(Dan Tri) – Ukraine’s counterattack campaign took place fiercely on the Zaporizhia front with two hot spots: Vremevievsky and Orekhov peaks.
Ukrainian tanks have been carefully trained for the counterattack (Reuters photo).
The Russian Ministry of Defense updated the war in Ukraine
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched an attack using sea- and air-launched long-range precision weapons on one of the decision-making centers of the Ukrainian armed forces.
During the day, the Ukrainian armed forces continued their efforts to conduct offensive operations in the southern directions of Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Donetsk.
In the Vremevsky Promontory area, supported by artillery fire and air power, the Vostok group of forces repelled three Ukrainian attacks in the settlements of Novodonetskoye in Donetsk and Levadnoe in the Zaporizhia region.
In the Zaporizhia direction, Russian troops repelled three Ukrainian attacks in the Zherebyanka, Malaya Tokmachka and Mirnoye regions.
Ukraine’s total losses in these areas amounted to more than 235 soldiers, 4 tanks, 2 infantry fighting vehicles, 14 armored fighting vehicles, 1 US-made M777 artillery system and 1 D-howitzer.
In the direction of Donetsk, units of the Southern group of forces successfully repelled 7 enemy attacks on the settlements of Belogorovka, Verkhnekamenka in Luhansk;
In the two settlement areas of Marinka and Novgorodskoe in Donetsk, air strikes caused losses to units of the 46th mechanized brigade and the 109th territorial protection brigade of Ukraine.
In the fighting of this direction, up to 340 Ukrainian soldiers, 1 infantry fighting vehicle, 2 armored fighting vehicles, 5 motor vehicles and 2 D-30 artillery guns were destroyed.
In the direction of Kupyansk, the Western group of troops attacked Ukrainian personnel and equipment in the settlements of Sinkovka, Timkovka, Kislovka and Berestovaye of the Kharkov region.
In the Krasnolimansk direction, the Center group defeated Ukrainian units in the Nevskoye settlement, Chervonaya Dibrova in Luhansk and Yampolovka in Donetsk, as well as the Serebryansky forestry district.
Up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen, one infantry fighting vehicle, two 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery platforms, as well as D-20 and D-30 artillery were destroyed.
In the Kherson direction, due to damage from Russian firepower, Ukraine’s losses amounted to 40 soldiers, 2 motor vehicles, 1 MSTA-B howitzer and 2 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled guns.
During the day Russia destroyed 97 artillery units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at firing positions, as well as manpower and military equipment in 103 areas.
Air defense systems intercepted 6 HIMARS and Uragan rocket artillery shells.
Ukraine and the West war information
According to CNN, based on analysis of the situation, it can be concluded that, after the counterattack ended, Ukraine seemed forced to change its attitude in negotiations with Russia.
Ukraine’s counteroffensive has not yet gained the momentum that some optimistic observers expected.
Instead of showing off overwhelming force focusing newly formed brigades in one direction, the Ukrainians seem to be trying to pull enemy units in many different directions, trying to find where the weak points are.
However, Moscow’s approach to protecting its defenses in the south appears to have worked relatively well, costing Ukraine many tanks, minesweepers and other armored vehicles.
Available open source videos show Russia’s many ways and effective use of anti-tank weapons, causing damage to Ukraine’s front-line breakthrough units.
According to Kyiv Independent, citing sources from the General Staff of the Ukrainian Army, on June 17, the enemy was unsuccessful in battles in the East when trying to attack the cities and towns of Kupyansk.
The Ukrainian army reported 22 engagements across all regions.
Enemy forces are continuing to fiercely resist Ukraine’s counterattack on the Zaporizhia and Kherson fronts.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine announced Russia’s losses as of June 17 (Photo: Ministry of National Defense of Ukraine).
Ukraine’s war developments on each front
After a few days of lull, in the past day, the war became more exciting and was continuously updated by Rybar, RVvoenkory, RB, and Military Chroncles channels.
Zaporizhia Front
The toughest battle was taking place on Vremevievsky promontory.
Russian forces also discovered and opened fire on a group of Ukrainian commandos who were secretly crossing the planted forests.
The fighting in Ukraine at Vremevievsky Peak was extremely fierce on June 17 (Photo: RVvoenkory).
Fierce fighting in Orekhov, last afternoon and night, the fighting was extremely tense with waves of Ukrainian soldiers and armor rushing toward the trenches in the battlefield set up by the Russian army.
However, Ukraine’s losses in troops and equipment are staggeringly high and will soon be announced.
In this area, there is the participation of Ukrainian units including: Brigade 128, Brigade 47, Brigade 33.
Facing them, there were still the old names including Regiment 291 and Regiment 70, these two units had stood firm on this front line for many days.
War map of Ukraine in the Orekhov area (Photo: Rybar).
Svatovo-Kremennaya Line: The Russian army repelled a breakthrough attempt by Ukrainian forces in the Krasno-Limansky direction.
The mobile armored group of the 67th Brigade tried to break through the enemy’s defense line in the Serebryansky Lesnichestvo area but failed, forcing them to retreat, leaving behind two destroyed infantry fighting vehicles in the forest.
In the Torskoye area, reconnaissance of the Central army group detected the enemy’s preparations for attack with the support of 3 infantry fighting vehicles and 1 tank of the 63rd Brigade, which raided Ukraine, causing losses and losses.
The movements of the 92nd and 63rd mechanized brigades and the 25th Ukrainian airborne brigade were detected, and Russia attacked with air force and artillery, causing losses.
Fighting in Ukraine at the Svatovo-Kremennaya line (Photo: RB).
Mechanized vehicles suffered heavy losses during major attacks, Ukraine changed tactics
According to Military Chroncles, after major mechanical losses on the Zaporizhia and South-Donetsk fronts, the tactics of the Ukrainian ground forces (army) have changed significantly.
If in the early days the Armed Forces of Ukraine actively created the illusion of a massive counterattack with multiple attacks by forces of more than one battalion, now there are only small platoon groups, up to 30
This was especially noticeable during the battles in the Pyatikhatki – Stepovoye – Malye Shcherbaki triangle.
A significant portion of heavy equipment, including Leopard tanks and M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, was brought back to the rear for regrouping, repairs and, apparently, a new attack plan.
Field repair of damaged tanks and infantry vehicles is very difficult and cannot be done quickly, especially in the context of Ukraine’s severe lack of motorized rescue vehicles (BREM vehicles), so there is no time to do so.
Russian artillery only needs to attack and all Ukrainian vehicles on the spot will be completely destroyed
The Ukrainian army is ordered to protect Western-made armored vehicles, so mobile attack groups in recent days have mainly used MaxxPro and Mastiff armored vehicles.
But these vehicles are not suitable for frontal attacks, they are easily destroyed by enemy fire, causing the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the past 72 hours to increase to 880-930 dead and wounded.
On the contrary, Russia is using quite reasonable tactics: as soon as the Ukrainian Armed Forces capture certain positions, the entire area is often covered by artillery fire.
And if it was night, those positions were attacked by Ka-52 and Mi-28NM helicopters.
In addition, significant losses of high-ranking commanders have significantly affected the fighting spirit of Ukrainian soldiers, causing more and more soldiers to refuse orders to mobilize to attack, as happened in Artyomovsk (Bakhmut).