Ukrainian troops recaptured a processing plant which had been occupied by Russians for months after beating them in hand-to-hand combat, military intelligence reported.
The plant, a partly steel structure with some 30 buildings, had been a Russian stronghold in the Kharkiv border region of Vovchansk since May, when Kremlin forces sought to stretch Ukraine’s weary forces by launching a fresh offensive in the area.
Russian troops have been in control of the Vovchansk plant for at least four months, with Moscow reportedly deploying their most elite units to defend the area.
But following a fierce bout of combat likely intended to demonstrate that Ukraine is not giving up the fight despite being outmanned and outgunned by the Russian army, the plant was retaken.
Taking back the plant was likely intended to demonstrate that Ukraine is not giving up the fight despite being outmanned and outgunned by the Russian army.
During the operation, Russian soldiers attacked the Ukrainian with kamikaze attack drones, guided aerial bombs, and intense shelling from TOS-1 ‘Solntsepek’ multiple rocket launchers.
Yet despite the immense pressure Ukrainian forces eventually emerged victorious and defeated the occupiers, despite being outgunned and even forced into hand-to-hand combat at various points during the assault.
In a report released by Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR), Kyiv commended the HUR special forces for accomplishing the ‘extremely difficult’ counterattack.
‘The fighters of HUR carried out a systematic sweep of the plant’s buildings, constantly engaging in contact battles with the enemy in densely built-up conditions. In some cases, Ukrainian special forces engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy,’ the report read.
‘Ukraine’s Armed Forces regained control of the territory of the aggregate plant after all 30 buildings were cleared (of Russian forces).’
Russian soldiers were reportedly also taken captive by Ukrainian forces during the operation, they added.
Located around 60 kilometres northeast of Kharkiv, Vovchansk has been one of the focal points of Russia’s latest offensive in the region, which started in May.
Despite initially gaining ground, the Russian offensive in Kharkiv quickly became bogged down, with Russian troops reportedly suffering heavy losses.
The UK Defence Ministry estimates more than 1,000 Russian troops are being killed or wounded each day.
Russia’s onslaught has reduced Vovchansk, and many other Ukrainian towns and villages, to smoking piles of rubble and bombed-out residential buildings.
Ukraine’s daring incursion last month into Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces are holding ground, was launched in part to ease pressure in the north-east by forcing Russia to divert its forces.
Kyiv’s forces are also under severe pressure in the town of Vuhledar, one of a key belt of strongholds in the Donetsk region which along with Luhansk makes up the partly occupied Donbas.
Russian forces are obliterating Vuhledar with glide bombs while infantry units advance on the flanks in a bid to encircle the town, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Centre for Combating Disinformation of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine.
The victory at Vovchansk coincided with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s trip to the US where he is looking to ensure continuing foreign support for his country with the war deep into its third year.
Following a meeting with President Biden, the US has confirmed it is sending Ukraine cluster bombs, rockets and other weapons in a new 375 million dollar military aid package.
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