Battle of Donbass. The decisive one?
Ukraine vs Rusia War (29-30th April)
The Battle of Donbas is starting to intensify. Western analysts indicate what is evident. For more than 72 hours, the Russian army has made progress through the eastern region of Ukraine, with at least three clearly defined directions
Currently the Ukrainian government indicates that Russian troops had been focusing on conquering the region between Slaviansk and Kramatorsk. Slaviansk was considered of vital strategic value for the control of the Donetsk region.
It should be noted that the 2014 civil war in Ukraine broke out precisely in this city, Sloviansk or Sláviansk (written in Ukrainian or Russian), belonging to the Donetsk oblast, in the eastern part of the country. A city of an enormous strategic value, which was already taken in 2014 by pro-Russian forces and, after a siege of several months, was finally evicted.
Barvinkove, the city that every analyst talks about - the town that holds the key to the Donbas region through its highway and bridge.
On April 25, the first Russian howitzer, launched from a hill, landed on a nearby field in Barvinkove.
"Now, this will take a few minutes and then it will fall from all sides on top of us and the city," said Yegor, a Ukrainian soldier stationed in this sector.
After two months of tense calm in this sector, and after the withdrawal of Russian troops in their attempt to take Kyiv, this front was transformed overnight into a hot zone of the conflict. The Ukrainians have been trying for two weeks to contain Russian advances in this sector, now a priority for the Kremlin. But things are going not so well for the Ukrainian soldiers, who are slowly backing down.
"In terms of morale, the situation is complicated. It's not all rosy," says Irina Ribakova, press officer of the 93rd brigade.
📽️Ukrainian helicopters flying low and firing rockets towards Russian positions #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/4xxAr54mjd
— MilitaryLand.net (@Militarylandnet) April 30, 2022
"Of course, we were prepared for this war, especially for the professional army, but for recruits, it's more complicated."
TESTIMONIES OF THE WAR IN BARVINKOVE
Barvinkove is where the efforts of the Russian advance are focused. A few kilometers from it there are several posts of enlisted Ukrainian forces. Their testimonials are as of tomorrow Story:
"If not, we're dead," says Vasil, a 51-year-old volunteer soldier enlisted with his 22-year-old son Denis.
Vasil indicates that the supplies arrive correctly at the front, except for tobacco, since "officially", the consumption of alcohol is prohibited at the front.
The Russians wage their war. "For psychological warfare", the Russian army chooses the dark of night to fire its largest caliber artillery.
"We have a very fragmented front line, which does not follow a river, a road or a highway. Now it is a town for us, one for them, one for us, like chess," says Irina Ribakova.
The region around Barvinkove is prepared to repel the Russian attack. To achieve this, all kinds of facilities have been built and remodeled to stop the arrival of the invaders army: holes in the railway tracks, several kilometers of trenches, bridges blown up to stop their advance, and mines that explode when the Russian columns pass.
The human losses in the Ukrainian ranks are considerable. The Ukrainian 25th Brigade, which until now bears the brunt of the operations, is the hardest hit.
NATO REINFORCEMENTS
Poland, the most involved European country in supporting Ukraine, has made a momentous decision for the future of the conflict in a critical phase. It has transferred 200 T-72 main battle tanks (similar to those Ukraine had in stock), surveillance drones, artillery, Hailstone air-to-air missiles, and several infantry transport vehicles.
“Among the weapons that ended up in Ukraine were the 2S1 Gvodzika self-propelled howitzers, as well as the Hailstone multiple launch missile systems. Poland also transferred air-to-air missiles for MiG-29 and Su-27 aircraft, as well as heavy equipment.
The transferred battle tanks are the T-72, in addition to the drones of Polish production WB Electronics, whose function is reconnaissance.
Perun-type portable anti-aircraft missile systems would also be delivered from the Polish arsenal. The necessary ammunition for would be included.
Author: Jose Mª Maestre Domínguez ©
Translated by: Carolina López Montes
Source
https://www.elespanol.com/mundo/20220430/barvinkove-pueblo-llave-donbas-traves-carretera-puente/668683621_0.html
https://www.jornada.com.mx/notas/2022/04/26/mundo/la-moral-de-las-tropas-ucranias-se-deteriora-en-barvinkove/
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sl%C3%A1viansk
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rai%C3%B3n_de_Barvinkove
https://www.zona-militar.com/2022/04/29/polonia-transfiere-a-ucrania-un-total-de-200-tanques-y-decenas-de-vehiculos-de-combate-de-infanteria/
Source: Wikimedia Commons and Wikipedia.
Video: Twitter.
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