Brief report from the front, January 22, 2025
The Russian army expands their bridgehead on the western bank of Oskol. Report by Marat Khairullin with illustrations by Mikhail Popov.
In the Kupyansk direction, units of the "West" force group have liberated the settlement of Zapadnoe, the Russian Defense Ministry announced. This means that our positions on the commanding heights south of the settlement of Dvurechnaya (Dvorichna) have been strengthened. The expansion of the bridgehead on the western bank of the Oskol River and the accumulation of forces continues.
In Chasov Yar, the northern part of the city came under the control of the Russian armed forces. In the area of the railway station, they pushed the enemy back and advanced south of it, gaining a foothold in the buildings. Active clashes continue in the area of the high-rise buildings. Our soldiers are gradually pushing the enemy back despite resistance.
In the south of Chasov Yar, part of the forest adjacent to the Novy microdistrict was cleared of the enemy during the fighting. Russian units managed to gain a foothold on the territory of the former children's camp.
On the right flank of the Pokrovsk section, the settlement of Baranovka is being cleared. At the same time, attacks continue in the direction of the settlement of Elizavetovka, to the east of which our military managed to improve their positions. They are also pressing on Elizavetovka from the southwest from the Kazenny Torets River.
On the left flank, active military operations are continuing in the Lysovka area, where our attention is now being paid not so much to the settlement itself, but to the approaches to it. Fierce counter-battles are taking place in the area of the settlements of Kotlino (Kotlyne) and Udachnoe. At the same time, the Pavlograd-Pokrovsk road (E50 highway) is already under our partial fire control, the movement along which is being monitored by drone operators.
South of the settlement of Novoandreevka, units of the Russian Armed Forces advanced along the ravine, reaching the southern outskirts of the settlement of Sribnoe, forming a pocket around Novoandreevka. At the same time, the pocket between the settlements is being eliminated. Near Yasenevoe and in the settlement of Slavyanka, the enemy was driven out of a number of strongholds.
In the area of Velikaya Novosyolka (Velyka Novosilka), the Russian Armed Forces have consolidated their positions from the south almost right up to the settlement, increasing pressure on the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the part of Velikaya Novosyolka separated by the Shaitanka River. The difficulty of supplying the Ukrainian Armed Forces, due to the need to cross the river via a few crossings, will not allow the enemy to hold positions in the southern part of the settlement for long, forcing them to retreat to the northern bank of the Shaitanka in the central part of the settlement. At the same time, our units are entrenching themselves deeper and deeper in the very central part of the settlement between the Shaitanka and Kashlagach rivers. The fighting is taking place in the area of the school and stadium, advancing toward the center. North of the Kashlagach River, the enemy has no positions under control on the territory of the settlement. The positions are either under our control or in the combat zone.
Translation Note: When Russian is written by hand, the "г" (when typed) looks like a backwards "S," and the "и" looks like our "u." Also, the typed Russian "т" looks like a western "m" when it is written by hand. Lastly, the "д" turns into something that looks like a "d" in Russian script as well.
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Russia's stated objective of the Special Military Operation is the denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine, thus not limited to Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson. This means Kharkov, Dnipro, Kiev etc are part of nazified Ukraine which must be targeted for military defeat in full compliance with Russia's stated goals.
Not really good enough. As far as I'm aware the people of Kharkov Oblast have not yet been given or taken the opportunity to express their will about their own sovereignty. And, again, I am unaware of any official Russian claims to sovereignty over the Oblast. In which case, the Defense Ministry appears to be asserting that Zapadnoe has been liberated from its legitimate sovereign authority. Which is somewhat at odds with President Putin's admirable record to date of observing international law to the letter. Now, of course, I understand that there is currently no legitimate state-wide Ukrainian political authority - both the presidency and the parliament are now illegitimate. But, as I understand it, under the Ukrainian constitution, political authority devolves to the Oblasts when state-wide federal authority breaks down. Perhaps there is a sound military strategic reason for Russian armed forces to be on the march in Kharkov Oblast. Maybe this is seen as important to the liberation of the Donetsk Oblast territory that remains under Ukrainian military occupation. I don't know. Any enlightenment on any of this I'd gratefully receive.