Ukraine's counteroffensive: ISW points out progress on several fronts

Experts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), having analysed data from open sources, have pointed out the advance of Ukrainian defenders in the west of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and on the Bakhmut front on 13 September.

Source: ISW

Details: Analysts note that Ukrainian troops have advanced in the western part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and are reported to have advanced on the Bakhmut front on 13 September against a backdrop of counteroffensive operations in both sectors of the front.

Geolocation data released on 12 September indicated that Ukrainian forces had made partial gains south of Robotyne (12 km south of Orikhiv) in the western part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

The review indicates that the Ukrainian General Staff reported on 13 September that Ukrainian forces had made partial gains near Robotyne, as well as near Klishchiivka (7 km south-west of Bakhmut), Andriivka (10 km south-west of Bakhmut) and Kurdiumivka (13 km south-west of Bakhmut) on the Bakhmut front.

The report also cites the words of Russian milbloggers, one of whom claimed that Russian troops had withdrawn from several unidentified locations near Klishchiivka and have taken up defensive positions behind the railway line east of the village.

In addition, the Russians say that fighting continues in Klishchiivka and north of it, and that they are holding positions on the northeastern outskirts of the village.

Even the Russian milbloggers claimed that most of Klishchiivka is currently in a "grey zone."

To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways for 14 September:

• Ukrainian forces conducted missile strikes on occupied Sevastopol, Crimea, on 13 September, damaging a Russian landing ship, a Kilo class submarine, and port infrastructure.
• Ukrainian forces advanced in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast and reportedly advanced near Bakhmut amid continued counteroffensive operations on both sectors of the front on 13 September.
• Russian forces conducted a series of Shahed-131/136 drone strikes targeting Sumy and Odesa Oblasts on the night of 12-13 September.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely concerned that Russia’s growing relationship with North Korea may endanger Russia’s existing sanctions evasion schemes.
• The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) reportedly temporarily disrupted a Wagner Group force rotation to Syria amid reports of the Russian MoD’s ongoing efforts to subsume Wagner operations in Syria.
• Russian forces conducted offensive operations along the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line, in the western Donetsk-eastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast border area, and in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast but did not make any confirmed advances.
• Reports from Western and Russian independent sources indicate that Russia has circumvented some Western sanctions to increase weapons production but still struggles to produce weapons at the pace required by the war in Ukraine.
• The Ukrainian Main Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) published footage showing GUR and Ukrainian partisans conducting a drone strike on a Russian occupation passportization office in occupied Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhia Oblast on 12 September.

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