The Ukrainian Armed Forces retook positions near Bilytske, while Russia destroyed a span of the bridge in Sloviansk
ISW has recorded Ukrainian forces advancing on several fronts
Ukrainian forces advanced on the Sloviansk direction and retook positions northwest of Bilitske on the Pokrovsk direction. This is stated in an assessment by analysts of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Russian strikes on positions in Ozerne, located east of Sloviansk, indicate recent advances by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. At the same time, those strikes contradict Russian claims of having established control over positions west of Ozerne.
On the Pokrovsk direction Ukrainian forces retook positions northwest of Bilitske. According to ISW, Russian forces there continue to employ infiltration tactics.
“Russia is not stopping attempts to destroy Ukrainian logistics in the Donbas,” the analysts noted.
15 August Russian forces carried out several strikes with guided bombs on a pedestrian bridge across the Kazennyi Torets River in Sloviansk. As a result of the attack one span collapsed. Previously the Russians had struck other bridges across that river.
ISW believes that the destruction of bridges may be Russia preparing for a possible offensive on the Ukrainian fortified belt.
Near Kostiantynivka Russian forces continue attempts to advance. They are attacking both flanks and looking for vulnerable sections of the Ukrainian defense.
Separately, analysts from ISW said that Russia is significantly exaggerating the results of its offensive on the Oleksandrivske direction. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Russian forces had allegedly captured 19 settlements in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and Russian bloggers published videos as confirmation of that control.
However, according to ISW, most of those materials are fake: some of the videos were created using artificial intelligence, and some were filmed at a different time when Russia did indeed control those settlements.
Earlier ISW also reported that Russia is preparing strikes on the energy infrastructure of Kyiv ahead of Ukraine’s Independence Day.
