Mapping 3 New Key Battles in the Russo-Russian War

The offensive began in early May, with thousands of Russian troops marching across the northern border and forcing Ukraine to bring in troops from other regions to defend its positions.

3 key areas along the Russia-Ukraine front line. Data as of May 29. Graphics: CNN

This is an example of how Russia exploited Ukraine's key weaknesses: insufficient manpower, lack of artillery, sparse air defenses, and inadequate fortifications.

Ukraine's frontline brigades are holding out as they desperately wait for ammunition from allies, as well as for new recruits to arrive to provide much-needed manpower support.

In the north, Moscow's troops are aiming to get within artillery range of the city of Kharkiv. Along the southern front, Russia is trying to seize control of villages recaptured by Ukraine in last year's counter-offensive, while also pushing deeper into Ukrainian territory.

Kharkiv Front

Kharkiv Front. Graphics: CNN

The cross-border offensive saw Russian forces briefly take control of several villages. Russia has since stepped up attacks in the area, trying to seize control of key settlements in Vovchansk and Lypsti.

Lyptsi, located about 30 km north of Kharkiv (the capital of Kharkiv Oblast), is under heavy Russian bombardment. Capturing the large village would allow the Russian military to position artillery within range of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, which is vulnerable to rocket fire.

The Russian offensive also diverted Ukraine’s already stretched resources away from other front lines and created a buffer zone from Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s border region. For example, Russia’s nearby Belgorod region has come under increasing Ukrainian attack in recent months.

Eastern Front - Avdiivka and Bakhmut

Ukraine's eastern front. Graphics: CNN

Apart from the Kharkiv offensive, Russia has largely focused its offensive capabilities in the east, where it has been steadily advancing since October 2023 when Ukraine’s much-anticipated counteroffensive failed last summer. Seizing Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland – known as Donbas – remains the Kremlin’s primary goal.

In February, Moscow's troops scored a major victory on this front when they captured the town of Avdiivka. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the decision to withdraw was to preserve their forces in the face of heavy, sustained Russian bombardment and a 10-to-1 artillery disadvantage.

Since then, Russian troops have been steadily advancing west towards Pokrovsk, which serves as an important military center of Ukraine.

A few dozen kilometers to the north, the eastern city of Bakhmut was recaptured by Russia last spring after a nine-month battle. Russian forces are now pushing west toward Chasiv Yar. Taking control of the high ground where the town is located would bring Russian troops closer to the strategic city of Kramatorsk.

The Battle for Robotyne Village

The battle for Robotyne village. Graphics: CNN

Further south, Ukrainian forces are under pressure in southeastern Zaporizhzhia, one of the few areas where they achieved success, albeit modest in scale, in their counteroffensive last summer.

Russian military bloggers and Ukraine's DeepStateMap conflict map both report small Russian advances into recaptured Ukrainian territory.

Robotyne, a small village now completely destroyed, has changed hands several times during the conflict. It was first captured by Russian forces in early March 2022, and Moscow claimed control of it again earlier this month, a claim Ukraine denies.

The Battle for Robotyne highlights the versatility of the battlefield and is a vivid illustration of the nature of war, decided by brutal fighting in often abandoned villages.

Hoai Phuong (according to CNN)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/lap-ban-do-3-tran-danh-then-chot-moi-trong-cuoc-chien-nga--ukraine-post297715.html