Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk Attacks Have Disrupted Expected Russian Offensives

Ukraine's ongoing counterattacks in Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropavlovsk, Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts have disrupted Russian offensive plans for the spring and summer by pushing Russian troops out of favorable assault launching strongholds. 

The attacks have provided Ukraine with more defensible positions which will make the Russians' plans even less likely of success because of the difficult terrain they will now be forced to traverse, if they are even able to contemplate maintaining those plans. JL

New Voice of Ukraine reports:

Ukrainian forces are conducting counterattacks and assault operations in the Oleksandrivka sector to stop Russian troops from advancing toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Ukrainian counterattacks liberated several settlements in the Zaporizhzhya and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, slowing Russian advances and complicating their preparations for a potential summer offensive.

Ukrainian forces are conducting counterattacks and assault operations in the Oleksandrivka sector to stop Russian troops from advancing toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, South Defense Forces spokesman Vladyslav Voloshyn said during the United News telethon on Feb. 19.

Russian forces carried out 10 combat engagements in this sector in the past day.

"The situation there is quite difficult, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces are destroying the enemy and trying to prevent them from advancing towards Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and the settlement of Pokrovske," said Voloshyn.

On Feb. 18, the DeepState monitoring project noted that the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled Russian troops near Vyshneve, Verbove, and Ternove in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Ukrainian military earlier reported successful counterattacks near the administrative border of the Zaporizhzhya and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, while Voloshyn dismissed Russian milbloggers’ claims of a Ukrainian “counteroffensive.”

On Feb. 8, Ukrainian forces officially liberated the settlement of Ternuvate and cleared the village of Prydorozhnie in Zaporizhzhya Oblast. On Feb. 11, they reported clearing Kosivtseve in Zaporizhzhya Oblast.

The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War wrote on Feb. 15 that Ukrainian counterattacks had liberated several settlements in the Zaporizhzhya and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, slowing Russian advances and complicating their preparations for a potential summer offensive.