Frontline report: Ukrainians repelled Russian attack south of Krynky, Kherson Oblast

Day 630 On 15 November, there were a lot of updates from the south. Here, in response to the recent successful Ukrainian offensive operations, wherein Ukrainians expanded their bridgehead in all directions, Russian forces urgently started to prepare for a counterattack in order to prevent Ukrainians from entrenching themselves in the new positions.

Last time, I told you that Ukrainian forces made a series of assaults along the river bank, and after securing their flanks, Ukrainians also attacked Russians south of the village and successfully gained a foothold in the forest.

As it turned out, Ukrainians improved their tactical position much more than previously evaluated. Apart from getting access to the dense trees that allowed them to hide ammunition and personnel, Ukrainians also secured an additional waterway entrance to the village, improving the logistical possibilities of the units on the ground.

Some Russian sources claimed that Ukrainians had already deployed multiple armoured fighting vehicles to the eastern bank of the river. This would not be impossible, as both sides already confirmed that at least one Ukrainian armored fighting vehicle had been operating in the area for at least a week. In fear that the recent Ukrainian advancement was just a prelude to a more comprehensive attack, the Russian commanders started gathering forces for a counterattack. A prominent Russian milblogger claimed that the Russian military is transferring units from unspecified locations to conduct operations near Krynky. In the meantime, Ukrainian fighters from the area reported that Russians increased the usage of heavy thermobaric artillery systems, which is why they concluded that Russians were conducting artillery preparation prior to a more coherent and powerful counterattack. Soon, the intensity of clashes rapidly increased, and Russians tried to take back the ground that they lost over the last several days. According to the reports from the units in the area, Russians launched an infantry attack through the forest, while another group consisting of at least two tanks attacked Ukrainians from the side.

By using this tactic, Russians tried to cut off Ukrainian logistical routes, diminish support to the units holding positions in the forest by establishing a temporary fire control over the road, and also fix those troops located in the residential area, while the Russian infantry applied pressure from the forest, and advanced toward the central part of the village.

However, the operation did not go as planned. Ukrainian fighters released a video showing how they met the Russian tanks with fire. Apparently, the tanks did not even manage to get to their positions, and seeing the explosions of multiple shells just meters away from them, the tank crews immediately turned around and started fleeing. Still, Ukrainian marines from the thirty-fifth brigade managed to chase down at least one tank and immobilize it. The crew understood that there was no point in waiting for the follow-up strike and promptly abandoned the tank on the road. Ukrainians ensured that the tank would never be used again. By rebuffing the mechanized unit, Ukrainians were able to help those troops that were defending the forest. Some Russian sources still claimed that Russian forces managed to push Ukrainians out of the forest, however, so far, there is no evidence of that. Other Russian sources reiterated that Russian forces are incapable of entering the central part of the settlement at the moment, by extension implying that the Ukrainian foothold in the forest should be strong.

Moreover, Ukrainian drone operators noticed an unusually high number of Russian troops being deployed closer to the contact line, likely because the previous groups were unable to stop the Ukrainian advancement. The Ukrainian commanders of the forces on the ground concluded that they would soon have to face them in Krynky unless they were destroyed while still in the headquarters. Ukrainian drone operators tracked them down, marked all buildings that Russians used for housing the newly arrived personnel, and gave the coordinates to HIMARS crews. Ukrainian special forces that are responsible for HIMARS strikes quickly set out. Once a proper place for making the launch was found, they put in the coordinates and sent multiple rockets to the Russian positions. As a result, the combat capability of the newly arrived units was severely undermined, and Ukrainian forces in Krynky may have just obtained an opportunity for further advancement. In our daily frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war. Read also:

• ISW: Russia’s eastern offensive sees little progress amid Ukraine’s advances in south
• Weekly Frontline Update: Cluster munitions save Ukraine from Russian onslaught on eastern front
• Frontline report: Ukrainian Forces destroyed 18 Russian tanks in Donetsk Oblast