Russian Zaporizhzhia Spring Assault Units Encircled, Many Losses, PoWs

Early reports indicated that Russia's spring offensive is off to a particularly poor start in the Zaporizhzhia sector, where they are being destroyed by Ukrainian drones, artillery and infantry who anticipated their assault. 

Losses, including many POWs, are revealed to be heavy - and this is just in the first day and a half, when they would ordinarily be expected to be performing optimally. Instead, they are foundering. JL

 
The Kyiv Post reports:

Ukrainian forces continue to conduct sweep operations in the Zaporizhzhia sector, clearing positions and capturing Russian servicemen during close-quarters fighting. Russia's spring offensive stretched from Rodynske to Hulyaipole, beginning March 16 with small assault groups. Ukrainian forces responded, inflicting heavy losses.“900 in a day and a half is a new record. They did not take a single area on this section.”  On March 17, Russia renewed attacks using infantry, motorcycles, armored vehicles, and even horses. Groups of Russian infantry had entrenched themselves in residential buildings, until Ukrainian forces forced them out of their positions. “The Russians were unable to advance. They cannot break through anywhere – we are burning their equipment.”

Ukrainian military intelligence said on Thursday that its special forces continue to conduct sweep operations in the Zaporizhzhia direction, clearing positions and capturing Russian servicemen during close-quarters fighting.

In a post on Telegram, Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) said that its Chimera unit had successfully cleared one of the settlements in the area.

The HUR said that separate groups of Russian infantry had entrenched themselves in residential buildings, until – through “skillful and methodical actions” – Ukrainian forces forced them out of their positions. 

The special forces then carried out a thorough sweep of the premises, killing Russian troops in close combat and capturing those who survived. 

The captured Russian soldiers are expected to be swapped for Ukrainian prisoners-of-war, the report said.

Just under three minutes of video footage shared by HUR appears to show intense assault operations, with body camera footage capturing close combat, gunfights, and military clearing procedures.

It ends with two captured Russian soldiers saying they “could have died, but survived thanks to the Chimera.” 

Kyiv Post was unable to independently verify the time and location of the footage.

Notably, the Zaporizhzhia direction remains one of the most intense sectors of the front line. President Volodymyr Zelensky described it as “important” on Monday – adding that Russian troops are massing there, “but we are destroying those forces.” 

Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) wounded and killed more than 900 Russian soldiers in 36 hours during an attempted assault along a 100-kilometer front in the Zaporizhzhia direction.

USF commander Robert “Madyar” Brovdi said that poor weather on March 17-18 coincided with the launch of Russia’s spring-summer campaign. 

The offensive stretched from Rodynske to Hulyaipole, beginning late on March 16 with small assault groups. Ukrainian forces responded with drones, inflicting heavy losses. On March 17, Russia renewed attacks using infantry, motorcycles, armored vehicles, and even horses.

USF reported 292 Russian troops killed and 221 wounded that day, followed by another 141 killed and 136 wounded on March 18.

“900 in a day and a half is a somewhat new record… The enemy did not take a single area on this section,” Brovdi said, warning of a “heavy and prolonged struggle” ahead.

On March 15, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia’s planned spring offensive had stalled, with Ukrainian forces preventing large-scale breakthroughs and destroying significant equipment.

Russian troops, he said, have been forced to rely on small infiltration groups rather than mechanized advances.

“The spring campaign… drowned in this spring for the Russians; they were unable to advance,” Zelensky said. “They cannot break through anywhere – we are burning their equipment.”