery shells to Ukraine in 2023
- Pentagon: Looming US government shutdown could disrupt Ukraine aid
- Norway to supply Ukraine with 50 cargo-carrying vehicles, defense ministry says
