Brief report from the front, May 13, 2025
Another classic "split" for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Report by Marat Khairullin with illustrations by Mikhail Popov.
In the Izyum direction, we are persistently advancing north and south of the settlement of Zelenaya Dolina. Yesterday, assault groups of the Russian Armed Forces crossed the Krivosheeva gully (north of the settlement of Kolodezi) and are now developing an offensive in the direction of the Redkodub-Zelenaya Dolina-Kolodezi rocade in order to block the Ukrainian Armed Forces' ability to maneuver in this area.
Pokrovsk direction
From the report of the Russian Ministry of Defense: “The decisive actions of units of the Center group of forces liberated the settlement of Mirolyubovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic.”
Units of the Russian Armed Forces continue to move towards the H-32 road in the area of the settlement of Novoekonomichnoe, which is a transport hub east of Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk).
Pressure is being exerted on the enemy's transport interchange Mirnograd-Nova Poltavka from three directions: Vodyanoe 2-Malinovka, Yelizavetovka-Malinovka, Mirolyubovka-Novoekonomichnoe.
The enemy is forced to transfer the 15th separate Special Purpose Brigade of the National Guard ("Kara-Dag") to the north of the Kupyansk direction, weakening the area near the village of Malinovka.
By the evening of today, news is coming in about the advance of our assault groups of the 39th separate guards motorized rifle brigade to the settlement of Malinovka and consolidation on its eastern outskirts.
To the east, on the right flank, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are straining to push our forces back in the direction of Novoolenovka.
The classic "split" (шпагат*) for the Armed Forces of Ukraine is being implemented by the General Staff of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
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.
*The "шпагат" (shpagat) maneuver in Russian military terminology refers to a "split" or "stretching" tactic, named after the gymnastic move where legs are spread wide in opposite directions. In warfare, it describes an operational strategy designed to force the enemy to split their forces, stretching their defenses thin across multiple axes simultaneously.
The desperation of NATO's high-pitched squeal for a 30 day cease & desist, come ultimatum, becomes clearer with each passing day and has a high correlation with the speed of Russian Armed Forces advancement on the battlefield.
Strategic defeat of Russia? Whosoever diggeth a pit shall fall in it.