Russo-Ukrainian War, Day 156: Video of Russian soldiers castrating a Ukrainian prisoner of war emerges

Russia. “Klimovo, Bryansk Oblast. Artillery shelling of a military unit near the airfield. A lot of equipment was destroyed on the territory of the airfield, oops,” Haider wrote.

Donetsk Oblast. Russian attempts to carry out an assault in the direction of Yakovlivka, Bakhmut, and Semyhirya failed, they retreated with losses. Ukrainian troops also repulsed the Russian assaults in the areas of Ivano-Dariivka and Hryhorivka. In the Avdiivka direction, supported by tanks, gun-based and rocket artillery fire, Russian forces resumed assaults in the direction of Pisky and the city of Avdiivka but retreated after they failed. North of Bogorodychne, Ukraine’s Armed Forces slightly expanded their zone of control. North of Sloviansk, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are advancing in three possible directions. The Russians continued their attempts to attack Soledar and Vershyna. In the direction of Vuhledar, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled Russian attacks, and launched counterattacks, after the Russians had reinforced this area.

https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1552602033127030784

Kharkiv Oblast. There was another fruitless Russian offensive in the Prudianka area. Something is brewing up southwest of Izium – the Ukrainian Armed Forces blew up a Russian pontoon crossing in the Studenok area, the Ukrainian Command gave a hint about Brazhkivka, and a few days ago, Ukrainian troops advanced a couple of kilometers from Dmytrivka.

Kherson Oblast. Russians dared to build a pontoon bridge in the Dariivka area. Ukraine forces continue to work in the areas of Snihurivka and Kyselivka. The Russian forces threw their troop reserves, which are still capable of something, into Kherson Oblast – one of the occupying armies previously withdrawn from Ukraine appeared near Kherson. Ukrainian offensive actions beyond the crossing over the Inhulets near Dariivka are underway, and the Ukrainian bridgehead there continues to expand. In Arkhanhelske, the Russians are in trouble – Ukrainian troops have fire control over the area, and over Visokopillia. In Kherson proper, the Russians seized a passenger ship moored on Quarantine Island and are using it to ferry across the Dnipro River in the area of ​​the damaged Antonivskyi bridge.

Zaporizhzhia Oblast. In the area of Huliaypole, Ukrainian troops carried out successful actions and pushed the front line back a couple of kilometers, liberating part of the territory. The strengthening of the Russian troops in this direction also continues as Ukraine’s Armed Forces are advancing in small steps.

The work of Ukrainian artillery. Russian ammunition warehouses were destroyed in Ilovaisk (Donetsk Oblast), Donetsk city’s Kyivskyi and Kuibyshevskyi districts, Kherson Oblast’s Chornobaivka and Brylivka. Strikes also took place on POL storage (“petroleum-oil-lubricants”) in Donetsk’s Kyivskyi district, and on a Russian base in the area of Nova Kakhovka’s hydroelectric power plant.

• Since March, the Russian private military company (PMC) Wagner Group has operated in eastern Ukraine in coordination with the Russian military. Wagner has likely been allocated responsibility for specific sectors of the front line, in a similar manner to normal army units.

• This is a significant change from the previous employment of the group since 2015, when it typically undertook missions distinct from overt, large-scale regular Russian military activity.

• This new level of integration further undermines the Russian authorities’ long-standing policy of denying links between PMCs and the Russian state. Wagner’s role has probably changed because the Russian MoD has a major shortage of combat infantry, however Wagner forces are highly unlikely to be sufficient to make a significant difference in the trajectory of the war.

The Russian grouping in Donetsk Oblast is likely seeking to capitalize on recent marginal gains southeast of Bakhmut by continuing to attempt to advance in that area. Russian forces may be de-emphasizing attempts to take Siversk in order to concentrate on Bakhmut, but it is too soon to tell. Russian forces continued efforts to advance northward on Bakhmut from recently gained positions around Novoluhanske and the Vuhlehirska Power Plant while pursuing southwestward advances along the T1302 highway from recently captured positions in Berestove. By contrast, Russian forces have been struggling to make concrete gains around Siversk and have not made any confirmed advances toward the city since the capture of the Luhansk Oblast Administrative border in early July. Russian command is likely, therefore, seeking to maintain momentum around Bakhmut, potentially at the expense of continued pressure on Siversk. Russian forces remain unlikely to take Bakhmut itself, despite recent incremental advances in its direction.

Putin replaced Colonel-General Gennady Zhidko as deputy defense minister and head of the Main Military-Political Directorate on July 28.[1] Putin signed a decree appointing Colonel-General Viktor Goremykin to Zhidko’s position and has not publicly announced the appointment of Zhidko to a new position.[2] ISW previously reported that Zhidko would become the overall commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, a report that appears to have been incorrect.[3]

Key Takeaways

• Russian forces in Donetsk Oblast likely seek to capitalize on recent marginal territorial gains around Bakhmut and may deprioritize efforts to take Siversk.
• Russian forces conducted limited ground assaults northwest of Sloviansk and northeast and southwest of Bakhmut.
• Russian forces may be intensifying offensive operations around Avdiivka to reduce Ukrainian strikes in and around Donetsk City.
• Russian forces may be setting conditions for renewed offensive operations toward Kharkiv City.

• Russian forces attempted a limited ground offensive on the Southern Axis but are likely facing territorial losses in Kherson Oblast.
• Russian forces are attempting to preserve their ground lines of communication over the Dnipro River connecting Kherson City to rear areas in eastern Kherson Oblast.
• The Kremlin continued measures to compensate for officer and manpower losses in Ukraine.
• The Kremlin is continuing to institutionalize its occupation administrations in occupied parts of Ukraine to prepare for sham referenda, annexation, and integration into Russia.
• Russian occupation forces are continuing to pressure Ukrainian civilians in occupied areas to use Russian rubles and passports and to attend Russian-run schools, setting conditions for longer-term social control in occupied territories.