Battle of Svatove

Battle of Svatove
Part of the 2022 Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Date 3 October 2022 – present (1 year, 11 months and 1 week) Location Svatove, Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Russia Luhansk PR Donetsk PR	Ukraine
Commanders and leaders
Roman Berdnikov Aleksandr Lapin Valery Gerasimov	Oleksandr Syrskyi Valery Zaluzhny
Units involved
Russian Armed Forces Russian Ground Forces General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation 20th Guards Combined Arms Army 4th Guards Tank Division	Armed Forces of Ukraine Ukrainian Ground Forces 53rd Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine)
Strength
~8,000+	~10,000+
Casualties and losses
100+	300+

The Battle of Svatove is a current military conflict between Russia and Ukraine over the eastern Ukrainian city of Svatove. The battle began on October 3, 2022, a day after the Ukrainian army recaptured the nearby town of Lyman in Donetsk Oblast.

Background

Main articles: 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and 2022 Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Svatove was occupied by Russian and Luhansk People's Republic forces on 6 March 2022. Following a major counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces in early September 2022, it was reported that Russian forces were leaving the city. On 14 September it was reported that Russian troops had returned.

Battle

On October 3, under the orders of General Valery Zaluzhny, Ukrainian forces launched an offensive and made some progress near the Kharkiv-Luhansk Oblast border west of Svatove. Geolocated footage showed Ukrainian troops capturing Borovi and Shijikiki, both within 35 km west of the city of Svatova, which was later confirmed by Borovi City Council and various Russian bloggers. Ukrainian sources additionally reported that Ukrainian troops recaptured Izyumske and Druzheljuvka, about 25 km southwest of the town of Svatove. The reported tactical plan of General Valery Zaluzhny was to surround the city from the north and south with a rapid penetration and to effectively surround and pincer the large Russian troops stationed in that city.

Ukrainian forces continued to advance west of the town of Svatove the next day. Ukrainian troops captured Bohuslavka and Borivska Andriyivka, both within 30 km west of Swat and near the Kharkiv-Luhansk Oblast border. Bohuslavka and Borivska Andriivka are on the left bank of the river Oskil. These gains, along with other Ukrainian advances on the east bank of the river, essentially deprived Russian forces of the ability to use the river as a defensive line. Russian sources reported on the Ukrainian advance towards Svatove and noted that although Russian troops still control the R66 (Svatove-Kreminna) highway, which Russian bloggers consider a critical Russian ground line of communication (GLOC), Ukrainian reconnaissance groups were operating along the road to set conditions for future attacks on Svatove. Russian sources reported that fighting was ongoing in Krasnorichenskyi, a settlement near the R66 and between Svatove and Kreminna. Elements of the Russian 1st Guards Tank Army and elements of the 144th Guards Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Army began preparations to defend Svatove and form a large front line along the R66 highway from the Russian border through the town of Svatove to Kremina in anticipation of further Ukrainian attacks. On October 5, Ukrainian forces achieved the conquest of the northwestern Luhansk region near Svatove.

Images on social media showed Ukrainian troops in Khrekovka and Makiivka, two settlements in the Luhansk region 20 km southwest of Svatove. Russian sources continued to discuss with concern Ukrainian attacks along the R66 (Svatove-Kreminna) highway and indicated that Russian troops, reportedly including elements of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division, were preparing defenses in Svatove, Kreminna and along R66. In the coming days, Russian forces focused on defending the Svatovo-Kremina front line because they are increasingly concerned that a Ukrainian penetration of this line will allow Ukrainian troops to threaten Starobilsk, a key Russian logistics hub about 50 km east of Svatove, through which many of the landing lines that are necessary for Russian operations in the Luhansk region.