To Ukrainian soldiers’s opinion, this DeepState analysis is the most sane about the situation with the russian offensive in the Kharkiv border region and the actions of the 125th Brigade command. Ukrainian brothers from battalion are of the same opinion.
About the 125th Territorial Defense Brigade and the fighters’ contribution to the maintenance of the Hlyboke-Zelene area.
We in no way want to justify the brigade command, which ignored the problems and played a paper army. We will be talking exclusively about the fighters who directly participated and are still participating in the fighting in this area.
The 125th entered this area last summer and until January this year, the area was extremely quiet. Even the enemy artillery was extremely quiet, and the gray zone was up to 5 km in both directions. But in January, katsaps began to hit the equipment and places of its concentration.
As for the fortification constructions, it was difficult to mine at zero because the enemy was monitoring the border. Some of the trenches were covered with sand and not lined with wood. Yes, there are a lot of concrete pillboxes, but they are not covered and not closed. There were no concrete dugouts in Lukiantsi. There was not a single trench completely covered with wood. However, the soldiers have made some improvements on their own, starting to sheathe them with wood.
In recent months, katsaps have begun to actively occupy the gray zone, digging in and creating entire strongpoint. Immediately, the fighters began to inform the brigade leadership that something had to be done about it, because the enemy should not be allowed to build up its forces. Unfortunately, the neighboring artillery was not properly engaged. In early May, the enemy began amassing troops in Solntsevka. At that time, the enemy’s positions were already behind the village, but they began to actively amass in the village. The accumulation was repeatedly reported to the top.
There were cases when our artillery missed by a few hundred meters, but the brigade upstairs reported it as a hit. Thus, the illusion was created that the guns were firing.
On May 7, katsaps began to be spotted directly in Pylna itself. At that time, the brigade ignored the targeting of the village and continued to hit checkpoints on the territory of the so-called Russian Federation. On May 8, the first contact battle took place in the area, resulting in the loss of OP and 2 soldiers of the Ukrainian Defense Forces killed. After that, the artillery finally started working, but because the enemy was hiding in the plantations in the immediate vicinity of our positions, the effectiveness was so-so.
On May 8-9, katsaps are actively quartering in Pylna. On the approaches, concentrations of operational/strategic assets, light artillery tanks, and fire support tanks are being observed.” However, due to the uncoordinated actions of the brigade, the artillery could not be sufficiently effective. At the same time, the enemy began firing at the brigade’s positions with rockets and missiles.
On May 10, the enemy offensive began. The first attacks were partially repelled by the 125th soldiers. However, one of the 400th rifle battalions (the idea of their creation, training and equipment will become one of the biggest mysteries of this war) was stationed near the village of Strilecha, and was forced to leave the position due to the enemy’s superiority in manpower and lack of support from neighboring forces. On May 11, katsaps attacked Lukiantsi, and the guys from the GUR came to support the TRO, and the resistance became more effective, although due to the enemy’s superiority and the actual encirclement of the positions in the village, the Defense Forces had to withdraw from it. At the same time, another battalion of the 125th was repelling attacks in the area of Zelene. This fact became known only later, and at first it was believed that the village was lost.
To summarize. Indeed, there were facts of the withdrawal of certain units – OSB and reserve companies, which were on paper BGs, but in fact filled with limitedly fit and retired people. At the same time, the main forces of the 125th Territorial Defense Brigade continue to resist. The soldiers held out and waited for the reserve units to approach, preventing the front from collapsing. We’re not talking about brigade command now, let the OTU deal with it, but the infantry of the 125th did everything in their power in the face of a superior enemy. It is worth noting other units that entered the battle from the wheels and helped to hold on.
We believe that the military and political leadership will appreciate the contribution of each soldier, and that there will be strict responsibility for negligence.
Situation in the Kharkiv frontline as of May 16, 2024. Source: DEEPSTATE
Tags: Analytics Kharkiv Kharkiv oblast russia ukraine war Vovchansk
