Estonia reports escalation in some areas of front in Ukraine and fighting for footholds

Lieutenant Colonel Mattias Puusepp, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Estonian Defence Forces, has stated that neither Ukraine nor Russia managed to make significant breakthroughs at the front during the week while intense combat actions continued along the entire line of contact.

Source: ERR with reference to Puusepp at a briefing of the Estonian Ministry of Defence on Friday, 6 December, as reported by European Pravda  

Details: Puusepp stressed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are under constant pressure from Russian forces in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. 

"Although there has been a gradual advance of the Russian Federation forces in Kursk Oblast in recent weeks, neither side has made decisive progress," Puusepp said.

The Estonian Ministry of Defence pointed out the possibility that Russian troops had fortified the Oskil River near the border of Luhansk and Kharkiv oblasts north of the town of Kupiansk, trying to create a bridgehead on the western bank of the river to further encircle Ukrainian forces.

"So far, Ukrainian troops have managed to eliminate one of the bridgeheads, and it is likely that the second will be overcome in the coming days. Establishing one or more bridgeheads would allow the Russian Federation forces to threaten not only the eastern side of Kupiansk but also the northern side," Puusepp said. 

Puusepp also admitted that Russia would attempt to create more bridgeheads, for example, in the Dnipro River area in the southern part of the front. 

"This section of the front is well fortified, but if the goal is to tie up the Ukrainian Armed Forces to prevent them from supporting the offensive, then such a move is likely," he said.

He added that in Donetsk Oblast, the pressure of Russian troops on the main front is also high. He emphasised that Russia was concentrating its forces around Kurakhove, trying to merge two offensive fronts: one from east to west near the road and the other to the north from the area of Vuhledar along the same road. 

"The situation is quite difficult for the Ukrainian forces, as merging these fronts could lead to a possible encirclement. However, it is unlikely that the area will be left without Ukrainian reinforcements," Puusepp stressed.

Puusepp noted that due to the deteriorating weather in some parts of the front line, the terrain makes it difficult to fight with heavy equipment.

"That's why the Russian Armed Forces often use ATVs and motorcycles to deploy their units to the front, which do not provide protection or firepower but are harder to spot, faster and have better cross-country ability," he added.

Background:

• A few days ago, the Russians tried to seize and hold a bridgehead on the right bank of the Oskil River near the village of Novomlynsk in Kharkiv Oblast, but Ukrainian defenders drove them out. 
• On 17 November, UK intelligence published a report stating that Russian troops had reached the Oskil River south of Kupiansk, severing Ukrainian logistics lines on the eastern bank of the river.
• The Estonian Defence Forces Intelligence Centre also indicated that Russia was amassing troops to try to push Ukrainian forces out of Russia’s Kursk Oblast in the coming weeks or months.

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