Deep penetration: Ukrainians spearhead Russian defenses in Huliaipole

Today, there are important updates from the Huliaipole direction.

Here, Russia’s offensive has stalled after the Ukrainians started clearing the enemy infiltrators. However, now the Ukrainian army has raised the stakes, sending armored columns forward as a spearhead, aiming to penetrate deep into the Russian lines.

Ukrainian forces are exploiting weakened Russian positions north of Huliaipole, attempting to advance at the junction of the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Ukraine’s plan involved relentless drone strikes to grind down Russia’s manpower and deny it a stable foothold on the right bank of the Haichur River.

The systemic disruptions to Russian communications caused by the shutdown of Starlink and the partial ban of Telegram enabled the use of armored vehicles, limiting Russia’s ability to react quickly.  Leveraging unfavorable weather conditions, which suppress Russian drone surveillance and maintain a high concentration of artillery support, Ukrainian units created favorable conditions for a counterattack.

Ukrainian armored units are leading attacks by pushing forward with vehicles to break through several layers of Russian defenses. These former Ukrainian fortifications include trenches, razor wire to slow the advancing forces, anti-tank obstacles like dragon's teeth and ditches to prevent an armored breakthrough, and mine fields to slow down any advance. Ukrainian troops are fighting to recapture parts of their former second line of defense now under Russian control.

Geolocated footage that the 475th Separate Assault Regiment shows how armored vehicles advanced towards the frontline through the village of Vozdvyzhivka despite being targeted by Russian fiber optics-controlled drones, maintaining momentum under fire.

The vehicles reached their target, and infantry units were deployed directly onto Russian fortifications to overrun them quickly. The Ukrainian soldiers systematically cleared these defensive positions by throwing grenades into the dugouts and engaging enemy troops with small arms fire before moving in.

The unit cleared key Russian positions along the Haichur River and conducted a successful offensive, pushing Russian forces further back. Additional geolocated footage shows how the other vector of the breakthrough unfolded in other parts of the Haichur River, particularly through the village of Varvarivka.

While clearing a tree line, Ukrainian infantry discovered remnants of a Russian unit sheltering in a dugout and repeatedly offered them the opportunity to surrender without response. After assessing the situation, Ukrainian FPV drones were called in, and a precision strike hit the position. Following the explosion, a Russian soldier emerged from the shelter and surrendered, subsequently being taken as a prisoner of war.

Russian forces attempted to disrupt and contain the Ukrainian breakthrough by launching an infiltration assault between Ukrainian positions in the area of Huliaipole, as confirmed by battle footage. The effort appears to have been aimed at relieving pressure on their collapsing lines to the north and preventing further Ukrainian advances.

However, the attack was detected and decisively repelled by Ukraine’s 225th Separate Assault Regiment, which reported that 40 Russian troops were eliminated in a single day, thereby preserving the southern flank of the Ukrainian breakthrough.

As a result of sustained offensive pressure, Ukrainian forces advanced and broke through east of the Haichur River, with most enemy positions cleared. Most Russian positions west of the Haichur River have reportedly been cleared, with ongoing battles to consolidate the grey zone. In certain sectors, the Ukrainian forces advanced approximately up to 10 kilometers, disrupting Russian preparations for a push forward.

Coordinated armored assaults supported by intensive drone operations have significantly degraded Russian defensive cohesion, causing localized collapses and risk of a cascading effect if the gap is exploited further, putting Russian units at risk of encirclement.

Simultaneously, Ukrainian forces significantly improved their tactical positions, regaining control over important positions that could function as launch points for subsequent offensive operations, either to threaten Huliaipole from the north or to retake the entire defensive line.

Overall, Ukrainian forces have seized the initiative in the Huliaipole sector and penetrated deep into the Russian-held territory, nullifying within days gains that have cost the Russians months and huge losses. This structural breakthrough threatens the integrity of the Russian line and can cause an operational collapse as the Russians lack enough reserves. As their communications are disrupted, the Russian command can only anticipate where the next Ukrainian attack will come from.