Russian forces reinforce their defences and prepare to mount an offensive; Ukrainian Armed Forces repel a Russian assault – General Staff report

OLENA ROSHCHINA – FRIDAY, 15 JULY 2022, 07:28

On the 142nd day of Russia’s full-scale military invasion in Ukraine, Russian troops are regrouping in order to mount an offensive on Siversk. Russian forces are also attempting to advance in the direction of Soledar, Bakhmut and Sloviansk and are reinforcing their air defence systems beyond the frontlines. Ukrainian Armed Forces, in the meantime, repelled Russian attempts to conduct assault operations in the areas around Kodema, Bilohorivka, Spirne and Vershyna. The Ukrainian forces also repelled a Russian offensive near Vodiane.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 06:00 on 15 July

Details: There were no significant changes in the activity of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus on the Volyn and Polissia fronts.

Russian forces continue to reinforce the security of the Russian-Ukrainian border on the Sivershchyna front. Russian forces are regularly firing at the positions of Ukrainian units in border-adjacent areas in Sumy and Chernihiv oblasts in order to demonstrate their presence in the area [and pin down the Ukrainian forces there - ed.].

On the Kharkiv front, Russian occupying forces are trying to maintain their previously occupied positions and to prevent Ukrainian forces from advancing towards the Ukrainian state border.

The Russians used tanks, mortars, and tubed and rocket artillery to fire at the areas around Petrivka, Ridne, Sosnivka, Slatyne, Pryshyb, Ruski Tyshky, Pytomnyk, Verkhnii Saltiv and other towns and villages. In addition, they used an Orlan-10 UAV to conduct aerial reconnaissance near Prymorske. 

Russia is attempting to improve the tactical positions of its troops on the Sloviansk front, and to mount an offensive in the direction of Sloviansk. The Russians fired artillery at the areas around Dibrivne, Podolivka, Mazanivka, Adamivka, Chepil, Krasnopillia, Kurulka, and other towns and villages.

Russian occupying forces continued to use artillery and tanks to fire on the units of the Ukrainian Defence Forces on the Donetsk front. The Russians conducted reconnaissance operations in order to establish weak spots in the Ukrainian defence.

Russia’s main efforts are focused on the Bakhmut and Novopavlivka fronts. Russian forces are attempting to advance in the direction of Soledar and Bakhmut.

On the Kramatorsk front, the Russian army is regrouping its troops in order to resume an offensive on Siversk. Russian forces used tubed and rocket artillery to fire on the areas around Kramatorsk, Zakitne, Hryhorivka, and other towns and villages. Russian aircraft conducted an airstrike near Verkhnokamianske.

On the Bakhmut front, Russian troops fired on the Ukrainian positions in the areas around Novoluhanske, Pokrovske, Vesela Dolyna, Berestove, Vesele, Maiorsk, and Vershyna and conducted airstrikes near Semyhiria, Berestove and the Vuhlehirska Power Plant.

The General Staff reported that "The Ukrainian troops have successfully repelled the enemy’s attempts to conduct assault operations near Kodema and Bilohorivka and to seize the villages of Spirne and Vershyna. The occupiers were decisively repelled, suffered significant losses and retreated in humiliation."

Russia deployed UAVs near Bakhmutske and attempted to reinforce its air defence systems beyond the frontline.

Russian forces did not undertake active combat operations on the Kurakhove, Novopavlivka and Zaporizhzhia fronts, where they nonetheless continued to fire on the Ukrainian positions along the entire frontline. Russian aircraft conducted airstrikes near Kamianka.

Ukrainian Defence Forces decisively repelled a Russian assault near Vodiane.

Russian aircraft conducted an airstrike on civilian infrastructure in the vicinity of Vuhledar.

On the Pivdennyi Buh front, Russian occupying forces systematically fired at military and civilian infrastructure. The Russians conducted a missile strike on the city of Mykolaiv, as well as several airstrikes in the areas around Velyke Artakove and Olhine. 

Russian forces used operational-tactical UAVs to conduct aerial reconnaissance in the area and continued to carry out combat engineering tasks to reinforce their positions.

There is a threat of rocket and missile strikes on the critical infrastructure in southern Ukraine.

Quote from the General Staff: "Russian occupiers continue to openly lie about the dislocation of [Ukrainian - ed.] military units in kindergartens, hospitals and churches in order to justify their attacks on civilian targets across the territory of Ukraine.

We are urging everyone to only trust information from verified sources and to refrain from sharing Russian fakes and disinformation."