(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Ukraine Invasion Day 545: the advance has been "tactically significant." [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-08-21 Urozhaine has been taken by Ukraine. A NewYorker essay by Ronan Farrow reports how Elon Musk deliberately throttled Starlink - the communications system Ukraine was relying on in battle. He held it hostage for $400M at critical points in the war. Iuliia Mendel @IuliiaMendel Officially confirmed by Ukrainian MoD. Urozhaine is a small village north of Moscow's formidable defensive line and on the road to occupied Mariupol. “ Ukraine's advance into Urozhaine could prove significant. Kyiv's troops have reportedly taken punishing losses in trying to reach and breach the first line of Russia's network of fortifications named after the former commander of the invasion, General Sergei Surovikin, who oversaw a broad consolidation of Russian defenses in southern Ukraine in late 2022.” - Newsweek writes. Urozhaine is still around 5 miles north of the first line of the Surovikin fortifications. The ISW described the Ukrainian advance here as "tactically significant." Ukrainian forces made tactically significant gains in and east of Robotyne in western Zaporizhia Oblast on August 20-21 while continuing counteroffensive operations on the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast administrative border and in eastern Ukraine. Geolocated footage published on August 20 and August 21 indicates that Ukrainian forces reached the central part of Robotyne (10km south of Orikhiv) and broke through some Russian defenses south of Mala Tokmachka (9km southeast of Orikhiv). [1] Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar reported that Ukrainian forces succeeded in the direction southeast of Robotyne and south of Mala Tokmachka, and that Russian forces unsuccessfully counterattacked east of Robotyne. [2] Malyar and Russian sources stated that fighting is ongoing in Robotyne. [3] ... Some Russian sources reported that Russian forces retreated from some positions near Verbove as part of their elastic defense, likely in response to a Ukrainian advance south of Mala Tokmachka. [5] ISW previously assessed that Ukrainian attacks on Robotyne are tactically significant because a Ukrainian advance in the area may allow Ukrainian forces to begin operating past the densest Russian minefields. [6] Ukrainian advances across fields in this area likely confirm this assessment. Persistent Ukrainian advances in the Robotyne area also likely aim to degrade Russian forces that have committed significant effort, resources, and personnel to hold positions around Robotyne. Every year, Ukraine's armed forces will receive better & better weapons. Every year, Russia's armed forces will have to fight with worse weapons because of sanctions. Time is not on Russia's side. #UkraineRussianWar . ⚡️ WAR IN #UKRAINE - AUG 21 ■ Strikes & engagements below average ■ Troop losses <500, equipment below average ■ Double-digit artillery, APV, vehicle & tank losses ■ ≈150 tanks this month so far ■ Oryx: 65:23 🇷🇺/🇺🇦, 30-day ratio rises to 1.7x 📈 https://t.co/X6cgM2Snjp pic.twitter.com/Sc6gGXtBdi Russian Main Effort—Eastern Ukraine Russian Subordinate Main Effort #1 – Luhansk Oblast (Russian objective: Capture the remainder of Luhansk Oblast and push westward into eastern Kharkiv Oblast and northern Donetsk Oblast) Russian sources made and walked back claims about significant Russian advances in the Kupyansk direction amid continued offensive actions on August 21. x ⚡⚡ Another epic video of the Ukrainian ambush on a convoy of Russian vehicles after its failed assault near Klishchiivka Recorded losses: - 2 T-80BV tanks (one model 2022) - BMP-1 - BMP-2#Bakhmut #Klishchiivka #Robotyne #Ukraine #UkraineWar #UkraineRussiaWar #Russia pic.twitter.com/ze6s6mgzmp — Ukrainian Witness 🇺🇦 (@warinukraineua) August 21, 2023 Russian Subordinate Main Effort #2 – Donetsk Oblast (Russian objective: Capture the entirety of Donetsk Oblast, the claimed territory of Russia’s proxies in Donbas) Russian forces conducted offensive operations near Bakhmut on August 21 and advanced on Bakhmut’s southern flank. Geolocated footage published on August 20 indicates that Russian forces advanced northwest of Klishchiivka (7km southwest of Bakhmut). [45] The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian forces conducted unsuccessful offensive operations near Klishchiivka and Kurdyumivka (13km southwest of Bakhmut). [46] Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar reported that Russian forces are attempting to restore lost positions on Bakhmut’s northern flank near Zaliznyanske (12km north of Bakhmut), Vasylivka (20km northwest of Bakhmut), and Bohdanivka (6km northwest of Bakhmut) and that fighting continues on Bakhmut’s southern flank in central Klishchiivka, north and west of Andriivka (10km southwest of Bakhmut), and north of Kurdyumivka. [47] Russian Supporting Effort – Southern Axis (Russian objective: Maintain frontline positions and secure rear areas against Ukrainian strikes) Ukrainian forces continued counteroffensive operations in western Donetsk and eastern Zaporizhia oblasts but did not advance on August 21. The Russian MoD claimed that Russian artillery and air units repelled a Ukrainian attack in the Urozhaine (9km south of Velyka Novosilka) direction and that Russian forces stopped two Ukrainian reconnaissance groups south of Chervone (14km southeast of Hulyaipole). [54] … The Russian “Vostok” Battalion claimed that Ukrainian forces are continuing to attack Russian positions east of Urozhaine. [56] Ukrainian forces advanced to central Robotyne (10km south of Orikhiv) and east of the settlement in western Zaporizhia Oblast on August 21. Geolocated footage posted on August 21 showed Ukrainian forces operating in central Robotyne, while other geolocated footage posted on August 20 showed that Ukrainian forces made another advance about three kilometers east of Robotyne (south of Mala Tokmachka). [57] The advances in and east of Robotyne likely indicate that Ukrainian forces overcame Russian fortifications in the area. Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar reported that Ukrainian forces conducted successful operations in the direction southeast of Robotyne and south of Mala Tokmachka. [58] Malyar added that Russian forces unsuccessfully attempted to regain lost positions east of Robotyne and that combat operations are ongoing in Robotyne. Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces intensified attacks on the Robotyne-Verbove (21km southeast of Orikhiv) line and are engaged in heavy battles in central Robotyne with elements of the Russian 810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade (Black Sea Fleet) and 503rd Motorized Rifle Regiment (19th Motorized Rifle Division, 58th Combined Arms Army, Southern Military District [SMD]). [59] The 503rd MRR had been stationed in Nesteryanka (12km northwest of Robotyne) and elements of it likely redeployed to Robotyne relatively recently to reinforce failing Russian defenses in the area. [60] .... Zaporizhia Oblast occupation head Yevgeny Balitsky claimed that three Ukrainian assault groups tried to break through Russian defenses near Verbove but were unsuccessful. [63] [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/8/21/2188656/-Ukraine-Invasion-Day-545-the-advance-has-been-tactically-significant Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/