Russians use new tactics in Kharkiv region – ISW
15 May 2024 11:15
The pace of Russian offensive operations in northern Kharkiv region has slowed over the past 24 hours. It is likely that the Russians are really trying to create a “buffer zone” rather than penetrate deeper into the region. This is stated in a recent report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
“…Russian troops are using a new tactic in this area – using small assault groups of no more than five people to penetrate Ukrainian positions before merging with other small assault groups to form a larger strike group,”
– experts write.
This tactic is bearing some fruit, but the ISW emphasises that the use of small assault groups can contribute to increased Russian losses in manpower and equipment. And it seems that this is exactly what is happening now.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Major General Anatoliy Bargylevych, said that in the past 24 hours alone, Russian troops lost up to 1,740 soldiers in this area, which is a very high level of losses.
“One Russian military commentator, who used to serve as an instructor for the Storm-Z unit, complained that the footage of small Russian assault groups showed poor training rather than new effective tactics,”
– iSW writes.
A direct consequence of these tactics is the slow pace of the offensive, experts say. And if these rates remain low, then
“Russian troops are likely to focus on strengthening new positions and building up a lateral advance in the Kharkiv region by merging the Liptseve and Vovchansk directions and creating a ‘buffer zone’ rather than moving further into the region, as ISW previously estimated.”
– the experts adjusted their latest forecast.
On 14 May, several Ukrainian military officials reported that the situation in the Kharkiv region was slowly stabilising. For example, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyrylo Budanov, said that the situation in Kharkiv region began to stabilise on the night of 14 May, when additional Ukrainian units were deployed to the area. The spokesperson for the Khortytsia operational and strategic grouping, Lieutenant Colonel Nazar Voloshyn, noted that Ukrainian troops began “mopping up” Vovchansk, striking at prominent Russian assault groups.
